How high have you flown in a low HP plane.

[jkaduk]

I remember an article years ago where they took a 150 up to 16,500' by thermaling. So how high have you been in a low HP plane. Take the altitude in hundreds divided by the HP. Highest number wins. Gliders don't count. We all know what happens if you divide by zero. I probably had my Tiger up to 13.5. 135/180 = 0.75.

 

[James331]

Just not fun flying very high, I remember a pilot survey thing I saw, had a few questions about your favorite style of flying, best answer was anything as long as it's tree top level.

In the PNW I was more of a through the pass vs over the ranges type of guy.


I've had some 85hp and 150hp planes up there MSL, but AGL wise I still was low.

 

[GeorgeC]

10500 on 100 horsies.

 

[BigBadLou]

Never had a chance to go higher than 9,500'. That was the fastest trip to Houston I've ever seen. I was doing 160 over ground in my li'l Cherokee with 150 horses. So my number is low, 0.63.

George seems to have the highest one for now, 1.05.

Which brings me to a thought: we might consider weight too. An LSA with 100hp is a "cheetah". A C150 with 100hp is "dog".

 

[Pilawt]

Cessna 150F:

But this one might just top 'em all:

"On [January 4, 1951, Caro Bayley Bosco] flew a 1951 standard 125 hp Super Cub, taking off from a blimp base on the causeway near Miami and here is what she said:

"'…I took off, had oxygen and a barograph, was up for about four hours, came down, then did my aerobatic act. The temperature was ninety on the ground and was thirty-four degrees below zero at altitude. The Cub went up to fifteen [thousand feet] nicely, but up to twenty it was a bit draggy. By the time I hit thirty I stayed at one altitude for a long time.'

"The Miami paper reported 'BLONDE SETS NEW ALTITUDE MARK', at an actual altitude of 30,203 feet. The Federation Aeronautique Internationale recognized her achievement as a world record for Class 11 aircraft (gross weight between 1102 and 2204 lbs)."​

http://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/history/caro-bayley-bosco-a-woman-getting-high-in-a-super-cub/

 

[mscard88]

Just not fun flying very high, I remember a pilot survey thing I saw, had a few questions about your favorite style of flying, best answer was anything as long as it's tree top level. .

When I was instructing in 310s it was fun to fly low just above the river but below the banks. Just always hoped no one was doing the same thing coming around the bend in the opposite direction!

How about a thread of How low have you've flown? Bet we'd get some interesting answers!

 

[RussR]

150 hp PA-28-151 Warrior at 17,500. Mostly used ridge lift to get up there, it certainly wasn't brute hp. Saw over 1000 fpm at times in the low teens, sometimes 500 fpm up above 15,000. This was near the Colorado/Wyoming border.

That gives me 1.17!

 

[VanDy]

12,500 in a 90hp J5

 

[kyleb]

9700' on a high density altitude day in a grossed out Tomahawk.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

I was trying to find the thread by DavidWhite that had his normally aspirated old 172 up in the flight levels over the panhandle of Texas.

 

[flyingron]

I got a 152 up to 14,500 (but I started from BJC so it was only about 9000 of climbing). Once I got up there I realized it was going to take a while to get back down as well.

 

[bikert]

Cessna 150F:

But this one might just top 'em all:

"On [January 4, 1951, Caro Bayley Bosco] flew a 1951 standard 125 hp Super Cub, taking off from a blimp base on the causeway near Miami and here is what she said:

"'…I took off, had oxygen and a barograph, was up for about four hours, came down, then did my aerobatic act. The temperature was ninety on the ground and was thirty-four degrees below zero at altitude. The Cub went up to fifteen [thousand feet] nicely, but up to twenty it was a bit draggy. By the time I hit thirty I stayed at one altitude for a long time.'

"The Miami paper reported 'BLONDE SETS NEW ALTITUDE MARK', at an actual altitude of 30,203 feet. The Federation Aeronautique Internationale recognized her achievement as a world record for Class 11 aircraft (gross weight between 1102 and 2204 lbs)."​

http://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/history/caro-bayley-bosco-a-woman-getting-high-in-a-super-cub/

Nice story but I'd like to see how well (and how) her "barograph" was calibrated. Just because it says one thing doesn't mean it is accurate. I'm having a hard time believing she got to 30,000 feet. Sorry. I'm sure she thinks she did.

 

[dweyant]

I've had my RV-9A with an IO-320 up to FL180. It was still climbing and I think I could have done quite a bit more.

Someone on VAF just took an RV (9 or 7?) up to I believe FL280. Did a really interesting write up an VAF.

-Dan

 

[frfly172]

12,500 in a 145 hp Cessna 172.

 

[petrolero]

Flew to Leadville in a C172RG. Max altitude was about 12.5k.

I took my own 145 hp 1966 C172G up to 11k on occasion even though I didn't have much need to fly high when I lived in Texas. In Colorado we all fly "high". (SWIDT)

Nothing special about any of this. People fly through the Rockies in Piper Cubs.

 

[midlifeflyer]

About 0.80±.02 using your calculation. Turns around a point in a 145 HP 172H. The "point" was the top of Mt Hood. Its elevation is 11,250 but I was as high as 12,000 on the flight.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Flew to Leadville in a C172RG. Max altitude was about 12.5k.

I took my own 145 hp 1966 C172G up to 11k on occasion even though I didn't have much need to fly high when I lived in Texas. In Colorado we all fly "high". (SWIDT)

Nothing special about any of this. People fly through the Rockies in Piper Cubs.

