Cessna 172N useful load...

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dtvonly

Filing Flight Plan
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dtvonly
Hi. Just occurred to me that a fully loaded C-172N with four passenger, whose weight is around 170 pounds per person, I can only take about half the gas; i.e. 20 gallons - and no baggage. All this is per C172N POH weight and balance in chapter 6. This really doesn't make the C172N a very useful plane for distance travel, but only for short distance sightseeing. Maybe I should upgrade to a 206 or a 210.
 
2 seats plus bags...... you want more than that, get skinny friends or a bigger plane.
 
My 172N can haul myself and three 200 lb men with full fuel and still be under gross weight. You just need the 180 hp conversion with the 250 lb gross weight increase. :)
 
Not a new discovery by any means.
 
Stingray Don said:
My 172N can haul myself and three 200 lb men with full fuel and still be under gross weight. You just need the 180 hp conversion with the 250 lb gross weight increase. :)
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Well, then there is that......!
 
Yes, a 172N has four seats, but they can only all be used in limited circumstances. It does relatively well with its original 160 hp, it's simple and economical, but it's not a miracle worker.

Stingray Don said:
My 172N can haul myself and three 200 lb men with full fuel and still be under gross weight. You just need the 180 hp conversion with the 250 lb gross weight increase. :)
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the MGW increase requires available flap deflection to be limited to 30 degrees. My 172N has the 180 hp conversion, and we have the STC for the MGW increase, but installation of the flap limiter has been deferred. So MGW remains at the original 2300 lb with full 40 degrees of flap, and useful load is a modest 767 lb. But that's okay; I like short fields and I have no friends. If I ever change my mind, or if a future purchaser wants the gross weight increase, the stopnut is in my desk drawer ready to be installed.

 
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The general consensus of aircraft design is that if you can fill the seats and the tanks and still be under gross, the tanks are too small and range is limited.

Also consider that the plane was originally designed in the 50s as not just a trainer, but a family plane, with a 190lb pilot, 120lb wife in the co pilot seat, and two 75lb kids in the back.
 
My 182 would have 73lbs left with 4 170lb people and 92 gallons of gas.
 
I can put about 100 pounds more in the cabin in the club's 172N with the 180 hp conversion (and 30 degree flap limitation) with full long range tanks (50 gal) than the club's 182 with full long range tanks (73 gal). About 760 pounds in the cabin of the 172N. No complaints from me.
 
Brad Z said:
The general consensus of aircraft design is that if you can fill the seats and the tanks and still be under gross, the tanks are too small and range is limited.

Also consider that the plane was originally designed in the 50s as not just a trainer, but a family plane, with a 190lb pilot, 120lb wife in the co pilot seat, and two 75lb kids in the back.
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I can filler up and fill the seats...... But I drive a truck......er..... A Lance.
 
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