Advice for Cessna 172SP with 4 people

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James Darren

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James Darren
Hi all,

I'm planning to do a short flight in a 172SP with 3 passengers & myself. Thankfully the 3 passengers are quite small & it's a short trip so my weight & balance for passengers & fuel is within the normal category.

I've flown with 2 passengers & myself with full fuel tanks before who were bigger, but this is my first time with 3 passengers. The total weight is actually about the same since I have lighter passengers & less fuel.

Is there any advice you can give & does the 172SP behave much differently?
 
It handles pretty much like any other 172 except it has a few more ponies. Like any other airplane loaded near gross, it will climb a bit slower, and sink a bit faster. It will also carry less float when landing, which I think makes it easier to land smoothly. The more rearward CG will also make it easier to flare.
 
Since you've flown it at weights above that already, and since 172s are not particularly difficult to fly at any CG within the envelope, you'll do just fine.

The biggest difference is that more people in the airplane is more to distract you. Just be aware of that and have fun!
 
oldShar said:
^ yeah, be sure to bring more sic-sacs
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And tell them to pee before launching.

It really sucks to hear "I really gotta pee" from the back seat when you're at 3500 feet, 15 minutes from the nearest airport. And if that happens, you have to watch mission myopia carefully. Safety may require a go-around.
 
Do a solid W&B. Check rate of climb and t/o distance in the POH if it is going to be a hot day. Other than that, I flew a 160hp with 4 people and partial tanks, and it handled pretty much the same as just me and a passenger.
 
Launch early, but still do your DA calcs. Don't yank it off as soon as you can, let some speed build first.
 
PilotRPI said:
Do a solid W&B. Check rate of climb and t/o distance in the POH if it is going to be a hot day. Other than that, I flew a 160hp with 4 people and partial tanks, and it handled pretty much the same as just me and a passenger.
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172Ns at max gross fly virtually identically to 172SPs at max gross. And they can fit more stuff because they aren't fat pigs.
 
4 people in a 172 in the middle of summer in LA. Fun! Like others have said, look at performance charts (they'll actually be very accurate since you're going to be close to gross weight), check weight and balance, make sure you tell them what a sterile cockpit is, and have fun.
 
I have done it a couple of times, should not be an issue with respect to W&B, but take a serious look at performance.
 
Sac Arrow said:
It handles pretty much like any other 172 except it has a few more ponies. Like any other airplane loaded near gross, it will climb a bit slower, and sink a bit faster. It will also carry less float when landing, which I think makes it easier to land smoothly. The more rearward CG will also make it easier to flare.
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MTOW is far less a problem than density altitude. If you are close to MTOW make sure to calc density altitude for all climbs you need to do, and obstacles you need to clear. You can lose half your climb rate for just 10 degrees of temp change.
 
Landing at gross weight or close will be like its on rails.........kick in 10 degrees flaps on the takeoff and have fun...........
 
With the cg further aft than you're used to, the airplane is going to be a touch more sensitive in pitch, so be gentle on rotation and careful in the flare. Other than that, no big deal.
 
Ron Levy said:
With the cg further aft than you're used to, the airplane is going to be a touch more sensitive in pitch, so be gentle on rotation and careful in the flare. Other than that, no big deal.
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This is exactly what I was going to say.

Watch the rotation, the neutral elevator trim position will allow the nose to come off quite a bit easier.
 
Dont try to take off with full flaps.
 
MAKG1 said:
Or go around.

Takeoff in a 172 is 0 or 10 flaps. Go around is 20.
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My post may have been a bit short and cryptic. When I read 4 up in a 172 I was reminded of the accident in MI last year where a low-time pilot tried to take off with full flaps and killed everyone when he stalled it at low altitude (rather than just landing straight ahead).
 
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