The engine seemed quieter then the CTSW, maybe because of more room in the cabin. The controls felt much stiffer, especially the ailerons, possibly because of the auto pilot servo. The flap motor has been moved and is harder to hear when operating. The airplane felt stiffer and easier to control when taxiing, although the CTSW might just have been slightly out of rig as it required constant rudder pressure to keep going straight.
The first impression that I got is that it flies like a bigger, heavier airplane. It felt much more stable than the CTSW that I did my training in, almost like I was flying a Cessna 172. Stick forces were much higher and less rudder input was required. Power-on and off stalls felt the same as the CTSW and it was also easier for me to hold altitude.
Landing required a little power on the base and final legs with 15 degrees of flaps. Directional stability was good, but there was very little wind to contend with during my landings. The landing gear seemed to be much less bouncy than the CTSW's (I don't think my landings have gotten any better
).It will take a while to get used to the flat panel displays, as I have never flown with them before. We're going to try and get extra manuals to help us learn how to use them. The auto pilot seems easy to use. The guy who flew the airplane back from the distributor said the auto pilot held altitude within 20 feet
The CTLS looks like it's going to be a great airplane to fly, although it has lees usefull load than the CTSW. It looks like I'm going to have to cut back on the pancakes at the the fly-in-breakfasts.
