“We are incredibly excited to partner with Aerodynamics and contribute to their growth and fleet innovation,” said Walter Da Costa, Tecnam chief sales officer.

The delivery date for the aircraft was not released.

According to Tecnam, Aerodynamics Academy is one of the fastest-growing flight schools in Europe, with some 200 students.

The versatility and ease of use of the Tecnam P2008JC’s single-engine, high-wing design makes the aircraft attractive in the training environment, according to the company. The design sports a carbon-fiber fuselage, and metal wings and tail. This combination produces an airplane that is more fuel efficient and quieter than all-metal designs.

Aircraft at flight schools have to fill many different roles, from primary, VFR training to instrument flight.

Tecnam said the P2008JC MkII does this by means of a redesigned instrument panel and glareshield, which allows the use of Garmin’s innovative G3X Touch display.

The post Spanish Flight School Expands Fleet With Tecnam Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

• READ MORE: Why Aren’t Cessna 140s/150s Considered Light Sport Aircraft?

Answer: The biplanes you mention—Stearmans, Kaydets, and Navy SNJs—were mostly likey trainers.

They were yellow because if they went down on a training mission—as they often did—they were easier to spot from the air.

• READ MORE: How Can an Aircraft Get Struck by Lightning Without a Close Thunderstorm?

Often the trainees made unscheduled off-airport landings in hayfields, swamps, forests, and the desert. Having an aircraft painted to look like terrain would have made it more difficult to find them.

The post Why Are Some Military Airplanes Gold? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The two-seat model is primarily designed for flight training and owns European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) CS-23 and FAA Part 23 certification. It is now certified under Transport Canada’s Part V Subpart 21, allowing Tecnam to begin deliveries to private owners and flight training organizations in the country.

Designed to train students from first flight until they earn their commercial pilot license, the P-Mentor includes a variable pitch propeller, simulated retractable landing gear, and ballistic parachute. It also comes with a Garmin touchscreen and avionics and is powered by a Rotax 912iSc3 engine.

The model supports both VFR and IFR training at a cost of operation of just 89 Canadian dollars ($64.71) per hour, by Tecnam’s estimate. That efficiency enables it to fly for about nine hours between refuelings.

The company also claims the P-Mentor can reduce flight school emissions by as much as 60 percent. The aircraft could represent a fresh injection into a fleet of training aircraft that is largely aging.

“We look forward to working with all the Canadian flight schools to improve the quality of training and support lowering hourly rates,” said Giovanni Pascale Langer, managing director of Tecnam.

During last year’s EAA AirVenture, Tecnam introduced the P-Mentor in North America after agreeing to a deal with EpicSky Flight Academy for the purchase of 15 aircraft. The company earned full FAA Part 23 certification just a few months later. It started U.S. deliveries in June, beginning with a shipment to Kansas-based Kilo Charlie Aviation.

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The post Tecnam Begins Canada P-Mentor Deliveries Following Certification appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Tecnam, FlyBy, which already has a fleet of 31 aircraft, has placed an order for an additional 10 Tecnam P2008JCs and two Tecnam P2006T NGs. It is the largest order from the flight school and more orders are scheduled for 2025, the manufacturer said.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Unveils P2006T NG at AERO 2024

Located in Burgos, Spain, FlyBy serves more than 350 students from 108 countries. The 14-month program prepares the learners for careers in aviation in Europe. To accommodate its growing enrollment, FlyBy recently opened a new base in Logrono, Spain, that will take delivery of 16 more Tecnam airplanes this year.

“We have chosen Tecnam for our fleet for its modern design and low operational costs,” said FlyBy CEO Alex Alvarez,. “There is nothing comparable to the P2006T in the market. Its quality, capabilities, and total cost of ownership, acquisition and operational cost, are second to none.”

• READ MORE: We Fly: Tecnam P-Mentor

Said Walter Da Costa, Tecnam chief sales officer:“We are pleased to support the growth of modern flight schools such as FlyBy. Commercial operators urgently need pilots trained on modern aircraft with glass cockpits and the latest instrumental procedures.”

FlyBy’s current fleet includes eight Tecnam P2008JCs, three P2006Ts, three P2002JFs, and two P-Mentors.

In the past 10 years Tecnam has been growing in popularity with flight training operations all over the world. The aircraft are built with carbon fiber and equipped with Rotax engines and glass cockpit technology, resulting in a tough, reliable, fuel-efficient design that can withstand the rigors of the training environment.

