jrh
Well-Known Member
You're 130 lbs... not quite the average 190 lbs. male.
The one I fly has an empty weight of about 1000 lbs. (it does have a TC, landing light, larger engine), so looking at a useful load of 450 lbs. Two 180 lbs. people leaves 80 lbs for gas and gear. Pack light. Add to that the DAs around here in the summer (airfield elevation 4000', temperatures >30 degrees C), and the performance is not the best. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great airplane and it is what I use during the tail wheel transition when I take the student to dirt strips (don't want to ding my baby's composite prop). It also gives the pilots a different perspective from the 8KCAB.
Ok, that makes sense, but I'm not sure if the problem is with metalized wings as much as the core fact that it's a 140. 140s, as a whole, are not good at hauling heavy loads over mountainous terrain. I'll be the first to admit it's no bush plane. But that could be said for almost any piston single with less than 150 horsepower.
I just objected to 140s being considered a "single place" aircraft. My plane will carry full fuel plus two 180 pound guys and even have 10 pounds to spare for bags. It's on par with most C-150s and some C-152s and, although those airframes are never classified as rockets, they are generally respected as two place planes.
Now Ercoupes, *those* are two seat aircraft that are only good for a single seat...