flying more than one make and model?

wrote:
Hi guys, another question.

What are the most commonly-held views on flying more than one make and
model of aircraft?

Take the example of a 172 and a Warrior. Clearly the aircraft are
different and the best solution would be to fly only one make and
model, but the reality of plane rental is that if you are checked out
and current in more than one aircraft, you have more flexibility in
terms of when you can go flying, which means more fun and more overall
currency.

At what experience level is it generally seen as sensible to regularly
fly two different makes and models of plane? Is this a big deal or not?

Tom

It takes me about 100 hours to get really comfortable in an airplane.
The piper Cherokee was the first and it took my about a year. My second
was my Maule and it too me about 6 months. My third a C-172 that took me
about a month. my forth, a Turbo charged, pressurized Skymaster, about a
month. The more frequently you fly an airplane the faster you will
become comfortable. I regularly switch between tail draggers and Nose
pushers. At this point I have no problems.

Michelle P (I fly for a living)

In article .com,
wrote:

Hi guys, another question.

What are the most commonly-held views on flying more than one make and
model of aircraft?

Take the example of a 172 and a Warrior. Clearly the aircraft are
different and the best solution would be to fly only one make and
model, but the reality of plane rental is that if you are checked out
and current in more than one aircraft, you have more flexibility in
terms of when you can go flying, which means more fun and more overall
currency.
At what experience level is it generally seen as sensible to regularly
fly two different makes and models of plane? Is this a big deal or not?

The flying club I am a member of has the following aircraft available:
1x PA32-300
2x C182
1x PA28T-201RT
1x PA28-181
4x C172
2x C152
plus a few others I don't remember.

I am checked out in all these aircraft.
My recommendation is to get checked out in as many as you can as soon as
you meet the insurance minimums.
The C172s in my club are used extensively for primary and instrument
training, so they are always booked.
The C152s are used for primary training and are also often booked.

Insurance companies set the minimum pilot requirements for most aircraft
checkouts. These may be hours and or ratings, particularly with high
performance and complex singles which are most commonly available.
Taildraggers and twins are available for rental some places.

Sometimes you can get a checkout as part of using a particular aircraft
to get another pilot rating. You are going to be flying more than the
minimum insurance requirements to get the ratings, so why fly around
just to fly the hours off for the checkoff. Especially with instrument
training.

Some pilots cannot afford to spend the hourly rate x the minimum number
of hours dual to get checked out in the high performance aircraft, so
they only fly the aircraft they can afford.
This limits their selection when they want to take a trip.

The earlier in your flying career that you get checked out in a
particular aircraft, the better off you will be in the future.

I am constantly flying different types and makes of aircraft, 4-5 different
make/models of gliders, AMEL, ASEL, tail draggers, conventional gear and do
not have a problem. On some models I do not fly often I review the pertinent
information before flight (aircraft systems, emergency procedure etc) and
keep the check list handy. On the check list (or on a card in my shirt
pocket) are the needed Vspeeds for review before that phase of flight.

BT

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi guys, another question.

What are the most commonly-held views on flying more than one make and
model of aircraft?

Take the example of a 172 and a Warrior. Clearly the aircraft are
different and the best solution would be to fly only one make and
model, but the reality of plane rental is that if you are checked out
and current in more than one aircraft, you have more flexibility in
terms of when you can go flying, which means more fun and more overall
currency.

At what experience level is it generally seen as sensible to regularly
fly two different makes and models of plane? Is this a big deal or not?

Tom

In article ,
says...
Dave Doe wrote:

Because when you're learning to fly - that's what you should be
concentrating on - not learning to adjust and fly a different type
aircraft, as well.

I agree, you should be learning to fly, not learning to fly just a C150
or whatever your training aircraft happens to be.

There is no need to increase the burden of flying learning different
types IMO. (You would agree, would you not, that it *is* additional
workload - learning new types?). This is particularly evident later on
in training when learning stall recovery... I learnt in a Traumahawk -
the std config (two stall strips per wing) - and even then, they have a
noticeable wing drop - unlike a C172 that generally just mushes
forwards.

