Today I flew a low wing airplane for the first time...
Well, I guess I should say that today I acted as the sole manipulator of the controls, or pilot in command (PIC) of a low wing airplane for the first time.
I guess the first time I ever flew a low wing airplane was when I was maybe six, and my dad let me "fly" his Beech Bonanza V-tail. The Bonanza had a swing-over yoke with an elevator lock, so in effect, the only control I had was the ailerons. As dad was fond of telling, I did apparently keep the wings level, even though I couldn't see over the panel. I guess I started out flying IFR, since according to dad's story, I used the artificial horizon (that's what we called the attitude indicator back then) to assess the attitude of the aircraft.
Anyway, today, I went out to Empire Aviation to take my first shot at flying left seat in a low wing aircraft. The aircraft in question is their Piper PA-28/140 Cherokee N551PA. The owner, Paul Hesse, started my orientation by showing me what I needed to do to pre-flight the airplane, reviewing airspeeds and procedures, and discussing the differences between the Cherokee and Cessnas I have been accustomed to.
I also decided it was time to finally spring for my own headset, rather than mooching one from Empire every time I flew. Empire carries the Telex brand, and they told me that they had tried a number of different brands and found the Telex to be reliable and to provide good value, so I decided that I'd purchase the entry level Echelon 100. There are a few other companies that offer an entry level headsets, the ASA entry level headset looked pretty good, but without being able to actually try each of them, it is really tough to determine which brand is best. Empire's price was competitive with online stores, they had it in stock, and I'd rather give Empire the business; they have been so nice to me.
Then it was time to hop in the airplane and head off into the wild blue yonder. After performing our run-up, we departed runway 32 and headed over to Person County airport for me to shoot my first few landings. On the way, we did some airwork including turns, stalls and emergency procedures.
I was surprised at how different the Cherokee feels compared to the 152. The "P" factor is much more noticeable, and there is a pronounced tendency for the nose to drop in turns. The ailerons are much heavier, and the rudder is less responsive. On the other hand, the stall is incredibly docile. With the 152, especially in a power-on turning stall, the stall is followed by a fairly abrupt wing drop. The Cherokee's stall just won't break - it just kind of burbles along.
The layout of the controls is very different. The 152s have an elevator trim wheel on the panel and push-pull mixture and throttle controls. The Cherokee has its trim control crank on the ceiling, and has levers for throttle and mixture. The Cherokee has an electric auxiliary fuel pump which must be turned on for take-off and landing, but carb heat is not typically used when landing. I guess after a while, the controls won't feel quite so foreign, I sure hope so, because they sure felt strange today.
The day could not have been more beautiful for flying. I went out early, and the temperature was crisp but not uncomfortably cold, the sky was crystal clear, and the air was as smooth as silk. I was pretty happy with my flying too. I was much smoother and felt more comfortable than at any time since I started flying again. All of my landings were acceptable, and one or two were even somewhat smooth.
Every other time, I have felt like I had to work really hard, and when I pulled back up to the hanger, I felt exhausted and my shirt was damp with perspiration. Today, I felt good.
I don't know if the difference was the airplane or just me having a good day, but, it definitely was a good day.
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Posted by David at April 28, 2005 11:47 PM