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New Member

G

gregplatt

New member
Hi,
My name is Greg Platt and I'm the newest member as of 8/22/13. Joined because i'm interested in the commander, especially the 112 as a nice plane for myself and my wife to build some time. Looks like a great group and I'm excited to be a member.
I'm also looking for some information, i'm quite tall, about 6'8" athletic build not to fat or anything, broad shoulders etc... Being this tall really limits plane options for me, does anyone have any experience with a passenger or pilot of my size in a Commander? I'm in the Portland, Vancouver area wondering if anyone would allow me to sit in there plane to see if it's an option?
Thanks
Greg
 
Re: New Member

Greg ... are you more long-legged or long-waisted? (Or like Lonnie, just wasted?) My oldest son Conor is 6'5" and I am 6'4", (or was.) I checked a couple of weeks ago at Oshkosh when we were visited by a guy from the Chicago area who was at least 6'5" and more like a linebacker. Conor and he both had about 3" of room yet. I have 4" of room.

Conor and I are both more long-waisted than long-legged and that aggravates the situation. My inseam is only 32". So if you carry the length more in your legs, should be no issue at all. My guess is you are fine either way, but you'd be smart to check in an actual plane.

Finally, at your height, you have to be well over 200 pounds? And you are in a mountainous area. You might appreciate the extra useful load. climb and ceiling in a 114 over a 112 and these days, the prices on 114 are so low that it is ridiculous.
 
Re: New Member

Scott,
Thanks for the reply, I'm a little bit taller in the upper body but I do wear a 36"-38" inseam pant, i'm just plane big!!! As far as weight goes I weighed 200 pounds in 4th grade no joke. When I'm in really good shape i'm a solid 275 to 300 pounds, i look like a typical tall basket ball player. Luckily I would be flying mostly solo and my wife is only 125 pounds so that works out pretty well. I'm looking at a 112b that has a 934# usable load so that would leave plenty of space for fuel. I'm not so worried about speed because my typical mission is 100 to 200 nm leg with your occasional 500nm trip, also i'm at 17' asl and most of my trips would include low altitude requirements except for the occasional trip between the Cascade mountains, i'm thinking the 112 fits my requirements pretty well. Also like you said the 114's are really cheap, well from what I've seen you can get a 112 for the price of just the engine!!!
I'm open to all ideas, i'm just a guy that reads a lot at doesn't really know hands on that much about other airplanes. PLEASE slap some sense into me if i need it.
I really started looking at 112's as an alternative to lighter planes not an alternative to Bo's, cirrius etc... I really think that the 112 is a great plane vs 172's, 177's archer etc... Great plane to get an ifr ticket in and do a lot of cruising.
 
Re: New Member

You have most of it all right ... the Commander will fit you very much better than everything else you mentioned. With long of an inseam, you your seat height is probably no higher than mine.
 
Re: New Member

Greg-Welcome hope you will fit in a Commander as they are pretty roomy for with and height and not sure if there are other planes any better in the vertical height you need, could be but I don't know. I think there are some members here that have some Commanders close to in Vancouver and hopefully they will chime in and you can sit and fly in the plane to see if it works with your height.

Be careful on those low priced planes and surprised no one mentioned yet Judi Anderson if you are serious she is our resident expert and Broker on the Commander Aircraft ,and knows a lot of the fleet and the history and can help you find a nice one and an excellent and honest broker which is hard to find in aviation.


http://www.suncoastaviation.com/main.htm
 
Re: New Member

I figured that the commander is known for it's size and I could possibly have the seat modified with less foam? I've heard of a few guys going that route for height issues.
 
Re: New Member

gregplatt said:
I figured that the commander is known for it's size and I could possibly have the seat modified with less foam? I've heard of a few guys going that route for height issues.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan and wondering if you could pull the pilots seat and cut out a few inches in the steel frame to make it lower and have it re-welded together with the few inches taken out. Probably possible and pain with paperwork but thinking it could be done with your FSDO.
 
Re: New Member

CenAir said:
wondering if you could pull the pilots seat and cut out a few inches in the steel frame to make it lower
Click to expand...

No. The seat bottom is more complex than you might realize. There's not much room for chopping out metal (maybe an inch, if we're being generous), and there's the seat latching mechanism to consider. That part can't be lowered, yet portions of it are held in place by the frame above it. So if you lower the frame you have to compensate for the latch handle ... oy, what a headache.

When you consider the tall people in COG that fit in a Commander, I'd be surprised that any adjustment would be needed in the seat foam either. That would compromise some of the comfort factor, anyway.
 
Re: New Member

Greg:

I was 6' 6" when I bought my 112A back in 1997, even though I've shrunk to only 6' 5" now. But I taught my 6' 8" son Mark how to fly in my Commander back in 2002 and he fit comfortably. Also, I weighed 285 for a long time (now down to 262) and didn't have major w&b problems if I was willing to leave with less than full tanks.

