Piper Warrior or Cessna 172

[Guest]

The warrior's great, but what were they thinking of when they decided to only put one door on the thing???172 - also great, but harder to check fuel tanks.152 - cheap and cheerful, but a nightmare for those of us over 6' tall! Designed for midgets I think. Make sure you don't forget deodorant on warm days if you want to stay friendly with your instructor.

[Guest KenG]

Jeff,The C152 is a great plane to train in for all the reasons already listed. During the early part of your training, you don't need to be paying for that extra bench in the back. It's probably just going to be you and your instructor. Therefore, the C152 and all other 2-place trainers are great.Another thing, as you progress you may want to upgrade to the 172 for those dual cross-countries. Well, after getting used to the 10 feet per minute climb rate of the 152, you'll be amazed at how the 172 climbs like a rocket. :-lol Actually, a nice older 172 with a 180 hp engine addon can climb very well.Another thing to consider, getting checked out on a 172 later on is a good idea as no matter where you go, you can be almost guaranteed that there will be a 172 on the line.Good luck on the training.

[Guest]

One more thought. The C-152 is a more difficult airplane to land than either the Warrior or its big brother. None are very hard to land, but the 152 is the most dificult of the three. And, yes, it is probably better to learn the hardest flying skill to master in the toughest of the trainers to land. Just my opinion and your mileage may vary.