How many single engine airplanes can carry 4 people? Under 100K

FloridaPilot

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
2,456
Location
Florida
Display Name

Display name:
FloridaStudentPilot
Each person weighs 200 pounds and wants to go 300 nm.
 
Comanche
PA28-235
TB20 (an older one)
 
300nm where? Around Florida, Kansas, Nebraska? 300nm around Utah, Colorado, Montana, Nevada? Non-stop? Year round?

Do any of them have leg, foot, back or other physical imparements?
 
Last edited:
The right Bellanca Super Viking will do it. Mine has a useful load a little north of 1100lbs. That leaves about 300lbs for fuel, or 50 gallons. At 15 gallons per hour (it actually burns less than that, but let's be conservative), and 155kts, you can go about 350 miles with a 1hr reserve. 4 200lb folks in any 4 seat single are going to be cramped, though. 182 is probably the most comfortable for the 2 up front.
 
Even a Cherokee 180 is within W/B with four 200 lb. occupants and 45 gallons fuel, but it won't be very comfortable.
 
800 lbs payload, assume 10 gph for 3 hours is 180 lbs plus reserve, that's a useful load of 1010lbs.

There are LOTS of 4 seaters with a 1010lb useful load. Pre-90's PA-28s (161,181, 236), C172 with 180hp conversion, any 182, some of the short body Mooney M20C/E models.

Now, comfort and doing this mission on a hot day might be an issue but there are no shortage of 1000lb 4-seaters.
 
300nm where? Around Florida, Kansas, Nebraska? 300nm around Utah, Colorado, Montana, Nevada? Non-stop? Year round?

Do any of them have leg, foot, back or other physical imparements?

Yes around Florida, No handicaps.

Can you do also 100 lb luggage?
 
Mostly six seaters


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My 182 does that easily with 60 gallons still in the tanks (about 650nm range). It'll probably do it with bags as well but I'd have to double check.

But I've never needed to haul four 200 pound people around. Someone is always well less than that (either being female or not fat). Are there really that many pilots having sausagefests with four 200 pound guys in their airplanes?
 
Last edited:
There are a ton of planes under 100k that can carry 4. And go 300 miles. Even a piper archer, filled to the tabs, will just at that. 34 gallons at 9 gph @ 115 knots.
If you are limited to 100k on a purchase you are probably limited to a certain number on yearly costs too. Just because something is selling for 100k, even in perfect condition, doesn't mean you'll be able to afford it
 
My Mooney will do that! That said, the guys in the back seat may not be right again, and you'll have just enough gas to do the 300 nm and reserve. None left for sightseeing.
 
SR22 with 2hrs fuel + reserves?
 
Even a Cherokee 180 is within W/B with four 200 lb. occupants and 45 gallons fuel, but it won't be very comfortable.
Generic 180 is 1400 empty. 35 gal, 800 people, right on the border line of W&B and it won't be comfortable. Nor very practical anywhere in the summer.

BTDT. Won't do it again.
 
My 182 does that easily with 60 gallons still in the tanks (about 650nm range). It'll probably do it with bags as well but I'd have to double check.

But I've never needed to haul four 200 pound people around. Someone is always well less than that (either being female or not fat). Are there really that many pilots having sausagefests with four 200 pound guys in their airplanes?

Seriously...I only fly with two babes in the back in bikinis.
 
PA 28-236.
Ive had 4 full size adults in mine. ~120KIAS @ ~15 GPH block for trips like that. (130+/- KIAS in cruise)
Plus baggage room.

ones with dcent SMOH and avionics (430W, ap, etc) should be right around 90-110K
 
I would guess there around 75,000 planes registered in the US that meet the criteria.

Tim
 
Seriously...I only fly with two babes in the back in bikinis.

Why in the back? Unless of course you have the autopilot on and...
 
The right Bellanca Super Viking will do it. Mine has a useful load a little north of 1100lbs. That leaves about 300lbs for fuel, or 50 gallons. At 15 gallons per hour (it actually burns less than that, but let's be conservative), and 155kts, you can go about 350 miles with a 1hr reserve. 4 200lb folks in any 4 seat single are going to be cramped, though. 182 is probably the most comfortable for the 2 up front.

Beat me to it. Vikings are great, aren't they?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Mostly six seaters


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I can't believe you didn't say mooney. Though as steingar points out, the two in the back better be fairly comfortable with each other.
 
I love my Bonanza, but four 200 pounders isn''t going to happen unless we could squeeze three of them up front and plan on zero reserve.
 
I was sort of joking about my Mooney M20c. While it could just barely accomplish that mission, like I said the rear seaters would be less than happy. Then again, I've seen tow 200 lb guys climb out of the back of a Firebird, so it can be done. The only aircraft i've ever heard of where you can fill the seats and the tanks is the Cessna Skylane. One of my pals piled four 200 pounders in his and flew over 300 nm.
 