The post FlyBy Places Order for 12 Tecnam Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Marines are buying 22 Northrup F-5 Tigers from the Swiss Air Force. The first one was loaded on a C-130 on March 18 for the trip back to the U.S., where it will live out the rest of its service life as an adversarial training aircraft along with the others in the sale.

• READ MORE: Marine Corps XQ-58A UAV Completes Test Flight

The Marines paid a little less than $1.5 million each for the Cold War speedsters, which are still being used by 17 countries and have been retired by 21 others. More than 2,500 were built.

Switzerland got its F-5s in the 1970s and 1980s and has flown them ever since. It sold some to the U.S. Navy for its adversarial program and even with the Marines sale it will keep 25 Tigers for training, targets and test flights and to supply the jets for the Swiss air force’s air demonstration team, the Patrouille Suisse. It’s not clear where the Marines will base their new acquisitions.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

The post U.S. Marines Buy 22 F-5s From Switzerland appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Much like it was during the early days of Popular Aviation—FLYING’s precursor—one of the first aviation magazines in Italy, L’Aquilone, featured plans for building model aircraft used by enthusiasts enamored by the idea of flight. These kit-built machines catalyzed the dreams of Luigi and Giovanni Pascale as they reached their majority in Campania north of Naples.

In league from the beginning, the brothers would nurture and support each other’s imaginations until they could launch their aircraft design and manufacturing efforts in 1948, 75 years ago. The Pascales built their unique airplanes at first incorporated under the marque of Partenavia in 1957—and within the company we know today as Tecnam.

Training Legacy

The latest of Tecnam’s single-engine airplanes to come to fruition, the P-Mentor, joins a legacy of aircraft destined to help aspiring pilots learn to fly. The first true Pascale design to reach production, the original P48 Astore, looks a lot like the Piper Pacer taildragger from which the brothers drew inspiration. The P-Mentor breaks from one tradition, in that it is one of the few of the Pascale designs not named after the year in which it began development—for example, the P48 sprang from the drawing board in 1948, and the P2012 Traveller started in 2012, though it didn’t see European Union Aviation Safety Agency certification until 2019, with FAA certification to follow later that year.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Unveils P-Mentor Training Aircraft

While Tecnam has enjoyed recent success in the U.S. with its modern version of the Astore LSA, and the latest edition of the P92 Echo, the P-Mentor makes a compelling case for a primary trainer that goes beyond the light sport category. The P-Mentor achieved EASA certification under CS 23—equivalent to the FAA Part 23 type certification basis for light aircraft—in 2021. Though the P-Mentor is powered by a version of the same engine found on many LSAs—the Rotax 912iSC3—the airplane’s heft and sophisticated cockpit take it up a notch from the entry-level category to create a platform that will serve to educate new pilots intent on progressing into a career—or just larger, more capable airplanes.

A. The FADEC-equipped Rotax 912iSC3 engine has an easy preflight check sequence.

B. The simulated landing gear switch is also tied to a gear warning horn to help facilitate training in preparation for more complex aircraft.

C. The Garmin G3X Touch displays can be configured in multiple ways, including a base map, engine information system, and the primary flight display. A Garmin GTN650Xi in the RNAV-capable edition enables a complete IFR training program.

D. The control sticks have a shape to them that falls nicely in the hand, and the seats are adjustable, rather than the rudder pedals, for a comfortable fit.

E. An optional Garmin GFC 500 autopilot outfits the P-Mentor for extended cross-country missions and advanced aircraft training.

A Walkaround

My introduction to the P-Mentor began on the ramp at the company’s headquarters in Capua, Italy, following a detailed production-line tour that took in several of the models in various stages of readiness for first flight and eventual delivery. Witnessing how the machines come together always gives insight to how they will perform, so I felt particularly well versed in the P-Mentor’s genesis after hearing Giovanni Pascale—managing director of Tecnam and the latest in the family line to lead the company—walk through each step in that process.

Its low-wing, side-by-side seating evokes similar LSAs I’ve flown recently—such as the BRM Aero Bristell SLSA—yet with an aspect to the way the canopy slopes into the fuselage that recalls its design heritage, as we saw earlier in the tour, from the mid-’50s designs of the firm, but still modern and inspiring confidence as you approach it on the ramp. Tecnam chose to certify the P-Mentor with a maximum gross weight of 1,587pounds, a good 267 pounds higher than the top of the LSA class. Having done so allows for a useful load of up to 628 pounds and the flexibility to have two healthy adults plus full fuel on board.

