What's The EASIEST Military Trainer To Fly/Learn In?

[Bill Greenwood]

What are you guys smoking? " Cost per hour and insurance requirements"? Cost, gallons per hour, and all that other stuff is not part of this.

All I am talking about in this topic it what is the EASIEST one to fly, and of all the ones that I have flown, it is the T-34.

David Fain had been an Army Air Corp or AF instructor in T-6 s in WWII. He had thousands of hours and had flown many planes, but never a T-34 or J3.
He came back in the Cub first with a big smile and said, "Boy, things sure happen slow", next he came back in the T-34 and said, "If you can't fly that, you can't fly anything."

If I had an emergency in the air, I can't think of any plane I'd rather be in than a T-34 because it would be so easy to put in the best space possible, and at a real slow speed, gear up or down.

A Stearman is a great trainer also, but not what I would call easy, at first.

I have flown a Tiger Moth once,and it seemed pretty easy also, in part because it lands so slow. It was my first flight and I landed it on the grass at Duxford. I don't know if I was lucky, more likely the plane had too much character to misbehave there where Bader and so many of the legends had flown.

[daveymac82c]

Hey Bill,

That's an interesting question you've posed. EASIEST, eh?

I think I remember hearing somewhere that part of a military's decision for choosing a trainer is to make sure it isn't too easy to fly in the first place so that transitioning to the faster more advanced planes wasn't too scary. I figure the main criteria for selecting a trainer was its safety and ability to withstand abuse.

That being said, I assume that's not the answer you're looking for either.

As for easy, I'd have to say that the Schweizer 2-33A glider was pretty easy to train on. No engine, no problem.

Now, avoiding stupid answers and gliders.....

I've heard that the Chipmunk is an absolute dream to fly. I suppose that makes it easy.

Having flown the Fleet Canuck, I'd say that's relatively easy plane to fly. It pretty much does what you want it to do. Just don't ask it to climb too quickly.

Peace,

David

[Enemy Ace]

I would have to say that cost, GPH, insurance, etc. are a HUGE factor, only a tiny minority of pilots can or do buy an airplane based solely on how the plane flies. Very few pilots are "oil rich". I personally think from observing local flight schools that the cost of flying is what is killing GA in the USA. The days of some kid being able to earn a license based on the earnings from a modest job are gone.
The 34 is a sweet little airplane, but let's get real, it is not going to be someone's first airplane, used as a trainer. Very, very few pilots are going to buy a $175,000 airplane to learn to fly in. How would they even get insurance?
Sooo, if all we want to ask is what is the best flying airplane, as in making someone the best pilot, then my vote goes for the Stearman. But we all know that's just not a realistic trainer in this day and age, might as well have a thread about what's better looking, the Mustang or the Spitfire!!!!

[L2Driver]

Most trainers are easy to fly but difficult to fly well. It's how they were designed.

I would have to agree that the T-41 is likely the easiest to fly. Near non-existent rudder requirements; big flaps; trike gear; docile handling. IMO, these docile traits do little to prepare someone for bigger/better airplanes. So, easy to fly? Yes. Should this be the airplane I would recommend someone to train in? No.

[T33driver]

I know Bill will threw up in his mouth a little at the mere mention of this aircraft so I apologize in advance, but how 'bout the T-28? Once the T-28 replaced the T-6 in the mid 1950s, the USAF became concerned it was too easy to fly since so few student pilots were washing out of it in the primary training phase.

[fritzthefox]

I'm a very low time pilot (cuz I'm po), but I've been lucky enough to briefly fly both the T-34 and the T-28. The T-34 was much easier...it really fit like a glove. The T-28 has a LOT of weight and power (relative to the GA planes I'm used to, anyway), so even a little ham-handedness results in significant changes of altitude. There is also an bewildering amount of crap in the cockpit, which was deliberately laid out more like a jet than a prop panel, to prepare trainees for the transition to real jets. (It was also initially underpowered for the same reason). Everything happens much faster in it, too, owing to its speed. That was my impression, anyway, but I'd been lounging with my feet up in an Ercoupe for the only other flight hours I logged that year, so your mileage may vary.

Actually, your mileage may suck. The T-28 is a thirsty beast...you could fly around all week in a cub for what it would take to keep the Trojan in the air for an hour.

I'd say the T-41, since it's really just a glorified 172, would be the easiest warbird trainer to fly, but it's not very warbird-like.

[yakdriver]

The Nanchang CJ6 is hands down the best all around warbird trainer. Having owned and flown one for 5 years and also having flown all of the other airplanes mentioned it really shines. Has he same performance as a T-6 on half the gas, really nice light controls, a round motor and very docile stall. As stated above a really nice one can be had for $75,000 and they are dirt simple to maintain with a good parts network. How about new engines for under $20,000 and props $1500. No problem for a primary student but enough performance to satisfy a high time pilot. Also has a high "cool" factor. Don

[Ken]

What are you guys smoking? " Cost per hour and insurance requirements"? Cost, gallons per hour, and all that other stuff is not part of this.

All I am talking about in this topic it what is the EASIEST one to fly, and of all the ones that I have flown, it is the T-34.

Bill, you asked, we answered. It sounds like you just don't care for the answers.

