What Helen says!!
My brother and I have a '67 172H and my kids love it. I plan on teaching
them both to fly in it here in a few years after I get off my butt and get
my CFI.
Even my 13 year old daughter thinks "it's pretty cool"...You gotta know
that's priceless! My 9 year old son loves it, but only when he gets to sit
up front...


"Helen Woods" wrote in message
...
You might as well scratch anything with a tailwheel off the list. If, and
that's a BIG IF, you could actually find an insurance company willing to
insure a tailweel plane for a student solo, you'd be paying through the
nose for it.

I'll second the "older 172" vote. Here's why:

1. Cheap to buy
2. Cheap to insure (although you'll be paying a premium for anything with
student pilots on the insurance)
3. Doesn't need a hanger
4. Cheap to pay taxes on
5. Called the "land-o-matic" for a good reason
6. Difficult to spin (a C150 spins easily)
7. Cheap to fuel - runs on mo-gas as well as 100ll
8. Easy to jump start (12v jumps off your car or Farmer Joe's tractor)
9. Versitile enough to let your kids hang on to it and grow into it. They
can pack camping gear and enjoy some fun trips. Or you the three of you
can go for a hop together.
10. Easy to get parts for
11. Easy to work on

The 50's 172 are great VFR trainers. The mid to late 60's planes can also
do IFR training if you are looking towards that.

Helen