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Hi everybody, I'm still a relatively new pilot interested in purchasing a training plane, and I was wondering which ones required any specialized endorsements beyond a high-performance, complex, or conventional-geared aircraft rating. I'd also appreciate any advice for purchasing a warbird in general, I love the craft and my first airplane ride was in a Helio Courier, and I'd love any advice you can give me.
I think you might be mixing apples and oranges here. A trainer is a plane with simple systems not requiring complex workloads to fly it. Planes like a C-152 or Cherokee 140 are trainers and many do cross country flights in them. They have fixed gear and most are fixed props for simplicity. Because they are simple planes, inspection and maintenance costs are relatively low.
Contrast that with warbirds costing big bucks that require expensive maintenance and high fuel consumption and complex systems. So I can't see a warbird choice anywhere near a trainer.
Everything I need to know about flying I learned in a J-3. What is it you want to learn Caleb? That will determine the type of aircraft you choose as a "training airplane". If you are already a pilot than a 'learning plane' may be the best choice so what do you want to learn? If it has to have stars and bars on it then get an L-bird.
Caleb,
I have an Aeronca L-16A, ( military version of a Champ) and it, and the Piper or Taylorcraft versions are
the closest thing to "trainer" "Warbird" you will find at costs far below even T-6 or T-28 levels.
I flew to Oshkosh last year, and wondered if I would be welcomed by the hairy chested, big buck WARBIRD
guys, but as I was told, "It's a Warbird, welcome to the party".
Cost varies widely, but due diligence and research will find something for you.
good luck in your search.
A few things to think about.
-- Budget. Both capital and operating
-- Goal (do you want a career in aviation, is this for $100 hamburger runs, or go see grandma no matter the weather)
That will help determine the path forward....
Tim
The civilian Navion is indistinguishable from the L-17 (many of the L-17's in the warbird areas are really commercial Navions, the only real way to tell is to look up the serial number to see who the original customer was). Mine used to have sort of an ambiguous paint job so Vintage kept sending me up to Warbirds and Warbirds kept sending me to Vintage (this was before they started putting the destination sign info in the NOTAM). In the middle of my second loop I stopped and had the marshaller come over and made sure he knew where I wanted to go.
The Navion is pretty easy to fly so you could do you primary training in it. It meets the definitions of complex and high performance as well.
About half the arrivals I do at Oshkosh are the warbird procedure (depends primarily what passengers I have: If I have a guy who is a pilot who hasn't done the Ripon arrival, I'll show him that so he's got the experience. If it's someone who's done Ripon before, I take him in the warbird way).
Your post is a little vague, but all trainers are not simple airplanes. Both T-6 and T-28s are complex, retract trainers. Due to more than 800 hp some 28s require a type rating.
If you really want to get some of the best training availible and become a good pilot and be able to fly some of the more advanced and more fun airplanes, then get some time in a Stearman and then buy a T-6 and fly it for 100 hours. The T-6 is considered the stepping stone to most single engine warbirds. But remember it is an AT-6 that means Advanced Trainer and you need good insruction to start in it. It can hurt you if not respected, like in a power on uncoordinated stall.
If you just want basic training in anything that flys, there are C-150 and 172s around. Nothing special to learn, but cheap.
Trying to sum up the general thought above, your answer depends on what you want the airplane to do. That tempered by what you can afford and what your current skill level is. Getting ahead of that analysis I will say that L-Birds are a good choice, but with the understanding that erin this spectrum ranges from simple Piper Cub (L-4's,) Stinsons, etc., up thru at least the O-2A which is a multi-engine aircraft. Regardless of simplicity, there is cost. The initial purchase price, even of an L-Bird already in good shape, is only a small party of the cost. These airplanes are all 50, 60, 70 years old. Parts wear out and new ones are hard to come by. Many of the L-Birds share many parts with their civilian counterparts. (Many, many. Not even most most.) Is the cost wrath the fun of owning one? Well just about everyone on this forum would say yes. (Our significant others might have a different answer.)
Oh, and by the way, C-172's were also pressed into service as T-41A, B, and C. (You will find some As and Bs rebuild to C.) They, too, are Warbirds and those with military history should also come on down to our end of the field. I have quite a bit of time in a T-41B courtesy of the CAP and I trained a number of CAP cadets in them. It is a great stable, comfortable platform to learn in and from.
The bottom line is what do you want the plane to do for you? Answer that and we will be able to better answer your question.