Vans RV 4 vs. Cessna 150, which is more cramped?

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DMD3.

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DMD3.
I haven’t had the pleasure of flying or riding in an RV, but I know the RV 4 is pretty small. I’ve read where some pilots as tall at 6’4” could fly in it with no problems, whereas other pilots only 6’0” either had their knees against the firewall or their headsets were against the canopy. I realize it can depend on the type of seat and how it’s built, and also that some pilots have longer legs or longer torsos than others.

But for the most part, how would you compare the cockpit of the RV 4 with the cockpit of a C150? If you spent 2+ hours in either one, which would leave you the achiest? Also, how does it compare with flying C150 solo vs. an adult passenger? (the C150 isn’t quite as bad when you’re solo).

Edit: This thread is not meant to bash either aircraft. I haven’t rode or even sat in an RV 4, but I do have time in a 150, and I’m just trying to use the 150 as a reference point. :)
 
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I haven’t spent a ton of time in an RV4 but have been in one a few times. The 150 is definitely more comfortable solo. You have room to move your legs side to side or sit on one side with your feet on the other to stretch out. The Rv4 is better dual as adding another passenger doesn’t effect the pilot room.
 
To me, the panel in the -4 is really close to your face.
 
You won’t notice the size of the RV because you will be grinning from ear to ear the whole time you’re flying it.


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The 150 is definitely roomier when solo, especially in the shoulders, but I think the RV-4 is more comfortable while flying. I have short legs and a long torso, YMMV. I've never been in the back seat of one so I can't speak to passenger comfort.

Nauga,
the stubby RV-4 builder
 
nauga said:
The 150 is definitely roomier when solo, especially in the shoulders, but I think the RV-4 is more comfortable while flying. I have short legs and a long torso, YMMV. I've never been in the back seat of one so I can't speak to passenger comfort.

Nauga,
the stubby RV-4 builder
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Nauga, what engine/prop do you have and what is your typical weight limit for the backseater?
 
steingar said:
Holy apples vs oranges Batman! If cockpit room is really the deciding factor between those two I honestly think the OP has his priorities just a tad out of order.
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Oh trust me, I didn’t create this thread to decide whether to purchase one or the other. I just wanted an idea of how cockpit space in an RV 4 compares to a C150. I’m 6’3” so if a C150 is actually more comfortable (even if solo), I’m really going to be cramped. :eek:
 
I'm 6' 1" and have flown both. The 150 puts me at the very rear of the seat tracks but otherwise isn't too bad. The RV-4 gives me plenty of leg room but it's narrow (I was probably 30 lbs heavier than I am now when I flew it) at least in the one I flew, but I kind of get that sports car scrunch due to the canopy. Of course, the owner/buidler of the RV-4 was a lot shorter than me so she may have made decisions that were more suited to her than tall guys.
 
I’ve always found “bench seats” where I can sit straight up and change positions on my hips and back are equally important as well as a seat back position I can adjust during flight. I had a RV6 for 10 yrs that I loved, but found trips of over 2 hrs were a “pain”, not because of the room, but because no matter how I tried to change my position to relieve pressure points, I always went back to the same reclining position. The RV6 seating was very comfortable for 2 hrs, then forget it. My bonanza, twin Comanche and c172, I could and did fly for 5+ hours routinely. The Bonanza was the most comfortable for me, mostly due to sitting position which I valued more than “room”. I’m 75” but skinny as is my wife, but at age 73 my bones ache if I can’t change positions once in awhile. PS If you carry a relief device, you’ll also appreciate the upright seating. Just thoughts. PSS My wife would never agree to a tandem seating, nor would my dog.
 
I find the RV-4 more comfortable but it does have less room. you do not get into a RV-4, you put it on. It also has about 50 to 70 kts more to it..........................
 
The -4 is a little snug to get into or out of, like those really nice slip-on shoes that are so popular now. But, once you get into it, its not cramped at all for an average sized person. The C150, on the other hand, is cramped. There are no 2 ways about that!
 
wilkersk said:
The C150, on the other hand, is cramped. There are no 2 ways about that!
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You guys crack me up.

One thing that impressed me about the 150M that I flew in to get retreaded was how expansive the interior was. (Compared to 120s, T-18s, Pitts, Avid Flyers...)

Other than that, that particular example was a POS.
 
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