Lets talk Pipers

FloridaPilot

FloridaPilot

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Okay so I fly a Piper Archer at the flight school I attend when the 172 is unavailable. It's old and looks it (1977). It only has one door, I'm a fairly wide in the shoulders and long in the legs so getting in and out is fairly tough especially when the flaps are down when you first get in, (For those that don't know, Archers have a parking brake in a car looking stick that raises and lowers the flaps).

So the question is: Do all of the older model Pipers have this kind of setup, (One door to get in). IMO Cessna 172's have the advantage with just getting in and out in my opinion.

What do you guys think?

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I have a 1970 Cherokee 140. I wish the Piper had doors on each side. But it saves weight and there's fewer parts to replace. So there's that.
 
All of the PA-28 series have the same single door arrangement. You get used to getting in them in time, just gotta swing your legs and body the right way. Yeah it's one of the airplanes disadvantages, the 172 and Archers have similar performance and different advantages/disadvantages. It comes down to personal preference for most pilots. I personally own a 78 Archer II and have always preferred flying it over the 172s I trained in initially.

The flap handle is called a johnson bar... a lot of airplanes use them including some early model 172s. What I don't know is why someone would exit the aircraft and leave the flaps in the down position....that just seems weird. Normally you'd raise them after landing and leave them down until shutdown. You're not supposed to step in the flaps while getting out unless they're up and locked.
 
The single door is a minor inconvenience, as is the need to constantly walk round the entire wingspan while on the ground. Beyond that, the low wing is a sweet setup. Excellent visibility (particularly in turns), much easier to fuel. And overall better crosswind handling.

Plus it looks cool :) but I'm totally biased here!

Edit: the Johnson bar flap is so simple and reliable, you wonder why it isn't on all light planes.
 
All person preference. Which trade offs do you prefer. My wife doesn't like flying in Cessna because looking straight down at the ground gives her vertigo. The low wing of the Piper interferes with that effect. She also likes the looks of the Piper better.

So the rule is, buy whatever your wife prefers and be happy with her choice.

I will also add that the Piper is much better with gusty, crosswind landings than the Cessna. Once you get into ground effect at six feet everything just smooths out. The effect is remarkable.
 
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It's a plane, good to go. Once you're in WGAF. Do like the Johnson manual flap handle though.
 
In a choice between an Archer and 172, I'll take the Archer every day.

Once you have 10 flights in the aircraft, getting in and out becomes trivial. What I dislike more is squatting or crawling on wet/cold ground to get to the fuel sumps and checking under the wings. But jumping up to get to the fuel tanks on the 172 is worse than squatting to get to the sumps on the Archer.
 
Needing a ladder to fuel is unfortunate too... although gravity feed is a good thing...


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bflynn said:
In a choice between an Archer and 172, I'll take the Archer every day.

Once you have 10 flights in the aircraft, getting in and out becomes trivial. What I dislike more is squatting or crawling on wet/cold ground to get to the fuel sumps and checking under the wings. But jumping up to get to the fuel tanks on the 172 is worse than squatting to get to the sumps on the Archer.
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How about holding that damn fuel hose up on your shoulder trying to just fuel it!
 
If only someone had settled this debate long ago!


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Depends! Wanna look like a ww2 fighter? Land easier? Not climb on a ladder to fuel? See the sky? See where you're turning? Have a reasonable place for your retractable gear to stow? Low wing!

Wanna land on rough fields? See the ground slightly easier? Have a built in rain umbrella? Like diamond shaped wounds on your forehead? High wing!


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gsengle said:
Depends! Wanna look like a ww2 fighter? Land easier? Not climb on a ladder to fuel? See the sky? See where you're turning? Have a reasonable place for your retractable gear to stow? Low wing!

Wanna land on rough fields? See the ground slightly easier? Have a built in rain umbrella? Like diamond shaped wounds on your forehead? High wing!


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Yeah but which one gets more chicks?
 
I owned a Cessna prior to my Cherokee. I hated climbing ladders to fuel the Cessna. I love the low wing Cherokee so much better. Sumping the tanks is a non-issue for me. It is way easier to kneel down to grab a fuel sample on the Cherokee than to fuel a high wing. I really enjoy my Cherokee. It is very easy and fun to fly. It won't win any speed awards, but that is quite alright with me since I enjoy sightseeing while flying. Most of my flights are less than 200 miles so the time difference of a faster plane would not be earth shattering either.
 

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archer, great easy flying plane. as far as I know, all the cherokee 140's, warriors, 180's, archers and arrows all have the 1 door. if u step it up a notch to the 6/lance/saratoga lineup you get the double doors like this bad boy.

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which also has the simple to use manual flap bar. maybe the newer models have electric, but I'm not in that class of flyers to know.

I sat in a 172 yesterday and it was ok. it has the G1000 so I'm thinking of doubling down and getting both a high wing checkout and also some exposure to the G1000, but otherwise I still have little interest in flying high wings.
 
I learned in a Cessna 152, and then rented C-150's, and C-172's for a while before I started flying Warriors, and Archers. I much preferred the Pipers, so then I bought a 1968 Cherokee140B. I have no problem with the Johnson Bar, and one door. Getting in and out wasn't an issue for me, and I liked the structural integrity, and simplicity with the one door. Of course I preferred the sliding canopy of my later Tiger.
 
After moving from a Cessna to my Sierra, two doors and low wing are my preference. Not a lot to chose from in that arena though. Cirrus, Sierra, Commander. What else? Diamond & Grumman depending on door definition I guess.
 
Yes, all PA-28s have but one cabin door and the manual flap handle. The ones built from 1961 to 1972 (and all Cherokee 140s even after that) have cabin doors a couple of inches narrower than the one on your Archer II.
 
gsengle said:
Needing a ladder to fuel is unfortunate too... although gravity feed is a good thing...
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What do you need the ladder for?

I can't remember the last time I used a ladder to fuel a Cessna.





As far as the piper, the single door isn't a issue for most as long as they arnt bringing folks who are new to it along, in which case you'll get folks stepping on the seats.

The Johnson is just superior to electronics for all small aircraft.
 
FloridaPilot said:
... so getting in and out is fairly tough especially when the flaps are down when you first get in...

... What do you guys think? ...
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I think you should reach in and put the flaps up before you get in, so you don't put a Johnson Bar up your butt.

Unit74 said:
How about holding that damn fuel hose up on your shoulder trying to just fuel it!
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Why would you do that? Letting a rubber hose touch the paint/leading edge isn't going to do anything to it if you're not moving it around.

I definitely don't need a heavy hose sitting on top of my shoulder while I'm standing on a step ladder.
 
James331 said:
What do you need the ladder for?

I can't remember the last time I used a ladder to fuel a Cessna.
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Me either. That's the fuel truck guy's job (renting wet).

I prefer no doors at all, but a sliding canopy sucks when you're upside down. Have to use the Life Hammer in the map box or fire extinguisher to break the plexi, if it's not already shattered from the flip.
 
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