Flight instructed in Tomahawks for nearly eight years; never had a problem. We had a fleet of four Tomahawks and I taught spins in each of them. Yes, they will wind up tight in a spin, but I never had a problem with recoveries. In fact, I owned a Tomahawk for nearly fifteen years. I wish I still owned it.

The mighty Tomahawk! - I still call them "Trauma-Hawks" as a term of endearment! I love them as they're sturdy, cope very well with student punishment on the landing gear springs, and have superb visibility. From the teaching and learning point of view, you have to keep positively flying them, just like a helicopter! They won't stay in a groove through the sky like a C172, which teaches you good hand and feet control with the view out the front window. I always enjoyed the tail shake when my pre PPL instructor showed me during a full stall way back in 1989, but I never felt unsafe! And they do a mighty good wing drop stall if you let it fully develop, which I always enjoyed doing. - Unlike the Cherokee-40s which just wallow like a leaf in a stall when I was doing all my CPL flying. I can't recall getting the 140s to wing-drop without full rudder. Yes, the elevator is powerful, as I carved a short groove once in the sealed taxiway when I got a little too much back pressure dialled in! I flew 3 different Tommies during all my pre PPL flying including piles of cross country flights all around and over the mountains and plains of the South Island of New Zealand. They'll also handle at least a 26kt pure steady "nor-wester" crosswind too, as I spent an hour in the right seat with my instructor one day "teaching" her crosswind circuits with takeoffs and touch-n-go landings with big ground rolls onto the big wide sealed runway, with the nose-wheel authority near the end of its limits in the ground roll with slow left drift. That was great fun, and I'll never forget that great experience! Cheers, David from down under!

I don't know of another plane that is as polarizing as the ol' Tommy! I did most of my training in one of these and then later finished off in a C-152. People either love them or hate them--there are very few people in the middle, it seems. I personally LOVE this airplane. I love the low wing, the visibility and the awesome T-Tail. I felt like I was flying a jet-fighter every time I flew these birds and they just "felt" faster and more sporty than the good old 150/152s. Piper mitigated their furious spin capabilities with some little triangular strips on the leading edge and that helped quite a bit. I would agree with others that the Tomahawk is not as "easy" to fly as a Cessna, but I would suggest that it makes you remember to always "fly" the plane and when you treat it right, it treats you right as well. Of course, that's my opinion. 😉

I did my primary flight training out of Burbank flying Tomahawk's and I can truly say that I Love that Airplane! Yes, it would bite if you showed poor technique but, it also let you know when you were doing it right. The Chief Pilot at the school demonstrated spins with me during my stage 1 check ride with the admonition that I would be Skinned Alive if I tried it on my own. Many happy memories in that little airplane....most of them priceless!

This was a very exciting video to watch. Like go out and find one to rent and fly regularly. The owner is very happy with his airplane, and Mark's energy and love for airplanes just makes this a great video.

I love flying the Tomahawk. It is so much fun to fly.

Nice simple, clean easy to read panel. Nothing more, nothing less, perfect

Btw Mike the rear camera position with the 4 dial heads up display for us was pretty nice n the quality of the video was amazing, HD or its my phone but very clean n clear vision. 👍

While in high school I worked part time for a FBO out of ILG and rented the Tomahawks wet for $45/hour. Loved that little plane and flew the heck out of them.

You used to have to spin for a private license. Not just CFI. You still need to do it for CFI. The tomahawk spins wonderfully and easily recovers.

Call me shallow but line up a 150/152 and a Tomahawk, I know what I'm flyin'. Thx Mark.

This is the exact plane I’m training on now. It’s excellent!

I did my first solo, first solo cross country and my private checkride on a Tomahawk ! Great airplane, great memories.

This particular Tomahawk looks lovely. My very limited experience with them was attempting to administer private check rides in them as a DE, when they were new. Field elevation: 6150. To use your words, “Patton” altitude was seldom achieved! Looks like an enjoyable bird near sea level.

Oh my, this brings back memories. As a student pilot solo in 152 landed on the roller coaster. Always fantastic aircraft.

I've got about 20 hours in the Tomahawk, they are wonderful airplanes. I wish Piper would redesign the PA28s with features that are on the Tomahawk, specifically: two doors and a fuel selector that is easy to reach. Phoenix, AZ

Loved this video, love the Tomahawk. Very informative presentation!

Super job, as usual. Thanks!

Over 40 years ago, I was working on a PP Certificate. I "upgraded" from a C150 to the Tramahawk way back when. It was a bit quirky but OK., Did a few spins in one - with an Instructor, Took my FAA checkride in a C150. Ahhhh memories.

Ahhh the mighty Thomas hawk! My first solo was in ZK-WAD at Ardmore NZ 1982! Perfect airplane for training and low wing so you could see where you were going in turns. Never had a problem although never spun one as not in the training manual here.

