Thread: single and dual prop plane help

Originally Posted by subLV

a 210 is not a plane for someone who has 0 hours. Yes, I know, you've probably heard of a guy who's uncle knew someone who flew it to get his license, but it's not. My cousin started flying his father's when he had about 80 hours, but that's a different story, he had been around airplanes since he had diapers, etc. A 210 is NOT what you want, believe me; too much power, too much speed, too heavy, etc. You'll get behind it too quick and it'll bite, and hard.

Airplanes are not like cars, you have to start very basic and move your way up. In that sense they're more like motorcycles, you have to give them infinite amounts of respect.

Get a 172 to start out, forget range and speed. Speed, usually, comes as a compromise to slow speed handling, and that's not a tradeoff you want right now. Cirrus', for example, fly fast yet their wing isn't approved for spins, that's why they have a chute. A chute sounds like a cool idea, yet do you know when the most probably time is to enter a spin? Just before landing (turning base to final) when you're 500' above ground, and the chute is useless at that altitude, you're toast.

A 182 is more reasonable, but still not what I'd get. One bad landing on a 182 and you'll bend the firewall (nose gear does not attach to the engine mount like a 172). And in cruise you'll pick up 20kt over a 172 and some useful load, but not what you want right now, for the aforementioned reasons.

Forget the trinidad, there's a guy at my field who's been trying to sell his for years to no avail. A 172 is by far the best bet; cheap to acquire and easy to sell, after all it's the most popular light airplane in the world (most units sold). Everyone and their grandmothers know how to fly and fix a 172.

Then, once you gain hours, and experience, you can think about moving up to an A36, etc.

I could not agree more with just about everything said here. Although the 172 now has the nosegear attached to the firewall as well. They changed it in the early 2000's (atleast on the skyhawk). The old adage there are Old pilots and Bold pilots but no Old Bold pilots rings true for how powerfull/complex of an airplane you think you can handle out of the gate as well. Start on a 172 then move up to a complex then twin (should you so desire). You will make better progress that way than you would starting on a faster plane. Treat flying with respect because it can and has killed before (believe me I know). But its a love thats hard to beat.

Insurance co.'s not only look at T.T. but also time in type! For example, you could build 500 Hours in a C-172 or something equivalent and even move into a BE-76(twin) for another hundred hr's or so and still the insurance company will want you to go to SimCom(Good/Smart move by the way!!) and then get 100-150 hours in what ever you buy(C421B) before you can get an insurance rate that isn't completely ridiculous($13,000/yr). And you will be required to go through recurrent training each year through SimCom/Flightsafety(or equivalent).. In my case, I was able to network and find a pilot/CFII with 800hr's in the C421B, to fly with me and be the primary on the insurance until I have enough hours to give the insurance company a warm/fuzzy... Having a CFI with you for the first 100 hours when taking a significant step up is PRICELESS!!!

Diamond DA-40..great plane to learn in and continue to fly