Walkaround takes in the normal checkpoints with few unique aspects to the process. Tecnam flight test pilot Massimo de Stefano oriented me to a few items, mostly to do with getting in and out of the airplane. Early Pascale designs—and all of its twins—feature a high wing, in part to aid ingress for pilots and passengers. But the low wing has an easy step-up and good handholds for settling yourself into the seats.

De Stefano guided me to the right seat, which was perfect for this review, as it allowed me to assess the P-Mentor as an instructor and see how it would perform and feel flying from that familiar CFI’s perch.

The flight deck features a twin Garmin G3X Touch installation in the complete IFR package—called the “Sport” version—that we flew with in I-PDVF, the company’s demonstrator. Those displays are accompanied by a Garmin GTN 650 Xi nav/com/GPS, a Garmin GAD 29c ARINC data module, and a remote-mounted Garmin GTX 345R transponder with ADS-B In and Out capability. All of that—in addition to the engine management system—is powered by a 14-volt electrical system that utilizes two electrically isolated alternators (A and B) and a main ship’s battery.

Startup and Taxi Out

Starting the Rotax involves a simple process, with a couple of nuances—you first flip a toggle switch to energize the starter in addition to having the master switch on. Then, it’s both FADEC Lane A and B switches on, fuel pump on, and push the red starter button to swing the prop—which caught quickly on the warm engine (from previous flights). There are separate avionics and autopilot masters as well.

Run-up was guided by the engine information display on the right-hand G3X Touch screen, checking both FADEC lanes using the 4-cylinder exhaust gas temperature readouts, along with coolant and manifold temperatures, oil pressure, and volts.

De Stefano took on the task of taxiing out in order to familiarize me with the special procedures at the Capua Airport (LIAU), both of the day—rain showers earlier left the grass runway in varying states of rough—and in general. LIAU has a flight information service staffed by the local fire brigade—and therefore non-English speakers. Unusual, but not wholly unanticipated.

We left our abbreviated flight plan with the FIS and de Stefano guided me through the first takeoff, taking a line that was relatively smooth on the left-hand half of the runway, which measures 1,097 meters, or 3,599 feet.

We took just over one-third of the runway on that takeoff roll, not bad considering the condition of the turf, which appears to be a running source of amusement amongst the Tecnam pilots and their dealers. Test flying is often frustrated by the weather at Capua, with winter rains rendering it unusable for stretches of time.

One clear benefit to the location? I saw the airplane’s performance on a truly soft field. All Tecnam aircraft must pass this test or never reach the skies at all. The local council plans to finally pave the runway sometime in the next year—and we hope that’s on schedule, though the current field has its, well, charm.

In-flight Feel

For our mission, we took off to the northeast from Runway 26 to stay clear of the military field—Grazzanise—on whose control zone perimeter Capua sits, at 64 feet msl. I had the controls through the climbout to 3,000 feet for our high work, and we saw 450 to 700 fpm at the V_X of 70 knots and power set at 28.9 inches and 5,550 rpm.

During steep turns the controls felt solid, and even between aileron and pitch (in the baseline I use, aileron control feel is usually a degree lighter than pitch). However, I found the P-Mentor easy to keep coordinated both in 30- and 45-to-50-degree-bank turns and the proper pitch attitude facile to find in each direction.

Stalls broke mildly—more of a mush in an approach to landing (power off) stall, with a level break in the departure (power on) mode. Recover came swift and sure. I performed a few additional coordination maneuvers, seeking the marriage between aileron and rudder, and with a brisk roll left and right and back to center, again, straightforward to keep the nose on the horizon in its place.

• WATCH: We Fly the Tecnam P-Mentor

I made a power-off glide at 70 knots to test that handling, and the P-Mentor preserved the good gliding characteristics of the P92 Eaglet—precursor to the Echo—that I first flew back in 2006, with a reasonable 9.7:1 glide ratio. No surprises—just honest flying.

In Cruise

Where the P-Mentor trades off its weight for performance shows up in two places—the not-quite-as-short takeoff roll, and in the modest cruise speed of 117 knots. That’s at a power setting of 27 inches MP and 5,480 rpm.

