High wing to low wing converts...or, visa versa?

"Jack Allison" wrote in message
news:csjun0$sr9

I'm wondering how many other
folks out there did their primary training with the wing on the top then
switched to flying (or even better, buying) one with the wing on the
bottom...or even the other way around? Any issues, likes/dislikes about
the transition?

Jack,

I have mostly flown C-172's, but have flown a Cherokee for a few hours.
Being so used to the Cessnas, it would be reasonable to think that flying
the Cherokee would be hard to get used to. I was pleasantly surprised to
find that I really liked it. Here are some random thoughts:

I like manual flaps, a lot. Once I flew an older C-172 that had manual flaps
and loved it. The Cherokee had manual flaps too. One major difference I
found is that when you lower flaps in the C-172, the nose goes up, but in
the Cherokee, the tail goes up.

The Cherokee had much rougher ride while taxiing, kind of wallowed and
rocked side to side. Also, a stiffer jolt on landing. Could be the pilot's
fault on that one.

My major gripe: The single door on the Cherokee. Couldn't stand it, but it's
not a deal breaker. I do have a concern about safety and egress. In CAP, we
practice egress from C-172's and C-182's. We can clear the plane with 4 pax
in about 13 seconds. In a single door plane this would be considerably
longer. Also, what if that one door was to jam in a crash? Sometimes those
doors don't seal so well either since they are much more complex than the
C-172's doors. A minor detail, but one that could get on your nerves and
wallet.

The Cherokee seemed to turn better than the C-172. I don't know exactly why,
but it just seemed to fly a little better and easier, a little crisper. More
natural coordination? Also, I liked the increased visibility while turning.

The Cherokee had a engine cowling that opened completely up so that I could
inspect the engine visually. I liked that a whole lot more than the little
inspection port on the C-172.

I like the thought of a gravity-fed fuel system rather than a pump system.
Also, there's no need to switch tanks on the C-172.

I like to fly for the scenic value and the C-172 has a better view of the
ground.

The cabin had a bigger feel in the C-172, but the instrument panel was lower
in the Cherokee.

Low wingers generally look better aesthetically, but high wingers stay
cooler in the summer because of the extra shade. The C-172's doors and
windows allow the cockpit to cool off quicker if it does get hot. As a
designer, I appreciate aesthetics, but I also appreciate functional design.
Functional designs are beautiful to me.

All in all, there's no clear winner for me. That been said, I think the high
wing scheme wins by a nose for me.

HTH,

-Trent
PP-ASEL