"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Sz9dg.989012$xm3.907250@attbi_s21...
I found the two birds to handle quite differently. The 172 feels
positively sprightly compared to a 182, which is more truck-like and
nose-heavy.

I guess you need to work out.

I did mention the heavier control forces, but really...aside from that, the
two planes really are quite similar. There's a lot more to handling
qualities than just how much force you have to use.

The 182 is really a "trim" plane, meaning that you need to keep that
electric trim working throughout all phases of flight -- especially on
landing.

Nice you had a 182 with electric trim. None of the ones I've flown had it.

But anyway, it's not like you can ignore the trim on the 172 either. Any
airplane flies SO much better if you include the trim as part of your
control of the aircraft. If you've flown your approach correctly and have
the trim already set properly, even in the 182 the final flare does not
require that much back-pressure.

Yes, you can flare it with the trim, but there's really no reason the trim
should be that far off in the first place. And in a 182 without electric
trim (there are lots of them out there), you really ought to be looking out
the front window, rather than leaning down for the flare.

Pete