I don't think you'll find a better size solution in a single engine airplane. :)

Andy
 
Re: New Member

Andy,
Thanks for your post, if you and your son were comfortably in the front together than that sounds pretty good to me.
I think that you are right, the commander is really a good option for Taller and larger people, sometimes i think that Cessna's are the only option.

Does anyone know of a CFI in the pacific northwest that has experience with the Commander?
Thanks
 
Re: New Member

I´ve never flown the 112, just 114s, but I would recommend going to the 114 for the extra power since you are plane big.

I´m short, 5´10¨ and just 150 pounds, so you are almost twice me. I´ve flown with a 295 pounder, his brother was a 200 pounder, my son at 140 and me plus bags; that was one of those very few days that I really needed to work my weight & balance calculations and remove some fuel.
 
Re: New Member

Hi Greg

I have a 114 and based in Camas. Would be happy to show you mine and let you check it out. I also have my CFI/II but my Commander experience is somewhat limited as Im a new owner myself. Im 5'8 and 160 so Im no help on the size question.

Let me know if I can help,
Tim
 
Re: New Member

Tim,
Thanks, I would love to check it out some time, I really appreciate the offer. Do you currently instruct? How are you enjoying your purchase of the 114.

Thanks again
 
Re: New Member

Greg,

I tried to send this via pvt message but I keep getting a "server error" message so you either got this about 5 times, or not at all.

Tim

---------
Greg,

I should be in town tomorrow (sunday) through Tuesday afternoon and I have plans Sunday from about 2 till 6 but other than that I think Im open.

I havent really done any formal instructing for a while but have kept it current. Im currently getting ready to teach a private pilot ground school for a group of 5 friends that want to start learning to fly but Im not going to do any of their flight instruction. I have been out of that realm of flying too long to give them adequate instruction I think without alot of work on my part and Im just a little too busy right now too for that, but I am going to be starting an instrument student sometime this fall. If youre looking for a Commander experienced instructor in the NW, I dont know of any but that doesnt mean there arent any around but I'm getting to the point with mine I'm feeling pretty comfortable to give someone a checkout or a high perf endorsement if needed.

give me a call if youd like.
360-901-7598

Tim
 
Re: New Member

Tim,
Wow, thanks for being willing to spend some time showing me your plane, i'm glad I joined the group. I have to leave town today and I'll be back Sunday night. I don't want to inconvenience you in any way but i would love to come take a look Monday. I'll give you a call Sunday after 6 and set something up, no worries if something comes up and you get busy. I live near Vancouver lake so I'm not very far away.
Sounds like fun teaching your friends.

Thanks again
Greg
 
Re: New Member

Greg,

Being tall and big does have its advantages, in the dating game and such.

But with aircraft it is a disadvantage.

You are stuck with what you have so you have to make the best of it.

A Commander is the only way to go.

If you are very tall and skinny there are advantages, you could lay on the wing and work under the instrument panel, with your feet flat on the ground.

I am also tall, I am only 19" short of seven feet.

Being big and tall is fine for flying a Commander, but maintaining it is another subject.

I can just imagine you climbing through the baggage door, sitting there and removing the power pack. Or during annual removing the rear seat front bolts.

What Brian stated in a previous post is so correct.

Life is a barrel of fun.

Ken.
 
Re: New Member

Greg,

No problem. Monday should be fine. Give me a call anytime.

Tim
 
Re: New Member

If you havn't met up with Tim yet let me know. Mine is based at Pearson and if you live by Vancouver Lake we are about a mile apart and I am North of you.
Be glad to show you my Commander.
If I can I will send you a PM.
 
Re: New Member

Update,
Well thanks everyone for the great info, I was able to meet Tim and his Son at Pearson and take a look at his 114. First of all Tim is great and his plane is stunning! Wow that 114 has some really neat mods and the panel is exceptional. Brian I'm sorry i didn't see your post until now or I would have told you we were meeting up today. Your 112b is very nice, Tim was telling me about it, he said that you had looked at another Hot Shot at Pearson that was available.
Well I'll be honest I just don't know if the Commander is big enough for me. I know that it's one of the largest most comfortable GA planes available, and after looking at Tim's the build quality is exceptional. My head touched the ceiling and my knew was touching the yoke on my left leg due to the armrest on the door. Love the Commander though.
One other item that may be a deal killer for me and maybe someone can let me know if this is right or not. Tim had looked at some Weight and Balance figures with Him and Myself in the front seats, i'm 280-300# and I believe Tim said he was around 160#. It didn't look like it would work in his 114. Right now I'm looking at a POH for a 112b and it looks to be nearly the same, I think that I'd be out of the envelope?
Anyway it was a lot of fun meeting Tim, I have a picture of him and his son in front of the plane that I'll attach.
Greg
 

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Re: New Member

gregplatt said:
i'm 280-300# and I believe Tim said he was around 160#. It didn't look like it would work in his 114.
Click to expand...

No, that's not likely to work. However, if you put 120 pounds (or more) in the baggage area then you would come back into the envelope (in fact, more or less squarely in the middle of it), even with full fuel.
 
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