Old (1960s or older) 150 v-speeds question

Just a note the "Twist Power" or "Vernier Throttle" is not original and has been added as an aftermarket add on. Very Few 150's have this.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
1964 150D I learned in was Vernier on the Mixture only, not throttle.

As Adam said though, sure this is a chat forum, but using proper nomenclature will net better results. We can only assume that you do know better and are not saying "twisty power thingy" in front of the CFI. That would not inspire me to sign you off.
 
The 150 does not sound like the appropriate aircraft for the voyages described.
 
1964 150D I learned in was Vernier on the Mixture only, not throttle.
Then that was an add-on, too. 150 did not have vernier mixture from the factory until 1977, the very last year of production.

Mixture cables wear out over time, and a vernier control is a relatively cheap and desirable upgrade.

The 150 does not sound like the appropriate aircraft for the voyages described.
You're right. She needs a Cub instead. :wink2:

Seriously, when its limitations are respected (and it sounds like Kimberly is well tuned in to them), long voyages of discovery can be a wonderful experience in a 150. In 1969 my dad and I, then both newly-minted pilots, made our first long-distance venture from SoCal in his 150E. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.
 
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How about that thing in the panel that tells time? :D
 
The 150 I got checked out in was a 67 model I believe. CFI had me do 80 pattern, 70 base, 60 final and it worked fine. We were at gross weight. The controls are very light compared to the other stuff i've flown.

Unless the CFI needs to demonstrate something they should be letting you handle all of the workload.
 
Not really a bummer. Who wants to spend 2.5 hours in a tiny 150?

I do that quite often, but am usually by myself. Last week I was flying with another guy and was ready to land after 1.7 hours.
 
Wait, let me explain:

I have a key starter (off / L / R / both / and start I think). In ADDITION I have a pull starter. I'll have to take a picture next time I'm in the plane.

Kimberly, if the pictures posted at the beginning of this thread are of the airplane you are flying, I don't see any provisions for a pull starter.

To start the actual plane she did pull the pull start but I think I also turned the key to "start" at the same time if that makes sense. I wish she would have let me do it instead of helping. I hate it when CFIs do everything for you - I am soon gonna be alone in that plane as PIC for God's sake, let me practice!!!

Which thing did she pull? I suspect that what you think was happening was not in fact what was happening.

It is NOT a two person operation to start a 150. Your CFI SHOULD be letting you start the airplane all by yourself.
 
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It is NOT a two person operation to start a 150. Your CFI SHOULD be letting you start the airplane all by yourself.
It is if it is REALLY cold. You need one hand on the start switch, one hand pumping the primer to keep it running, and another hand running the throttle.
 
Maybe in Nebraska. Probably not Bay Area California conditions... surely I'd be reading about it on the news if it got that cold in Kimberly land.
 
Well, I learned to fly in a '69 150 and it had a key start. I am almost positive it was not retrofitted.
Yep, '69 (150J) was the first year the factory switched to key start.

Kimberly, if the pictures posted at the beginning of this thread are of the airplane you are flying, I don't see any provisions for a pull starter.

Which thing did she pull? I suspect that what you think was happening was not in fact what was happening.

6853357281_7db241e31f_o.jpg


That's a white pull-start handle on the right side of the upper panel, just above the tach. That's about where the pull-starters were on the '66 and earlier 150s.
 
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That's a white pull-start handle on the right side of the upper panel, just above the tach. That's about where the pull-starters were on the '66 and earlier 150s.

My My My. So it is. I did NOT see that before.
 
Just checking. Kim, you realize that on most verniers that you can push the button in the center of them and move them freely without having to twist, right?
 
A 150/152 is a fine lane for long cross countries. I have flown mine on very long trips and a friend has flown his for years to Alaska and back from Alpine.
My 152 has an aux tank that holds 14.6gals of useable fuel which gives me 39 total which is conservatively 6.5 hrs.... The longest I've flown it non stop is usually 5.5 hrs. legs. Going across the country just means a lot of small cross countries strung together.
The only thing that plane isn't good for would be that spaniel. So I'm glad that the family will be taking it for you. And, btw, Kimberly I used to have a corgi.
 
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Kim, two things, what your referring to as off/L/R/Both is not a key starter, its is the selector switch for the mags. I'm really really really hoping that your CFI for your PP told you that. Some key selectors for the mags will also be a starter switch but many won't. If turning that key does not start the plane they are mags only.

Second, that " twisty power thing" is the throttle. Some aircraft have throttle quadrants like the newer Cherokees and Tigers. The quadrant. Quadrants have levers for throttle, prop ( if its a constant speed aircraft) and mixture. They generally look like the photo below.

