Am I too fat to soar?

[Jayhawk Jake]

So I know at some point in the future I'd like to do some kind of piloting.  I will probably go for PPL, and while I probably have the time to do it now, I'm not motivated enough and I don't want to spend the money or the time to get the license if I'm not going to fly much (which I won't).  I only see myself flying in the area every now and then, not really travelling that far, and even then only doing it on nice days.

I've always been intrigued by soaring and I think it would be excellent for me.  Much less expensive to learn and do, and it's easy enough to go get in a glider and tool around for a little bit on a nice day.

But there's a problem: I weigh 240 pounds, on a good day.  When you factor in clothes and shoes and whatever, it's more like 250.  I need to lose weight, and am trying, but if I wanted to start gliding tomorrow, would I be able to?

The same question goes for sport flying.  If the flying club adds sport pilot training (they just got a Skycatcher a few months ago), I may go for that, but MTOW of a Sport plane is 1320 lbs, so if I take up 250 of that, would I be able to fly with an instructor?

Any input is appreciated

[Fozzer]

Start slimming, Jake...(Weight-watchers?) ...!

I weigh 154 Lbs....Height 5' 7"....Perfect for a Cessna 150 Aerobat!... ...!

Paul... 8-)...!

[Dave71K]

From my experience you shouldn't have a problem learning in a C172 when I looked in to it it said people over 196lb need to use a 172 and there wasn't really an upper limit. It was just more expensive for the bigger aircraft.
I 5 8' and 161 pounds so I can squeeze myself in to 150 if needs be.

[expat]

At that weight Jake, you are likely to have a two fold problem when it comes to gliding. Firstly, the glider will have an all up max weight so you need to factor in the instructors mass too. Secondly, a ASK 13 for example is a tad C of G sensitive. To overcome this, you can bolt in lead ingots in either the forward or aft cockpit. That then puts you back in all up max allowable. Another small problem will be the cockpit size against you own frame. Don't forget that when gliding, you will be required to put on a parachute and that adds around four to five inches to the depth of your back. Due to the size of said chute, they also have a max all up. When I started gliding in 1990 I was on the limit and could only fly with two of our instructors. It was a good incentive to lose a few pounds. Best option right now, help your heart out....It is amazing how much money you save by cutting our the chocolate, crisps and biscuits too

Matt

[Jayhawk Jake]

At that weight Jake, you are likely to have a two fold problem when it comes to gliding. Firstly, the glider will have an all up max weight so you need to factor in the instructors mass too. Secondly, a ASK 13 for example is a tad C of G sensitive. To overcome this, you can bolt in lead ingots in either the forward or aft cockpit. That then puts you back in all up max allowable. Another small problem will be the cockpit size against you own frame. Don't forget that when gliding, you will be required to put on a parachute and that adds around four to five inches to the depth of your back. Due to the size of said chute, they also have a max all up. When I started gliding in 1990 I was on the limit and could only fly with two of our instructors. It was a good incentive to lose a few pounds. Best option right now, help your heart out....It is amazing how much money you save by cutting our the chocolate, crisps and biscuits too
Matt

I'm working on the weight. I don't know that my size would be much of a problem, I'm not that big considering how much I weigh, and I'm only 5' 8".. I was more worried about cg and mtow issues.

[SaultFresh]

I don't know much about gliders, but I do know that at your weight, you can fly a 172 no problem, even with an Instructor, and an assortment of other aircraft. I myself am 6'1" and as of right now, I weigh 231.4lbs, haha, it's only precise because 1) I'm trying to lose weight, and 2) I weighed myself this morning. During my training, the heaviest I got was 250lbs, and in the summer, for my medical, I weighed in at 248lbs. As well, a few summers ago I was about 240lbs, and took up a 260lbs passenger. Chances are your Instructor will be a relatively light person, probably around 165lbs avg, and if you get your PPL, then you can fly LSAs as well as other aircraft.

[beaky]

It depends on the glider... and no, you don't need a parachute.
With the Schweizer SGS 2-33 I fly, with me (at about 180 with my shoes on) in the back and you at 240 in the front, that would leave us about 30 lbs.below max gross weight, and within the balance envelope (albeit in the forward corner). That would be about my personal limit. But not the absolute limit-the glider will fly OK with even slightly more weight in both seats.

[expat]

It depends on the glider... and no, you don't need a parachute.

Must be different in the USA. I have never seen a pilot in a glider here in Europe or the UK fly without one. In fact go to a club and refuse to wear one, you will not fly. It is only a legal requirement if you enter cloud, but as far as club insurance goes it may as well be a legal requirement.

Matt

[littlebenny]

Just go training: go swimming, running, fitnessing.
my doctor doubted to pass me at my medical examination because i was too light, i'm 15 and I weigh 45kg ( 90 pounds). in my glider, I have to add 28 kg to get it right.

But truly, there is no more awesome sport than soaring

[C]

It depends on the glider... and no, you don't need a parachute.

Must be different in the USA. I have never seen a pilot in a glider here in Europe or the UK fly without one.

I wouldn't. There was a chap in the 90s who was glad he had one, as somewhere over Berkshire his glider disintegrated around him (stray lightning IIRC!)...

Mind you, it's amazing how many people, particularly in private aviation, will resist spending money on anything that'll save their life. They'll happily spend

[Jetranger]

LOSE WEIGHT Really fast - like in minutes - Slim & Trim down in minutes , be a New You - How do you lose Weight in just minutes Try standing in a room full of Poisinious Snakes,, you'll lose weight really, really fast ,, you'll be so Nervous !!!!

[beaky]

It depends on the glider... and no, you don't need a parachute.

Must be different in the USA. I have never seen a pilot in a glider here in Europe or the UK fly without one.

I wouldn't. There was a chap in the 90s who was glad he had one, as somewhere over Berkshire his glider disintegrated around him (stray lightning IIRC!)...

Mind you, it's amazing how many people, particularly in private aviation, will resist spending money on anything that'll save their life. They'll happily spend

[Hagar]

Must be different in the USA. I have never seen a pilot in a glider here in Europe or the UK fly without one. In fact go to a club and refuse to wear one, you will not fly. It is only a legal requirement if you enter cloud, but as far as club insurance goes it may as well be a legal requirement.

Matt

I waited for beaky's response before adding my two penn'orth. I found an article which seems to confirm that gliding club rules in the US are indeed different from those in Europe. http://continuo.com/marske/COSA/parachute.htm
COSA is the Central Ohio Soaring Association.

[quote]At the altitudes I typically fly (below 5000 AGL), even in a collision scenario, a parachute would be almost useless.

[expat]

A point that I missed as Hagar pointed out with Rob Davies,

[C]

The transponder thing I can't argue with much, but they are expensive and add weight (including the weight of the batteries). But if the club were contemplating buying other bulky panel-mounted goodies for either glider, I'd suggest a transponder instead.

In the states it's probably less of an issue as you have a lot of air to share. On our little old island, where airspace (particularly uncontrolled airspace) is precious and limited, you end with a lot of users in a very small space. Sadly, a fair proportion still believe that "see and avoid" will keep them alive...

...and off the top of my head I can think of at least 5 GA mid air collisions in the relatively recent past in the UK. :-?