Btw, some of you mention flying close to the MTOW and how its very different to what i am 'probably used to'.
Remember that in a 152 the occupants sit right at the center of gravity. (With 17 and 13 stone, they probably *are* the center of gravity.)
In a 172 the occupants sit quite a ways removed from the center of gravity. This means it's easier to load the aircraft at the edges, or even outside the balance envelope - something that's near impossible in a side-by-side two-seater unless you take a ridiculous amount of baggage. Flying at the edges of the envelope will alter the flight characteristics, especially if you don't trim properly.
But there's something else too. Having weight far away from the center of gravity, even if the weight fwd and aft balances out, still leads to an increased polar moment of inertia. That means the aircraft will pitch up and down slower, and might take more time and effort to stabilize on a given pitch angle/speed. It's not something that's impossible to handle, but it is something to be aware of, especially during the flare.
In other words, the difference in flying characteristics between a "light" and a "heavy" 152 is less than the difference in flying characteristics between a "light" and a "heavy" 172.
But I'll admit that the difference between a "light" and a "heavy" articulated lorry is probably even bigger.
this should have been calculated for each flight!
I can well imagine that flight schools discourage students from doing an actual W&B if they're going to fly the 152 with two-up and full fuel. It might lead to the truth getting out...
