6'2" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

cointyro

New Member
6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

I'm skinny and tall. Do you think I can fit in the 152? For $20 an hour cheaper I can "think" small and light, right?

The field is CHO / Charlottesville VA, summer temperatures, near sea level. Thanks for your feedback!!
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Max load with full fuel (and you're gonna need full fuel in that beast) is around 350lbs usually... 350 - 185 = 165lbs instructor with NO baggage.

So yes you CAN do it.... just be careful
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Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Why is full fuel req'd for a 1 hour training spin? What is the endurance on full fuel? Thanks SkyGuyEd.
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

I'm 6'2" and 185 also and did all my PPL training in the 152. Piece of cake on the fit. It'll take a time or to to get the movement right for getting in but once in, no prob.

Full fuel for various reasons. Safety for one in that it's time insurance, but your only doing a one hour spin session? ( Eat pizza, hot dogs and root beer first!
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And I trained sea level too.
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

I'd check out the performance charts in the POH, and do a weight and balance just to be safe.
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

I'm 6'0" and weigh(ed) about 200 lbs when I was training in a 150. It worked fine, but my instructor was pretty thin; still had enough room to get in and out and move around reasonably well in the cockpit. Like the others said, just do weight and balance and be sure not to exceed MTOW.
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

The wheel pants weigh 18 lbs...see if the school will take them off. That's a lot of weight if you think about it.

If you fuel a 152 above about 10 gallons per side, gas starts draining out the fuel vent like crazy. Because of that, I fuel to 18 gallons total. You still have three hours of fuel with no reserve. Saves you 36 pounds.

In my airplane, you'd be right at legal gross weight under the above conditions with me (160lbs) as the CFI.

You should be okay at a skinny 6'2"...my CFI was 6'4" and probably 210 and we did fine. I was 5'10' and 140 at the time, though.

My 152 with the Sparrowhawk mod performs pretty close to a 172 with full fuel and two guys in it. I find the 152 more nimble and lighter on the controls. The extra room in a 172 is nice, though, but not worth the extra money if you ask me. Plus, my A152 is stressed for aerobatics.
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Wow I didn't know Charlottesville was near sea level! I guess it is in a valley? My ears pop when I dirve through that area.

Mahesh
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Once you get in the plane (which will probably be the biggest challenge), you should be fine. I am only 5'10" but my instructor was closer to 6'. We could only take 100lbs of fuel with us, which assuming a VERY conservative 7 gallons per hour, would give you about 2.3 hours so for VFR Day that would be AT LEAST 1.5 on the hobbs before you have to worry about dipping into a reserve. You can do a spin lesson in that time. In fact, that was one of the few tasks that I actually performed in the plane. For your height, my favorite quote about the C-152 applies: "The only plane that you wear to the practice area". Have fun!
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Actually he said 'training spin' which I took to mean training flight - not spin training.

Anyway - one thing you want to consider is the examiner that you will eventually take your checkride with. In my situation my instructor and I fit in the 150 but the examiner was fairly 'robust' and I'm not the smallest person in the world so I had to transition to the 172 shortly before the checkride. It wasn't a big deal at all BUT it did add time and money to my training.

Jason
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Right you are, "training spin", not spin training. It's funny what your mind can see in spite of what is actually there. Not funny in the cockpit though.
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

You might make room in your budget to occassionally [sic] take up a larger (read more expensive) plane. I've already had the scenario twice where my plane (an older 172) was down for maintenence and I took up a newer 172. In my case getting up, and keeping the training momentum going was worth the extra $ per hr I spent.
Now its only happened twice, but I'm just on the verge of soloing so I don't think it'll be the last for me.
Something to keep in mind.
Me I'm 6'4+, and 225. A 152 for me is right out!
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Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

I'm not positive CHO is near sea level, just an estimation.
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Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Sheesh, Cointyro--I have an almost identical build and weight! So from my experience, I'll answer in the affirmative. However, you'll like a 172 much more for its elbow room, expecially if you'll be writing things down on your kneeboard!
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

The 172 will also leave much more room in your wallet.
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Do you live in CHO? Im just down 29 in LYH, Learning in a 152 at Falwell (W24) also! Well, I weight 160lbs though. Its a great plane and saves me 30 dollars an hour vs. the 172 at LYH.

DeltaASA16
 
Re: 6\'2\" 185 lbs in a C-152? Summer in Virginia

Hey DeltaASA16, I'm in Charlottesville for the summer finishing my masters degree at Jefferson's place.

I'm teetering on the enormous cost of training... but Rachel Rhea, chief CFI at Albemarle Flight at CHO has been very nice and encouraging. We'll see! They have a six weeks PPL program.

How long is CHO to your home airport by air?
 
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