Piper Tomahawk

The company is said to have polled 10,000 flight instructors for what they wanted to see in a training airplane, and the Tomahawk is the result: an airplane with honest responses to pilot inputs; a comfortable cabin with great visibility; and big-airplane-style handling. Its low-wing configuration and distinctive T-tail visually sets it apart from another very popular trainer, the Cessna 150/152.

The Tomahawk earned an unflattering nickname: Traumahawk. The nickname usually refers to the airplane’s reputation for being underpowered and difficult to find parts for, as well as the fact that it was a commercial flop in the trainer marketplace. Others think the name stems from the fact that its wing produces aggressive stall characteristics intended for teaching primary students about stall recognition and recovery. The airplane cannot simply fly itself out of a spin as other trainers can, and there was a higher incidence of stall/spin accidents associated with the make and model. (Note that 40 percent of flight instructors polled also asked for a more readily spinnable aircraft—and they apparently got it.)

The Tomahawk’s controls have a heavier feel, as they were designed to mimic the feel of the larger aircraft to which a trainee pilot may eventually transition.

In spite of—or perhaps because of—these characteristics, the Piper Tomahawk is a worthy addition to the training fleet and a relatively inexpensive entry to airplane ownership.

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