Bob Noel wrote:

My initial training was in 172's. Probably 75 hours of
my first 100 were in 172's. But I find it easier to get
in and out of a cherokee than the 172 (I've owned a cherokee
since 1994).

It's a tradeoff. With the PA-28 Cherokee, you get one very large door that
you have to climb up on the wing to get to; with the C-172, you get two tiny
doors close to the ground. I find it easier climbing down into my Warrior
through the big door then bending double to squeeze into the 172 under the
wing, but other people with different size/flexibility issues might find the
opposite.

I trained in 172's as well, and when I was first shopping, I wouldn't even
look at Cherokees because of the single-door thing. Finally, I actually
tried climbing into one, and that was so much easier (for me) that it got
rid of all my prejudices.


All the best,


David