Adam_H

The 172S has a 180 hp engine in it according to the POH I have in front of me. If you look at the lycoming website you can see that the io-360-L2A has both 160 and 180HP options. It is probably due to the max RPM. I think some engines in other aircraft had a reduced max rpm of 2400 rather than the 2700.The useful load is listed on your link is 895 lbs. Over time the Cessnas have got heavier, both empty weight and gross and with bigger engines. The M model and earlier were only 150 HP and had an emplty weight of about ~1400lbs but the MTOW was only 2300 so similar useful load.

 

The 895 lbs useful load does work out at 577 lbs with full fuel but that fuel will last you over 5 hours. If you want to use it as a 4 seater you have to leave some fuel behind. If you want to fly for 3 hours you will need about 200lbs of fuel(with reserve) and so will have about 695 lbs for people, which works out at just under 80kgs per person. An 80kg person is going to want a leg stretch after 3 hours in the back of a 172!!!!

 

There are very few GA aircraft that you can fill all the seats with big adults and top the tanks right off.... If the designer did that why wouldn't they have bigger tanks for when you want to fly with less people.

The 172S (marketed at the 172SP) is 180hp (From factory) the 172R that preceded it is 160hp - the R model has a lower MTOW than the S version by around 50kg from memory.I frequently fly the 172SP 4 up - but it has to be short flights as you really cant carry much fuel (if you are all slight builds then 90ltrs is usually max fuel to give you around 1.2 hours with appropriate VFR reserves)

The 172 was generally only able to carry 3 . It's not an overpowered plane. Stick to the charts especially where you are at altitude on a warmish day where you might be lucky to lift 2 and 1/2 fuel. Nev

Hi guys, just after a bit of clarification here if possible, on the website below it has the Lyoming IO-360-L2A as 180HP but on Wikipedia (reliable source) lists it has it as 160HP. I'm sure there are people that know much more than I do here, so just wondering if there is a simple explanation here.

Also, the website below has Payload - 577lbs. I'm right in thinking that's how much weight of passengers and luggage you can have with full fuel tanks right? Which doesn't really leave a whole heap. I know a lot of people say that Cessna's are workhorses and can usually go over their weight but that seems pretty risky to me.

2006 Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP - Plane & Pilot Magazine

Thanks in advance!

One lesson each fortnight saw me solo after 23 hours.Then 5 solo hours, a couple of dual refreshers and the certificate (similar to RPL) in 30.7 hours.

 

I enjoyed taking a year to get the certificate.

About the only way to minimise the number of hours before first solo is to

1. Organise to take a block of holiday leave in Autumn when the weather tends to be more stable.
    
    
   
2. Before Autumn hit the theory books and complete all necessary pre-solo exams.
    
    
   
3. Come Autumn, book three flights per day with your flight training organisation: 0900, 1200, 0300.
    
    
   
4. Be sure to take wholesome food and drink so that you can replenish and rehydrate after the morning and midday flights.
    
    
   
5. Take every opportunity between those flights to sit in the same type of aircraft and go over your previous lesson in thought and deed.
    
    
   
6. Try to avoid aviation horror stories and ill-informed hangar talk. Trust your books, your instructor and your instruments.
    
    
   

 

 

If you follow this regime, you should be solo close to the minimum hours. Any variation will depend on your own degree of brain/hand/feet coordination.

 

It's not rocket science. Orville went solo on the first day he tried powered flight.

 

OME

Haha I like your enthusiasm but unfortunately the most I'll be able to do is one hour a week, that's why I've been told it may be more likely to take around 40 hours to get my RPL.

Hi Guys,

Just a quick one, how many hours at average do people do in the air for their RPL and PPL. Also how many hours before first solo?

Just wanting to get an idea as I've been told virtually no one does it in the minimum required hours.

Cheers in advance

Warnervale?

No worries. You're doing an RPL then.What are you learning in?

 

RAAus is the organisation which handles the registration and training for ultralights (also called LSA - light sport aircraft).

 

It's kind of the competition to an RPL and it sounds like it's loosing the battle!

 

You'll learn about the regulations soon enough as part of your theory...

Alright I see, I googled and saw their website but wasn't sure.

I'm learning in an old Cessna C150, think it's a mid 70's model haha

Yeah well they have a bit of a learning package with all the theory information and a plane information book as well that I'll have to buy

For RAAus the exams are taken at the school you are learning at.When I thought I was ready I sat them.

Not sure about RPL.

 

Are you RAAus or RPL? I believe the syllabus is very similar.

I'm not real sure what RAAus is? Haha I will be going for my RPL and then PPL pretty well straight after

https://m.facebook.com/SydFlyingClub/photos/a.418708648181958.128748.412371688815654/1406626922723454/?type=3&source=48&__tn__=E

Thank you for the price guide mate

If you want to learn in a classroom then $20 an hour is good value for a professionals time.However I found a text book and the free tutorials on this site was all that I needed for RAAus theory.

 

With a few questions to my instructor along the way!

Yeah that's what I'm kind of thinking. Then I guess you just organize with your own air club to do the exams by yourself? Or do you organize through another governing body or something?

I'm looking at doing a theory course which is run over 1 day a week for 9 weeks, each lesson is 4 and a half hours and the exams that get completed are: pre-solo exam, pre-area solo exam and basic aeronautical knowledge exam.

It comes at a cost of $800 for the whole 9 weeks. To me it sounds like a good deal, just wanted to get some thoughts from you guys as to whether it is worth it etc

As shown in the title, I'm very new to flying, having only done 2 hours toward my RPL, doing my third hour this weekend along with purchasing a bit of a student learners kit with text books etc. My aim is to get my PPL and eventually buy a little 4 seater, all in good time though! Would love to pick up some tips and learn all I can on this forum along the way. Cheers!