New (old) bird

Well my partners & I are officially broke, again. We picked up our 1966
Cherokee Six today. I got my checkout & gave 1 partner the beginning of his.
Compared to our 180, it's huge!

In a couple weeks we upgrade the panel.



One thing that amazes me is the power off sink rate. In the 180, you'd lose
about 500-600 feet in a 210 degree turn back to a runway (learning this
number from practice up at altitude). Today we tried it and the Six lost
1000 feet easy. Heavy thing.


--



CP-ASEL, instrument, CFI

I remember flying a -6 in the 1990s.. I also remember the magic number in
the traffic pattern was 90..
you get it too slow and you will be behind the power curve.
you think it's heavy.. wait until you load it.. granted.. two pax in the way
back seats make the flare a little easier..
is it a 260HP or 300HP
B

"Steven Barnes" wrote in message
...
Well my partners & I are officially broke, again. We picked up our 1966
Cherokee Six today. I got my checkout & gave 1 partner the beginning of
his.
Compared to our 180, it's huge!

In a couple weeks we upgrade the panel.



One thing that amazes me is the power off sink rate. In the 180, you'd
lose
about 500-600 feet in a 210 degree turn back to a runway (learning this
number from practice up at altitude). Today we tried it and the Six lost
1000 feet easy. Heavy thing.


--



CP-ASEL, instrument, CFI

It's a 260hp. Is that 90 magic number knots? or mph? Downwind, 85-90 knots
seemed to work well, with 80 knots around base & final. Slowing to 70 knots
across the numbers. We're still playing, so it'll take a while to get some
good numbers down.
On our test flying when we first looked at the plane, we had 2 up front & 2
in the aft row. Adding the 2nd notch of flaps seemed to cause a significant
pitch up motion. The landing was pretty smooth, though. Yesterday, my
partner's best landing was his no flap landing with much nose up. I was
hollering for power & he ignored me & greased it on. Pretty funny.

Now it's 14 degrees out & 24 knot winds with forecasts up to 32. She can sit
in the hanger today. :-)

"BT" wrote in message
...
I remember flying a -6 in the 1990s.. I also remember the magic number in
the traffic pattern was 90..
you get it too slow and you will be behind the power curve.
you think it's heavy.. wait until you load it.. granted.. two pax in the
way
back seats make the flare a little easier..
is it a 260HP or 300HP
B

"Steven Barnes" wrote in message
...
Well my partners & I are officially broke, again. We picked up our 1966
Cherokee Six today. I got my checkout & gave 1 partner the beginning of
his.
Compared to our 180, it's huge!

In a couple weeks we upgrade the panel.



One thing that amazes me is the power off sink rate. In the 180, you'd
lose
about 500-600 feet in a 210 degree turn back to a runway (learning this
number from practice up at altitude). Today we tried it and the Six lost
1000 feet easy. Heavy thing.


--



CP-ASEL, instrument, CFI

Congrats, You'll soon grow into it and will love it! If you do lose the
engine, look straight down for a landing spot, because that is about
as far as you'll get (actually about a 45 degree down cone is
reachable). It glides about like a brick. Don't even try to make it
back to the runway unless you have at least 1200 feet and have practiced it.

You may find that carrying a bit of power into the flare helps keep you
from dropping it onto the runway, especially if you are heavy. Gap
seals help the landing as well as the climb rate significantly (but
don't do much for cruise speed). The best mod I did to mine though (out
of a long list) is the skycraft wing mounted landing lights that get cut
into the leading edge of the wings just inboard of the tip tanks.
You'll find that the stock nose light is only good for illuminating the
pavement that you can't see through the nose.

I've owned mine (a 1965 -260) for 12 years now, and I still love it.
One last thing, if you aren't already a member, the Cherokee Pilot's
association's on-line chat is worth every penny of the yearly dues for
the near instant advice you can get on there.


Steven Barnes wrote:

Well my partners & I are officially broke, again. We picked up our 1966
Cherokee Six today. I got my checkout & gave 1 partner the beginning of his.
Compared to our 180, it's huge!

In a couple weeks we upgrade the panel.



One thing that amazes me is the power off sink rate. In the 180, you'd lose
about 500-600 feet in a 210 degree turn back to a runway (learning this
number from practice up at altitude). Today we tried it and the Six lost
1000 feet easy. Heavy thing.

