Are commercial maneuvers hard on the airplane?

[ryoder]

My cfi said that commercial maneuvers include a lot of propellor changes and that they can be hard on the governer. He said most of the school 172RGs have oil on the windshield after training flights. Is this true?

Would I be pushing my luck to begin this type of training with a high time engine and prop?

[jetdriven]

The only maneuver I don't like is the steep spiral. It cools the heck out of the engine. With regard to the prop and governor, after seeing what a Pitts can do at an airshow with a certified prop and governor I don't worry one but, save for overspeeding the prop at high IAS by shoving the knob forward real fast.

[John Pleisse]

Lazy 8's you begin at Va and at the top, you are hanging to the prop a little, but it's not harsh and within full range of the gov. Jetdriven is right about the steep spiral, obviously. I do Commercial maneuvers all the time in my 201...never any issues, as will you if you get the license. You would never be deficient at PP skills, right, because that's what your license requires, right?

 

I think 172RG's are Bo-Bo dolls.......just Everlast punching bags at a thousand member gym.

[Andy95W]

I got my commercial license in my first M20C about 17 years ago. No problems and I probably passed because I knew the airplane so well. I definitely recommend it.

I think the airplane appreciated the exercise.

[ryoder]

I haven't done any of these yet, just watched king videos. Looking forward to it and don't want to rent a ragged out 172RG when I have a Mooney of my own. Thanks.

[aviatoreb]

I haven't done any of these yet, just watched king videos. Looking forward to it and don't want to rent a ragged out 172RG when I have a Mooney of my own. Thanks.

 

I just completed all the training through to a succesful commercial check ride about 2 weeks ago in my own Mooney.

[Dave Marten]

I haven't done any of these yet, just watched king videos. Looking forward to it and don't want to rent a ragged out 172RG when I have a Mooney of my own. Thanks.

Train in your plane. The commercial maneuvers will NOT harm your engine/prop. You know your bird. Fly it. Good luck with your training!

[Parker_Woodruff]

You won't hurt anything in your engine and prop. The prop system is moving 100% of the time you're flying...and quite rapidly during takeoff when adding full power.

Not to mention when pulling the prop lever on runup.

[chrisk]

I expect the hardest commercial maneuver on your plane will be the landings.

[aviatoreb]

I expect the hardest commercial maneuver on your plane will be the landings.

 

Yes - especially remember to put the gear down!  Knock on wood everyone.  But the 180 degree "emergency" spot landing is an easy time to forget your gear - it is a very distracting from normal practice procedure - and I have heard of people doing gear up just a day before the check ride, maybe with a CFI on board.  So fly like a professional pilot more anyway - meaning even more diligent use of check lists and this shouldn't happen.

[RobertoTohme]

Earning my commercial on my Eagle was a lot of fun...  That's how you learn to truly appreciate what these fabulous planes can do!

[jetdriven]

Yes - especially remember to put the gear down! Knock on wood everyone. But the 180 degree "emergency" spot landing is an easy time to forget your gear - it is a very distracting from normal practice procedure - and I have heard of people doing gear up just a day before the check ride, maybe with a CFI on board. So fly like a professional pilot more anyway - meaning even more diligent use of check lists and this shouldn't happen.

One way to protect yourself is put the gear down right when you close the throttle.