I’m lucky to have flown a friends Cherokee 6 all over Europe with him and usually a 3rd pilot. It’s perfect for this type of touring due to it’s load bearing capacity. Like you, my UK flying is primarily in PA28’s and clearly remember noticing how “heavy” the PA32 felt on take off. Very different take off and landing characteristics and glides a bit like a brick but with the extra width in the cabin, a very comfortable plane to fly, or be a passenger in at the back on long distance flights.
Do the avionics upgrade! You won't regret it. I've got the same dual gi 275 + gfc 500 setup in my T-Arrow IV. Workload reduction is incredible, and I have flown from Santa Fe, NM to Seattle, WA in one day without feeling wiped out by the end.
Jon - I know our attempt to go flying failed back in July last year due to the great British weather, but if you want to come and fly my 2006 Saratoga and do some IFR work, you are still more than welcome.
Had a share in a Cherokee 6 300 for about ten years. Fabulous piece of kit. Went all over Europe in her. Not a great glider I have to say but almost bullet proof. They call them the thinking man’s twin. We got about 12 gallons an hour which was somewhere around 10-12 miles per gallon depending on wind of course or about the same as a top spec mid 1990s Range Rover.
I think it might need an adjustment potentially on the ailerons. Not sure. But it gets very mushy at low speed, and seemed to need plenty of aileron input.
Great video Jon. Flown in one of these and very smart. When you got the traffic 11 o’clock alert, was that through SkyDemon and Sky Echo? If so how did you do it?
That was pilot aware announcing traffic through it's audio out into the intercom. To be honest, I don't like the pilot aware audio alerts and prefer to receive them through skydemon
The Lance has the old ‘Hershey’ bar straight wing, which is an old generation. But for a true upgrade comparison, you should try the Saratoga. Or for a real treat try the Comanche, which has the best handling of all the Piper’s as it has the Laminer flow wing. Also the Lance is pretty slow for 300hp, whereas the Comanche with 250/260 cruises easily at 160kts. Do you really need so many seats as mostly fly solo ?
Great vid Jon. I recall the Lance was the sample aircraft for my BAK exam, but have never flown one. Now I have! (OK - virtually 🙂). Question - I see your destination was close to Silverstone Racing Circuit, which I understood had a runway. Googling gave me conflicting data - some sites showing 06/24 strip (grass and sealed), and others (including Earth, giving no sign of a runway. Is it open to GA like Goodwood?
I love that avionics package but the constant automated traffic announcements during short final seem redundant at best and distracting at worst. I fear I might end up throwing my headset out of the nearest window after a while... ;o)
Fly a Saratoga TC and love it. Does 175 kts TAS at 8000 ft at 75% power. Our flying club’s Saratoga has Avidyne PFD/MFD with 750/650 combo but not Xi as yours. Gas guzzler though at 20 gallons circa 80 L/hour-AVgas prices are less painful in the US though. I do doggy rescues so need a roomy steed. Don’t know about Lance but Saratoga has a forward CG and if don’t have slim people in front aircraft will be out of limits. Now about the bird on the back cover of AOPA UK? Is she a pilot? 😂😂😂
No Stella. The airfield instructs downwind or base joins due to opposite warbird circuits. I said this in the video and it’s on the airport’s AIP entry.
As a workhorse the PA32 is an excellent aircraft but from a pure flying point of view it is not Pipers finest hour. You meeting with the new avionics hardly scratched the surface of the capabilities of what is a very capable set up. I was amused to see the KNS80 still fitted , there are not many of those still in captivity! Good luck with the fund raising for Aerobility, it is a very worthwhile charity.
Following your reply Jon, once again I must disagree with you. As you were joining crosswind for left hand downwind circuit you should at that stage have been at circuit height not at the height you were which was just less than 1500 feet. To get to left hand downwind coming from the south apart from an overhead join which in this case was not allowed, A circuit height crosswind join was what you should have done. And the instructor sat next to you should have pointed that out to you.
I mistook which video you were commenting on and gave you an incorrect answer. Landing at Turweston. Elevation 438ft. There is the clue which should help you. Circuit altitude 1438ft. Hence why you see one of the three altimeters read ~1500ft. Hope that clears up the misunderstanding
Because it's not deemed good airmanship without talking to the unit, and didn't want that bother when it was easy to climb above, and that additionally kept me at a nice altitude, avoiding lower level traffic etc.
![Hunxho - Ball Forever [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nki9ZTF9Uls/mqdefault.jpg)
Great to fly with you Jon, glad you enjoyed the trip!
Thanks George for helping with it all.
I used to have a Turbo Saratoga. I should never have sold it. Fabulous airplane. Nice and roomy with a great door for the 4 back seats.
Would love one for sure.
I’m lucky to have flown a friends Cherokee 6 all over Europe with him and usually a 3rd pilot. It’s perfect for this type of touring due to it’s load bearing capacity. Like you, my UK flying is primarily in PA28’s and clearly remember noticing how “heavy” the PA32 felt on take off. Very different take off and landing characteristics and glides a bit like a brick but with the extra width in the cabin, a very comfortable plane to fly, or be a passenger in at the back on long distance flights.
Would love to own one, if only for the family trips. Saves the passenger in the back sharing the seat with luggage.
Good video (as always) and thank you to that man that let you fly it!
Fully understood. I am in the habit of using QFE when joining the circuit. You obviously prefer to use QNH.
Do the avionics upgrade! You won't regret it. I've got the same dual gi 275 + gfc 500 setup in my T-Arrow IV. Workload reduction is incredible, and I have flown from Santa Fe, NM to Seattle, WA in one day without feeling wiped out by the end.
Saving up the money, so one day.
