Sport Pilot Talk

KevinV · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 20 Location: Winter Haven, FL

I'm really looking forward to my first flight in the Tecnam P92 Echo Super. The school I'm going to check out next uses one for Sport Pilot training, and as long as I'm comfortable with the CFI and their program, I don't mind doing the extra drive to get to that school.

It seems that just about every GA magazine that I've picked up lately has an article about one of the current LSA offerings from Tecnam. They appear to have made a very positive impression on the community.

I downloaded the freely available POH and maintenance manuals for the P92 and feel much more comfortable climbing into that aircraft with a solid overview of its capabilities and limitations. This is something that was completely lacking in the aircraft that was being used for my first two flight lessons at the local school. They had next to zero information on the aircraft (Aerostar 1) and said there really wasn't anything available. Nor was I able to find anything in my online searches. The school calls it a Festival, but it is actually a 1 model that was experimental. The Festival underwent several changes to be certificated as an LSA and the data on the two are not simply interchangeable.

Back to the Tecnam. So the availability of aircraft information, high regards from the GA community, and the fact that I can play around in one in FSX has really bolstered my enthusiasm to climb into the cockpit of this airplane.

For those of you that have experience with the Tecnam offerings, what have your impressions been?

tadel001 · Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 251

Kevin, you will definitely love flying the Tecnam. The P92 is one of the best handling aircraft. This is somewhat self-serving but see the latest issue of Flight Training. Our school primarily uses Tecnam and the recent cover story for the June addition does a piece on the flight school. You can read what other students and the reporter think.

Best of luck!

KellyZ · Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 22

Tecnam's are great airplanes, but troublesome to own. Dealer support is virtually non-existent in most of the country, and has a tendency to come and go abruptly without warning. Two dealers in the upper mid-west have been through the cycle twice! Almost all airframe parts have to be imported from Italy, and are hideously expensive. A set of brake pads, e.g., will run you about $150. Although the main gear tires are standard Air Tracs, the nose wheel tire is a Sava, a European brand not available in this country (except possibly through one of the Tecnam dealers).
And of course the Rotax engine has its own ownership disadvantages because of the shortage of Rotax-certified mechanics - only those A & Ps with the proper Rotax-approved education can perform the annual condition inspection. Since there's a high probability that there won't be a Tecnam dealer nearby, most owners will be on their own to find that Rotax-approved mechanic.
I see you're located in Florida, so you probably have dealer and Rotax support near you, but if you buy a Tecnam airplane, and you ever decide to relocate most anywhere outside of the eastern part of the country, you should know what to expect!

tadel001 · Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 251

Kellyz,

Chesapeake Sport Pilot actually recently signed an agreement with Tecnam to be the exclusive parts distributor in the US. IF you go to our website, pilot shop and click on Tecnam Parts, you can find many of the parts you are looking for. The brake pads are $36.66.

Helen · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 118 Location: Maryland

As for tires, Tecnam is on of very few LSA companies that has a US distributor with authorization to write letters for alterations. I requested letters to upgrade our tires and tubes on our Tecnams and had authorization letters for upgraded tires on each plane within hours of the request. Couldn't be easier!

Helen

slsaowner · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 80 Location: WI

I just had my Bravo "annualed" by Eric Paradise at AeroParadise in Reedsburg, WI. Eric did a first rate job, and handled applying for, and installing several mods to my aircraft. He seems to have a good working relationship with Tecnam USA. He is, of course, a Certified Rotax Repairman. This leads me to believe that perhaps it isn't necessary for an importer to have an extensive dealer network if they can find qualified repair stations who will be interested in working with the importer to handle routine maintenance work, including condition inspections. I note that Cirrus already operates in this mode - we have a Cirrus Service Center at my local airport, but they aren't a Cirrus dealer.

KellyZ · Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 22

I see that about 12% of the U.S.-registered Sierras (P2002s) have crashed so far, but only a couple of the high-wing Tecnams have been involved in accidents. I wonder what it is that makes the Sierras so much more accident prone.

bullwinkle · Joined: 02 Jul 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Athens, GA

I just got my sport pilot ticket from Lockwood Aviation in a P92 Echo Super, having a previous 20hrs in a Zodiac 601XL. I *loved* the Echo; very stable and predictable, easy to fly. Much less "twitchy" than the Zodiac, without feeling heavy or sluggish in any way.

