High Wing or Low Wing

brien23

brien23

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Brien
Why do some people like high wing and some like low wing. One you hit your head the other your knees, high wing blocks your view in the turning direction low wing blocks your view down. High wing more likely to have someone land on top of you low wing to land on someone below you. Any other reasons?:popcorn:
 
This debate is akin to oil threads on motorcycle and car forums. Some other differences though - low wings generally have a more pronounced ground effect that is noticeable on landing, are typically more amenable to retractable gear, and most low wings in the Cherokee/Bonanza class seem to turn more responsively than their Cessna counterparts.
 
For little planes, high wing shade is much better/more useful for people than low wing shade.

For big planes, there's plenty of shade either way.

Low wing planes are much easier to fuel than high wing planes. High wing planes are easier to sump until lawyers get involved (how many sump points on a re-start 172?).

That's a couple more anyway - keep it going folks
 
I have had both, I prefer the low wing, I have more visibility above, the high wing floats on hot days, and is terrible on cross wind landings. Several cases of High wings flipping from run up blasts from other planes when taxiing. Tie downs is a must on high wings because of any wind gust can lift the plane off the tarmac.

With my low wing, cross winds are less of a problem, and storms and wind gusts are less of a stress on my wings and I usually only use wheel chalks to secure aircraft on the tarmac, even in the Bahamas where the radical winds are routine.

I did like my high wing, I can't bad mouth the aircraft, but with the conditions I fly in, nothing can compare to the performance of the low wing.

I guess it just depends on your type of flying and conditions whether you travel a lot or like to fly and just sight see.

Of course, this is just my opinion, I am sure many others disagree.
 
I don't care either way.

I find it easier to get in/out of a cherokee than a Cessna - most people find it the opposite.

I liked how my cherokee 140 flew/handled better than the 172's I learned on.
 
I like a plane with wings.
 
Coke or Pepsi? Ginger or Marry Ann? Tabatha or Jeannie? Bud light or Miller light? Synthetic or dead dino? regular or super? semi-auto or revolver? boxers or briefs?
 
Bill Jennings said:
Coke or Pepsi? Ginger or Marry Ann? Tabatha or Jeannie? Bud light or Miller light? Synthetic or dead dino? regular or super? semi-auto or revolver? boxers or briefs?
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Yup this says it all.

ALTHOUGH it can make a difference depending upon the location you fly. For example high wings may be preferable when flying into gravel strips. The prop wash is more likely to throw up gravel and dent a low wing than a high wing. Float planes, well a high wing is preferable to jump out and stand on the floats. Of course there are low wing float planes and low wings that fly in to gravel strips but a high wing is preferable.
 
A low wing with a clear canopy gives the vision of big sky country. It's great because you can see well over 50% of the total view.

A high wing has the vision blocked above and below, only a small strip visible around the horizon.

Fly a breezy and see everything -- you're hanging out front of the plane.
 
In my opinion a low wing is better to scan for traffic, you're not blind when you turn. Less susceptible to gusts when on the ground, and get into ground effects at a higher altitude. You can see your fuel caps in flight so you'll know if they are not attached right or have departed the aircraft.

A high wing on the other hand is generally better for off-field operations, and for search and rescue flights.

Overall though I look at it this way. As a human your head is attached on your shoulders, not hanging down from them. Same concept with the aircraft, it's more natural for us to fly low wings because you're siting above the wing.
 
MachFly said:
In my opinion a low wing is better to scan for traffic, you're not blind when you turn. Less susceptible to gusts when on the ground, and get into ground effects at a higher altitude. You can see your fuel caps in flight so you'll know if they are not attached right or have departed the aircraft.

A high wing on the other hand is generally better for off-field operations, and for search and rescue flights.

Overall though I look at it this way. As a human your head is attached on your shoulders, not hanging down from them. Same concept with the aircraft, it's more natural for us to fly low wings because you're siting above the wing.
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My CFI used to argue that since birds were inherently high wing, that was naturally the configuration of choice. But he was also an Ornithologist by day job.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Coke or Pepsi? Ginger or Marry Ann? Tabatha or Jeannie? Bud light or Miller light? Synthetic or dead dino? regular or super? semi-auto or revolver? boxers or briefs?
Click to expand...

coke, Mary Ann, Jeannie, Miller Lite, Syn., reg., semi., briefs :yes:
 
Bill Jennings said:
Coke or Pepsi? Ginger or Marry Ann? Tabatha or Jeannie? Bud light or Miller light? Synthetic or dead dino? regular or super? semi-auto or revolver? boxers or briefs?
Click to expand...
:eek: Did you mean Samantha or Jeannie? Tabatha was the little girl. :nono:
 
I like airplanes with high wings with leading edges positioned over the pilot's head, as on the C177. This gives the best of both boxers AND briefs.
 
