The General Aviation 'Cool Wall' - What's Hot? & What's Not?

[No Longer Active]

In the UK there is a program called Top Gear with 'The Stig'. On the TV show they have a feature called the 'cool wall'. There is simply...'cool' and 'not cool'.

So from your opinions of all things GA, that fly!

What is cool and what is not?

I will start it off: (This is my personal choice)

Cessna 182RG - Cool
Cessna 150B - Not so cool

So what is your verdict? Feel free to add as many suggestions as you want, I will combine the results later!

[fweinrebe]

I am adding 2 aircrafts I flew that I liked and not liked.

Piper Aztec (cool)
Cessna 310 (not cool)

[Matt Olieman]

Aztec YES!!!!

I got lot's of time in one. Got my multi in that aztec. The Aztec at that time was the only light twin that could climb with one engine.

You made a good choice!!!!! :) :) :)

Matt Olieman

[No Longer Active]

Definitely agree with the Aztec, yep...that's cool!

So far:

Cool:

Piper SuperCub
Cessna 182RG
Piper Aztec

Not Cool:

Cessna 150B
Cessna 310


Keep Em' Coming!

[P1IC]

The Piper SuperCub is totally cool. Held together with string and wax, this tail-dragger flies like a dream. So yes, it will bite if you don't pay full attention, especially during the landing roll. But that's what makes it so cool. That, and the heel brakes. And the crazy mag switches. And the tailwheel steering, and…

But Jeremy Clarkson would say that it's totally uncool because he can't fly it. So I'm like The Hamster, saying COOL while the Boss says UNCOOL, but unlike Hammond I'm tall enough to reach the top of the uncool wall and remove the placard, where JC had placed it, and throw it into the cool wall where it belongs. While Captain Slow stands off and mutters English expletives under his breath. I loved that program. :D

[No Longer Active]

I am thinking that the PA28 is a cool plane, its a popular alternative to the Cessna 172 for pilots and students; that enjoy the extra added room and low-wing structure! A little more expensive to fly but worth it!

[gokhotit]

My favorite GA aircraft is the Beechcraft Duke. Love that airplane, and it looks good to.

as for the uncool: Beechcraft Queen Air. The recip version of the King air. slow and ugly.

[g0kmt]

SR22GT3 is super cool
C152 not cool :)

[JJRichey]

Piper Archer II- Cool (So I'm biased, as I'm learning on one :)
Pilatus PC-12- Cooler
Pilatus PC-12 NG Coolest!

C150- Really not cool at all!

A little off the wall, but another cool "plane", actually its a ultralight, is the Hummel UltraCruiser. Its one sweet little plane. Also the Sadler Vampire Ultralight. I'd urge anyone who dosn't know what either of those are to look them up! :)


JJRCHY, Landing RW12 straight in.....

[turbopropdriver]

OMG!!! Queenair, not cool? :shock: What are you guys thinking ? :evil:

2 Big supercharged Lycoming IGSO 540 engines, super strong Beechcraft build quality. Cruise speed of just short of 200mph, payload of around a ton (2200lb)

In short, it carries more, has a considerably shorter take off run (on poor surfaces as well), and only cruises at about 20-25 mph slower than it's contemporaries.

I've spoken to a good few pilots, one of whom operated a Queenair in Oz who loved these aircraft.

Quite apart from everything else, these aircraft sound awesome

I like Kingairs too, but you wouldn't have the Kingair if it weren't for the Queenair. :-D

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z226/Dean33GTST/beech_80.jpg

[No Longer Active]

Hi Dean.....

Queen air not cool?, these are the members views....not mine!

Feel free to put this in the 'cool section', I'd be happy to....lol :)

Alex

[turbopropdriver]

Hi Dean.....

Queen air not cool?, these are the members views....not mine!

Feel free to put this in the 'cool section', I'd be happy to....lol :)

Alex

Cheers Alex, I know it's only a bit of fun 8)

[Sweetwater]

OK

Cool:

C441 Conquest (my generic pit is designed after this roughly.. so...that is why it is my #1)
Twin Otter


Not my Favorites:

C150
Piper Tomahawk

I guess that is it.... Jeff

[fweinrebe]

I see the Cessna 182RG is on the list. Can I introduce the Cessna 182C as well. It is probably the nicest 182 to fly.

The flap lever is like a handbrake of a car, between the two front seats and the whole horizontal stabiliser with the elevator moves up and down when you trim pitch. This gives the 182C a lighter feeling on landing compared to the 182RG and 182H I've also flown.

[kermit]

Cool
everything with props
uncool
Jets

[GARich]

Sub Zero: Diamond DA42 Twinstar :cool:

[o76o]

I like the Maule Orion :)

Also can we suggest WW2 warbirds?

Lancaster bomber, SUB ZERO cool.
B-17 Cool.

:)

EDIT: OH, just incase your in any doubt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIEg27PNL5U

[No Longer Active]

Here What You Have Told Us......

http://alexpilot.50g.com/coolwallnew.jpg

[Boeing 747 Flyer]

Why is the C150 not cool???

It's a fantastic aircraft, very flexible, and can land at very short strips.

C150 = Cool!:D

[No Longer Active]

Ok, you said it! It goes to the cool side!

Give me a few days and I will change it!

I think we need to do a revote of what is still cool and what is not!

[mach7]

Cessna 421C golden eagle. The closest piston twin you will get before you upgrade to a jet. A real pilots airplane (as long as both engines are running and you operate off of paved strips). Pressurized, quiet, comfortable, fast.

