No such thing as a dumb question, right? Regarding C150s ~~>

woodchucker

woodchucker

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woodchucker
Wrong!!

So I finally joined a small club after a year of sitting on the ground looking up. They have a 150 and a 172, and they want to get a 182. Unfortunately the 172 had a prop strike so it’s out for a bit. So I guess I’ll learn how to fly a 150 in the meantime and shake off some rust.

My question involves identifying what a 150 is to ATC. I’ll learn this anyways when I get checked out in it, but I figure I might as well embarrass myself here first.

When flying a 172 the call is Tower, Skyhawk blah blah blah.

The 150 is a “Commuter”, but I’ve never heard that called over the radio.
 
"Cessna 150" works around here.
 
I wouldn’t worry about getting that technical with a callsign, the most important part is the tail number. I fly a 152 regularly and I just identify it as ‘Cessna’. If and when they ask for type Cessna, I’ll just say ‘C-One-Five-Two’ and they’ll continue calling me ‘Cessna21B’ or ‘N21B’.

Simple as that.
 
"Cessna". If the controller wants any more information, he/she will ask what type Cessna.

"Commuter" probably woudn't be understood. Up until the last year or two of 150 production, "Commuter" was just an available option package.
 
"Cessna One Fifty".

If it's just a control tower with no radar service, even just "Cessna" is enough.
 
The reason I ask is it flies out of KSLC Bravo, and the plane capability factors into sequencing. I guess Cessna works.

Thank you!
 
150 Cessna is a good airplane. It is a bit slow, but is a very good trainer. It can’t carry that much weight though. If our OP is thin, he can fly with a CFI.
 
woodchucker said:
The reason I ask is it flies out of KSLC Bravo, and the plane capability factors into sequencing. I guess Cessna works.

Thank you!
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Yep, it works. The only reason for the callsign on that is to know what kind of speed to expect out of you for sequencing. Even if they have multiple Cessna’s in the airspace, the tail number is all they need to identify you from the other ‘Cessna’ airplanes.
 
woodchucker said:
The reason I ask is it flies out of KSLC Bravo, and the plane capability factors into sequencing. I guess Cessna works.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

A Bravo controller is (most likely) going to want to want the full type, e.g. Cessna 150, on initial callup.
 
In all my weeks of owning a 150, I've never, not once, ever been asked to clarify type on the radio. I've also been flying into uncontrolled fields all over the northeast, and not had to talk to anyone if I didn't want to. So, there's that.

(For the OP: I bought my 150 in May. Been flying the paint off it since I got it home. The grass runway where I'm based is right behind my house.) :)
 
Say Cessna. That tells everyone what to look for and generally how fast you’re moving.
 
The only Cessna with enough performance to bother differentiating would be a Citation, and even then only moderately. :biggrin:
 
Yup, "Cessna N12345" works. Trust me you won't be mistaken for a Citation. As for being mistaken between a 150 or 172, ATC doesn't care. They just like to know what you look like to describe to other traffic, unless your are IFR in class B area.
 
Its all in the timbre of your voice. You want to sound like the Big Dog, no matter what plane you are in. No one is to mess with you, you are the King of the Skies. Deep throaty voice, not too fast - like people wait for You, not the reverse. Good volume; you are not Timid Pilot. Doesn't matter what type, or what you call yourself. Make your presence felt. Oh, and never ever say I or me or my. It's always We or Our. Let atc think you are at the arrow tip of a gargantuan airliner, full of 500 passengers and You Are Important!
 
midwestpa24 said:
The only Cessna with enough performance to bother differentiating would be a Citation, and even then only moderately. :biggrin:
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For those, you say “twin Cessna.” That tells them that you have low wings and go slightly faster than the high-wing Cessnas.
 
Truth be known, very few controllers know the capabilities of a Cessna 152 vs a Piper P28 for sequencing purposes. They look at the lower right of your data tag on radar and can see how fast you're going so they base the sequence on that rather than your type. In my experience, gone are the days when controllers could tell one airplane from another by looking out the window.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Truth be known, very few controllers know the capabilities of a Cessna 152 vs a Piper P28 for sequencing purposes. They look at the lower right of your data tag on radar and can see how fast you're going so they base the sequence on that rather than your type. In my experience, gone are the days when controllers could tell one airplane from another by looking out the window.
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I consider it to be more important at untowered fields. Pilots need to know what to look for and deconflict themselves from.
 
A lot of folks may disagree with me but at un-towered fields I use white and blue Cherokee 140 unless of course I'm flying into breakfast with my friends and they already know. Then I just use Seabass. ;)
 
steingar said:
150 Cessna is a good airplane. It is a bit slow, but is a very good trainer. It can’t carry that much weight though. If our OP is thin, he can fly with a CFI.
Click to expand...

I’m thin .... in my high school yearbook photo.

I talked to a guy today who is a board member, he said they only put enough fuel in it for one and a half laps around the pattern. You know, it’s august here in Utah at 4200’.
 
woodchucker said:
The 150 is a “Commuter”, but I’ve never heard that called over the radio.
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Actually, all 150s were not Commuters. That was deluxe version of the 150. Sort of how a Skyhawk was a deluxe version of the 172.

It meant base white instead of bare aluminum, wheel pants, and other fancy accessories.
 
I only ever read one article about anyone commuting in one, ever.

But I definitely remember there was an article about some dude who had an IFR 150 and commuted some non-trivial distance in California somewhere in one of the ancient magazine articles long ago and the author thought the “Commuter” angle was cute.
 
I always used "Cessna" when flying either a 152 or 172. It works. Model names can be confusing. I fly an AA-5, and although it started out as American Aviation, and was eventually bought by True Flight all of them are now called "Grumman". Occasionally, someone will use "Yankee" for the AA1X series, or "Tiger" for the AA-5B, but don't try "Traveler" as ATC will think you are a Travel-Air, which is a completely different beast. ATC insists on calling me a "Tiger" for traffic call-outs. (I wish, somedays, for the extra speed). But I look like a Tiger from far, far, away. :)
 
ATC and local towers around here want make and type. Cessna Skylane, Cessna Skyhawk, Cessna 177, Cessna 150, Cessna 152. We have two Delta airports that seems to accept "Cessna", others won't.
 
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