Piper Warrior

Originally dubbed the Challenger, Piper renamed the plane early on to align with the company’s Native American-inspired nomenclature. A beauty of a plane in a cross-wing landing, the Piper Warrior’s chief difference is its double-tapered wing and wider wingspan. The aircraft also has better visibility in the pattern and a horizontal stabilizer, making the aircraft fly straight. Transitioning from a Cessna 172 to a Warrior is fairly easy as both planes share common flight characteristics, although taller students find the slightly bigger space in the Warrior’s cockpit slightly more comfortable.