Cessna 150, what are your toughts about this nice little bird?
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I have few regrets in life, but selling my 1974 C150 is one of them. She did everything I needed, I toured Europe and North Africa, flew from Unst to the Scillies, and whenever I just wanted an evening bimble she was there, looking perky and eager. I thought I needed bigger, with full IFR and longer range, wrong. I needed what I had, and I will have another, a friend owns an absolute beauty if he ever sells I will be at the front of the queue.
SND
SND
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You ride a Landrover Series 1 or 2?
You'll be happy with a C150 ;-).
Pretty basic, but cheap and fun.
40 flaps for tin parachuting, great.
But, it remains a 20% 172usability at 80% 172costs.
If you are on a tight budget, it keeps you in the air, even in rough times.
Don't think of going 152, SID and engine mount trouble is the cost for the few MPH.
You'll be happy with a C150 ;-).
Pretty basic, but cheap and fun.
40 flaps for tin parachuting, great.
But, it remains a 20% 172usability at 80% 172costs.
If you are on a tight budget, it keeps you in the air, even in rough times.
Don't think of going 152, SID and engine mount trouble is the cost for the few MPH.
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dont overfill .... To add my fTO had one of the first UK imported Grob115 on loan from the dealer for a few weeks, so to be honest I only did probably twenty instructional hours on it. I don't recall any issues with it. The G115 Tutor is the usual RAF upgrade, so like the difference between the Beagle Pup 100 (which was underpowered) and BAe Bulldog.
My main concern was flying a composite aircraft and having a lightening strike without parachutes. In the accident you mentioned were there CB's around? Can you let me know the regn, I would like to read the report.
My main concern was flying a composite aircraft and having a lightening strike without parachutes. In the accident you mentioned were there CB's around? Can you let me know the regn, I would like to read the report.
I have a fond memory of being checked out at Cambridge in a 152, quite a while ago, and rounding off the trip with a PFL, which I did as I was taught at Sleap by Adam Wojda, ie keep the final turn nice and high, then all the flap and as steep a sideslip as I could manage to get a touchdown just over the notional hedge.
It was like going down in a hi-speed lift. To his eternal credit the instructor kept his hands in his lap, but when the very short roll-out ended, and I admitted that I had scared myself quite a lot he said, with feeling, "Me too".
It was like going down in a hi-speed lift. To his eternal credit the instructor kept his hands in his lap, but when the very short roll-out ended, and I admitted that I had scared myself quite a lot he said, with feeling, "Me too".
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Like some of the Land Rover's, the 150 could have done with a bit more power, but unlike its four-wheeled cousins (apparently, here on Pprune!) it was generally more reliable and didn't break axles, diffs or gearboxes. It did, however, leak a little and the doors were as flimsy as my Series 1's.
Given that my 150 had a nickname, used with affection by many on the airfield(s) where it was domiciled, I'd say it had character aplenty.
FP.
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dont overfill .... To add my fTO had one of the first UK imported Grob115 on loan from the dealer for a few weeks, so to be honest I only did probably twenty instructional hours on it. I don't recall any issues with it. The G115 Tutor is the usual RAF upgrade, so like the difference between the Beagle Pup 100 (which was underpowered) and BAe Bulldog.
My main concern was flying a composite aircraft and having a lightening strike without parachutes. In the accident you mentioned were there CB's around? Can you let me know the regn, I would like to read the report.
My main concern was flying a composite aircraft and having a lightening strike without parachutes. In the accident you mentioned were there CB's around? Can you let me know the regn, I would like to read the report.
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For all its operational limitations I loved my C150F, which I owned for a number of years and in which I flew many hundreds of hours. The 40 deg flaps are magic on bush strips and, flown sensibly and well, it's fine little machine. Despite the slight speed advantage of the C152, I never felt they trimmed up as nicely as the 150 and, as others have noted, I was rather sorry to have sold my C150.
Having said that, I've recently owned a Tecnam P2002-JF which, like all aircraft, comes with its own foibles. While there are quite a few years and a large number of dollars separating the two aircraft types, in absolute terms I'd take the Tecnam for comfort, operational economy, range, handling and fun factor. Before launching into C150 ownership in 2017, I'd have a good look at the LSA market - there are many fine little aircraft around now. You're not getting all the ruggedness of a C150 but you're not hauling as much empty weight, either. That translates into some significant gains for many pilots.
Having said that, I've recently owned a Tecnam P2002-JF which, like all aircraft, comes with its own foibles. While there are quite a few years and a large number of dollars separating the two aircraft types, in absolute terms I'd take the Tecnam for comfort, operational economy, range, handling and fun factor. Before launching into C150 ownership in 2017, I'd have a good look at the LSA market - there are many fine little aircraft around now. You're not getting all the ruggedness of a C150 but you're not hauling as much empty weight, either. That translates into some significant gains for many pilots.
Last edited by tecman; 3rd Oct 2017 at 13:02.
l learned to fly back in 1968 on the Reims Cessna F150H at the Bedfordshire Air Centre, Cranfield. Delightful little aeroplanes, but slow. The one on which I flew my first solo (4 days after starting the course - a 'B' gliding badge helped) was G-AVVY and was only 5 months old at the time. Still flying today as G-UFLY.
We were taught to use 40° flap, including short landings at 50 mph with about 2000 rpm. No problem - but the aircraft were brand spanking new!
We were taught to use 40° flap, including short landings at 50 mph with about 2000 rpm. No problem - but the aircraft were brand spanking new!
I once checked out in a Pup 100. In my opinion it wasn't underpowered; about the same weight as a C150 with the same (O-200) engine but with a higher wing loading hence it had a longer takeoff run, I found it very pleasant to fly, but having said that, the O-240 would have made it better!
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It depends what you want to do. If you are building hours or just want to bimble around the air for the joy of flying the 150 is a great little aircraft. I was taught to always do short landings with flaps 40, the touch & gos during training teach you to get the flaps up to 10 or 20 as soon as the wheels are on the ground which is good practice because they are easily dented by FOD on dirt strips. To be fair, the hot & high performance leaves a lot to be desired but this is not an issue in the UK. Load and elbow room can both be a problem for larger adults who will feel cramped and/or run out of MTOW easily. OTOH if you want to lug weight around you need a 182 anyway.
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(i am not owner of any aircraft, thank god, but work with them long time and having had PPL as well, with both 150/152)
O-235 is having its own light tech problems but most of them not affecting run if maintenance is doing its job.
O-235 is not having starter clutch in eng aft gearing like O-200, if this clutch slips too much it can broke and destroy gearing... very old model pull-start is better.
As mentioned several time on this thread, it is quite robust little plane which is going for ever if owner takes care of it even little.
