Robin... But no Batman...

My search to transit from the high wing Cessna 172 onto a low wing model led me to the Robin HR200/100. Sitting in a hanger at the back of the airfield, it was clear that she didn’t get much flying, a closer inspection of the airframe further confirmed this theory. As a twin seat, partially aerobatic, low wing aircraft, the Robin seemed like an interesting choice of aircraft to progress onto. I was therefore apprehensively excited about the test flight. Apprehensive, due to the fact that this would be my first flight with a qualified instructor since I passed my PPL Skills Test last September. Excited, due to the pure adrenaline, which is created through flying. The big day was set for the 19th June. Although the day turned out to be a howler, with 24Kt winds, the flight still went ahead. Having not flown with a stick for over three years, it was interesting and fun to once again have the snappy response and pin point accuracy. The Robin handled like a dream, every touch and manoeuvre was made easily and willingly. Simply put, the aircraft went where you asked it to and did what you told it to. Steep turns were a doddle, and stalls were very interesting as well. With the bubble canopy, the visibility was perfect. 360-degree panoramic views were no problem at all. The only downside, was the lack of leg space, and after nearly an hour in the left hand seat, my right leg was falling to sleep. Clearly, although the Robin had so many plus points, the down side of the leg space meant that unfortunately, the share was not to be…