Seawing Flying Club
	Seawing Aircraft Types Southend Airport (01702) 545420

If you have been flying for some time you will be more than familiar with aircraft made by Cessna and Piper. However you may still find this page interesting and helpful and hopefully you will see why Seawing Flying Club like thousands of other flying clubs worldwide have based their aircraft fleet around these two makes of aeroplane.

You will notice the terms 'high-wing' and 'low-wing' used by many when describing aircraft for the novice this means that the wings are either above your head when seated in the aircraft (high-wing) or below you (low-wing). Typically Cessna aircraft are high-wing and Piper aircraft are low-wing. Seawing Flying Club use both 'high-wing' and 'low-wing' aircraft.

You will find enthusiasts for low-wing and high-wing models respectively and, of course, many people prefer aircraft other than Cessnas and Pipers. However, we hope that the following information is of help and is as objective as possible when describing the pros and cons of flying school aircraft.

A typical low-wing design (e.g. Piper).

A typical high-wing design (e.g. Cessna).

The following information is not presented as a complete guide to aircraft choice or indeed all of the pros and cons of each model. It is purely provided as a guide to potential flying novices. Obviously the best way to decide upon any flying training undertaken is to visit the club and see for yourself first-hand what they can offer. Do you like the people? Are the aircraft cared for? Are they full of litter? What are the airport and its facilities like? Only you can ultimately decide - good luck and we sincerely hope that you might choose to fly with Seawing Flying Club.

Cessna 150/152	This type of aircraft was first introduced in 1959. Although later aeroplanes are better equipped with superior avionics and more powerful engines the basic design is little changed. Many would argue it couldn’t be improved on for the money even today.
	The C150/C152 is a high-wing aeroplane of all metal construction and can carry two people (typically instructor and student). The 'high-wing' position of the wings makes for unequalled views of the ground, which helps students with navigational exercises and makes for fantastic flying anyway! The aircraft is robust being able to land on hard runway surfaces or short grass fields. It is well suited to the demands and expertise of enthusiastic student pilots throughout the world.
	The aeroplane enjoys massive worldwide usage with over 23,000 Cessna 150's and over 7,500 Cessna 152's having been produced. The safety record of this model is second to none particularly when taking into account the relative inexperience of many of its student pilots.
	All metal construction makes for a fairly slow but sturdy aeroplane but does not attract the inherent problems of wooden frames or canvassed models that are fine when kept in hangars and flown by experienced pilots. The aircraft is approved for spinning and instrument flying and thus is able to offer the student pilot a full syllabus of flight training unlike some new composite construction aircraft that are not yet approved for such manoeuvres. Remember also that there is an aerobatic model available which is approved for most basic aerobatic manoeuvres (loops, rolls, spins, etc.). Seawing Flying Club is lucky enough to have one of these (G-AZOZ) and can offer aerobatic training or fun flights for the more adventurous.
	The Cessna 150/152 series has been around a long time and there is an abundance of spares and expertise in working on these aircraft that for most flying clubs makes them their number one choice for less expensive safe flying.
Piper PA28	The Piper PA28 Cherokee is a low-wing four-seat aeroplane that is of all metal construction. The PA28 is a robust design offering a higher level of comfort and performance than the Cessna.
	The Piper PA28 was first produced in 1961 again testimony to an old design which was correct in the first place and is still able to see off more modern competitors on price and safety.
	Seawing Flying Club uses the PA28-180 versions of the Cherokee. This is equipped with a 180hp engine that gives good aircraft performance when carrying four people.
	Our PA28's are equipped with superb avionics and are extremely well suited to serious touring or advanced training. They are, however, equally easy to fly as our Cessna fleet and are available for training and use by any other qualified pilot subject to a check ride.
	If you have a longer trip to make or you wish to travel with passengers in the best comfort we can offer (including 4-way intercom - enabling passengers in the back to speak and listen using headsets) these are the aircraft for you!

Finally - a few things that you won't generally find in our aircraft or our club:

Wooden framed or canvas covered aircraft.

Aircraft equipped with variable pitch propellers or retractable undercarriage, twin-engine aeroplanes, or anything else that is not usable by the majority of members.

Uncommitted, casual instructors. Many of our instructors have been instructing for many years and instruct as an end in itself.

We offer sensible, safe flying, which we hope, is accessible to most people with a true desire to fly. We try to be honest at all times with no hidden charges. Flying is seldom cheap but we have offers to help reduce costs. Why not come on down and try us out – we are open seven days a week (late during the summer months).

G-BOLW - one of Seawing Flying Club's Cessna 152 two-seater training aircraft.

Web site maintained by Rodger Filbee