Is it easier to land a Piper or Cessna?
High-wing vs low-wing planes – advantages and disadvantages Many instructors have also reported that students have a more difficult time learning to land a Cessna 172 compared to a Piper Cherokee. The Cessna is better than the Piper on the climb (7:32 to 8:13) The Piper has a greater gross weight than the Cessna (2557 lbs compared to 2300 lbs) Both planes average around 88 – 93 KIAS on the cruise at 4,500 ft, 2300 RPM. The Piper is slightly slower than the Cessna at max gross weight.