temp wrote:

I am sure this has been beat to death many times but I have not seen it so
here you go again.

I have just agreed to buy an aircraft, pending the few details that always
crop up. It happens to be a low wing plane, but all my time so far has been
in a C152. The low wing appeals to me as the lack of visiblity in turns on
the Cessna is irritating. The worst plane I ever flew in for vis was a
Taylorcraft, all I could see without ducking was the wing root! The best was
a Piper Tomahawk. However, the low wing planes have a big obstruction when
you wish to look straight down.

I am wondering if there was ever a concensus about which is generally
better. I expect some of the ultralights come out best for overall view, but
their other limitations just won't work for me.


Most low-wings are harder to get into and out of than low-wings, because
they usually only have one door (on the passenger side). Of course this
doesn't apply to all of them, but it sure does for most piper and
Beechcraft low wings (some musketeers have pilot-side doors, but not all
of them).

It's not a picnic to get into the passenger side either if you aren't
pretty fit and flexible. Lots more climbing and stepping over or down
into. When I take my father flying, he really struggles to get into and
out of the cherokee, and since I have to be in before him (since there
is no door on the pilot's side) I can't help very much.

I fly low-wings because that's what my flying club has, but if I had my
druthers I'd still be flying 172's. YMMV, MHO, etc.