Muscle/Size vs. Aviation - Ugh...

Hobobiker

Hobobiker

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Montpelier, OH
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Hobo
Okay, I have fun at the gym and on mud/obstacle events, etc. Have a lot of muscle, but could also shed plenty of fat as well. Now I have more drive to do so. At 280 lbs, I can't soar with my CFI - Weight and CG both out of whack. So I decided to do a weight and balance on the J3 Cub that is just getting finished up. If our actual specs are close to those I found on the Internet, even at 1/2 tanks my CFI and I would be over 30 lbs too heavy but the CG would be good. !@#$#@! I'll continue to lift weights as that is one of my best stress relief options (along with flying), but I'll definitely add some more cardio and concentrate on dropping some weight. Blankety-Blank Endomorph body styles anyway...


After the 2013 Warrier Dash...

 
You don't look overweight as in "fat" You may just have to fly bigger planes. Like a 182....
 
You don't look 280 in that picture at all unless you're 6'10".

Regardless, I am about your size judging by the picture and I was never so happy as when I went to a 182. It was mostly about having the extra cabin width that made it so much more comfortable.
 
It was more or less a rant about my weight taking away some aviation fun, but I appreciate the input everyone. I currently rent a PA-181 and I've flown a 172 once. I haveta say, it's probably comical seeing me get in and out of the Archer. My CFI's Dakota seems a little larger, but it might just be me REALLY liking his plane. I'll slide inside a 182 sometime just for kicks.

And I'm only 6' and weighed-in this morning at 279 (edit, I mis-typed 179 in the original post). That pic is only a couple of months old. 'Guess my thighs are like tree trunks. LOL
 
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Go check out a Socata TB series plane. Space wise you just cannot beat it. A friend of mine and I flew in it without touching elbows. At the time we were both high 200's. I'm 6'1" and he is just under 6'.

Jim
 
kettlebells. You can do your weight lifting and cardio, all in one.
 
At 280, you will have a problem in hardly any 4 seater, unless your instructor is that big, too. It's insisting on the 2 seaters that's causing your trouble.

A typical 172 has over 800 lbs plus full fuel useful load. Some of them are over 1000 (particularly a 172N with a 180 HP engine retrofit).

A 182 with full fuel may have excessively forward CG, but you can offload quite a lot of fuel from those and still have hours of time aloft.
 
register@teamandras.com said:
Sounds like you're about 180. Was the "280" a typo re your own weight, or does your CFI weigh 280?
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Nice catch...I typo'd the weight in my haste to run to a meeting. Nope, I'm 279 as of this morning. Had someone at the gym today tell me my calves looked like their thighs. I guess I can thank both genetics and my younger football days. Oh well...
 
I am 6'2" And weigh 283 lbs. Im not a muscle head, its all fat baby!!:D

Anyway, I got my tailwheel endorsement in a champ with a 150lb instructor. Ya getting in was a ***** but I did it.
 
GAZOO said:
I am 6'2" And weigh 283 lbs. Im not a muscle head, its all fat baby!!:D

Anyway, I got my tailwheel endorsement in a champ with a 150lb instructor. Ya getting in was a ***** but I did it.
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LMAO! I just informed my CFI that if our Cub specs match what I found on the internet, we would be within CG but be a little over 30lbs overweight with a 1/2 tank of fuel. He laughs (presumably sarcastically) and says "hey, at least we're within CG limits. Who needs fuel anyway??"
 
I always envied guys like you, as I was an ectomorph prior to my accident and struggled to gain weight above the FAA “standard”.

The “biggest” I got to was 185 pounds.
 
JimG. said:
I always envied guys like you, as I was an ectomorph prior to my accident and struggled to gain weight above the FAA “standard”.

The “biggest” I got to was 185 pounds.
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I think you and I both envy the "Mesomorph" body styles that are usually fit/muscular with little body fat. Oh well, make the best of what God gave us I guess... lol
 
Hobobiker said:
LMAO! I just informed my CFI that if our Cub specs match what I found on the internet, we would be within CG but be a little over 30lbs overweight with a 1/2 tank of fuel. He laughs (presumably sarcastically) and says "hey, at least we're within CG limits. Who needs fuel anyway??"
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well lets just say when I asked if we were ok weight wise his response was.....Legally NO. Factually YES. Good enough for me lol. Got off the ground in like 2-300 feet climbed to 4500 no problem. It was 85-90* days. And yes we had a full tank of fuel.....all 13 gals of it:D
 
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