PA-38 as a trainer

[Mike55]

I'm about halfway through training for PPL-A, and the training aircraft are PA-38-112s. I keep reading horror stories about the aircraft's handling - any comments please?

[tsavage]

Hi,

I was just reading about the Tomahawk's spin charactistics on the AOPA page this morning.

See http://www.aopa.org/asf/asfarticles/t-hawk.html Hope it helps.
Regards,

Tom

[n3ly]

HI
Same in a grumman AA-1B Love that plane!
Hope to locate other student pilots for study help and other information
If it helps I am a 40 year old male and I also have the m/s sim and need all the help I can get
Regards Michael N3LY

[NWADC10]

Hi,

I am a Private Pilot of just over a year now and I did all of my training in a PA-38-112. My opinion of the Tomahawk is that it isn't the most stable trainer, but with that I think it makes a slightly better pilot. After I got my PPL I was checked out in a Piper Warrior and it was so much easier to fly than the Tomahawk. I have also heard about the horrible spin characterstics and was told by someone that if you do a spin in a PA-38-112 the feds will get the pilot for pilot error, but I have never seen anything official on this. The Tomahawk is a great trainer I think, it's simple and relatively easy to fly, but I have flown easier aircraft. I have not flown anything that handles worse than the Tomahawk, yet. I have flown Warriors, Archers, C172s, and a Duchess (light twin). I'm not saying that the Tomahawks handling is bad, I just saying that every other plane I've flown it's been easier to keep the plane exactly where I want it. Have fun with the PA-38-112!

Justin Erickson

[NWADC10]

Hi,

I am a Private Pilot of just over a year now and I did all of my training in a PA-38-112. My opinion of the Tomahawk is that it isn't the most stable trainer, but with that I think it makes a slightly better pilot. After I got my PPL I was checked out in a Piper Warrior and it was so much easier to fly than the Tomahawk. I have also heard about the horrible spin characterstics and was told by someone that if you do a spin in a PA-38-112 the feds will get the pilot for pilot error, but I have never seen anything official on this. The Tomahawk is a great trainer I think, it's simple and relatively easy to fly, but I have flown easier aircraft. I have not flown anything that handles worse than the Tomahawk, yet. I have flown Warriors, Archers, C172s, and a Duchess (light twin). I'm not saying that the Tomahawks handling is bad, I just saying that every other plane I've flown it's been easier to keep the plane exactta chere I want it. Have fun with the PA-38-112!

Justin Erickson