Reducing the power to 24 inches and 5,030 rpm brings us to 100 knots indicated at 2,000 feet msl and13 degrees C—nearly ISA conditions. The panel is setup for cross-country missions in the sport package we tested—and you can do so at the modest fuel burn afforded by the Rotax, which sips 3.7 gph at that economy cruise setting. The company prides itself on the efficiency of its models, which certainly holds true here.

Training to Land

One unique feature of the P-Mentor that places it squarely into the training class is the simulated landing gear lever on the pilot’s subpanel. Though the airplane’s gear remains fixed firmly in place, if you don’t actuate the gear lever to the down position when bringing the throttle to idle, a warning horn sounds—just as it would in a true retract, and it’s tested during the run-up. The idea is to ingrain each of the steps into the thinking process of a new pilot. However, one could argue that because the airplane doesn’t reflect the aerodynamic change of the gear moving and the swinging of the gear doors, it’s a tenuous transfer of learning.

However, Sporty’s sells the same portable type of device in its catalog towards the same purpose, and I suppose it holds merit for building that habit of always checking to see if the gear is down on final.

Short and Soft Techniques

The long-span flaps can be set at the takeoff position (roughly 15 degrees) as high as 106 kias, with full deflection of about 30 degrees—the landing position—at 96 knots, aiding greatly in the ability to slow the airplane.

De Stefano wanted to demonstrate a landing first (and the right line to take on the rutted field), and I was keen to try out the go-around profile of the airplane. A nice, easy approach speed of 70 knots kept us on a smooth path to the touchdown point—and I braced myself for the bounces I figured would be inevitable—but the P-Mentor’s tires handled the uneven turf with aplomb. He pushed the power up for a touch-and-go, and handed the controls back over.

We did a low approach first, and I kept myself purposefully high, and slipped on final to see if the P-Men-tor’s good coupling held true, and it did. During the pass, I flew just off of the deck by about 15 feet, so I could continue to get a sense of things. I pulled up into a nice fly-by for the folks on the Tecnam ramp and entered the pattern again, level at about 750 feet agl—about 800 feet msl.

Remembering to put the “gear” down as I throttled back, it didn’t take long to find the approach speed that seemed to give the best mix of low speed and positive control authority on final. I aimed for the good line in the grass, and I was rewarded with a pleasant touch-down—stick in my lap and a little bit of power in to keep us going as the tufts of turf snatched at the tires.

We readily made the turn off just past midfield to taxi back into the factory—and de Stefano was all smiles as I did—a mark of approval that goes beyond translation. That grin matched my own, as the P-Mentor had been a true pleasure to fly—and would likely be just as much fun to use, yes, mentoring new pilots into the skies.

Tecnam P-Mentor

Price (fully equipped, as tested): $350,750

Engine: Rotax 915iSC3, 100 hp

TBO (or equivalent): 1,200 hours

Propeller: MT V.P. hydraulic with governor, two-blade

Seats: 2

Wingspan: 29.5 ft.

Wing Area: 128.1 sq. ft.

Wing Loading: 12.39 lb./sq. ft.

Power Loading: 15.87 lb./hp

Length: 22.1 ft.

Height: 8.2 ft.

Baggage Weight: 66 lb.

Standard Empty Weight: 959 lb.

Max Takeoff Weight (EASA CS 23): 1,587 lb.

Standard Useful Load (EASA CS 23): 628 lb.

Fuel: 140 liters/37 gal.

Max Rate of Climb: 750 fpm

Max Operating Altitude: 13,000 ft.

Stall Speed (flaps extended): 44 kias

Max Cruise Speed: 117 ktas, at sea level, max continuous power

Max Range @ Max Range Power: 950 nm

Takeoff Distance, Sea Level (over a 50 ft. obs.): 1,706 ft.

Landing Distance, Sea Level (over a 50 ft. obs.): 1,280 ft.

This article first appeared in the July 2023/Issue 933 print edition of FLYING.

The post We Fly: Tecnam P-Mentor appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Tecnam’s P-Mentor trainer—already a bestselling training platform across Europe—is coming to the U.S. market, the manufacturer announced Wednesday at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

And judging by the enthusiasm of flight school buyers in the U.S., the aircraft is set to disrupt a market dominated by an aging fleet of primary trainers, often half a century old or more. 

The P-Mentor is a two-seat aircraft designed to be a primary training platform, equipped with Garmin avionics and boasting almost unheard-of fuel economy at 3.7 gallons per hour. This low consumption translates to low operating costs for owners and renters, and means lower CO2 emissions.

