Homebuilt for tall pilot?

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4RNB

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4RNB
Hello. 6'6", 285#. I can control weight but not height. What homebuilt plane could work for me? Any tall pilots care to weigh in on Vans RV 10 or 14? I've sat in a Cirrus and felt squeezed in. If you think a plane other than Vans would work, do you know how support is? I have never built anything before...

Thank you.
 
GaryM said:
Anything with an open cockpit should work.
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I realize there was some sarcasm there, but to the OP’s question, I’ve flown a few open cockpit airplanes where, at 6’ tall, I could barely get my legs in between the seat, the instrument panel, and the rudder pedals.
 
I’m 6’7” but only about 205 lbs but I’m very comfortable in my Glasair Sportsman.
 
donjohnston said:
Well, it's an experimental so there is some room for modification. I'm 6'5", 230. I tweaked the seat in my Velocity and had plenty of head and legroom. Test pilot had to use pillows and blankets to be able to fly. :D
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Super old post, but what kind of velocity and what did you do? I am 6'2, 230. I fit, but its tight
 
I'm only 6'0" & 190 but I've flown a guy in my RV-10 that was the same size as you. Both of us were comfortable-- we didn't rub shoulders and he had adequate headroom.
 
MauleSkinner said:
GaryM said:
Anything with an open cockpit should work.
Click to expand...
I realize there was some sarcasm there, but to the OP’s question, I’ve flown a few open cockpit airplanes where, at 6’ tall, I could barely get my legs in between the seat, the instrument panel, and the rudder pedals.
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My open-cockpit plane has (of course) plenty of headroom, but the legroom is a bit short. The builder used Cessna 140 rudder pedals with toe brakes, and they rob a bit of legroom. The designer of the Fly Baby was 6' 2". I know a guy who is 6' 5", he modified a Fly Baby to give him a bit more room.

In any case, peoples' proportions vary. I was once measured as part of the initial design studies for the Space Station. While my height was the 94th percentile, my leg length was >99th percentile.

Ron Wanttaja
 
wanttaja said:
My open-cockpit plane has (of course) plenty of headroom, but the legroom is a bit short. The builder used Cessna 140 rudder pedals with toe brakes, and they rob a bit of legroom. The designer of the Fly Baby was 6' 2". I know a guy who is 6' 5", he modified a Fly Baby to give him a bit more room.

In any case, peoples' proportions vary. I was once measured as part of the initial design studies for the Space Station. While my height was the 94th percentile, my leg length was >99th percentile.

Ron Wanttaja
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I think Tony Spezio was about 5’2”
 
Following this post. New pilot and at 6'6" 360lbs the C172 I've been training in is a bit ...snug. Long term I'm interested in the RV10 or 14 as well.
 
RV-10 or RV-14, I might be biased though. Yeah C-172 was a little snug during training. I probably put two dents in it with the top of my head, one during some particular bad turbulence during an approach and the other when I bounced on landing.
 
One thing else to consider is distance from bottom of instrument panel to top front of seat. Especially in open cockpit, and other "top loader" types. While per the measurements I can fit in a hummelbird, I can't get my legs under the instrument panel without folding them in ways they were never meant to fold.
 
jaymark6655 said:
RV-10 or RV-14, I might be biased though. Yeah C-172 was a little snug during training. I probably put two dents in it with the top of my head, one during some particular bad turbulence during an approach and the other when I bounced on landing.
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How tall are you?
 
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