C210, 206, 207, Saratoga/Cherokee 6, maybe a Bonanza.

I don't think any of the good ones are under 100K I have to check again

Even a Cherokee 180 is within W/B with four 200 lb. occupants and 45 gallons fuel, but it won't be very comfortable.

Yeah I wouldn't do that to them!!

Not easy to find them for sale, but certainly a great airplane that would do the job easily. I enjoyed flying one.

205? Are pretty rare, I've seen a few on floats

My 182 does that easily with 60 gallons still in the tanks (about 650nm range). It'll probably do it with bags as well but I'd have to double check.

I haven't been in a 182 so I would have to get some training with the constant speed. I've only flown 172's of that type.

But I've never needed to haul four 200 pound people around. Someone is always well less than that (either being female or not fat). Are there really that many pilots having sausagefests with four 200 pound guys in their airplanes?

Yeah, we are going to the MLB All Star game July 11th 4 guys 200lbs. Going to rent, wanted to see what my options are!
 
My Cherokee 180C can do that.. it has 1048# useful load I could carry 4 200# adults and 30 gallons of fuel plus small bags and still be within gross. usually it's me and another guy being the fat ones and the wife's being the skinny ones.. so it usually works out to be able to carry all of us, more than enough fuel, and bags... I have made several trips to Myrtle Beach and NOLA with another couple riding along..
 
I can't believe you didn't say mooney. Though as steingar points out, the two in the back better be fairly comfortable with each other.

Let's see, he started by saying 4x200 lb people. Then he added addl 100lbs of luggage.

That leaves (with empty TKS tank) space for about 15 gallons of fuel, too little to go anywhere really.

But if it really is 800lbs, then my Mooney can just make that mission. Just, with reserve.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Let's see, he started by saying 4x200 lb people. Then he added addl 100lbs of luggage.

That leaves (with empty TKS tank) space for about 15 gallons of fuel, too little to go anywhere really.

But if it really is 800lbs, then my Mooney can just make that mission. Just, with reserve.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My C could do it by the numbers but not realistically.
 
Just worked this for our 182P:

400lbs (front) + 400lbs(back) + 100lbs(baggage) ==> 48 gallons while still slightly under MTOW

W&B is good but right at the MTOW boundary.

From the POH: Flying 22 squared at 4500ft will be around 12gal/hr and about 150mph(TAS).

300nm is about 350miles or about 2hrs and 20minutes.

That is about 28 gallons leaving a 20 gallon or 1.5hr reserve.

Seems to leave a bit of wiggle room for some headwind too.

The two passengers up front will definitely be comfortable. And the ones in back will even have some legroom if the front passenger is under 6'2" or so. The rear seats are kind cramped side to side (okay) but sit kind of low though (not fun if you are tall).

I think older models of the 182 had even higher MTOW than the P model.
 
My Cherokee 180C can do that.. it has 1048# useful load I could carry 4 200# adults and 30 gallons of fuel plus small bags and still be within gross. usually it's me and another guy being the fat ones and the wife's being the skinny ones.. so it usually works out to be able to carry all of us, more than enough fuel, and bags... I have made several trips to Myrtle Beach and NOLA with another couple riding along..

I think mine was like 900 something. Over 1000 for a 180 C model is very nice. I could get 3 people in at or around 200 lbs with enough fuel to go somewhere. 4 was not doable. Baggage would be welcomed because it was always a PITA getting the CG just right in the plane. I had to carry around 50 lb bags of sand to balance it out with two heavy people up front and none in the back.
 
Just worked this for our 182P:

400lbs (front) + 400lbs(back) + 100lbs(baggage) ==> 48 gallons while still slightly under MTOW

W&B is good but right at the MTOW boundary.

From the POH: Flying 22 squared at 4500ft will be around 12gal/hr and about 150mph(TAS).

300nm is about 350miles or about 2hrs and 20minutes.

That is about 28 gallons leaving a 20 gallon or 1.5hr reserve.

Seems to leave a bit of wiggle room for some headwind too.

The two passengers up front will definitely be comfortable. And the ones in back will even have some legroom if the front passenger is under 6'2" or so. The rear seats are kind cramped side to side (okay) but sit kind of low though (not fun if you are tall).

I think older models of the 182 had even higher MTOW than the P model.


What is "22 squared"????
 
22" manifold pressure at 2200 rpm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yeah, we are going to the MLB All Star game July 11th 4 guys 200lbs. Going to rent, wanted to see what my options are!
If it is to be a one-time trip, I'd look into getting a ME rating and renting a twin. Plenty of twins fill that bill. I wouldn't buy a plane to those specs unless I was going to fly it like that a lot.
 
I've done it in my Mooney, we probably averaged ~200 each. The back seat is tight, they complain after about 1-1/2 hours. I was limited to 34 gals of fuel, about 3:45, so 300 nm easily with > 1 hour reserve. Need to rework W&B for bags; make everyone pack light!
 
Back
Top