pilot height?

[Bruce N]

Hi all,

My 15 year old son is now very interested in starting to fly. I firmly believe the "skill set" he will learn on a taildragger will benefit him as a pilot.

He is 6'4" and still growing. Will the Cessna 170 cockpit be big enough if he gets to 6'6" tall? If so, then the hunt will be on to find one!

Thanks

Bruce

PS, The best would be to actually have him sit in a C-170. So, if there is anyone near Langley BC that would like to show us your '170, please send me an email flying@shaw.ca so we could set up a time and place to meet. Thanks!

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Well Bruce I'm not 6' so I can't say. I'm sure some of our 6 plus' pilots will speak up. But what this really comes down to is seat height because I can't imagine leg room will be a problem with the seat back. 170s normally don't come with height adjustable seats. Most older airplanes don't so you'll be in the same fix with a older 172 or Cherokee.

However later 172s and larger aircraft did come with height adjustable seats. Some of those seats have found homes in 170s or could find a home in YOUR 170 if that is what you need but not all adjustable seats will fit.

[n2582d]

Bruce,
If your son is 15, 6'4" and growing, I think you need to be looking for a plane with an open cockpit! I'm 6'2" and shrinking. Years ago I rebuilt a 1941 Taylorcraft. I installed a skylight of my own design and then had a DER approve it. It made a big difference in headroom. It would be a pain to do but if you are set on a C-170 and your son needs more headroom this might be an option. I would think that Air Repair--the L-19 specialists-- could help you if you wanted to try this. Take a look at these pictures from Wings For Christ.

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Another option would be to take some of the cushion out of the seat. I'd recommend using Confor Foam if you went this route.

[Bruce N]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for those 2 options. Not sure how Transport Canada up here would look at the skylight mod. I also fly L-19's so I know how they help in visibility in the turns as well. Will have to get him to sit in a 170 so we can see if we would need to do both the saet foam and skylights!

Appreciate the info

B

[jlwild]

Bruce,

When my son graduated from High School he was 6' 2" and he started taking lessons in my C-170B. One year later he was 6' 4" and could no longer fit in the front seat of the plane. Issues were 1) his long legs intereferred with the control colum wheel 2) the seat adjustment stops in the rails no longer allowed him to move seat aft far enough to be comfortable.

Talked to mechanics about rotating the control wheel 180 degrees on the shaft and drilling more holes in the seat rails but they would not support making these changes for lots of reasons.

Bought half of a Cessna 182 for him to learn in but off he went to college, met his future wife and lost interest in flying

Suggest you look at Cessna 182's or 180's, your son may fit in them.

[mekstrand]

Bruce,

I keep my 170 at paine Field (KPAE) in Everett. I would be happy to let you and your son try it on if you are ever down this way.

Marshall

[Bruce N]

Hi Marshall,

Thanks! Timing is everything.. We were in Seattle yesterday and today at his basketball tournament. Unfortunately they lost and we came back this evening! Appreciate the offer, and if we don't find one locally to sit in we'll let you know.

Appreciate the help

Bruce

[Green Bean]

I have had the same 170B for 35 years and at 6'4" have never had a problem with height in it or any other Cessna, including a 150 as far as seat height or seat adjustment. The same is true to all of the following that I continue to fly - Boeing 737, de havilland, Beech King Air's or Bell 47, 205, 212 and 412. The seats all have adjusted fine. Its not an issue.

[flyguy]

I am 6' 6" (may be shrinking) and have owned '93D , a '52model, for more years than I care to remember. Never have had a problem with either cabin height or length. No need to do any mods for that boy's height unless he goes beyond 7' ? ?

[DaveF]

I'm 6'2" and have newer model articulating seats in my airplane. I keep them cranked almost all the way up and have no trouble with visibility or hitting the headliner. I have flown in stock 170s and find them comfortable too.

Based on a conversation I had a few months ago with a very tall prospective 170 buyer, I'd guess that leg/torso ratio counts more than total height in how well a person fits in the airplane. A very long torso is likely to cause a fit problem.

[Bruce N]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your help on this one. I was able to get my son into a '170 today, and he "fits" great. You should have seen the smile! No problem with the rudder distance or the cabin height, there is still room for him to grow, as the seat still had to be moved forward for a comfotrable distance to the rudder pedals.

If all goes well we'll purchase a share of this beautiful aircraft.

Bruce

[GAHorn]

...
If all goes well we'll purchase a share of this beautiful aircraft.

Bruce

Be sure to join The Int'l Cessna 170 Association... and also to perform an Annual/Pre-buy Inspection!

[Bruce N]

Will assist in the annual inspection if this goes through. Using '170 the "modifications" list, will look at the spar carry-through and the rudder cables where they go through the rear bulkhead! Any other spots that need more careful inspections?

Thanks

[yukontools]

I am 6'3" and 240 and '69A is a 170B and I fit fine. A bigger problem I found was my size 13 feet while wearing bunny boots in the winter is finding room on the pedals. You know what they say about big feet.............that's right............big boots. I have a tall set of David Clarks and from time to time I bang my head around if it's bumpy.

[Bruce N]

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the tip. My son's feet are size 12 and still growing. Fortunately in Vancouver the winters are not as harsh as in Alaska. Will have to see about the headsets, that could be an issue, so making the top foam thinner, or installing slylights, could fix that issue.

Appreciate the input

Bruce