Tell us about YOUR flight training...

[iflyforpie]

I loved my time on the Citabria. Even a bigger guy like me had no problem fitting into the cockpit... it must have been like a palace ballroom for our slighter ancestors in the 40s. A new Champ retails for less than a new 162. Why no biters in the flight training biz? I guess everybody wants carbon fibre this and G1000 that....

[akoch]

..better yet a Citabria-like, in carbon fiber this and G1000 that...

[Shiny Side Up]

those are all different airplanes

Sure, but any student pilot would be lucky to learn
to fly on any of them!

Indeed, merely remarking on the fact that contrary to popular belief they are all the same. The decathalon with its symetrical wing might be a little much for a true ab initio student (though not impossible for someone up to the challenge) and the scout isn't certified for the acro like the other two which notably has led to a lot of bent Scouts by pilots who made the assumption.

I loved my time on the Citabria. Even a bigger guy like me had no problem fitting into the cockpit... it must have been like a palace ballroom for our slighter ancestors in the 40s. A new Champ retails for less than a new 162. Why no biters in the flight training biz? I guess everybody wants carbon fibre this and G1000 that....

Well, that's the big problem with the whole thing. I see even Waco has come out with a glass paneled biplane. Simply sacrilege. A majority of pilots and want to be pilots just don't think the way I would wish about airplanes, but not much one can do to change it.

[Colonel Sanders]

I remember seeing a homebuilt cub recently with
an enormous glass display in the front panel.

I didn't get it. You fly a cub to look outside and fly
by the seat of your pants. You want an IFR aircraft
and never look outside, get a C182 or 206.

IMHO a cub (or other basic fabric taildragger such
as champ, chief, t-craft, etc) should have:

- no electrical system - teaches you to prime
- no avionics - teaches you to look outside
- airspeed, altimeter, ball
- no gyros
- engine instruments: tach, oil pres & temp

A portable intercom and a couple headsets would
cap off the perfect ab initio teaching environment,
with (grudgingly) a VHF comm with external antenna.

In the unlikely event you want to go someplace in
this aircraft - it's a local trainer - use the GPS in your
phone.

All that missing equipment saves you money and weight.

Ideally every student would solo in such an aircraft,
receiving perhaps 15 hours of combined dual and solo
flight training, preferably on grass.

Then they would move on to something with gyros
and more suited to cross-country.

But that first 15 hours would cement stick & rudder
skill that would last a lifetime.

I know, stop hogging the bong.