Sac Arrow said:
My CFI used to argue that since birds were inherently high wing, that was naturally the configuration of choice. But he was also an Ornithologist by day job.
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Bird's wings are behind the head, so it has good downwards and upwards visibility. In case of most GA aircraft the wing is either directly bellow or above the cockpit.
Also if what birds have is a natural configuration of choice (who's choice?) then we should all be flying gliders with variable swept wings wings...
So I don't think he's quite right.
 
Some people like Bose, others David Clark, others Lightspeed.
Some guys like boxers, others briefs.
Some people like Coke, others Pepsi.
Some people like high-wing, others low-wing.

Get the picture?

Fly both, then buy the one you like.
 
MachFly said:
Bird's wings are behind the head, so it has good downwards and upwards visibility. In case of most GA aircraft the wing is either directly bellow or above the cockpit.
Also if what birds have is a natural configuration of choice (who's choice?) then we should all be flying gliders with variable swept wings wings...
So I don't think he's quite right.
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I never said I agreed with him. I'll take whichever one suits my mission best but all things being equal I like low wings better.
 
brien23 said:
Why do some people like high wing and some like low wing. One you hit your head the other your knees, high wing blocks your view in the turning direction low wing blocks your view down. High wing more likely to have someone land on top of you low wing to land on someone below you. Any other reasons?:popcorn:
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All the choices between high and low wing are purely ephemeral, not technical.
 
Had to look that up. Learned a new word today. I'm going to start using it in sentences.

"Sally said Billy is an ephemeral bed mate."

"Damn customer ephemeraled me again on the tip."

Nah.
 
Fun topic, I am actually stumped on this very question while looking for the next plane purchase.

Here a FEW items from my pro/con list.

-Wife & Dog LOVE the high wing getting in and out of and sight seeing.
-Husband has more fun flying low wing (more like Porsche than Suburban)
-Older passengers with creaky knees like high wings (50% of my friends)
-Mountain bikes & luggage like the loading on high wing (unless low wing w/doors like Beech 36 or Piper 6)
-Snow banks seem to like smacking around low wings a lot faster in michigan than high wings (especially this winter, and I'm from Michigan)

Currently I am at odds with what I would like and what fits my missions.
I want something cool like an old V35 Bonanza but the wife really wants something practical like a 182 (177RG is kind of a compromise) , and since 70% of my flying is with her I need to take that into consideration. :dunno:

(and yes I do like Ed's Comanche, but cannot afford it since he got it all polished up, I heard it looks 30years younger and 20k more expensive after the Brazilian wax job )
 
Also, most -- or all? -- birds are mid-wing, and likewise so are fighters and most airliners, I believe.

Also, birds can flap their wings so it's not necessarily a perfect comparison.

I have yet to fly a low-wing airplane but would like to at some point. I imagine the visibility of sky to be improved without the feeling that there's a big wing above you creating a more 'open' feeling. I would probably like low-wings better if more had doors for each side.

I also like that the fuel system is much simpler on a high-wing.

Personally, my dream plane would be a 182-sized airplane based on the Cardinal design. I hear the Skymaster is great, too, for this reason.
 
Timmer said:
I also like that the fuel system is much simpler on a high-wing.
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But not the fuel-ing system. I hate damn nearly busting my ass on a ladder filling a 172.
 
Sac Arrow said:
But not the fuel-ing system. I hate damn nearly busting my ass on a ladder filling a 172.
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I thought that's what FBOs were for? :)

Actually, I have yet to manually fuel any plane. I kind of enjoy stepping up to check the fuel, though, although I did rip my pants on one flight doing that -- luckily it was the night cross-country flight.
 
Not only do low-wings quench your thirst faster than high-wings, they taste better too.

Also the right answer is Captain Picard.
 
My first plane was a Cessna. I got really tired of climbing a ladder to fuel the plane. Fueling a low wing is so much easier. I also think low wing planes just simply look nicer.
 
skylanerg said:
Which does not limit hangar space?
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Yeah. And in the shop, doing maintenance, the low-wing is a pain. Got to walk all the way around the wingtips instead of ducking under the wing.

Dan
 
Either works for me ,as long as I'm flying.
 
I prefer high wing because doors (usually) on both sides, rain doesn't get in, easier for us seasoned pilots to get in/out of, more shade (I am in the south), better on grass strips, easier to load. Some prefer low wing, and I think those are great, just not for me.
 
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