I totally disagree with the guy that tells you that a 150/152 is not a good instrument trainer. In my opinion a well equipped 150/152 is an EXCELENT instrument trainer for the very reasons that he gave for it being poor. The 150/152 is light and quick and is not as stable as some of its? bigger siblings; that is what makes it a good instrument trainer. I don?t claim that it will be an easy trainer; it will make you work just a little harder and pay attention a little better but will reward your efforts with a very competent instrument pilot. Once you have mastered a 150/152 for IFR flight you can fly just about any single engine plane on the gages.
A stock 150/152 is not a great instrument platform for serious traveling because its? low power gives you fewer options than one would like to have and its? limited range really limits just how far one can go and still reach an alternant (particularly in my neck of the woods). However, during training you don?t need to go far or climb high and the little 150/152s will do a grand job of teaching you to keep your head cut in and pay attention to flying the airplane.
Your observation that there a lot of IFR equipped 150/152 around is very astute. If the pilot recognizes its? limitations a 150/152 can do a credible job of IFR traveling. You can save a bunch of capital investment in one of these little fellows and use what you save to fly off the requirements for higher ratings. There will be little if any wasted time and money. All that you learn will transfer directly into complex or high performance airplanes; you will just find that they are a good bit easier to fly on the gages than your trainer.
Unless you go completely nuts when you buy you can fly your 150/152 for two or three years and then sell it for what you paid or perhaps sell it at a profit. You are going to get upgradeitus at some point but until that time the 150/152 will be a faithful, economical and amusing companion.
Good luck on your decision.
(NEVER FALL IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER MAN?S AIRPLANE!)
