I despise cessna 172's

[DX Wombat]

PH-UKU - you're wicked How is your little River Rat doing?

[Pilot DAR]

DX Wombat,

The Cessna part number is: 0501020-1 "Pedal Extension Assembly". You might check with you local Cessna parts seller for price and availability. That part clips on to the cast aluminum pedals (1970's and early 80's). It would not fit the eariler pressed aluminum, or later plastic ones.

Good luck...

[draccent]

thanks! Ill check on the pedal extension things. As far as my bitching about 172's goes, its just that everything is JUST and I mean JUST out of reach....its like I can fly it but it never feels right. The school Im at doesnt have 152's.....the place I used to fly at did and I loved it. I really think its the seats. I just don't understand, that as much as theses planes cost, they cant afford to put decent seats in them. Ive seen jump seats in king cab trucks that look better. I'm guessing you can have bucket seats in an airplane right?? Im totally ignorant.....so bear with me please?

[toolowtoofast]

with a bucket seat weighing in at 20kg, and a 172 seat at about 5, there's the reason that bucket seats aren't fitted into aeroplanes

[FullyFlapped]

Whirly :

Leave this ridiculously designed, ultimately boring aeroplane for...those who want to fly it.

Whirly, you really surprise me. You're normally a beacon in a landscape of ill-considered crap, but this ...

Hey ho. Perhaps you'd just come home from the pub like I have ...

I was about to launch into a serious defence of the 172, a plane which took me all over Europe, and which provided the platform for some fantastic fun. But on reflection, if you're too short to ride the rides at the funfair, I guess you're too short ... but I don't think it's particularly grown-up to blame the ride !

FF

PS : Whirly, if you're Sheffield based as I think you are, you can shout at me in person soon, I'm coming you're way for a trial lesson ...

[draccent]

well Im like 5 foot eight inches so I dont think Im all that short. I dont know, its just that everyone Ive seen who flies seems to just be comfortable as can be in the plane. I dont know if its inexperience or what, just nothing seems.....like it fits? I mean is this going to go away as I get more time? One thing that gets me is if I really go as far as I need to forward, the yoke is up in my knees...obviously dangerous. Just back from that...its OK and I can fly fine. Its all I can do to read those little hash marks on the altimeter when Im setting it...just little things like that that drive me nuts.


But my biggest question for all: I always feel like the plane is flying me and not the other way around. My instructor told me I try too hard. It surely seems to fly just fine without much effort. Ive only learned that recently. Does that "touch" required come with time, or is this something I need to teach myself? And how does one do that?

[POBJOY]

c 172

Buy A Turbulent,and Quit Moaning.
Pobjoy

[draccent]

whats a turbulent? if your suggesting an ultralight......

[BeechNut]

Well the good ol' 172 is a pretty reliable and solid machine, but I find them rather boring to be honest. And significantly overpriced in N. America, especially used ones; I have a Beech 180 hp, aerobatic-capable Sundowner that I picked up for less than a Lycoming-powered C-172 (the older Continental versions are significantly cheaper).

I've never had trouble flying the Skyhawk, pretty much trim it and go. Bit heavy in the flare with full flaps but that's the only vice I can think of.

But I'd still rather fly my Beech: quicker ailerons, better in-flight visibility, wider cabin, more stable in turbulence, better x-wind landing, lighter controls.

[training wheels]

Originally Posted by draccent

well Im like 5 foot eight inches so I dont think Im all that short.

I'm way shorter than you and I have about 230 hours in C-172 .. no cushions, no rudder extensions either. And you say you can't reach anything in the C-172?

[digital.poet]

Hey! Everyone lay off the poor 172! I am 6'7" so I need something with a little more room to squeze my legs into. Everything else at my club is an incredibly tight fit.

[sternone]

Im totally ignorant....

What were you thinking ? Comming on PPrune and posting 2 messages and then without any arguments (besides your midget sized sheath) telling that one of the most sold planes in the world is crap ?

Try to think before you do something in life please, what happend now was that you did something and now you are thinking about what you did...

[Whirlybird]

Whirly, you really surprise me. You're normally a beacon in a landscape of ill-considered crap

Ooooo...I've never been called a beacon in a landscape of crap before!

FullyFlapped, I wasn't 100% serious...or not in the way it came over. I personally don't like the C172; I struggle to fly it because I can't reach things, and I find it rather boring when I do. So I just appreciated a whole thread designed to rubbish it; what fun.

But being serious and adult and with my "beacon in a landscape of crap" hat on, of course there's nothing wrong with it. Loads of people fly it, so there can't be. I'd just rather not be one of them, that's all.

I'm no longer at Sheffield, so why not come to Tatenhill for your trial lesson so that I can yell at you there!

But my biggest question for all: I always feel like the plane is flying me and not the other way around. My instructor told me I try too hard. It surely seems to fly just fine without much effort. Ive only learned that recently. Does that "touch" required come with time, or is this something I need to teach myself? And how does one do that?

Ah, yes. This often happens when you convert to a different aircraft. The trouble with converting from the C152 to the C172 is that it looks the same, it feels the same, people will tell you it's the same...and it isn't! It actually flies a bit differently and you need a conversion course and a bit of practice. Well, you do if you really, really want to fly it, anyway.

As you can all see, I can't seem to stop putting down the C172..but I'm trying, honest!

[gcolyer]

Draccent,

I am 5 foot 9. I find with the seat fully forward it is just right in a 172.
You need to remember you are used to a 152 where with the seat fully back you are probably comforatable and the seat fully forward you are ready to impale yoruself.

I learnt to fly in a 150/2 and I found it strange in a 172 at first. The other thing to keep in mind is the 172 is a heavier more powerful (don't laugh everyone) aircraft, and that will throw you off for a while and make you feel that you are not properly in control. In fact as you move from type to type you might have similar feelings.

[WALSue]

I'm a smidge under 6 foot and quite happy in both the 172 and 150 and quite comfy in both.
Prefer the 172 but thats probably more to do with the ASI and one of the fuel gauges being bust in the other!

[B2N2]

The "new" model 172 SP has much better seats and adjustable in height also:



These are the rudder pedal extensions from www.aircraftspruce.com



It might just also be that particular aircraft you are flying, over the years there have been many differences between the models of 172 and even 152.

Or you could try these:

http://www.pilotmart.net/amelia/sear...&subcat_22=163


They have;

[FlyerFoto]

Mmmm.....

http://paulcoulthread.fotopic.net/p45112635.html

http://paulcoulthread.fotopic.net/p45112639.html

Neither are going to win any beauty contests are they? (And, before anyone says anything, I believe the same may have been said about me.....)

Now this, on the other hand.....

http://paulcoulthread.fotopic.net/p45112645.html

However, whether or not the Diamond would be able to withstand over 30 years of flying school use, is another matter.....

[SkyHawk-N]

How about some lateral thinking?

http://www.heightgrowthshoes.com/

[B2N2]

Or really go overboard and try one of these:



There's a jet version:




Here's a little (no pun intended) video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZP6yyi9B5w

[Pilot DAR]

I tried one of those, but did not fly it, because at 6'3" I thought myself too tall. I'm not knocking it though.....