I forgot how boring a Cessna 172 was

Tim Hancock · 11-03-2006, 05:24 AM

No offense to any 172 owners who might be here, but last night I had to take this customer's 172 for a trip around the patch to check for a "rough running" condition they wanted me to investigate.

I forgot how docile and sluggish (boring) they feel compared my old Pacer or other various planes I typically fly. It has been probably 10 yrs since I had last flown one. At one time, before purchasing our family truckster (Piper Pacer), I had considered a few 172s......I am so glad I passed on them.

RallyJon · 11-03-2006, 05:28 AM

Aren't most private planes boring? You take off, you fly around, you land. Do any of them have pin-you-in-your-seat accelleration or the ability to really pull Gs or fly inverted?

What private planes are the equivalent of a track-prepped Porsche?

Rot 911 · 11-03-2006, 05:39 AM

No boring (not to mention deafening) is flying a 152 from Kansas City to Denver and discovering your ground speed due to a head wind is 50mph!

Tim Hancock · 11-03-2006, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RallyJon
Aren't most private planes boring? You take off, you fly around, you land. Do any of them have pin-you-in-your-seat accelleration or the ability to really pull Gs or fly inverted?

What private planes are the equivalent of a track-prepped Porsche?

After last nights flight, pretty much all of them feel like a race car compared to the 172

.

I used to own a Grumman Yankee, which for a small certified non aerobatic plane, is very light on the controls and has a fairly quick roll rate. While you are correct that alot of private plane flying is typically boring, a few minutes of yanking and banking (within the airplanes rated envelope of course), are always kind of fun. Almost all experimentals (RV's, Glasairs, Lancairs, bi-planes ect ect) rate way higher in the fun factor. 172's are a solid stable plane, I just was shocked having not flown one in so long, by how boring it felt to me. Last time I flew one, I was still relatively low time and I probably was still a little awestruck flying anything.

Nostril Cheese · 11-03-2006, 06:02 AM

The 172 is sort of like the VW Beetle of the aviation world isnt it?

forgive me if Im incorrect here.

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

I'm not a pilot, but I think I'd be happier being a passenger in a nice boring plane.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Boring yes, but good at what they do. Built like a brick *****house, reliable as a hammer, able to stand up to repeated abuses and VERY forgiving of mistakes.

Don't get me wrong - I agree they're hard to get excited about (I'm more of a low-wing Mooney or Cherokee guy myself) but they're extremely good airplanes and good at what they do.

pwd72s · 11-03-2006, 06:46 AM

My recently retired airline pilot buddy is nearing completion of one of these, an RV-7 Alpha.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/

Still, I think it would be boring after the F-111 he flew before he started "bus driving"...

Tim Hancock · 11-03-2006, 07:08 AM

An RV won't be boring. Speed is not a thrill at all when flying (except maybe a low pass down the runway at 175 mph or so once in awhile). Once you are at altitude, there is no sensation of speed whether you are doing 60 mph in a cub or doing 400+ in an airliner. The "thrill" is the physical sensation derived from changes in direction some aircraft are slow to respond, others are lightning quick. Some are designed to accomodate high resulting G-forces and others are not.

Joeaksa · 11-03-2006, 07:27 AM

Tim,

Correct but remember the old days? Those when you looked up to a C-172 and thought it was a step up from the C-150? I still remember when I looked at a Piper Arrow and its retract gear. Boy, a complex airplane!

We evolve as a person and the new becomes old after a while. Thats why life keeps having surprises for us, to keep us on our toes...

Joe

pwd72s · 11-03-2006, 07:31 AM

Oh yeah, but in the F-111, ol' Jimbo was allowed to drop bombs and do other stuff. That had to be a bit exciting...

goat · goat's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Kurt V
No boring (not to mention deafening) is flying a 152 from Kansas City to Denver and discovering your ground speed due to a head wind is 50mph!

Years ago my father and I flew across the US in a Piper cub. We ran into amlost the same head wind over Norton Kansas all the way to Denver we were going sooo slow it took forever!!!

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I've heard of someone getting a backwards ground track in a Piper Cadet before. . .

Tim Hancock · 11-03-2006, 01:27 PM

My MiniMax will hang on the prop at about 25 mph, I have gone backwards a few times just to see if I could do it.

kycarguy 935 · 11-03-2006, 01:56 PM

My buddy use to have a 172 RG and that was more interesting. I was a novice and he would let me fly it all over the place. We would take it out every other day and I have always wanted to get one since then. I guess they are stepping stones for a P-51 Mustang...hehe.

PorschePilot · 11-03-2006, 04:49 PM

I have owned my Bonanza for about 12 years now and it's a great traveling airplane. I flew a friends C-172 and it seemed like it was slow motion. Now, when I was learning to fly, especially getting an instrument rating the 172 is the best and kept me out of trouble. I'll always have a soft spot for them. I bet almost every pilot has some 172 time.

tab tanner · 11-05-2006, 01:07 PM

I have gone backwards a few times just to see if I could do it.

This has nothing to do with your sex life does it???????????