Amy,
I had an infatuation with the Piper Tomahawk/Skipper when I started looking at airplanes to purchase.
I knew full well the reputation as the "traumahawk", as has been pointed out. Still, I liked the bubble canopy and the looks of the t-tail.
I even had the opportunity to ask Budd Davisson at an Oshkosh seminar what his thoughts were on the Tomahawk/Skipper line of airplanes.
His answer was that he felt the Tomahawk got a "bad wrap", as far as its reputation goes. Piper designed the airplane, based on an extensive survey of flight instructors and schools. It was an unforgiving airplane in the stall, as it was designed to be. Budd considered the Tomahawk one of the more undervalued aircraft in the market place.
A hangar-neigbor, back home in Michigan, owns a Tomahawk and loves it. He reports that it handles like a bigger airplane.
The (2) biggest factors that steered me away from the Skipper was my concern for parts availability and the T-tail's performance on grass strip runways.
I wasn't so concerned about parts availability for the Piper Tomahawk, but the elevator supposedly lacks authority once airspeed drops below 35 KIAS. I also began to read about the extensive list of AD's for the Tomahawk's wing.
Despite these shortcomings, I still have a soft spot in my heart for the Tomahawk. I can identify with your fondness for the Skipper.
Dale