Other planes have plunger type engine controls such as older Cherokees, Most Mooneys, Cessnas etc. The ones that twist are called vernier knobs. You don't actually twist them to increase power and mixture or prop ( although you can) you pull them in and out like a plunger type control. the reason they turn is so that that pilot can fine tune the throttle mixture and prop in much smaller increments.

I only tell you because calling things by their proper names inspires a bit more confidence in one as a pilot than calling it a "twisty power thing" Other pilots will take you more seriously as well.

I'm certainly no A&P but its important to know basically what does what. I actually recall a pp student who thought the Alternator belt turned the propeller.

As for the landing part, look ALL of us have crappy landing days. I'm sure you'll do fine next go around.





Heck yea! Well put!



OMG I love making silly names. Of course I know it is the throttle.... I like to joke around on POA. LOL.

About the key start - the owner of the flight school has been out for several weeks and is finally back. Next time I'm there I will ask about the "key start." According to the POH (yes, I bought a copy of the real book for only $18 there) - it was ORIGINALLY started with the key. Some POA'ers agree it was probably later converted to the pull start. I'll have to look at the maintenance logs to be sure.
 
Just a note the "Twist Power" or "Vernier Throttle" is not original and has been added as an aftermarket add on. Very Few 150's have this.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

Just saw this. Now I have even more questions. I think one of our 99s sold the little 150 to the flight school, and she may also know more about its history. She's a great lady, I should shoot her an email. However, as stated before, I can probably just look at the maintenance logs.
 
Just checking. Kim, you realize that on most verniers that you can push the button in the center of them and move them freely without having to twist, right?

Yes. I use the "twist" or vernier action for things like taxi or small increase / decrese in rpm in cruise / straight and level flight. I push the button for:

Take off (some do it all at once, I count 2-4 seconds and smoothly go full throttle)

Abeam the numbers (power back to roughly 1700 rpm or so, from about 21-25, which takes more than just a quick spin of the knob)

Manuevers / recovery / etc.


Kimberly

PS - I actually like the twist action, since this plane is so sensitive to all my tiny inputs..... It is the first plane I've been able to steer, even in tight turns, with rudder only and no brake needed. Just an awesome plane.
 
A 150/152 is a fine lane for long cross countries. I have flown mine on very long trips and a friend has flown his for years to Alaska and back from Alpine.
My 152 has an aux tank that holds 14.6gals of useable fuel which gives me 39 total which is conservatively 6.5 hrs.... The longest I've flown it non stop is usually 5.5 hrs. legs. Going across the country just means a lot of small cross countries strung together.
The only thing that plane isn't good for would be that spaniel. So I'm glad that the family will be taking it for you. And, btw, Kimberly I used to have a corgi.

I love my Corgi, but I won't have another one. As he gets older he sure is becoming a handful.

Agreed, the more I think about it, the more I want the BF to ask his folks to drive his dog down. They have a Springer too (and the dogs play together non-stop when they hang out), so it really isn't a burden on them.

That leaves just us in the plane. I am all checked out in that plane and the landings were soooo soft this weekend it was awesome! Full stall horn and all. Guess I just needed more time in the little orange beast.
 
Just making sure. We've all done goofy things when transitioning to a new airplane, and the first time I saw a vernier on the throttle instead of the mixture, I scratched my head for a minute.

The first time I saw a "locking" avionics master switch that required you pull it out and then flip it up or down, I used it once for takeoff and promptly smacked it with one of my big paws at shutdown and snapped the switch off at the base of the toggle, 1.1 hours later. D'oh!

(I walked into the FBO, told 'em that I'd just snapped the thing off, and offered to pay for the repair. My first airplane repair bill, long before I was an owner. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.) ;)
 
Yea. She should fly something like the Cessna 120 that my brother and I took from Detroit to Fairbanks (and back).

The C-150 is kind of like the Rodney Dangerfield of airplanes. If she was planning the trip in a Cub, everyone would be oohing and aahhing.
 
I flew my 150 all over the place. There was perhaps one other 150 on the field the first time I flew it into Oshkosh. I flew it over mountains, I flew it to the Gulf Coast, I flew that airplane everywhere. Gas was cheap and it used little.

That said, it got load limited very, very quickly when I tried to fill it with people/dogs/stuff. For normal sized people the 150 is a very limited traveling airplane if you have to fill the seats. For one it's great. My little 150 now resides in Oregon. I have no doubt it's owner flew it there. I have even less he did so solo.

If you were planning the same trip in a Cub, with two standard sized people and stuff, I'd say the same thing. Heck, I could have overloaded my Cherokee with one other person and stuff for a weekend trip.
 
Update. Talked to the owner and will also be there in a few nights. For now I know that at least two "upgrades" were performed since 1975 (yes the POH says 1975):

1. Pull starter added (key now just for mags)

2. Vernier throttle added (used to be "pull" type)
 
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