Never flown one but they're a carbon copy of the Piper Tomahawk
Niall,
Go fly a Skipper and come back and tell us if you still think it's a carbon copy of a Tomahawk.
I agree that they both look like carbon copies and the speeds will be similar but that's where the similarity ends.
Beech built a substantial airframe on this little guy considering it's a 2 place trainer.
I liked your George Jetson comment...funny

Jim