"Metavalent" wrote in message
.verio.net...

What are your aircraft recommendations for a new student?
My own perspective: C-152 -- money saver(if your weigh less than
160lbs); PA28-161 or 181 -- least hours to get your Private Pilot
Certificate; C-172SP -- pricey, but new and nicely equipped; SR22 --
more expensive, but you get cutting edge technology and performance.

I trained in Warriors and switched to a 172N after getting my license. I
found the Warrior easier overall, particularly in crosswinds. The Warrior is
less sensitive in pitch and has less adverse yaw, so it doesn't force you to
learn to use the rudder as much. However, both are fairly tame and the
performance envelope is similar enough that switching wont be too
challenging.

If you switch, you may spend 5 or more hours re-developing your feel for the
plane. Figure that as a cost versus sticking with the 172SP.

Personally, if I ran the world, I would strip every piece of avionics out of
primary trainers except for a transponder and com radio. Airspeed,
altimeter, and tachometer are the only instruments you need to be learning
about at this stage.

-cwk.