Piper PA-38 Tomahawk

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Member for

16 years 3 months

Posts: 149

Hello
Whilst on holiday in dorset (sandford) on the last day we drove round the holiday park to see what we had been missing !

And low and behold a PA-38 in the crazy golf area :) would anyone know its history ?

Cheers

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

What an undignified end for an honest aircraft that probably helped hundreds of pilot's to their wings.

Moggy

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 9,821

I agree. It deserves better.
That plane probably took a lot of people on their first solo...something the pilots will never forget.

I don't see many Tomahawks around anymore, whereas you still see a lot of equally (if not more so) ancient 150s. Considering the amount made (2519), I'd expect to see more.

Member for

20 years

Posts: 1,628

Actually chaps it's a PA-38 (not 28) Terrorhawk, sorry Tomahawk. I agree you don't see too many but one was sold for just £7K from our strip recently. Apparently they need a major wing spar mod at around 10,000 hours which would cost more that they are worth. There were dead or dying ones at Enstone and Wellesbourne recently.

Member for

20 years

Posts: 3,031

The one at Wellesbourne I think expired a fair while ago.

There is a very dead G-DTOO at Panshanger. BA flying school used to have the following ones dYOU, dTOO, dCAN, dFLY
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5770343233_4f3814fc28_b.jpg
G-DTOO (2) by Arm Waver, on Flickr

Member for

20 years

Posts: 1,628

I think you are correct as it wasn't there earlier in the year. However I was just trying to point out that PA-38s do seem just to "die" around airfields.

Member for

14 years 2 months

Posts: 4

Yes, it is always a shame to see an aircraft dying the slow death. Many of these machines would have taught so many happy students how do fly also.

The Tomahawk finite life for the wing spar fitting is 11,000 hours but does not render the machine useless. A mod kit is readily available that gives another 7600.

We should not forget that not many machines ever get to 11,000 hours anyway, it really is testament to the design and reliability that they have proven to be such a robust and economical trainer.

I would be interested to see more pics of similar aircraft, especially in my part of the world.
They would be re-furbished and back in service pretty quickly in NZ at the moment.

Member for

17 years 5 months

Posts: 8,980

We should not forget that not many machines ever get to 11,000 hours anyway,

Got a couple of 152's over 19,000 Hrs and several over 15,000..

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 585

I thought they were horrible......Give me a 150/152 or PA 28 any day.

Member for

14 years 10 months

Posts: 50

Did'nt they have a spin recovery problem?

jeff

Member for

12 years 11 months

Posts: 6,535

The aircraft didn't; but the pilot might !

The PA38 was a seriously pleasant a/c to fly with no vices. It was designed for flying training in response to imput from flying instructors opinion as to what would be a desirable training a/c.

I flew them from Thruxton for many years and as part of a four a/c formation team. Not a lot of grunt but capable of 'lazy eights' 'cubans' 'chandelles' etc.

John Green

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

I thought they were horrible......Give me a 150/152 or PA 28 any day.

:confused: You have to be joking?

Never heard of any spin recovery problems. I've done a few and they are totally conventional in recovery. Rumpour has it that looking at the tail during a spin is unsettling but there is a simple solution to that - don't look.

It takes some effort to land one neatly, that's the idea of a trainer. By comparison the 152 and underpowered PA28s are just barges that any idiot could land. Good stall too, it needs positive action. Great all-round visibility, two doors. What's not to like?

Moggy

Member for

14 years 2 months

Posts: 4

What not to like indeed. They are a very good machine for the task and so much more comfortable than the 'C brand' equivalent.
It must just come down to personal preference..... possibly even an indicator of susceptibility to bar room banter.

I have been certifying PA-38's out of maintenance for almost 30 years and they really are great to work on. Not just liked by pilots' alone.