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

i used to own a grumman aa-5 cheetah, loved it. fast, very manouverable and a real pleasure to fly..... so COOOOOL :o
i learnt to fly in a PA38, frightened the life out of me, so keep the Piper 'Traumahawk' in the PANTS section.
good bit of fun this, well done alex...
rgds

ian

[No Longer Active]

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq62/alexpilot2008/COOLWALL.jpg

[Click to enlarge] :)

[Tom_G_2010]

I put my two Cool picks on the list for many reasons, but near the top of my criteria list is that both have not so common air frame designs. And, my uncool picks are the undoing of what I think makes my cool picks so cool.

Cool:

Cessna 337 SkyMaster An inline twin withe a dual tail!

Beech Bonanza V35 V-Tail V-Tail! Need I Say more...

UnCool:

Beech Bonanza V36 They cut cool right off of it and stuck a boring tail on. It's like cutting the horn off a unicorn and claiming you improved it...

Cessna O-2A Skymaster They took off the puller prop and stuck on an avioncs package that makes Jimmy Durante's nose look small...

[GARich]

i used to own a grumman aa-5 cheetah, loved it. fast, very manouverable and a real pleasure to fly..... so COOOOOL :o
i learnt to fly in a PA38, frightened the life out of me, so keep the Piper 'Traumahawk' in the PANTS section.
good bit of fun this, well done alex...
rgds

ian

Any aircraft one owns must be cool, but I agree there is something about the Grumman that I like. Heard a lot of similar comments about the PA38 as well! Top of the board for me at the moment must be the good old Cessna 172, if for no other reason than I solo'd in one a couple of months back :)

[ctapoeys]

Hi there.

Talking about personal choices, in my case:

Embraer 110 Bandit - Cool, man!
"Royal familly" King and Queen Air - Cool!

Love twin turboprops, HEHEHE...

[No Longer Active]

I am going against the rules here, and going to suggest the 'Thruster 600 Sprint' with the Jabiru Engine (not the rotax)! It's a microlight that is purely 'king of all microlights'.

http://www.thruster.co.uk/gallery/images/4.jpg

[aviator4206]

Anything Cirrus..."cool", anything that I can get my hands on to fly..."cool"!

[dodiano]

Ok the C-152 is SUBZERO Cool! Anybody that has flown it will say the same!

Regards

Roberto

[50fighterfan]

Cessna 150/152 not cool?

I beg to differ!

6649

A Cessna 150 tail-dragger! How cool is that?

[kermit]

Cessna 150/152 not cool?

I beg to differ!

6649

A Cessna 150 tail-dragger! How cool is that?

Well,
It`s looks like an oversized rc plane to me :)
Greetz Kermit

[No Longer Active]

The Cessna 152 is definitely SUPER COOL.....

Its the most robust and forgiving aircraft that can handle anything you throw at it. Its small, yet cheap to fly, yet super stable....and.....you can have mega fun with this plane. I have had some amazing flights in the 152 pushing it to its maximum limits. Flying steep turns on this plane puts an instant smile on my face like a roller coaster ride due to the g-force slappin' me in the face. The panel is 'beat up' proof and the whole plane can take a right beat-in and it still fly's perfectly. There is not much to dislike about this plane at all......its mega!

Enough said....super cool!

Fly one and then you decide!

[50fighterfan]

I never realized how much fun a C-150 could be until my 1st solo. My instructor was on the high side of 250 lbs, and when he got out and said, "Take her up." the plane fairly jumped off the runway!

I also have about a dozen hours in the Tomahawk. I've heard tons of horror stories about it, but I never had any problems with the plane. The only thing I didn't like about it was the way the tail seemed to "wander". It didn't want to track straight like the 150 - or for that matter the Piper Cherokee.

However my vote for the Cool wall has to go to the Piper Tri-Pacer! Simple, easy to fly and (for me at least) the pilot's arm rest was in just the right spot. Almost like it was made just for me!

George

[No Longer Active]

For me the 152 is always the winner despite the fact I only fly a PA28 as this is what I am training in at the moment. When I do get the oportunity to fly a 152 its soooo stable due to the high wing, you can go hard on the controls and it still stabilizes, not like the PA28 which is very sensitive at the slightest movement and when landing, the PA28's just drop to the ground where the 152 floats a little making the flare less aggressive feet from the ground, so many pros for the 152 or 150.

[fweinrebe]

I remember a flight where I flew low level IFR (I follow railroad) with a C150. The Battery was dead so we prop-swinged to start and I arranged with the ATC to do a comms failure procedure to land when I arrive at my destination. To me its one of those flights which I remember and enjoyed the most. I used the map and station names to work out my groundspeed. A whopping 75kts. I had a headwind all the way. I was late on my ETA given on the phone. I revved the engine once overhead my destination so that the ATC could hear me.

For this reason I like the C150 more than the C152. Any single engine Cessna that ends with a -0 in my book is cool.

[No Longer Active]

If I can remember the 150 is a tight squeeze and about 1inch narrower than the 152. They are very tight knit aircraft and I have only ever sat in one and not flown one, however flown the 152 quite a few times and thoroughly enjoy them. My groups Pa28 is equiped with an old garmin sat nav (no screen) and a tcas (which I swear by) and has more room for secondary guages on the right hand side which does give me personally a better learning experience, I hate the fact there is no left side door on the pa28 but this gives better structural properties, the view is much better too on a pa28, but despite all this I still prefer the cessna 152......theres just something about it...... :)