(Rick Durden) wrote in message om...

I sure liked the time I spent in the Cheetah, so I'm sitting here
being a little envious of you. It was comfortable for long trips,
about as fast as an Archer/Cardinal on 30 fewer horses and the
visibility was outstanding. Only downsides that stick in my mind are
that despite juggling umbrellas, the inside gets wet when you have to
deal with rain as you get in or out, and it doesn't carry ice well.

The ice thing is for-real. The wing will lose noticable airspeed
just in heavy rain. (Although, I think perhaps pilots over-estimate
the amount of ice other airframes will carry, and the proper conclusion
isn't "take another plane" it's "don't go" if the "ice risk" is there.
Unless the other plane is known-icing certified. Just my opinion.)

If the inside got significantly more wet than a Piper, you didn't
have a big enough umbrella. You can tell a Grumman pilot by the
size of her umbrella *g*. We have 3 that size. I do experience
"Cessna envy" when it's pouring rain and I have to load the plane
on the ramp, but only then. When I flew Tigger home, my checkout
CFI referred to me as "Cessna-handed". It wasn't a compliment *g*.

Cheers,
Sydney