“People ask, why P-Mentor—what’s behind that name?” said Dave Copeland, director of sales in the U.S. for Tecnam. “P,” he said, is for the Pascali family “[that stands] behind every one of the 7,500 aircraft that have been delivered over the past 75 years. In addition, the ‘P’ stands for passion, of which each Tecnam is taken from dream to reality. And, of course, the ‘P’ also stands for pilots who will grace the controls.”

As for the second part of its name, Copeland said, “the P-Mentor was derived by the Pascali family from the heritage of naming solutions that relates to the four pillars of mentoring.” These include the matching of a strong partnership, training, coaching, and support. 

“The P-Mentor was carefully designed to offer the ultimate platform for training,” Copeland said. “It’s been over half a century since the aviation world has delivered an aircraft that is capable and approved to fly like the P-Mentor. It’s very hard to compare the P-Mentor to any other aircraft in the world…No other aircraft in over 60 years has been certified to the standards that the P-Mentor has been approved [for]. Yes—60 years. 

“Tecnam looks at general aviation as a today thing—not as a legacy thing,” Copeland added. “At Tecnam, we feel students, pilots, and our environment deserve more than an aircraft designed back in the ’40s, the ’50s, and the ’60s. They deserve a current aircraft that allows them to learn in a comfortable cabin that offers the latest in ergonomic amenities along with an avionics suite that offers friendly flyer touch-screen avionics, a three-axis autopilot dynamic…and the list goes on.”

Tecnam P-Mentor Specs:

• Engine: Rotax 912iSc3
• Power: 100 hp
• Fuel Consumption: 3.7 gph
• Fuel Capacity: 34 gal.
• Max Takeoff Weight: 1,587 lb.
• Empty Weight, Standard: 948 lb.
• Useful Load: 640 lb.
• Max Cruise Speed: 120 kts.
• Stall Speed (flaps down power off): 44 kts. 
• Ceiling: 13,000 ft.
• Rate of Climb: 750 fpm
• Range: 730 nm

The P-Mentor’s fuel consumption results in up to nine operating hours between refuelings, a boon for flight schools and GA owners alike, according to Copeland. This also means a lower environmental impact per flight hour. 

“The P-Mentor…offers the lowest CO2 footprint of any aircraft of its type in the world,” said Copeland. “The P-Mentor is a simple and sustainable platform and a new solution to guide students through maybe their first flight through their advanced ratings in one single platform. The P-Mentor’s constant-speed propeller, paired with a tapered wing, specifically designed with a laminar airflow, and a one-piece leading edge allow P-Mentor to pass the CS-23 amendment requirements for low-speed stall characteristics without the requirement of a ballistic recovery system.” 

Copeland added that a BRS is optional along with a simulated gear handle for advanced proficiencies. 

As part of Wednesday’s ceremony, Tecnam invited representatives from the flight schools that have committed to P-Mentor purchases for their fleet to speak about why they opted for this training platform over other options in the market. These included Kansas City-area-based Kilo Charlie Aviation, Vermont Flight Academy, and Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas. 

In a surprise, Walter Da Costa, chief sales officer for Tecnam, stepped up to the podium with a special announcement. 

“I would like to inform today that we just right now confirmed a new member of the Tecnam family…at the show,” said Da Costa, inviting founder and CEO Ed Stefan of Des Moines, Iowa-based EpicSky Flight Academy to the podium to sign an agreement to a purchase 15 P-Mentors for its fleet. Tecnam will begin delivering the P-Mentors at a rate of two to three per month beginning in June 2024, said Da Costa. 

“When someone comes in our door…[and] don’t sign up, [we] feel like we did them a disservice,” said Stefan. “We feel like we hurt them. We feel like we didn’t adequately explain to them that this is a golden age of aviation. The opportunities are limitless.”

Stefan went on to rave about how the P-Mentor will benefit the flight school.

“We have a purpose-built plane that sips the fuel, so it’s less money for our students,” he said. “We have the latest and greatest technological advancements—everything a growing boy or girl could possibly think to ask for. We have a cockpit experience, which is second to none. I mean, Italian leather—how could you go wrong?”

Building on a theme of family that permeated the press conference, Stefan added, “Walter and I met—when did we meet, Walter?”

“Yesterday,” answered Da Costa.

