I have never seen any myself, but the Chief Pilot I flew in King Airs with at a previous job said he did. He told me he was climbing through a cloud layer near Pittsburgh when he saw a shiney oval all lit up off at his 10 o'clock. He asked PIT departure if they had any traffic near him and they said no. It then descended into the clouds below and he never saw it again. Only story I've personally heard.

Do you think he would be the type to make that story up or do you think hes telling the truth. Have you sen the interview with the Brit pilot that saw the mile long cigar shaped craft of Guernsey Island? Very interesting, confirmed by radar and another pilot flying in the same area.

Hey thanks man. Is there any specific reasons to why the Cherokee should be avoided? Because it's a low wing config?

Yes, there are financing possibilities, I just like to have some funds ready, just in case. I'm finished paying down a loan two months from now and I was planning to convert that monthly expense into PPL education. Theory and practical does happen pretty much simultaneously but here in Norway, we don't always have the best weather. Sometimes they have to cancel scheduled airtime with students because of that, so normally you have finished your theory some time before you get to practical exam. I was told that 45 hours airtime is mandatory before you can take the practical exam. Will pop in at the aeroclub from time to time, yes. Cheers!

No, I don't think he made it up. He not the 'story telling' type. He's now in his 60's and a pretty quite guy usually. Yes I did see interview about the mile long craft. Very interesting indeed. I just personally have never seen anything that wasn't another aircraft, bird, balloon, etc...

Better keep your camera ready for when the time comes it would be nice for a pic. You know most people will think your crazy if you tell them you saw a flying saucer/ufo.
Ive never seen one my self but I know a couple people who say they have seen Ufo's and they swear that they're not making it up either. If you get a chance look up the disclosure project testimony on youtube there are lots of interviews with former military and other defense type people who have witnessed ufo's and have others to corroborate there stories. I'm a skeptic with everything that doesnt have actual evidence. This is no exception but the evidence and eyewitness testimoney is overwhelming

I say go with the cheaper one, or if the price is the same, take the one with better avionics. You WILL appreciate a good HSI, glass cockpit or a GPS over the steam gauges when you get to do the IR, or when you get into some less then pleasant weather.

Piper's fuel cock is a nuisance (one more task, have to switch it left or right all the time), and due to the low wing takes less crosswind on landings. Also, in most low wing models you have to fiddle with the fuel pump on takeoff. etc. However, Piper usually has a more simple engine startup procedures (talk about the 172SP "three hands" startup) and tends to have less draught in the cockpit (real important in cold weather, trust me :)). Newer Cessnas float quite a bit on landing, as they have a very low stalling speed. Pipers float less, but are easier to stall. On the other hand, you can hardly notice you've stalled a Piper (which can be dangerous), in a Cessna power-on stalls are quite dramatic, though harmless.

As with visibility - low wing means you don't see anything approaching you from below or opposite from the side you're turning to, high wing - the opposite. But for that reason high wing is better for "IFR" (I follow roads) navigation. Anyway, horses for courses - my favourite single engine now is a PA28R with a turbo engine, HSI and Garmin G530 - rather cheap to fly, pretty fast and fully IFR, and less complicated than, say, C-172RG which we have also in our flying club, which was my favorite before.

Both Cessna and Cherokee are docile, stable and forgiving airplanes. The differences are as above, but if I was making a choice it would come down to the two particular planes, and avionics especially.

As long as you're not asleep you should be.:)

Ive only just got my NPPL last year.

Looks like I have to go low wing either way. They are selling the 172 and replacing it with a Grob 115D this easter. I haven't peeked in the cockpit of either one yet so I can't really make an informed decision about which avionics to pick, but thanks a bunch man! Will definitely consider the avionics and ask about it before I schedule. :)

UK CPL/IR with 3000 ish hours, am currently flying the Learjet 45, in a former life I used to fly fixed wing for HM Coastguard on search and rescue and recon, I have a fair bit of taildragger time in Tiger moths and Stearmans.