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wchurch
11-06-2009, 10:48 AM
Hello. I am brand new to your forum. I would like to ask the help of you short wing piper folks out there. I am thinking of starting a small flight school using Piper Colts.I have been instructing at the airlines for 20 years and recently taught at a flight school with a 2008 C-172 with a Garmin G1000. I believe that there is a shortage of basic stick and rudder as well as basic instrument flying skills in the new generation of pilots. I wanted my school to go as far back to basics as I could. I even considered tailwheel only training but for insurance and purchase costs I changed my mind. About 20 years ago I instructed in a Tri-Pacer for about 50 hours and it seemed like a pretty nice airplane. So I thought that the Colt may be the ticket. Are there any concerns with usining the Colt everyday as a primary trainer? Will it handle the repeated rough landings a student will put it through? Are there any special maintenance issues other than the obvious fabric maintenance? Lastly, does anyone out there know of an airport that could use a good small pilot school. Specifically an airport without 6 other schools and an airport commision looking for a new operation. Thanks for your help.

Tripod
11-06-2009, 11:10 AM
I have no first-hand experience using Colts as trainers. I did all of my PP training in C-150's. However, I did run across a website (in Germany, I think) that was boasting of having a fleet of flight school Colts and all had just passed the 10,000 hour mark. That flight school stated that each Colt had been "rebuilt" 3 times to reach that goal. They weren't real specific about the rebuild details, but I imagine it included a recover and a few engine overhauls. I don't know how 10,000 hours compares with competitor aircraft such as the C-150, but it sounds pretty impressive to me.

If I can find that website again, I will post the URL here.

Best wishes for your flight school!

-dave

joewcasey
11-06-2009, 07:39 PM
Not sure if this would be of any assistance, but the Wadena airport in Wadena, MN is looking for a new business to bring an aviation business to their location. The picture I saw in Thief River Falls, MN this week showed a nice, heated hangar with an attached admin facility. They specifically said they were looking for someone to bring in a business such as flight training, maintenance, etc.

redbarron55
11-07-2009, 09:04 AM
Of course the Colt was and is a trainer first. Back in the day there was quite a debate iver which was best. Piper was always working to produce aircraft as inexpensively as possbile and use their older technology. The debate extended into which was the better trainer the Cessna 150 or the Colt. The Colt probably had better Performance and easier to fly. The Cessna was more "modern" all metal and can reward "better" flying technique although a little harder to fly well resulting in the "possibility" of learning the finer skills while learning to fly.
Of course it is possible to learn to fly in either and be an excellent pilot, but that is harder in a Piper since from the Pacer-Trpacer-Colt to the Warriors fly easier (in my opinion) than the Cessna 150. (now that excepts ground handling for the Pacer)
A good instructor in a 150 can teach the pilot the proper techinques so that transition to a taildragger is easy.
I have felt that this is much more difficult with a pilot trained in a warrior. The Warrior is much more forgiving than the 150, although a more capable aircraft.
Let the games begin!

Best regards,

J.D.

craigh
11-08-2009, 05:41 PM
My personal opinion is that the Colt would handle hard landings a lot better than the Brand "C" trainer. The nose-gear is one heck of a lot more stout.

Also the Colt has a much better useful load than a 150/152 does. I know several students that have had to shop hard for a lightweight DE because the majority of them put the plane overgross for the checkride.

wchurch
11-09-2009, 11:14 AM
What kind of useful load will the typical colt get? I thought I read a bit less than 600 lbs but I am not sure.

craigh
11-09-2009, 03:04 PM
What kind of useful load will the typical colt get? I thought I read a bit less than 600 lbs but I am not sure.

Mine has a 613lb useful load. Way better than the 450 or so in most 2 seat Cessnas.

Bultaco Jim
11-11-2009, 02:07 PM
I agree. My Colt is right at 1000lbs and has 650 usable. Subtract the 216lbs of full 36 gals, and you still have 434lbs. I have never burned more than 6gph, so theoretically, the thing holds 6 hrs of gas! Try that with a 150.

Kurts
11-11-2009, 04:35 PM
And mine is at 625 lbs. Full fuel, my wife and I, and two roll-aboard suitcases, easy!

Kurt