“Yesterday,” confirmed Stefan, addressing the crowd again. “Did you hear that? It was yesterday. And here we are. But the story is so compelling. If anyone listening to this has not looked at Tecnam as a training platform, I have to ask: What are you thinking? What are you doing? Why are you letting your students fly, not just on dad’s airplane but on dad’s dad’s airplane? Why are you letting your students fly in technology that was built in the ’40s and ’50s? Come on guys, this is 2023. And now we have a manufacturing organization that understands that it’s 2023.”

Copeland closed by citing  Tecnam’s pride in its engineering, design, certifications, production line, employment expansions, product improvements, new model introductions, sustainable platforms, customers, and more.

“Our top-down commitment to general aviation has led us to these hallowed grounds here at Oshkosh, where aviators fill the air and future pilots seek what’s next,” he said. “We trust that you see why Tecnam is proof that the future of general aviation is alive and well and that we’ve dedicated the future of flight, so we can all soar higher.”

The Tecnam P-Mentor is featured on the cover of the July 2023, Issue 939 of FLYING.

Editor’s note: an earlier version of this story incorrectly listed EpicSky Flight Academy as “EpicSky Aviation,” and has since been corrected.

The post Tecnam Brings the P-Mentor to North America appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Texas Aircraft Manufacturing, in collaboration with sister company Inpaer in Brazil, has announced the introduction of the Stallion SLSA, a four-place aircraft that combines light sport performance and efficiency with enhanced capabilities for the general aviation and flight training markets. 

• READ MORE: Can Texas Aircraft’s Colt Become a Real 21st-Century Trainer? 

The Stallion SLSA would be the Hondo, Texas-based company’s inaugural aircraft to receive approval under the FAA’s proposed MOSAIC regulatory basis.

The first prototype of the Stallion SLSA was constructed at the Inpaer facility in Campinas outside of Sao Paulo. It is presently undergoing flight testing to gather data for the finalization of its design and eventual certification—hopefully—under the FAA’s new SLSA framework. 

• READ MORE: Texas Aircraft’s Colt S-LSA Receives FAA ASTM Certification

“While we await the FAA’s decision on the LSA 2023 [MOSAIC] requirements, the Stallion is already in the ASTM approval process in Brazil. We anticipate commencing the same process in the United States in early 2024,” said Kyle Braga, Texas Aircraft’s North American sales representative. “Our plan is to showcase the Stallion at next year’s Sun ‘n Fun event in Lakeland, Florida.”

In acknowledgment of the contributions of chief designer Caio Jordão, Braga said, “his guidance has been instrumental in bringing the all-new Stallion to fruition.”

The Texas Aircraft Stallion SLSA offers the following preliminary specifications:

• Four-place, SLSA
• 200 hp Lycoming IO-360 engine
• Extra-wide doors for easy passenger access
• Welded Chromoly safety cell
• All aviation-grade aluminum airframe
• Maximum cruise speed: 135 knots*
• Best economy cruise speed: 120 knots*
• Stall speed clean: 58 knots*
• Stall speed full flaps: 52 knots*
• Maximum range: 1,144 nm at best economy cruise*

*Note: All specifications are preliminary and subject to change.

The post Texas Aircraft Manufacturing Unveils Stallion SLSA appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

But what if one type’s perceived weakness is some-thing that can be addressed with awareness and ap-propriate training? In the case of the Piper PA-38Tomahawk, its unique stall and spin characteristics resulted in accidents and a poor reputation early in its production run. The reputation lingers today, but owners agree that if one is willing to train and fly appropriately, it becomes a non-issue—and a non-issue that enables a prospective owner to obtain a lot more air-plane for a lot less money than other types.

Design

Back in the late 1970s, the field of training aircraft was dominated by legacy types that traced their designs back to the 1930s and 1940s. The popular Cessna 150and 152 were based upon the old 140, Cubs and Aeroncas had changed little over the years, and—whether equipped with a nosewheel or a tailwheel—most trainers also had high wings, cramped cockpits, and limited visibility.

When Piper set out to claim market share from Cessna in the primary trainer category, it took a fresh approach. Rather than build an updated Cub or a smaller Cherokee, Piper surveyed thousands of flight instructors across the country to determine what characteristics were most desired in a training aircraft. It solicited input on what features the perfect one should have and how it should fly. The instructors provided plenty of input.

Having spent decades in cramped cabins, they asked for more space and comfort. Having dealt with huge blind spots in the form of a high wing positioned at eyelevel, they asked for more visibility. And they wanted an airplane with a sharper, more pronounced entry into stalls and spins. They reasoned that a student cannot fully understand or properly learn spin recovery in an airplane that will automatically return to normal flight when the controls are released.

