Drive to both places and try the seats in each. DA-20 seats fit me 100%
the wrong way and totally throw my back out unless I recontour them with
a bunch of pillows. Other people don't have a problem. You may also
have a useful load problem in a DA-20, especially if its an older model
without the gross weight increase so be sure to check the numbers they
have. If you are looking at the DA-40, you may not fit. For some
reason they made the cockpit even smaller for their larger plane than
the smaller one. Again, try them out and make sure you fit comfortably.
Cessna's are fine planes and I've never heard of a big man that didn't
fit in a C182. I often can't see out or reach the rudder pedals without
some pillows (maybe all of us women folk should complain about men being
"elitist" since planes like this are made to fit them not us? :-) ) but
the menfolk do just fine. Down the road if you decide to buy, Cessna's
can be bought for a song these days and are much easier to maintain than
Diamonds that require Diamond Service Centers for some of the work,
composite repairs, and full body 1000h inspections. DA-20s are also not
approved for IMC if you are thinking about an instrument rating down the
road. DA-40s are but you are talking about some money there and as I
previously mentioned, I think you are going to find the cockpit small.
Helen
On 5/4/2012 7:55 AM, bikerider1959 wrote:
> Sorry to stir up so much controversy with a post that was really badly done. it was a combination of things that lead up to that post.
> I have been planning now to go for private pilot. and have been considering purchasing a used Cessna 182 or perhaps building one of a couple of kit planes out there that don't meet LSA requirements but they have useful loads of 1150 to 1200 lbs.
> I also have been following the recreational pilot issue.
> the whole thing with that post is even being in shape because of my Stocky build and muscle weight (I was a weightlifter in school)I have also recently been told that I cannot Take my Boy Scouts to a high adventure camp because they have a "standard" Height and weight chart and if you don't fit their chart you cannot go, no exceptions.
> so we had to move next summer's plans to something else. so with that and the wording of the one post it just rubbed me the wrong way.
> and also up until the post I thought the conversation on how to increase useful load while trying to stay under the gross limit was becoming very interesting.
> So I apologize to everyone for my comments.
>
> I do have another question would I be better off to drive an hour to the Cessna flight center closest to me or drive a bout 45 minutes to a place that had diamonds for trainers? any guesses on this?
> thank you
>
>
> --- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, "circicirci"<acensor@...> wrote:
>> Hi Paul (I THINK that's your name),
>>
>> You said --
>>
>> "...studying more really does not bother me two much since I am an engineer. and have already completed the ground school portion for private pilot.."
>>
>> That makes you IMO a perfect candidate for private pilot.
>>
>>
>> Getting your private pilot license would actually open you up for many more choices of aircraft for training, renting.
>> It would also open up to you a wider choice of flight schools and CFIs.
>>
>> And if you could ever consider BUYING, or jointly buying with others (which is a great way to own an aircraft), with a private pilot license there are some GREAT deals out there in good quality aircraft that can easily handle your 300 pounds.
>> If you're in the shape you would seem to be from your excercise and fitness state you shouldn't have trouble passing the medical.
>> In your case there's no reason to not try to pass the medical.
>> For others there's a risk that if they take the medical and fail it they're locked out of Sport Pilot, too.
>> In your case (since sport pilot seems a no-go anyway) less reason to not try.
>> If in doubt you can go to a regular doc with the aeromedical standards in hand and see if he/she can assure you you'd pass when you get to the official aeromedical examiner.
>>
>> For a private pilot there are many excellent buys out there (really a buyers' market in GA aircraft now and for the forseable future) in neat aircraft that us sport pilots aren't allowed to fly (some under $20,000, many more under $30,000, I and my co-owner or our LSA would have gladly snatched up if we didn't have other reasons for going for the sport pilot license.)
>>
>> Good luck if you go that route. I doubt you'd regret it.
>> One item of advice if you do:
>> Try to be realistic about how much it will cost AND how much time commitment it will take. Too many start out and drop out when they see
>> what it's going to take to finish.
>>
>> As for your suggestion the FAA should have set the LSA limits higher.
>> Well, they had to set it SOMEwhere.
>> No matter where the specs were set there's always SOME good reason argument that they could/should be a bit higher.
>>
>> The context of setting the limits where they were included this:
>> There were a whole bunch of UL pilots out there flying "fat" ULs (illegally fast and illegally heavy, fuel tanks too big, etc.)
>> That legal weight limit empty for THOSE was (and is) only 254 pounds and max speed 55 knots, five gallons of fuel.
>> So the LSA rule allowing aircraft (which the ULers could apply their previous hours experience to get sport pilot licensed for) like the current LSA's that empty weigh in around 600 to 700 pounds empty and can fly 120 knots seemed like Santa Claus arrived.
>>
>> There is a current proposal before the FAA to allow private pilots to fly without medicals in many heavier and faster aircraft with certain sport-pilot-like limitations.
>>
>> So if you wait and see if that one goes through you'd have yet another option: Get the private pilot license AND fly many conventional GA aircraft without a medical.
>>
>>
>> Alex
>>
>> --- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, "bikerider1959"<paulwalter@> wrote IN PART:
>>> I love how everyone just assumed that i am a 400 lb couch potato getting frustrated with the world no one even asked what my situation is.
>>> I am 6ft and weigh 300 lbs. with a 42" waist.
>>> I do 5 miles on the treadmill every day, I climb, I hike, I have hiked the grand canyon rim to rim carrying an 80 lb pack.
>>> I weigh 300 lbs most of it muscle,the lowest I have ever been in my adult life is 270lbs.
>>> losing the weight is not an option because muscle does not burn like fat. I have found that if I increase my exercise program too much I will actually lose inches on my waist while gaining weight.
>>>
>>> and studying more really does not bother me two much since I am an engineer. and have already completed the ground school portion for private pilot. .....
>
>
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