I am also a fairly new 260 Six owner, and I love this plane. I fly it sort of like a tail dragger (nose high at touchdown) and don't have any problem with good landings.
I nearly always carry a little power through the flare also. I used to live in southeast Alaska and the FAR 135 airtaxi operators fly a lot of Sixes there. The commercial guys there always landed with power too. As I'm sure you have noticed, forward visibility isn't great, (again like a taildragger) but nearly everyone that has much time in one loves the plane.

As has been mentioned, The Cherokee Pilots Assn at: http://www.piperowner.com/ is a really great resource. A very active forum with quite a few Six drivers. You have to be a member to join "Cherokee chat" but its worth it.

John

Originally Posted by Steven Barnes

Well my partners & I are officially broke, again. We picked up our 1966
Cherokee Six today. I got my checkout & gave 1 partner the beginning of his.
Compared to our 180, it's huge!

In a couple weeks we upgrade the panel.



One thing that amazes me is the power off sink rate. In the 180, you'd lose
about 500-600 feet in a 210 degree turn back to a runway (learning this
number from practice up at altitude). Today we tried it and the Six lost
1000 feet easy. Heavy thing.


--



CP-ASEL, instrument, CFI

Well my partners & I are officially broke, again. We picked up our 1966
Cherokee Six today. I got my checkout & gave 1 partner the beginning of
his.
Compared to our 180, it's huge!

Congrats, Steven. Now you can take the whole fam damily, including the
mother-in-law!

The Six is a great plane. I especially like the cabin width -- that would
be a fantastic comfort to have, and it's the one thing I wish Atlas had more
of...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Thanks. I swear there's a foot between elbows in that thing. Then I crawl
into our club's 172 with winter coats on & snuggle up next to the student...


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:b%Btj.36229$9j6.471@attbi_s22...
Well my partners & I are officially broke, again. We picked up our 1966
Cherokee Six today. I got my checkout & gave 1 partner the beginning of
his.
Compared to our 180, it's huge!

Congrats, Steven. Now you can take the whole fam damily, including the
mother-in-law!

The Six is a great plane. I especially like the cabin width -- that would
be a fantastic comfort to have, and it's the one thing I wish Atlas had
more
of...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

The Six is a great plane. I especially like the cabin width -- that
would be a fantastic comfort to have, and it's the one thing I wish
Atlas had more of...

See Jay, Size DOES matter. :-) Mary telling you any different doesn't
count!

P.S. It's not just the girth...the length (of the cabin) is also
something to envy. As is the second door (which passengers don't have
to climb up on the wing to get into) and the front baggage compartment.
Admit it Jay, you have Piper envy.

See Jay, Size DOES matter. :-) Mary telling you any different doesn't
count!

P.S. It's not just the girth...the length (of the cabin) is also something
to envy. As is the second door (which passengers don't have to climb up
on the wing to get into) and the front baggage compartment. Admit it Jay,
you have Piper envy.

No, no, no, Ray. Only Cezzzna drivers have Piper envy!

;-)

About twice a year I would really, really like a Six. Oshkosh and Sun N
Fun, basically.

The other 98 flights, hauling that pig around would truly be wasted on our
little family.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Ray Andraka" wrote in message
...
Jay Honeck wrote:

The Six is a great plane. I especially like the cabin width -- that
would be a fantastic comfort to have, and it's the one thing I wish Atlas
had more of...

See Jay, Size DOES matter. :-) Mary telling you any different doesn't
count!

P.S. It's not just the girth...the length (of the cabin) is also something
to envy. As is the second door (which passengers don't have to climb up
on the wing to get into) and the front baggage compartment. Admit it Jay,
you have Piper envy.

Jay Honeck wrote:
See Jay, Size DOES matter. :-) Mary telling you any different doesn't
count!

P.S. It's not just the girth...the length (of the cabin) is also
something to envy. As is the second door (which passengers don't have
to climb up on the wing to get into) and the front baggage
compartment. Admit it Jay, you have Piper envy.

No, no, no, Ray. Only Cezzzna drivers have Piper envy!

Nah, we have girth length AND two doors! Nothing to envy in a Piper
other than the low purchase price, but you get what you pay for! :-)

Matt