Love the instruments on the fly around. Nice touch!

I solo'd in a Piper Tomahawk. Beautiful aircraft!

I've owned my T'Hawk for 3 years now. It's a great flying aircraft that's a " stick & rudder " a/c. and as far as spins goes, it's very easy to recover from if you get the nose pointed exactly perpendicular to terra -firma so that you get wind flowing over the elevator t gain authority / control.

An excellent aircraft of instruction very economical and easy to operate. congratulations.

Loved this video, love the Tomahawk. Very informative presentation!. Love the instruments on the fly around. Nice touch!.

I like his style of safety.

First ride in a plane was in a Tomahawk in ~1980. Have always liked the lines! Who knows - when the time comes - maybe I'll get one for the last chapter...

Nice video, and I talk from experience, as I owned a Tomahawk for many years, and used it daily as a short commuter to get to work. Only spun it once, with an instructor during conversion to type. The Tomahawk is a little unstable in yaw during cruise, a bit like the V tail Bonanza, but otherwise an honest, safe aircraft, easy to fly, just stay within it’s limitations.

Tomahawk I flew in the 90's seemed to fishtail in cruise, enough to become unsettling. Nowadays a desirable airplane. That one's a beauty.

Thanks for another great vid about a neat little plane . Loving the content, the information value of each vid is incalculable.

Nice flying airplanes! Enjoyed the gauges in the video.

I learned to fly in a Tomahawk. Did the spin training and had no problems at all.

The first plane I trained in was a Tomahawk. 1982.. I thot it was a great aircraft, and roomy enuf for myself (6'3" 245 and my instructor 6' 180).. we never quite had full tanks of fuel, but we could sit comfortably. I really liked the visibility.. after transitioning to a 172 (6 cyl conti btw) i felt blind for abit, but it was smooth. Great presentation Mark. Thanks

Been waiting for a new one. 👍🙂

Congrats for the video, i´m flight instructor in Brasil and we have the only one Tomahak in the all country. Is a amazing plane!!

I'm having my first flying lesson in the Tomahawk soon. Can't wait.

Back in the late 70s I was training for my Commercial and CFI and had to fly the Tomahawk to do spins in. Spins were straight forward and very easy to recover from, no drama. After that I would often rent the Tomahawk for cross countries and loveed the visibility and the roomy cabin. It felt more "sporty" to fly than a Cessna or a Cherokee. The only thing I didn't like was that it tended to feel a bit busy in yaw in bumpy air. But overall it was one of my favorite planes that I've flown.

i flew one years ago and it was different, but I remember I liked it

I used to work on Pipers at a flight school. We mechanics used to Kindly call them Hatcthets and really liked flying and working on them. We even had one we named "Turbo Hatchet", we had two decals left over from another job so we put them on the engine cowl. After that we noticed that aircraft was getting more hours on it at the flights school. We did remind all the students there was no "Turbo Hatchet" but I think everyone just liked it. The Lease-back owner sure didn't mind it. Anyway, for some reason we really loved the little planes.

Really like these videos. I'm from Auburn but live in Georgia now. I remember the 49er Fire, saw it from my backyard before it was even on the news. I have my PPL checkride scheduled for tomorrow but will probably have to postpone for weather.

Tomahawks are just sexy compared to 150’s/152’s

Recently found what appears to be a pretty good deal on a well maintained, low-time/2200-TT Tomahawk, with original paint and interior. (TBC)

I learned on the Tomahawk. Great airplane for training. It behaves like a larger plane with the low wing.

This is the airplane I used to earn my pilot's license on my 14th birthday. It was called the trauma Hawk the flying brick but I dubbed that the doctor killer.

I learnt in one and it was great, fantastic view not that the instructor let me see it as every time I looked to be enjoying looking outside he made me fly on instruments and the aeroplane had a faulty AI so I learnt partial panel flying. When I got it back for my final flight tests instrument flying was so easy.

I remember a flight instructor in 1981telling me of a Tomahawk flat spin where she had to leave her seat to move under the panel enabling the nose to finally drop for a recovery. This instructor had thousands of hours under her belt with 30 years of flying. She never instructed in another one after that occurrence and stuck to Cessna products.

Awesome piper aircraft , and yours is absolutely gorgeous ✈️❤️ , I’ve had like 600 hours in those and love it , the trauma thing is invented by the cessna guys ,

I learned to fly in the Tomahawk and did nots of cross country flying for my commercial. It was a great airplane and incredibly cost effective to rent, I recall paying $25 per hour back in the mid 1980’s.

My first plane was a Beech Skipper and it seemed more solid built than the piper and I remember my instructor commenting that the tail did not wiggle as much in a power on stall! Great plane the beech with the rudder pedals off the king air!! If it only had 125 or 150 ponies I would of kept it!! Handled like a sports car!

