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Warren Webb Jr
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CT
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Displaying 6-10 of 17
Cessna 172: Still Relevant
from Warren Webb Jr
wrote 1 year 17 weeks ago
I have flown Skyhawks since 1976 and agree with all of Bob's comments. The first thing I love is the basic high-wing two-door design - a masterpiece of convenience and protection from the elements. Through the years I've been able to not only see the evolution of the equipment Bob mentioned, but feel the noticeable tweaks engineered into the controls that have given each model a better feel than the preceding one. My favorite model is the R not only for its superb comfort and feel, but because of its 2400 rpm redline. After flying the R exclusively for some hours, and then getting back into some older models and the newer SP, all with the 2700 rpm engine, I realized the R model was a much quieter aircraft. I was sold. While I'm passionate about the entire Cessna line, in my book, there is no other airplane new or used, and never will be, that is a better value for the money invested than the Cessna Skyhawk.
Cessna 172: Still Relevant
from Warren Webb Jr
wrote 1 year 17 weeks ago
I've enjoyed reading all of the interesting comments since I posted mine yesterday 01202012 and look forward to many more.
I can understand why the comments are focusing more on the pricing issues rather than the features of the airplane. I'm just as frustrated about that as anyone else. However, I think everyone knows there are two main reasons. First, it's because we collectively (pilots and non-pilots) hold all companies (aviation and non-aviation) much more accountable today for the safety of their products than we used to in the past. And second, these are the airplanes we want. As far as I know, no one orders a Skyhawk with the 150 horsepower engine and a single nav/com. We have to have the glass panel, autopilot, and entertainment system. If Cessna offered an automatic rear-end scratcher, that would probably be on the must-have list also.
Safe flying.
Surprising Cause of Oshkosh F-16 Runway Overrun
from Warren Webb Jr
wrote 1 year 12 weeks ago
With no visual reference, he landed and rolled down the runway quite accurately in the video, but couldn't apply any brakes. Stephen Pope, help us understand why the brakes couldn't be applied. Thank you.
Throttle Precision
from Warren Webb Jr
wrote 1 year 11 weeks ago
With all due respect, this is making a mountain out of a molehill. I and everyone else I have ever seen using a Cessna type push throttle who places their hand where the knob is at the back of the hand with the index finger extended forward along the throttle has a very comfortable position with extremely easy and precise control. Friction is set for individual comfort. "bracing your hand on the panel" - sorry that's ridiculous.
Center the Heading Bug
from Warren Webb Jr
wrote 32 weeks 4 days ago
This seems to be a logical and useful suggestion. However, with at least one of the most common aircraft in use, it would cause some significant problems. The Skyhawk C172R with the Bendix/King KAP 140 Single Axis Autopilot is one of the most common aircraft/equipment combinations in use. Here are the steps literally from the POH to program the autopilot nav mode when equipped with a DG (as opposed to an HSI): 1. NAV#1 OBS Knob - SELECT desired course. 2. NAV Mode Selector Button - PRESS. Note NAVarm annunciated. 3. Heading Selector Knob - ROTATE BUG to agree with OBS course. In a NOTE that follows those instructions, the POH goes on to say "When NAV is selected, the autopilot will flash HDG for 5 seconds to remind the pilot to reset the HDG bug to the OBS course".
In plain language, to fly a 090 degree course, the pilot would put the #1 vor obs on 090, press the nav button on the autopilot, and then put the heading bug on 090. The autopilot will intercept and fly the 090 course of that vor and automatically adjust the heading for any crosswind. If there is a crosswind (which there will be to some degree probably 99 percent of the time), then this is where Pia's suggestion with this common autopilot will cause a problem. For example, if there were a 20 knot left crosswind component, then the magnetic heading on a 090 magnetic course would be about 080. If a pilot gets the airplane established on a 080 heading to fly the 090 course, activates the nav mode, and then puts the heading bug at the top of the DG (080) as suggested in the article, the KAP 140 autopilot will not operate correctly - it will not maintain the 090 course and will diverge from whatever you have in NAV 1. I have personally experienced this problem. After checking the POH and resetting the heading bug to the course in NAV 1, 090 in this example, the autopilot flew the course perfectly. If the pilot follows the steps in the POH before the crosswind has had an impact, the heading bug will be at 090 and automatically transition the heading to 080 to keep the 090 course. But then if the pilot resets the heading bug to the center (080) as suggested in the article, then the same problem will occur - the autopilot will diverge from the desired course. Based on the POH and how I've seen it operate, that's the way that autopilot was designed to work. So I'm sure next time Pia will include the universal 'read your POH' disclaimer.
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