low wing vs. high wing

[Lead Sled]

...but I am leaning toward purchasing a 152 to build time when I get my ticket.

If you want to build time cheaply, consider a vintage taildragger. They're reasonably affordable to buy and cheap to operate. They'll teach you what your feet are for and make you an argueably better pilot. Finally, one nice thing about them it that they tend to appreciate. Back when I was working on building time, I bought a Luscombe 8-F and flew it for a couple of years and 300 or 400 hours. When I sold it, it had appreciated enough to cover my operating costs. You can do the same thing if your careful.

'Sled

 

[Doug]

Thanks for the advice Lead Sled

I always have to remember too that if you purchase an airplane, it will actually be worth something when you go to sell it, unlike a car.

Whatever I end up purchasing it will be something that is not terribly expensive, and that 1 person (me) can afford to maintain. I don't know that I am into purchasing a 1/2 or 1/3 of a more expensive plane...I want to be able to fly when I want to, and if I want to carry more than 1 other person I can always rent a 4 seat...but those times would probably be few and far between.

This is afterall a hobby to me, so I have to keep my purchase reasonable. Just like learning in a 152. Sure I guess paying $30 more an hour is no big deal if you are rolling your flight training into a big loan, and aiming toward a career in aviation. But for someone like me who is paying the entire thing out of pocket, that $30 an hour makes a difference.

I do find it funny though, how life somehow always remains the same. I remember back when I was in my teens dreaming of a car I could call my own...even if it wasn't the greatest car in the world.

Now years later, I am basically dreaming the same dream, just with a plane instead of a car...

 

[Goose Egg]

Now years later, I am basically dreaming the same dream, just with a plane instead of a car...

And your all the better for it!

That vintage taildragger idea is a good one except for one thing: I don't think that I'd be able to part with an airplane like that! Look at me letting emotion muck things up again!

-Goose

 

[JAFI]

I learned on both - no preference.

The best argument I ever heard was "did you ever see a low wing bird"?

I vote for the tail dragger. IMHO pilots who learn on a tail dragger have much better rudder control than their tricycle gear brothers. As an Instructor I could usually tell them apart.

JAFI

 

[Lead Sled]

As long as we're talking about aircraft to train in...

If I were king of the universe, I would make it mandatory for PPL candidates to have logged time in both taildraggers and gliders. Once you get on speaking terms with those everything comes easy. Oh, and I would also require some basic aerobatic training as well.

'Sled

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

High wings, You can see down, Low wings you can see up.

It is an airplane, you can learn to fly in it.

Each has it's own quirks and differences.


Did you learn to drive in a Ford or a Chevy? Sedan or hatchback?


If you really want to learn it right, get your private in a taildragger. Do that and you will automatically be better than 99% of the other private pilots out there. Plus it makes the insurance easier when you hit the lottery and buy a T-6 or P-51!!!

P-51........uuggghhhh slobber drool.........with sprinkles........

 

[rumpletumbler]

Well...I e-mailed AMD and this is what I got back. I don't think the guy really answered the question.

Look at the C-150 wing skin. How thick is that? The Alarus wing skins
are 0.025".

Alarus Service Manual gives the main skin thicknesses. You can compare
that to other certified 2 place aircraft. You cannot compare a 2 place
with a 4 place aircraft.

See the following web site for Flight and Service Manuals:

http://www.newplane.com/amd/CH2000_Service.html

http://www.newplane.com/amd/CH2000_Service.html

 

[nosehair]

High Wing! You can stand under the wing for shade when it's hot, and use it for cover when it's raining. It's better cross-country training because the student can see more terrain to compare to the map - and I like to see more scenery.

Aaaand, every low-wing trained pilot I ever had to train in a C-152/172 always needs a little (sometimes a lot) of work on cross-wind landings in a high-wing.

I like a high-wing for primary training, and a low wing for instrument training.