Stepping up to a retractable-gear airplane isn't difficult if you think of the extension/retraction step as one of a series necessary to change the airplane's configuration.
Piper's Arrow is a popular choice for pilots looking to step up to a retractable-gear airplane. As with other retracts, though, when and how you decide to raise or lower its landing gear can affect your performance expectations. This PA-28R-200 Arrow II was captured by D. Miller.
Retractable landing gear seems to have fallen out of favor among designers and manufacturers of new piston singles. Cessna hasn’t made a retractable single since the mid-1980s. Today’s most popular single-engine piston airplanes, the Cirrus SR20 and 22, have fixed gear. In fact, 2019 member-company data from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association show a grand […]
To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid subscriber
Subscribe to Aviation Safety
Start a subscription to Aviation Safety for just $18. And access all of our online content - over 5,000 articles - free of charge.
Subscribe today and save 39%. It's like getting 2 months FREE!