Matthew Rogers
Ejection Handle Pulled
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2017
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Matt R
I figured that I bare my soul and admit that I bought a rear child seat for my 150f. Finally found a Cessna seat on eBay (as opposed to the AvFab versions), called my AP/IA to see if he would install it. He said that there is a 150 in the next hanger over that has one so he can look at that install for tips and that is the only other one he has ever seen. But he gave me the OK to bring it in and had no issues. This coming from a Cessna specialist mechanic that is now 80+ years old and still full time.
Now please everyone tell me how I am going to kill myself flying my 150 under gross weight and within WB with my wife and 3 year old. Let the roast start about how it was such a bad idea to spend any money on a 150 when I should have just shelled out another $35,000 on a 172 plus the inevitable $5000 more at the first annual.
My in-laws live 60 miles away by air and in a one stop light town with an airport right behind Main Street. The beaches on the sound, like Fishers island or Westerly CT where my retired uncle just moved to, are an hour away by air but hours away by car. I own 1/3 of this 150. Cost me $4500 and it is kept rent free at a private airstrip. Burns Mogas at $3.09. 700 SMOH and almost through deferred maintenance items from the past years. I luckily got the cheapest PPL in NY last year because of this plane and an old instructor charging me $30 a lesson (not per hour) and checkride at 43 hours.
For what is it worth, I weigh 165 ( and use 170 for calc, but weigh myself often), wife weighs 140 on a bad day, kid weighs 30 (for now). Official WB for the plane (from 1994) is 1041#. Just removed the carpet (4.5#) and added new lightweight battery (6#) so the seat will be a net zero weight difference. Still have an Inoperable CDI, clock, and the VOR antenna to remove. So I can carry everyone and full fuel and be well under gross without bags. But this is not for long trips, mostly just day trips and getting the family to fly together.
But I fully understand the limitations of the C150 in the summer and if we have to leave with full fuel, I will have the family drive 20 minutes to a nearby airport with a nice new 5000’ runway and meet them there with full tanks. Otherwise, there may be another kid coming in the future and a 150 with there seats would be perfect for taking just the kids to the beach at Fishers island or Martha’s Vineyard for the day.
I have a Gyronimo app on the iPad that does WB calcs and is super fast and easy to use. Using the numbers, I see that I can get out of rear moment limit if I put 40 pounds of bags behind the seat, but only at zero fuel. CG moment seems to be nearly impossible to get loaded to far to the rear as long as we don’t put bags in the baggage area 2. If the luggage goes on the seat next to the kid (baggage area #1), then we can take 40# of bags and still be in gross, CG, and moment envelopes. But what we will do is just leave overnight bags at the in laws so we only need personal items.
This post is mainly for others in the future to see in install and get some info about the seats if they are looking to do the same. I’ll post install pics in a week or two (or later in September at annual time if it gets put off).
Now please everyone tell me how I am going to kill myself flying my 150 under gross weight and within WB with my wife and 3 year old. Let the roast start about how it was such a bad idea to spend any money on a 150 when I should have just shelled out another $35,000 on a 172 plus the inevitable $5000 more at the first annual.
My in-laws live 60 miles away by air and in a one stop light town with an airport right behind Main Street. The beaches on the sound, like Fishers island or Westerly CT where my retired uncle just moved to, are an hour away by air but hours away by car. I own 1/3 of this 150. Cost me $4500 and it is kept rent free at a private airstrip. Burns Mogas at $3.09. 700 SMOH and almost through deferred maintenance items from the past years. I luckily got the cheapest PPL in NY last year because of this plane and an old instructor charging me $30 a lesson (not per hour) and checkride at 43 hours.
For what is it worth, I weigh 165 ( and use 170 for calc, but weigh myself often), wife weighs 140 on a bad day, kid weighs 30 (for now). Official WB for the plane (from 1994) is 1041#. Just removed the carpet (4.5#) and added new lightweight battery (6#) so the seat will be a net zero weight difference. Still have an Inoperable CDI, clock, and the VOR antenna to remove. So I can carry everyone and full fuel and be well under gross without bags. But this is not for long trips, mostly just day trips and getting the family to fly together.
But I fully understand the limitations of the C150 in the summer and if we have to leave with full fuel, I will have the family drive 20 minutes to a nearby airport with a nice new 5000’ runway and meet them there with full tanks. Otherwise, there may be another kid coming in the future and a 150 with there seats would be perfect for taking just the kids to the beach at Fishers island or Martha’s Vineyard for the day.
I have a Gyronimo app on the iPad that does WB calcs and is super fast and easy to use. Using the numbers, I see that I can get out of rear moment limit if I put 40 pounds of bags behind the seat, but only at zero fuel. CG moment seems to be nearly impossible to get loaded to far to the rear as long as we don’t put bags in the baggage area 2. If the luggage goes on the seat next to the kid (baggage area #1), then we can take 40# of bags and still be in gross, CG, and moment envelopes. But what we will do is just leave overnight bags at the in laws so we only need personal items.
This post is mainly for others in the future to see in install and get some info about the seats if they are looking to do the same. I’ll post install pics in a week or two (or later in September at annual time if it gets put off).