..and more modern LSAs also

 

[Clark1961]

I was trying to find the thread by DavidWhite that had his normally aspirated old 172 up in the flight levels over the panhandle of Texas.

To be fair, I'm pretty sure that White Lightning is/was 180 hp and he was solo...

 

[SkyHog]

I remember an article years ago where they took a 150 up to 16,500' by thermaling. So how high have you been in a low HP plane. Take the altitude in hundreds divided by the HP. Highest number wins. Gliders don't count. We all know what happens if you divide by zero. I probably had my Tiger up to 13.5. 135/180 = 0.75.

Lets see....17,500 in a 180HP plane...0.972222222

 

[3 in the green]

12.5 in a 145 hp O-300 172. 0.86 by your formula.

 

[Spotter626]

PPC count? If so I had buddies powered chute up to 7,500' with twin 15 hp motors (30hp total) giving me a 2.50. Took me almost an hour to get there and about 15 minutes or less to get back down.

 

[hotprops]

13800 cold day in december 65 hp 7 ac champ

 

[Kritchlow]

Low HP meaning less than 200 ?

 

[Pilawt]

Nice story but I'd like to see how well (and how) her "barograph" was calibrated. Just because it says one thing doesn't mean it is accurate. I'm having a hard time believing she got to 30,000 feet. Sorry. I'm sure she thinks she did.

Guess you'll have to take that up with the FAI.

 

[G-Man]

Like most of the achievements here, I don't have much to brag about!
Took a Cessna 152 to 11,600, which is 0.928.

It was a 125 hp Sparrowhawk conversion. But I did have my robust-sized flight instructor with me. Definitely ridge lift and thermals - a quick up and down. And started at KBJC at 5,500 MSL.

 

[MikeS]

I recently ferried a Cavalier SA102, Franklin 0-235 (about 122 HP) from San Diego to Indianapolis and on the leg from SEE to GUP got up to 15.6 and still climbing. That was at night and didn't think to take a picture. Next day, just past Taos, I took one at 14.8. I was amazed that old tub was such a high flyer.

 

[Coloradokevin]

I got a 152 up to 14,500 (but I started from BJC so it was only about 9000 of climbing). Once I got up there I realized it was going to take a while to get back down as well.

I think I once saw a video of someone doing spins down from 14K in a C152. The video was purported to be something like a 100-turn spin. I suppose that's always an option, but I'd venture a guess that you'd be mighty dizzy by the time you got back to a more reasonable altitude… Still, you'd get there in a hurry!

 

[Silvaire]

Took my 90 horse Champ to 14,500 feet one day just to see if it would do it. Started off at 60 feet so yea, I brought a snack along.

 

[Tom-D]

I had a dump valve malfunction at 25,000' dumped the cabin pressure, So we went to pressure breathing for a while.
Does that count?

 

[Kritchlow]

I had a dump valve malfunction at 25,000' dumped the cabin pressure, So we went to pressure breathing for a while.
Does that count?

Indeed... I've experienced dump valve failures more than once. An O2 mask is good idea.

 

[RyanShort1]

10,500 for about three hours in a Cub westbound from Florida... NORDO.

 

[Tom-D]

Indeed... I've experienced dump valve failures more than once. An O2 mask is good idea.

Have you ever done pressure breathing from an old Deluter demand regulator? = Ain't fun.

 

[Kritchlow]

Have you ever done pressure breathing from an old Deluter demand regulator? = Ain't fun.

Yes.... But my post was referencing a different dump valve...

 

[Tom-D]

14,000' in the F-24 3 hours getting over the wind river range

 

[denverpilot]

I think I once saw a video of someone doing spins down from 14K in a C152. The video was purported to be something like a 100-turn spin. I suppose that's always an option, but I'd venture a guess that you'd be mighty dizzy by the time you got back to a more reasonable altitude… Still, you'd get there in a hurry!

I used to have it memorized, but the guy who holds the record for most spins in a C-150 could tell you exactly which turn number the engine always quit. (Fuel unporting at the wing root as the spin developed and flattened and centrifugal force kept gravity feed from working anymore...) Somewhere around 12 as I recall.

 

[Coloradokevin]

I used to have it memorized, but the guy who holds the record for most spins in a C-150 could tell you exactly which turn number the engine always quit. (Fuel unporting at the wing root as the spin developed and flattened and centrifugal force kept gravity feed from working anymore...) Somewhere around 12 as I recall.

So, what you're saying is that you can get down quickly AND save fuel, too? We're really bringing a whole new level of efficiency to flying here

Lol… I actually never knew that about the C-150, and while I enjoy a good spin session as much as the next guy, I don't think I've ever gone beyond 6 turns.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I'd like to see a value for time to climb in that equation, to uncloud some of that data.
Also a way to remove effects of thermalling. Cool study.

How about another thread; max cruise GS ÷ sea level hp rating? (turbos in a separate class) Could be useful for buyers.

 

[CT4ME]

13,500 in 100 HP Flight Design CTsw - Rotax

 

[CCluck]

1.38 : 13.8K in 100hp Cessna C150 with portable ox - took a long time to get there

was on Flight Following 45 miles from destination airport. ATC called up and told me they were NOT going to clear me into the Bravo and to please quit goofing around up there - I was trying for 14K, but conceded to their request.

I wonder what was the % HP the O200A was really making at that altitude ? The plane felt like it had a weedwhacker engine pulling it ....

 

[petrolero]

Lets see....17,500 in a 180HP plane...0.972222222

20000/235 = 0.85 = meh

Mine could go to 25k+ easily but it's not certified to go that high. The engine would probably melt anyway since my IAS would be like 105 to 110. It would be like being in a perma-climb.