Jon - I know our attempt to go flying failed back in July last year due to the great British weather, but if you want to come and fly my 2006 Saratoga and do some IFR work, you are still more than welcome.
George Coe = awesome guy 👍
Thanks Terry! We’ll have to get flying together some time? 😃
Great video and seen Pakey and Kate!! 😁😁
Great video, PA32 is also my favourite aircraft.
A nice review of a lovely aircraft type - but I am biased!
Yes, there is that!
Had a share in a Cherokee 6 300 for about ten years. Fabulous piece of kit. Went all over Europe in her. Not a great glider I have to say but almost bullet proof. They call them the thinking man’s twin. We got about 12 gallons an hour which was somewhere around 10-12 miles per gallon depending on wind of course or about the same as a top spec mid 1990s Range Rover.
Would love to do a nice comfortable, long distance tour in a PA32 for sure.
Great video but the amount of eyes-in flying in class G was pretty scary to watch.
Cherokee six ,fantastic workhorse and very desirable.
Would love a PA32, if only for the family trips away..
Wow I would have loved to have flown that but I did fly a cessna 175 in my time top channel sir
Thanks Steve.
I wonder how exciting it is to approach 09 or depart on 27 in the summer months having to fly over that solar farm.
I've done it a few times, and it's a non event actually - esp if you keep on a good approach angle.
Jon, what were you using for traffic in this flight?
It’s fitted with pilot aware.
Nice trip, I noticed it needed a lot of right aileron at low speed. Was that the wind or a characteristic of the aircraft ?
I think it might need an adjustment potentially on the ailerons. Not sure. But it gets very mushy at low speed, and seemed to need plenty of aileron input.
Great video Jon. Flown in one of these and very smart.
When you got the traffic 11 o’clock alert, was that through SkyDemon and Sky Echo? If so how did you do it?
That was pilot aware announcing traffic through it's audio out into the intercom. To be honest, I don't like the pilot aware audio alerts and prefer to receive them through skydemon
The Lance has the old ‘Hershey’ bar straight wing, which is an old generation. But for a true upgrade comparison, you should try the Saratoga. Or for a real treat try the Comanche, which has the best handling of all the Piper’s as it has the Laminer flow wing. Also the Lance is pretty slow for 300hp, whereas the Comanche with 250/260 cruises easily at 160kts.
Do you really need so many seats as mostly fly solo ?
No, I don't need a PA32 for most of my flying as I said, but would love one for some long distance touring with friends/family.
OMG, did that air traffic controller really say "Have a nice day"?
What was the destination airfeild and the stall speed ?
PA-46 next? great review
Great vid Jon. I recall the Lance was the sample aircraft for my BAK exam, but have never flown one. Now I have! (OK - virtually 🙂). Question - I see your destination was close to Silverstone Racing Circuit, which I understood had a runway. Googling gave me conflicting data - some sites showing 06/24 strip (grass and sealed), and others (including Earth, giving no sign of a runway. Is it open to GA like Goodwood?
I didn't know Silverstone had a runway - it does have a helistrip, is this what you're seeing?
Eagle eyed, at 7:34 you can see BHOR above Littlehampton
I love that avionics package but the constant automated traffic announcements during short final seem redundant at best and distracting at worst. I fear I might end up throwing my headset out of the nearest window after a while... ;o)
Agree - That's pilot aware linked to the intercom- I'm sure there is a way to silence that.
Fly a Saratoga TC and love it. Does 175 kts TAS at 8000 ft at 75% power. Our flying club’s Saratoga has Avidyne PFD/MFD with 750/650 combo but not Xi as yours. Gas guzzler though at 20 gallons circa 80 L/hour-AVgas prices are less painful in the US though. I do doggy rescues so need a roomy steed. Don’t know about Lance but Saratoga has a forward CG and if don’t have slim people in front aircraft will be out of limits.
Now about the bird on the back cover of AOPA UK? Is she a pilot? 😂😂😂
I seem to remember that about the Saratoga, have to be pretty careful with the loading.
On landing you set the QFE but it didn’t zero out on the ground ?
It did. You’re looking at the wrong altimeter!
Should you not have joined crosswind at circuit height,? If so you were a few hundred feet high
No Stella. The airfield instructs downwind or base joins due to opposite warbird circuits. I said this in the video and it’s on the airport’s AIP entry.
Val you poser! 😂 So you mate! 😉
As a workhorse the PA32 is an excellent aircraft but from a pure flying point of view it is not Pipers finest hour. You meeting with the new avionics hardly scratched the surface of the capabilities of what is a very capable set up. I was amused to see the KNS80 still fitted , there are not many of those still in captivity! Good luck with the fund raising for Aerobility, it is a very worthwhile charity.
Thanks Robin.
🎉🎉🎉
Following your reply Jon, once again I must disagree with you. As you were joining crosswind for left hand downwind circuit you should at that stage have been at circuit height not at the height you were which was just less than 1500 feet. To get to left hand downwind coming from the south apart from an overhead join which in this case was not allowed, A circuit height crosswind join was what you should have done. And the instructor sat next to you should have pointed that out to you.
I mistook which video you were commenting on and gave you an incorrect answer. Landing at Turweston. Elevation 438ft. There is the clue which should help you. Circuit altitude 1438ft. Hence why you see one of the three altimeters read ~1500ft. Hope that clears up the misunderstanding
Why not just fly through the stub of the MATZ?
Because it's not deemed good airmanship without talking to the unit, and didn't want that bother when it was easy to climb above, and that additionally kept me at a nice altitude, avoiding lower level traffic etc.
Is the owner himself not a pilot?
Yes.
Is the default voice for those alerts set to a 10 year old child?
SUVs are ridiculous! Don't insult the poor aeroplane with the comparison ;)