"Hefty" individuals in a 4 seater

[Henning]

I am 6'3 285lbs (does this mean I'm disgusting? )and I've had a CFI who was 265 in the right seat. Along with a 145lb passenger in the back, full fuel and 120lbs of baggage. We were perfect. Zero issues.

However, I am in a PA-28 235 with a 1,417lb usable load.

The only way I wouldnt fly with a heavy passenger is if the CG was not within limits or they physically could not right in the plane. Personally I don't think pulling people out of the plane is a qualification that required, but each to their own. If that was a standard I'd be willing to bet 75% of all GA pilots would fly solo. I'd venture out to say that I'm the most able body member on the forum but if we crash and I get hurt, hopefully I can pull myself out... let alone the passengers.

I don't judge though, so just enjoy your 4 seater and roll within the limits. Good luck!

Neither do I, but then again, neither do I want them to block my egress from the plane either. The 177RG is a good plane for big people, it's the GA version of a Pacer crossed with a 928 Porsche; big doors, extra width, great visibility, decent performance.

 

[SCCutler]

Heh. I think "disgusting" is an unfortunate word to use, here; I have known plenty of disgusting people whose girth was not an issue, some for personal hygiene, others for repugnant behavior. Whatever floats your boat.

---

DPE I took my check ride was "pear shaped," and he said to flight plan for 260 lb. That was a wishful number, but I'd been primed for that, so no worries. It took him a while, and a great deal of personal effort, to get into the 172, but once in, no issues at all, and he was (still is) a great guy, would love to fly with him again (he has retired).

But.

Another Guy going through the private at the same time did his training in a Warrior, and because of the DPE's broad backside beam, the entire check ride was flown with minimal use of the trim (which is on the floor between the front seats, for those who do not know. Or, in this instance, on the floor beneath the Left Butt Cheek). DPE said, "oh, don't mind me..." It all worked out, student passed and he flies for an airline now.

 

[1600vw]

If I may jump in here with. Couple of good topics here.

I had a man that was over 300 ask about a ride in the 172 we have here. I told him, its was in his best interests if he wanted to fly in a plane to go to the local airport and buy a ticket.

I tried to explain these little birds will fly him but to me, its not smart. Notice I did not say its not safe. It could be safe, but that does not make it "smart".

As far as wieght goes, watch the documentary called....King Corn.....This will answer alot about why we are getting fat.....Its in our food...then add lack of exercise onto that and we have people bigger then ever.

 

[N801BH]

Heh. I think "disgusting" is an unfortunate word to use, here; ....

..

Agreed.... I was going to edit and apologize for using "that " word.. but...

it is real interesting and entertaining how many POA'ers have chimed in and applied that term to their situation... ..

Bottom line,,, being obese is NOT healthy and makes for ingress and egress in light aircraft unsafe and difficult at best.... IMHO. YMMV, etc.

 

[MAKG1]

..

Bottom line,,, being obese is NOT healthy and makes for ingress and egress in light aircraft unsafe and difficult at best.... IMHO. YMMV, etc.

Not healthy = not your business as PIC. As for ingress/egress, you haven't tried it, clearly.

The biggest guy I've gotten into a small aircraft passenger seat is just shy of 350. He can get in and out just fine. W&B is just fine. Control is just fine. There is no risk to anything but your intolerant worldview.

This guy has a much easier time than my 140 lb mother. But I guess old people are "disgusting" and unsafe, too.

Another guy I work with is a 400 lb bouncer, and he flies a 182RG out of KONT. He hasn't died yet, and he's been a pilot for 20 years.

FYI, a 177RG isn't a very good choice for this, unless you want your passenger in the back seat. They seem to like forward CGs, and I can only make it work with low fuel and 150 lb of ballast in the back (though all the stuff said about them earlier IS true). That's not necessary for a 172 or 182, or a PA28.

 

[Marauder]

Two doors has benefits.



Which one would you recommend? Should every Doc be mandated to use one specific one? Who runs it?

What's wrong with asking for a piece of paper and filing it correctly yourself?