Perhaps even more basic than stalling... doin' yer first turns,
including climbing and descending turns - why complicate matters with
different rates, different speeds, different characteristics - all of
which are directly related to simply flying a different type aircraft.

My opinion is unchanged - stick to one type - do your various type
ratings as you wish after yer PPL is obtained.

I note that some familair posters who are or were instructors endorse
this also.

PS: I soloed in less hours, perhaps thats the difference? (7.5)

--
Duncan

In article ,
Dave Doe wrote:

I note that some familair posters who are or were instructors endorse
this also.

If you haven't noticed already, you will find CFI's have different opinions
on how to instruct. In fact, I'd pay good money to watch you try to tell
my CFI that she shouldn't offer option of flying other aircraft to her students.


PS: I soloed in less hours, perhaps thats the difference? (7.5)

Not in my case since I didn't fly the warrior until after the first few solos.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

Robert M. Gary wrote:
I generally don't recommend student pilots switch back and forth
because they are still learning and becuase they need to become "one
with the plane" for their checkride. However, any private pilot who
flys semi-regularly should have no problems switching between the Piper
and the Cessna. At some point the differences between planes become
almost non-existant. Often times the first experience I have in a new
type of airplane is sitting right seat with a student pilot.

-Robert, CFII

No Kidding I have had days were I have flown 8 different airplanes in
the same day. One Day I flew all of the following.

Tomahawk, Aeronca 7AC, C175-180, C172, PA28-151,C150, C206,Citabria.

Does tend to make you a "Jack of all Trades, Master of None."

Brian CFIIG/ASEL

Dave Doe wrote:
In article ,
says...

Dave Doe wrote:


Because when you're learning to fly - that's what you should be
concentrating on - not learning to adjust and fly a different type
aircraft, as well.

I agree, you should be learning to fly, not learning to fly just a C150
or whatever your training aircraft happens to be.


There is no need to increase the burden of flying learning different
types IMO. (You would agree, would you not, that it *is* additional
workload - learning new types?). This is particularly evident later on
in training when learning stall recovery... I learnt in a Traumahawk -
the std config (two stall strips per wing) - and even then, they have a
noticeable wing drop - unlike a C172 that generally just mushes
forwards.

The additional workload for me wasn't worth worrying about. Most of the
workload comes from learning the avionics and that isn't a big deal
during the first 20 hours of primary training.


Perhaps even more basic than stalling... doin' yer first turns,
including climbing and descending turns - why complicate matters with
different rates, different speeds, different characteristics - all of
which are directly related to simply flying a different type aircraft.

To learn that it takes different settings to get the same performance
from different airplanes. This is an important lesson that many don't
learn for a long time. I learned to fly from an old "seat of the pants"
pilot, not one of the new "by the numbers" instructors. Each has its
pros and cons, but I'll take the seat of the pants approach for primary
training. I selected a more "by the numbers" instructor for my
instrument training.


My opinion is unchanged - stick to one type - do your various type
ratings as you wish after yer PPL is obtained.

As is mine. Fly a few different types and learn to fly airplanes, not
an airplane.


I note that some familair posters who are or were instructors endorse
this also.

Yes, most "modern" instructors probably do for the reaons I stated above.


PS: I soloed in less hours, perhaps thats the difference? (7.5)

I don't know. My main problem was that I could only afford to fly 30-60
minutes a week (one session a week basically)so it took me a couple
months to solo and roughly a year to get my private (at 47.2 hours).

If you flew more frequently that probably helped. And maybe you are
just a better pilot than me. The plus is that I transitioned to a C172
with one trip around the pattern and to a C182 with two trips around the
pattern. Had to fly a little longer as the instructor felt that a
sign-off for HP with 0.3 hours might not look good. :-)

Matt