I wish there was one to rent around here. :(
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Weed Vaporizers

AZPilot · Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 156

bullwinkle wrote: I just got my sport pilot ticket from Lockwood Aviation in a P92 Echo Super, having a previous 20hrs in a Zodiac 601XL. I *loved* the Echo; very stable and predictable, easy to fly. Much less "twitchy" than the Zodiac, without feeling heavy or sluggish in any way.

I wish there was one to rent around here. :(

Congrats on getting finished.
Happy Flying.

bullwinkle · Joined: 02 Jul 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Athens, GA

AZPilot wrote: bullwinkle wrote: I just got my sport pilot ticket from Lockwood Aviation in a P92 Echo Super, having a previous 20hrs in a Zodiac 601XL. I *loved* the Echo; very stable and predictable, easy to fly. Much less "twitchy" than the Zodiac, without feeling heavy or sluggish in any way.

I wish there was one to rent around here. :(

Congrats on getting finished.
Happy Flying.

Thanks!
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Og Kush

Pawlander · Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 51 Location: Pawleys Island, SC

bullwinkle wrote:
I just got my sport pilot ticket from Lockwood Aviation in a P92 Echo Super, having a previous 20hrs in a Zodiac 601XL.

Congrats, Bullwinkle! Glad that Sebring worked out for you. I was very pleased with the transition training I got at Lockwood.

Helen · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 118 Location: Maryland

KellyZ wrote: I see that about 12% of the U.S.-registered Sierras (P2002s) have crashed so far, but only a couple of the high-wing Tecnams have been involved in accidents. I wonder what it is that makes the Sierras so much more accident prone.

The P92s have a wing specifically designed for training that essentially won't stall. The Sierras and Bravos have a more traditionally stalling wing built for speed more than training.

Helen

bullwinkle · Joined: 02 Jul 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Athens, GA

Helen wrote: KellyZ wrote: I see that about 12% of the U.S.-registered Sierras (P2002s) have crashed so far, but only a couple of the high-wing Tecnams have been involved in accidents. I wonder what it is that makes the Sierras so much more accident prone.

The P92s have a wing specifically designed for training that essentially won't stall. The Sierras and Bravos have a more traditionally stalling wing built for speed more than training.

Helen

The P92 I flew had a pronounced break in a power off stall, but the power on was really just a buffet and shake with no real break at all.
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Rampage Concept

slsaowner · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 80 Location: WI

I believe the Sierra and the Bravo have the same wing, but to date no Bravos have turned up in the NTSB database. I've been flying a Bravo for over three years and so far have found its stall characteristics to be quite benign. The demo Bravo I flew back in '05 had a pronounced buffet in the fuselage skin when the aircraft was about to stall - so much so that Jon Hansen, the original Tecnam importer, said I didn't need to order a stall warning device on my Bravo. My airplane, however, doesn't exhibit the same noticeable buffet in the fuselage skin - in fact, I don't notice any buffet at all in the stall!

Helen · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 118 Location: Maryland

[/quote]The P92 I flew had a pronounced break in a power off stall, but the power on was really just a buffet and shake with no real break at all.[quote]

Depends upon the flap settings, gross weight, and such. I instruct in both the Sierras and P92s. Full flaps and power off, especially under gross, the P92 just mushes. I can let a student botch a landing in these planes. On the Sierras, I need to be really ready "catch" if a landing is looking dubious.

I've also had some rather embarrassing "spin demonstrations" in the P92s where I couldn't get the plane to break a stall enough to spin no matter how much "yanking and banking" I did. This is especially a problem when under gross.

Without flaps a P92 power off landing gets much more of a stall break and much more firm. I recommend no-flap landings to my students in cross wind conditions in this plane as I know this will make the plane go down and stay down despite the gusts. It's still a more forgiving plane though than the Sierra in any stalled configuration and at any weight.

Helen