My example of what is wrong with the "system", was just that, one example. The escalating costs for the healthcare system is deep rooted and not going to be an easy fix for us. The players all have a part in it (pharmaceutical companies, government, hospitals, us). Our populations is getting older and putting more stress on the system.

I have seen first hand the inefficiencies just on the patient history tracking piece of it. And it has an impact on aviation. Gathering information to satisfy a medical requirement when multiple specialities are involved can be mind boggling. You should be able to go to "one source of truth" but it doesn't work this way. I'm convinced that is why some pilots walk away from aviation.

 

[N801BH]

Not healthy = not your business as PIC. As for ingress/egress, you haven't tried it, clearly.

The biggest guy I've gotten into a small aircraft passenger seat is just shy of 350. He can get in and out just fine. W&B is just fine. Control is just fine. There is no risk to anything but your intolerant worldview.

This guy has a much easier time than my 140 lb mother. But I guess old people are "disgusting" and unsafe, too.

Another guy I work with is a 400 lb bouncer, and he flies a 182RG out of KONT. He hasn't died yet, and he's been a pilot for 20 years.

FYI, a 177RG isn't a very good choice for this, unless you want your passenger in the back seat. They seem to like forward CGs, and I can only make it work with low fuel and 150 lb of ballast in the back (though all the stuff said about them earlier IS true). That's not necessary for a 172 or 182, or a PA28.

...

 

[jonnyjetprop]

Getting back to your original question, every flight I'm on subjects the plane to this and I have had no problems operating a variety of planes including a 182. No compensation is required other than running a simple weight and balance.

If you had a "hefty" friend weighing about 320lbs or more who wanted to go along on a one off flight in a 4-seat airplane such as a Cessna 182 could that be done safely?

How could you do the weight and balance? Is there anyway to have this person sort of sit in the middle of a bench type seat with some kind of apparatus to allow them to be belted in and just split the weight between 2 seats(160 in each L and R seat).

Or would you just put them on one side and compensate by putting a little less fuel in the wing on that side or putting any baggage on the opposite side or something?

Or can you just do W&B normally and as long as everything is within safe limits not worry about it?


Today this is a hypothetical for me, but some day it might not be.

 

[Henning]

One thing about having heavy passengers onboard a 182, you may ask them to scoot the seat back for landing, and even fuel economy and speed in cruise. It's easy to get nose heavy in a 182.

 

[denverpilot]

One thing about having heavy passengers onboard a 182, you may ask them to scoot the seat back for landing, and even fuel economy and speed in cruise. It's easy to get nose heavy in a 182.

Heck, I do that just for the legroom in cruise. If I'm by myself, sticking my feet over on the pax side makes the 182 into a La-Z-Boy. Who needs rudder pedals?

I think one thing missing from this discussion if you're an owner -- is wear and tear on the seat tracks and those little plastic rollers if you're a Cessna driver and have the AD to deal with.

Ask your friend not to be moving the seat around a whole lot if at all possible. New seat tracks from McFarlane aren't cheap.

And lots of folks will try to "hop" their butt up and down to move the seat fore or aft in a Cessna which subjects all the expensive bits to lovely forces that aren't kind to the components if they're a heavy person.

There's a reason all the rentals are always broken.

 

[Dan Thomas]

I think one thing missing from this discussion if you're an owner -- is wear and tear on the seat tracks and those little plastic rollers if you're a Cessna driver and have the AD to deal with.

Ask your friend not to be moving the seat around a whole lot if at all possible. New seat tracks from McFarlane aren't cheap.

And lots of folks will try to "hop" their butt up and down to move the seat fore or aft in a Cessna which subjects all the expensive bits to lovely forces that aren't kind to the components if they're a heavy person.

There's a reason all the rentals are always broken.

Those silly seat tracks will crack through their latching holes if they flex much. There isn't much structure beneath the floor to keep them rigid. If a big bruiser bounces in his seat (of if turbulence does it for him) I wouldn't expect the tracks to last long, and if you get two cracks within an inch of each other, or more than four cracks total, the track must be replaced IAW the AD.
http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_G...bf71041a8625788f004b5df2/$FILE/2011-10-09.pdf

The post-1996 tracks are far sturdier. No holes in the top rail to weaken it.

Dan