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Hi, I'm Todd. I got my first airplane ride a few months ago, and now I am renting a 172 to haul my instructor around. I'd like to put those rental fees toward my own ride. I'm very interested in the 150, but from what I have been reading it sounds like it may not be enough plane. I'm looking for experienced advice. I want to fly around in the mountains close to home. Grass strips about 5000' elevation. Between Kalispell and Great Falls MT. Is that to much for a 150?
Thanks

Hi, I'm Todd. I got my first airplane ride a few months ago, and now I am renting a 172 to haul my instructor around. I'd like to put those rental fees toward my own ride. I'm very interested in the 150, but from what I have been reading it sounds like it may not be enough plane. I'm looking for experienced advice. I want to fly around in the mountains close to home. Grass strips about 5000' elevation. Between Kalispell and Great Falls MT. Is that to much for a 150?
Thanks

Hi, Todd, and welcome to the club!

I have owned and flown 150s and 152s in the Boulder/Denver area for quite a few years. The 150 will do just fine but you have to accept its limitations. At our elevations, climb rate is reduced and take off roll is longer. Airspeed management becomes more critical.

It will make you a better pilot.

I've not flown mine off of grass at our elevations. A lot would depend upon the condition of the strip.

Something to consider is your size and the instructor's size. The 150/152 has a small cabin and a limited useful load. Two big guys in one at 5000 MSL is probably not a good idea.

Hi Everyone, Hi Todd, and welcome...

I've only been a member of this club for less than a month and I can tell you it is well worth it... There are some extremely knowledgable and friendly people on this board.

On that note, I'm relived to say, I've finally settled on a name for N61112... Take a look at the pic an have a wild guess!

It took 5 hours and 20 minutes to fly from KRKR to KIFA (about 520 miles) and it cost $78 in 100LL ... and a quart of oil... I flew the entire way with the Carb heat on full... In my estimation the weather was very conducive to Carb icing today, so I didn't want to risk it... I also landed after dark... kinda sporty given the conditions, my first night plane landing in over 15 years!!!

I also noted that my radio is good for about 12 miles range... is that what every one else seems to see?

Question, is a quart of oil normal for 5 hours of flight time?

Hi Josh! I'm a newbie to this site as well and this is my first post! You are brave and by golly we are all pulling for you! You are right, this site is great for info on the 150. The club has a great book on the Cessna 150 and I have been enjoying reading it. Ah to be a kid at age 42 again! I got my PPL while in the USAF in the Phillipines in1974 and flew for a while and then took a short break of 39 years. Well last week I flew a Cessna 150 as part of my getting current again!...and I'm 66! Luckily I found a great instructor...I flew the 150 and only needed assistance on the flare. Hopefully in 5-7 hours I will solo again. Boy some things you never forget. I would love to buy a 150 as well and was watching the 150E that Tony just sold. What a deal! There is a very similar 1965E for sale on Aircraft Shopper Online. Low airframe & engine times and by the photos beautiful just like Tony's. In fact it has a heavy duty nose wheel as well even though the seller doesn't mention it! BUT unlike Tony's, it's not IFR, doesn't have a current annual and the seller is asking $20,000! But there was just too much going on with me not being current to jump at Tony's 150. Now I'm renting the "ONLY" 150 available to rent in Phoenix and looking forward someday to ownership. Josh good luck!

It depends on where you keep the oil level on the dipstick. With most 150-152, anything above the 5-qt mark will get blown away quickly, giving you an inaccurate idea about oil consumption.

I use the empty oil bottles to make a bunch of bottles with 1/2 qt each, and add a bit of Camguard. When the oil level on the dipstick gets down to 4.5 qts, I put in a 1/2 qt bottle. On average, my plane uses a 1/2 qt every 6 Hobbs hours.

Sounds like either a bad connector or a bad connection. Ensure there there is no corrosion on the coaxial cable at the radio and at the antenna end. Also, ensure ou have a good solid ground with the antenna to the aircraft. With only a 12 mile range, it sounds to me as if you are radiating off the cable itself. This could also be caused by a bad connection to either the shield (the braid) of the coax or the center conductor coax pin not making adequate contact to the connector to the radio or the antenna.

This results in a high SWR with associated reflected power and heat buildup which can ruin the final output transistors as well as possible errors in the compass.

Well, Josh, if that's the yardstick you use to name a plane.....Sierra is being renamed H2O.

Wait a minute. That kinda sounds watered down so maybe Corona is better.


Congrats on the flight home....your journey is only beginning.



Jim

Hi Todd and welcome to the best type club that can be found.....you've landed at a great place.

Has your research taken you to the 150/150 yet??

If not, you just might want to take a look and read up on this.

Dave Rowland in Colorado converted his 150 into a 150/150 and he can tell you first hand what this did for him and how the added performance changed the character of the plane (in a positive way).

Just a thought.

Again, welcome to the club.


Jim

There is another club member from DOWN south that is doing a conversion,But we haven't seen or heard much about it in a LONGGG time.