The quadrant is much better on the Pipers... but even better in the diamonds (with the stick). I'm not a big fan of yokes in general.

Also, as far as high wing... I felt the same way most of you all feel... until I got into a decathlon.. that is a very fun airplane.

I agree with the stick comment.....I am also a fan of the stick (though I haven't tried side mounted. I look forward to maybe flying a Cirrus someday) I also haven't flown a Diamond product. What makes their quadrant better in your opinion?
Not saying that high wing can't be fun....but for whatever reason I've just always been partial to low wing aircraft. As soon as I could I got checked out in the Warrior and Archers and did my Commercial in a Arrow, which was also my favorite to fly x/c.

USMCFLYR

The answer to this is really simple...there are hardly ANY decent Warrior IIIs (the preferred piper trainer) available for sale.

The seating posture is a little more sportier, the throttle is by the side of the seat... the right seat feels a little more natural with the throttle on the left and lower than the piper...

I like the trim on the side stick of the Cirrus, it's very handy (no pun intended).

Yeah, and with Piper shutting down its production lines, the schools, FBOs, and others looking to replace their fleets may look to Cessna if they don't want to switch over from sheet metal to composite airplanes.

PA28-161 CADET/WARRIOR MANEUVERS MANUAL

The manual says 40, but I don't know if there is some modification I am not aware of.

Well, not really. It's just that when you have the third flap setting locked in, you can still manually pull back and hold the flaps a little further back (because they are mechanical). I distinctly remember reading somewhere that doing so added about 15 degrees of flaps . . . dunno if it was in a POH/IM.

It wouldn't be in the manual, because it's not an "approved" flap position, otherwise it'd have the detent for it. So 40-degree's is technically it.

As far as Piper vs. Cessna, it's preference. Cessna pumped out(and still does) produce more planes vs. pipers. So just by numbers alone it's that way. I love both, each for different reasons.

When you move up past trainers, Piper wins with the Malibu Mirage/Matrix IMO, but I'm partial because my company sells them.(10nm/gal efficiency at 70% isn't bad though is it)

Yeah the POH definitely didn't have it. I remember now, it was in some NIFA thing about pulling the flaps back if you think you're gonna be long on a precision landing and how you would have to hold them back until you were on the ground to keep from getting a flap-retraction penalty.

Have a buddy sit in an arrow and put the flaps to 40, then have him pull them to that extra bit. While he does this you stand outside and look at the flaps, you will notice the movement is very small under 5 degrees IMO. But I wasn't about to take out a protractor and figure it out.