The last several weeks I've been doing training for my commercial license. I learned all the new maneuvers in the schools 152 and two days ago FINALLY got to start training in the schools 2004 Piper PA-28T-201 Arrow! For those who may not know, the Arrow is the complex version of the Warrior and is a bit bigger and beefier. She's got retractable landing gear, constant speed prop, TIS, full autopilot and electric trim!
Man, what a sweet plane this is! The thing that really amaze me was how incredibly HEAVY the plane is to fly! You realy have to man-handle that beast. Certainly not like flying our IFR Warriors, and not even on the same planet as the 152. After that first flight my arms were sore, and my legs from the brakes! haha.
I had my second flight in it yesterday and had another studnet in the back. Another thing that is different about the plane is how much you notice the extra weight! On the Warrior, I could keep the same RPM and everything for landings... but with the Arrow now, I had to keep it at about 18" MAP from abeam clear to crossing the threshold, instead of the regular 15" Also, I had to be really careful as to when I started to ease back the power as that thing flares like a brick. When it is trimed, the plane flys wonderfully, but trying to maneuver can be tricky. It's so weird because i'll have the yoke at about a 45* angle and the thing just barely starts to roll. lol I ended yesterdays flight with an absolutly beautiful landing! We had a bit of a cross wind, and I touched the left main down, then the right, and then the nose... and it was so gentle! Dang, I was so happy! My instructor was impressed too!
Anyway, it's pretty sweet. Next week I get to start practicing the maneuvers in the Arrow. hopefully by late next week I'll be ready for the complex endorsement and go out and do solo fights in the pane. The $200/hr with instructor is a bit steep. (It's $160 hour solo) So yeah, it's fun, and I'm having a BLAST!
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