I've flown the recip T-34 for 6-8 hours and it was not as easy to fly as a T-41. Great plane, sure. Would love to own one or fly one more often. If I had a student on ride one and had to choose, pure easy would be spelled T-4-1.

[yakdriver]

[quote="Bill Greenwood"]What are you guys smoking? " Cost per hour and insurance requirements"? Cost, gallons per hour, and all that other stuff is not part of this.

All I am talking about in this topic it what is the EASIEST one to fly, and of all the ones that I have flown, it is the T-34.

David Fain had been an Army Air Corp or AF instructor in T-6 s in WWII. He had thousands of hours and had flown many planes, but never a T-34 or J3.
He came back in the Cub first with a big smile and said, "Boy, things sure happen slow", next he came back in the T-34 and said, "If you can't fly that, you can't fly anything."

If I had an emergency in the air, I can't think of any plane I'd rather be in than a T-34 because it would be so easy to put in the best space possible, and at a real slow speed, gear up or down.

A Stearman is a great trainer also, but not what I would call easy, at first.



Bill, The Nanchang is much easier to fly than a T-34 and the control harmony and lightness are about the best of any airplane I have flown. You can do departure stalls with your feet on the floor like a Cherokee and solo it won't spin power off yet with two up it spins nicely and recovers almost instantly when controls are relaxed. As for emergencies the CJ is built hell for stout and you would have to land in some really bad terrain to get hurt in one.Try one sometime, I think you will be impressed. Don

[Bill Greenwood]

As for the T-41, it was not on my mind that Cessna had a military trainer, except the Bird Dog or T-37 jet. So yes, the T-41 is probably pretty easy and techincally fits the definition. I do know that after a few hours in the T-34 I was/am more expert than after the same time in the 172. Anyone can fly a 172 ok, but almost anyone can fly a T-34 well quickly, and the better visiblity and control response, and landing gear is in favor of the 34.
As I said I have not flown a Yak or CJ, but I am not involved in selling them up or down. As for how much "cool" they have, that is in the eye of the beholder,as well as the buyer and seller. I have never been offered a ride in one. There is a guy in Aspen that owns one, but he is not only a below average pilot, but a poor excuse for a human being, so I am not going to be flying with him.
I have been invited to fly Bud Granley's Yak, which I am sure is a good acro plane, and would love to do so if I was there. Bud makes anything look easy to fly.

Davey, you are right, the 2-33 is easy and a great trainer, kind of like a Cub. I guess I meant powered planes primarily. I fly a 2-33 here in Boulder, often in preference to a more advanced type like a Grob 102.

Some of you guys have brought in other factors in favor of the plane you like, such as purchase price or parts avialbilty. My topic was only which is the EASIEST to fly. Things like being or not being an oil man, ( I'm not) may be factors in some other category but not this one.
Why don't one of you guys start a topic on what is the best trainer or some such.

Last edited by Bill Greenwood on Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Bill Greenwood]

I must give the award to Fritz the Fox for best phrase in the whole topic, in taking about the T-28 cockpit, as "a bewildering amount of crap". Very true.
And as for my very small amount of T-28 time, I did not find it that I was real comfortable with it right away, For one, you sit so high that it feels strange to me. It has its fans.

[yakdriver]

Bill, If you ever get the chance to fly with Bud go for it. He was here at an airshow in the mid 80s and gave me an hour of dual in my SNJ. He is great fun to fly with and can really make a T-6 talk. Also I took you up in a N3N at the Salt Lake airshow in the late 80s and saw you at a few airshows in the northwest. We had the SNJ,N3N and TBM.
The YAKs are a lot different than the CJ and much less forgiving but much more aerobatic. One other thing the CJ has is a trailing arm main gear that makes for great landings. You really have to screw up to make a bad landing in a CJ. You have to admit a round motor beats a flat motor any day for cool factor . Don

[Dan Newcomb]

It just amazes me how people can over complicate a simple question. The key word is “EASY”.

Main Entry: easy
Pronunciation: \ˈē-zē\
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): eas·i·er; eas·i·est
Etymology: Middle English esy, from Anglo-French eisé, aasié, past participle of eiser, aaisier to ease, from a- ad- (from Latin ad-) + eise ease
Date: 13th century
1 a : causing or involving little difficulty or discomfort <within easy reach> b : requiring or indicating little effort, thought, or reflection <easy clichés>
2 a : not severe : lenient <hopes they'll be easy on him> b : not steep or abrupt <easy slopes> c : not difficult to endure or undergo <an easy penalty <easy
I have flown C-172/T-41, T-34B, SNJ. The Cessna has my vote!

Dan

[Bill Greenwood]

I just flew back into Aspen and what should I find out on the ramp but a T-41. No,it was not a late and a little short Christmas present from Santa, rather it was one from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs just over for a visit.

[Steve Crewdog]

Two pages and I can't believe no one's mentioned the PT-19. Fixed gear, fixed prop, incredible visibility, puddycat to fly and land.

Tiger Moth is a sentimental favorite, but the yaw instability (that was deliberately designed in) makes a better pilot by making them work their feet.


Steve

Last edited by Steve Crewdog on Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.