Going for my Multiengine rating

Flyers,

For absolutely no reason, except that I want it, I have been taking
Multiengine lessons (including Multi-Instrument and Commercial). The flight
school has a Piper Seneca I (PA34-200) circa 1973.

It fly's like a flying Bulldozer on Codeine (sp?). It's a beast...really.
The controls are so stiff my left wrist and both knees ache after a one hour
lesson. Is this normal for a Seneca or any twin? Are there docile twins
out there?

During pre-flight when I have to check the control surfaces for free
movement, the ailerons feel like the hinges are rusted solid and it's like
lifting a fifty pound weight when try and move the stabilator. I always
hesitate to declare them "free".

I have to use two hands to flare and there's a fine, very fine line between
a nose landing and a balloon. Some where in the middle of this micron sized
line is a good landing flare.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

BTW if anyone is interested in the Sporty's DVD - So You Want to Fly Twins.
I have it on eBay:

http://tinyurl.com/36mp5y

Kobra
(apologizing for the cross post)

I ownned a Seneca 1 for around 13 yrs (and 1100 hours). The ailerons are
hard to move becasue they're interconnected with the rudder. The stabilator
has a spring mechanism. That's why it is hard to move up.

During the flare, you might want trim "up" SLIGHTLY" ; this will assist with
the flare. (Some people keep a case of oil in the baggage area also) Pull
back SLOWLY, so as not to jerk the nose up. And please do learn to flare. I
had to replace my landing gear trunions around 10 years ago, because they
were the subject of an AD caused by carcks. (IMHO, this was caused by pilots
who never learned how to flare, and "dropped the plane in" all the time)

At least you're flying a 1973 model. So to drain the crossfeed lines during
the preflight, you pulll a knob behind the right seat. On mine, I had to
crawl underneath the wing :-) Good luck.
"Kobra" wrote in message
. ..
Flyers,

For absolutely no reason, except that I want it, I have been taking
Multiengine lessons (including Multi-Instrument and Commercial). The
flight
school has a Piper Seneca I (PA34-200) circa 1973.

It fly's like a flying Bulldozer on Codeine (sp?). It's a beast...really.
The controls are so stiff my left wrist and both knees ache after a one
hour
lesson. Is this normal for a Seneca or any twin? Are there docile twins
out there?

During pre-flight when I have to check the control surfaces for free
movement, the ailerons feel like the hinges are rusted solid and it's like
lifting a fifty pound weight when try and move the stabilator. I always
hesitate to declare them "free".

I have to use two hands to flare and there's a fine, very fine line
between
a nose landing and a balloon. Some where in the middle of this micron
sized
line is a good landing flare.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

BTW if anyone is interested in the Sporty's DVD - So You Want to Fly
Twins.
I have it on eBay:

http://tinyurl.com/36mp5y

Kobra
(apologizing for the cross post)

"Kobra" wrote in message
. ..
Flyers,

For absolutely no reason, except that I want it, I have been taking
Multiengine lessons (including Multi-Instrument and Commercial). The
flight school has a Piper Seneca I (PA34-200) circa 1973.

It fly's like a flying Bulldozer on Codeine (sp?). It's a beast...really.
The controls are so stiff my left wrist and both knees ache after a one
hour lesson. Is this normal for a Seneca or any twin? Are there docile
twins out there?

During pre-flight when I have to check the control surfaces for free
movement, the ailerons feel like the hinges are rusted solid and it's like
lifting a fifty pound weight when try and move the stabilator. I always
hesitate to declare them "free".

I have to use two hands to flare and there's a fine, very fine line
between a nose landing and a balloon. Some where in the middle of this
micron sized line is a good landing flare.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

BTW if anyone is interested in the Sporty's DVD - So You Want to Fly
Twins. I have it on eBay:

http://tinyurl.com/36mp5y

Kobra
(apologizing for the cross post)

Make sure the shaft the yoke connects to is clean and lightly lubed (I used
silicone spray). Every Piper I have ever flown had old dried lube on it and
would bind or drag, especially in stabilator travel. Cleaning the shafts
would make a big improvement in my landings. : )

--

*H. Allen Smith*
WACO - We are all here, because we are not all there.

Kobra wrote:
Flyers,

For absolutely no reason, except that I want it, I have been taking
Multiengine lessons (including Multi-Instrument and Commercial). The flight
school has a Piper Seneca I (PA34-200) circa 1973.

It fly's like a flying Bulldozer on Codeine (sp?). It's a beast...really.
The controls are so stiff my left wrist and both knees ache after a one hour
lesson. Is this normal for a Seneca or any twin? Are there docile twins
out there?

During pre-flight when I have to check the control surfaces for free
movement, the ailerons feel like the hinges are rusted solid and it's like
lifting a fifty pound weight when try and move the stabilator. I always
hesitate to declare them "free".

I have to use two hands to flare and there's a fine, very fine line between
a nose landing and a balloon. Some where in the middle of this micron sized
line is a good landing flare.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

BTW if anyone is interested in the Sporty's DVD - So You Want to Fly Twins.
I have it on eBay:

http://tinyurl.com/36mp5y

Kobra
(apologizing for the cross post)


Congrats. Flaring: if the plane has electric trim use it. I fly a twin
that weights 4800 lbs when I land without the trim I have to use two
hands to flare....

Michelle