Did my PPL entirely in a PA38; which at the time included spins. When I got checked on a 150 I could not believe how tame it was in the spin.

Had one....great plane

I got my private pilot in Tomahawk. A fun airplane though a bit more challenging than a C-150. Love the visibility.

I wish i could get £1200 annual in my school aircraft (last 100 hour was 2500). Now a 900 quid starter. I always teach takeoff one stage flap, requires less rotation. 55 lift nosewheel off, then takes off 60 kts. Climb at 70. This in UK weather. Great trainer, very steady in calm conditions, but lively with a bit of turbulence, student has to work. Could have done with a shimmy damper as standard. I'm seeing 20 litres/hour on a one hour training flight. And our engine one of the smoothest i have know, seen it running covers off it was rock solid, no lateral shaking.

Mark as always I enjoy and learn a lot. Thank you. Curious with all the planes you've had the opportunity to fly if you own a personal plane/planes? What is it?

Great info…..was always Leary of those little birds….

I really want to go for a ride in a Tomahawk

Imagine a 150-HP TurbAero turbo prop or TP-100/125-HP turbo prop in a Tomahawk with 3-blade prop! (May have to look into an STC for it)!😁

Nice review. Would be very interested in Beech Skipper, Mooney M10 and Ercoupe.

No, no no!!!! The Trauma part comes from the fact that after you push the yolk forward and neutralize the ailerons and put in opposite rudder the li'l darlin' will continue for two, two and a half or even three more spins before she'll come out of it. All the time she's rockin' and shudderin'. Man, I loved that plane. I owned 2517B back in the '80's. Oh, what fun we had! S

Disappointed in both of you! #1: for missing on calling out that 172s prior to the 1973 "M" model had Singer sewing machine-like Continental O-300s and #2: the Hawk XP had a *195hp* Continental IO-360... It was also certificated on a different type certificate than the 172 (same as 175; but everyone knows that). The IO-360 isn't nearly as sewing machine-like as the O-300 but it's still lovely. 🤓

Ive got a 1980 Arrow IV I can bring down for you to look at. I went through the whole Wing Spar AD and got them replaced I think that would be interesting to discuss.

flew 202HD out of terre haute. loved that plane. Tim Lazar... not so much

Wonder how many times he's had to notify ATC that he was unable 500 fpm while on IFR. Pretty routine for me in the 150 I frequently commuted IFR in

Not to bee too ~critical, but maybe it's your Engrish Accent, but the correct pronunciation is: "Trau-ma-hawk" Traumahawk! A Piper Traumahawk. The 1st time I've heard that...that's all it's ever been and will be. As my brother has a ScareCoupe (Alon) 🤪

👍👍👍👍👍

The Tomahawk appears to stand tall on its gear? Would be a capable aircraft on unimproved runways, would it not? I wonder if anyone has put larger tires on for even more capabilities? I love the two doors having trained on Cherokee 140s, I always felt a bit claustrophobic in the left seat. Especially if you had an emergency landing. lol And the almost bubble canopy is great too. You can buy these Venetian Blinds to give some shade on especially hot, bright conditions. Love your videos🤣🍀👍🏻

6.5 GPH on a O235? Wow that's high!! Is this the 125hp version?

Nice video! Im curious what camera you used that animates the 4 basic flight instruments. Thanks.

Mark, perhaps you can do a comparison video on the Tomahawk vs Skipper.

I solo it a Tommy...you taught me a lot I'd love to talk to you.....Rolls

I have over a 100 hours in the tomahawk, back in the day.

Does that rectangular wing have washout or a varying aspect ratio along its length?

the devil is in the details: that altimeter rendering the Vfe and Vno are not for the pa38, the white arc goes from kts to kts. Green arc from 48kts to 110kts. Yellow arc 110kts to 138kts and Nve 138kts. At first I thought he was setting the flaps at a prohibited speed.

Lol...I always called the "Hatchets".

What do you use to create the instrument overlay

The Trauma Hawk

I like the idea of the instrument overlay. One thing: Does the Tomahawk really have a VNE of 90 knots? Seems rather low.

The owner should know better. This aircraft is was actually built in 1979. not 1978 as the owner stated. c/n is 38-79A0211

Pilots who know always qualify their remarks with "if flown right". Which trainer would not do the same? Why do they feel a need to apologize for the plane?

how long take rol at wvi .....my air port....

Can be a Scary bird….some Tomahawks recover from spinning more easily than others..Aviation Consumer magazine did a report indicating variations in construction practices at the factory may have contributed to different aircraft responses from spin recovery….not my favorite low speed bird.

“Trauma-Hawk!” 😅

🤦

Deadly trainer .! If you survive the first 50 hrs it will still bite you in the bum ! No thank you !

One of the worst dangerous airplanes that Piper ever made. It had terrible TAIL WAGGLE.

YEAH>........n9623t....just got one.....Rolls