Piper got to work and created an airplane that me teach of these demands in the form of the Tomahawk. It built the airframe around the popular 112 hp, four-cylinder Lycoming O-235. Although the low-wing de-sign necessitated a fuel pump, Piper positioned the fuel selector in a location on the panel that’s both easy to see and easy to reach. And, like so many other models in that era, they opted for the style of a T-tail.

Model History

The result of the research was a new training air-craft that was thoroughly modernized and differentiated from the legacy trainers of the day. In the end, Piper would sell nearly 2,500 examples between 1978and 1982.In those four years of production, the Tomahawk line remained simple and uncomplicated. The vast majority of Tomahawks are the initial model, known simply as the PA-38 Tomahawk. During the last two years of production, Piper introduced the Tomahawk II variant, with minor improvements to the cabin: heating, ventilation, and soundproofing. The company also made a few smaller improvements to the interior to provide more comfort to those on board.

Market Snapshot

A survey of Tomahawks listed for sale at the time of this writing found eight examples ranging in price from $25,000 for a particularly rough example to $69,000 for one with a freshly overhauled engine and updated avionics. The median price of the group was $30,500, and the median airframe time was 3,717 hours. A total of 444 Tomahawks are presently listed on the FAA registry.

Because many Tomahawks have been used for flight training at busy schools, it pays to be discerning. Air-frame total time is something to note, as is the condition of an aircraft that might have led a hard life at the hands of primary students. However, an airplane that has been used regularly over the years tends to accumulate fewer issues in general than one that has been a hangar queen, so don’t discount a former school model.

Flight Characteristics

The Tomahawk’s T-tail makes it easy to spot from across a ramp. Like the T-tails Piper fitted to the Arrow IV and Lance, it is said to have been chosen by the marketing department for its looks, but it has more drawbacks than legitimate performance advantages. A Tomahawk pilot must retrieve a ladder to perform a thorough preflight inspection, and to clear ice and snow off of the horizontal stabilizer in the winter or remove bugs from the leading edges in the summer.

Fortunately, the Tomahawk’s other design elements offer legitimate benefits that are immediately apparent. If the cabin size and layout of the Tomahawk had been the accepted norm and the competition had all waited until the late 1970s to introduce their cramped cabins with limited visibility, their airplanes might not have done so well in the marketplace. Indeed, the Tomahawk’s roomier cabin feels downright luxurious compared to an early taildragger or Cessna 150, and the outstanding visibility comes as a pleasant shock to everyone except possibly Ercoupe pilots.

Most two-place trainers endowed with engines in the 100-hp range require discipline with regard to loading, and the Tomahawk is no exception. With full fuel, anyone much over 150 pounds would be wise to consider the weight of the other occupant before de-parting—a survey of 18 owners found that the aver-age full-fuel payload was 303 pounds. Fortunately, the 30-gallon fuel capacity is larger than that of many competing models, and this provides some flexibility with regard to payload.

After settling in, a Tomahawk pilot will find that most controls are well-designed ergonomically, botheasy to see and reach. Taxiing is straightforward and the nosewheel steering is positive and responsive.

A pilot unfamiliar with a T-tail would be wise to re-view its nuances prior to flight. Because the horizontal stabilizer and elevator are positioned outside the propeller slipstream, the elevator takes more time to be-come effective, and thus, a bit more time and distance is required to raise the nosewheel for a soft-field takeoff.

If the pilot continues to hold full nose-up elevator as the nose rises, they might be startled when the horizontal stabilizer enters the slipstream, instantly gains effectiveness, and sends the nose abruptly upward. This stems from the T-tail design itself, rather than representing a safety issue specific to the Tomahawk, and it’s easily countered after the pilot becomes familiar with the tendencies of the T-tail.

The rest of the takeoff and climb out are typical of any O-235-equipped trainer, predictable and a bit ane-mic when fully loaded. The spring-based elevator trim and the tiny trim wheel feel less effective and less precise than trim-tab based designs, but they do the job.

Most owners report cruise speeds in the 95-knot range with a fuel burn of roughly six gallons per hour. No Tomahawk review would be complete without mention of the airplane’s stall and spin characteristics. The topic of much debate over the decades, many studies and analyses have been conducted, and opinions still differ. People who have never flown them equate them to death traps, predisposed to enter and difficult to recover from spins.

