I have a character flying a small plane out of a small dirt airfield in the middle of nowhere. I know nothing about planes. What kind of plane might he be flying? I want to get some names and stuff so i can look them up online and get q fee for what they look like.
Small aircraft question .....
- Thread starter Overkill
- Start date
Two brands that might be useful are Cessna and Piper. You should be able to find a lot about them.
MM
MM
Find your local general aviation airport. There is probably a grass strip much closer to your house than you may think.
Go out there on a clear Saturday morning and just hang out. Infinitely better than Wikipedia. You get no feel for sound or smell on the www, and nothing smells like aviation fuel. And the owners just love to talk about their babies. You might even sign up for flying lessons!
Go out there on a clear Saturday morning and just hang out. Infinitely better than Wikipedia. You get no feel for sound or smell on the www, and nothing smells like aviation fuel. And the owners just love to talk about their babies. You might even sign up for flying lessons!
Overkill-
Depends on the "mission". If your boy's just out enjoying himself, a Cessna 120, 140, 150, or Piper Cub would do just fine. If he's a bit of a manly man, likes to carry a dead elk around once in a while or some such, he'll be needing more heft, like a Cessna 180 or 185.
If he's a deep, eclectic sort with deep pockets, he might have an antique Cessna 195 with a radial engine, perpaps a DeHavilland Otter, or if he's a rich s.o.b. with deeper pockets still, he could have something with a turbine engine, like a humongous Cessna Caravan.
PM me if you want more info! I'll talk airplanes till I'm muzzled!
Depends on the "mission". If your boy's just out enjoying himself, a Cessna 120, 140, 150, or Piper Cub would do just fine. If he's a bit of a manly man, likes to carry a dead elk around once in a while or some such, he'll be needing more heft, like a Cessna 180 or 185.
If he's a deep, eclectic sort with deep pockets, he might have an antique Cessna 195 with a radial engine, perpaps a DeHavilland Otter, or if he's a rich s.o.b. with deeper pockets still, he could have something with a turbine engine, like a humongous Cessna Caravan.
PM me if you want more info! I'll talk airplanes till I'm muzzled!
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2008
- Messages
- 2,382
- Reaction score
- 311
- Location
- Casa Chaos
- Website
- www.debkinnard.com
Pipers are all good (sez my husband the pilot). If your hero has REALLY deep pockets, go for a HelioCourier. Also kit-built (experimental) planes might be an option if he's into homebuilding. We always liked the Lancair, very sexy but not necessarily a dirt-strip sort of plane.
A tail-dragger such as the Cessna 120 is best for a dirt strip. High-wing aircraft also perform better in the conditions you describe.
If you get curious about homebuilts, google EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association). Plenty of fun there!
A tail-dragger such as the Cessna 120 is best for a dirt strip. High-wing aircraft also perform better in the conditions you describe.
If you get curious about homebuilts, google EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association). Plenty of fun there!
Your field description seems to be asking for a STOL craft, of which there are numerous notables. But then, smart, dirt field means different things to different folks. Mebbe you don't mean truly, impressively small, in which case you don't necessarily need a STOL.
Be aware of numerous other factors affecting flight characteristics. I once read a novel with the alpha character and his tubby sidekick departing Sante Fe in July in a stolen Cessna 150. This would have been impossible...hot day, that altitude, heavy passengers in a 150 (which is admittedly a 2-seater but it hasn't enough engine and lift for that field/load that day.)
Be aware of numerous other factors affecting flight characteristics. I once read a novel with the alpha character and his tubby sidekick departing Sante Fe in July in a stolen Cessna 150. This would have been impossible...hot day, that altitude, heavy passengers in a 150 (which is admittedly a 2-seater but it hasn't enough engine and lift for that field/load that day.)
I'd like to know about the passenger window in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk. Can it be opened? Opened far enough for someone to reach an arm out with an SLR camera? I've searched Google for about an hour and I'm finding mixed results.
There are difference between the 172 models, but the short answer is yes, it can be opened enough for someone to stick a camera out the window. On some models I believe the right window was inoperable, but unless you're getting into all that (which year it was made, etc.) just assume it can be opened.