Those who fly the Tomahawk understand that when designing the airplane, Piper simply gave the afore-mentioned group of CFIs precisely what they wanted—an airplane more willing to enter stalls and spins, and one that requires specific inputs to recover from them. That said, there is still debate regarding the consistency of the airplane’s stall and spin characteristics.

Master CFI Rich Stowell, who has flown more than 26,000 spins in more than 160 different airplanes, tested one Tomahawk in depth. He found that its spin characteristics were unremarkable compared with other airplanes and that the airplane performed as Piper literature states it should perform. Stowell does, however, go on to question whether the spin characteristics are truly uniform across the fleet.

The National Transportation Safety Board raised the matter of Tomahawk stall-spin characteristics formally in a Safety Recommendation to the FAA in 1997 and asked that the agency conduct an investigation and test flights. The FAA did so, and it reported in 1998 that the concerns were unsubstantiated.

In any case, owners strongly recommend seeking thorough flight instruction from an instructor who is well versed in the Tomahawk. If doubts remain about the stall/spin characteristics of a particular Toma-hawk, it shouldn’t be difficult to find a qualified instructor or aerobatic pilot to go spin the airplane and report on its characteristics.

In normal cruise flight, the Tomahawk is an enjoy-able airplane to fly. The sweeping, unrestricted visibility makes it easy to spot other traffic; it handles predictably, and the heater keeps the cabin toasty—even on frigid winter days in northern climates.

On approach, the airplane flies predictably, and the pilot can readily make changes to airspeed or profile. One mustn’t forget that T-tail during landing, how-ever—leaving some power in or landing at a higher-than-usual pitch attitude can catch a new Tomahawk pilot off guard. As on takeoff, if the horizontal stab sinks low enough to enter the propwash, effectiveness spikes and the pitch can increase abruptly. The effect is not unlike encountering a sudden wind gust. While recovery is easy and straightforward, it’s a nuance for which one should be prepared.

Ownership

Economy is one of the primary strengths of the Tomahawk. A relatively low purchase price, a 2,400 hour engine TBO, and low fuel burn keep operating costs at a minimum. Insurance is also relatively affordable. Multiple low-time owners report annual insurance premiums between $1,000 and $1,500 per year, even for new student pilots utilizing the Tomahawk for their primary flight training.

The relatively simple airframe is straightforward to repair and maintain, and lacks complicated, proprietary components that can make other types more challenging to service. With nearly 2,500 examples produced, the supply of replacement parts helps to keep Tomahawks airworthy and out of the maintenance hangar. Prospective owners are wise to care-fully review the maintenance logs of any Tomahawk they find. Not long after the type entered production, a high number of stall/spin accidents resulted in the FAA creating an airworthiness directive (AD) that requires the installation of four stall strips on the leading edge of the wing. Accordingly, every Tomahawk should have had them installed.

Other ADs introduced a life limit for certain parts. Every 3,000 hours, the vertical stabilizer attachment plate must be replaced. The part isn’t expensive but the job requires about 40 hours of labor.

The Tomahawk wing is subject to a life limit of 11,000 hours. Although this is a high number, many Toma-hawks have led a busy life of flight instruction and have correspondingly high-time air-frames. Fortunately, Sterling Aviation Technologies of Goodyear, Arizona, offers a kit that extends the spar life to at least 18,650 hours. The $4,300 kit requires approximately 64 hours of labor to install, and it’s a great alter-native to scrapping a high-time airframe.

Other ADs apply, but none require an inordinate amount of time or money to address. The majority are either one-time mods or can be resolved readily.

Few STCs are offered for the Tomahawk and thus, most Tomahawks are virtually identical from a mechanical standpoint. One STC allows for the installation of higher-compression pistons, bringing the horse-power from 112 to 125. Although the increase in power is modest, it is said to be quite noticeable. Unfortunately, the STC seems to have become orphaned and is no longer available for purchase/installa-tion on existing Tomahawks

.Although no official type group presently exists, the “Piper Tomahawk Owners” Facebook group is vibrant and full of enthusiastic owners who are eager to welcome newcomers into the fold. More information can be gleaned through the Piper Flyer Association.

Now more than ever, it has be-come difficult to find a certified, 1980s-vintage airplane in the $30,000 to $35,000 range. The Tomahawk offers relatively easy, straightforward ownership, and existing owners take every opportunity to praise their machines and recommend the type to others.

Piper Tomahawk: By the Numbers

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