Flying a 150 after only flying 172s?
Posted by LearningT0Fly@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 40 comments
Want to grab some pie up in WA this weekend and the only plane available is a 150. I've only flown 172s. Is the 150 substantially different? Looking it up it seems pattern speeds are the same (80/70/60kts) and vx and vy are ever so slightly different.
Anything else I should know? Should I try to grab an instructor for an hour or is it similar enough to a 172? The avionics is all stuff I'm familiar with, so not worried there.
4surenotathroeawhey@reddit
Like everyone else said, you’ll only need 40° flaps if you want to drop through a hole in the clouds to get to TPA, I was only doing no flap/20° flap landings in the 150. You’ll notice to severe lack of climbing performance on take off, especially during the summer haha so make sure your w/b is in the clear. It’ll do a slip really easy if you need it, you’ll have a lot of fun getting nowhere fast haha
overall, I love flying 150s/152s/172s/182s have fun and be safe!
DisregardLogan@reddit
This is more of a side note to all of the other comments, but make sure if it has manual flaps (having to hold down the flap lever) that you double if not triple check it.
I switched from a 172 and I got way too used to the flaps going down for me once I picked something and have almost screwed up a handful of takeoffs because of it.
Double check your flaps physically!
Wemest@reddit
3 touch and go’s and your good. If it has the 40 deg flap setting ignore it. Now have fun.
Neither-Way-4889@reddit
Well, you're gonna need a checkout on the 150 anyways so just have the CFI point out any major differences to you.
kristephe@reddit
I was also curious about this. Maybe someone owns one they would borrow, but I don't know any club or flight school that wouldn't do a separate checkout for 150s and 172s. Known some to do different checkouts for different 172s with very different panels.
21stcAviator@reddit
When I was doing rushed time building I’d fly a 150 in the morning and a 172 in the afternoon
They’re basically the same plane
mdang104@reddit
They fly nicer than a C172. C172 feels like a dog compared to a C152
makgross@reddit
150s like speeds around 5 knots slower than 172s. Trim is in a different place, and some instruments (esp tach) are not where you’re used to.
The really low instrument panel can make for a slightly different landing sight picture.
You’ll need a shoehorn to get in and a can opener to get out.
DO NOT use the parking brake. 172s are fine. 150s are complete flaming bags of dogshit. You’ve been warned….
Yes, you should grab an instructor for any unfamiliar aircraft.
iamflyipilot@reddit
Only 5 knots slower? The 172s I have flown do about 120 true and my 150 seems to only make it to about 90 true. But maybe I just have a slow 150.
HighVelocityNut@reddit
5 knots slower concerning landing speeds and such I would assume. That’s the V speeds on a 172 I’ve only ever flown 152
segelflugzeugdriver@reddit
150,172,182 etc are all designed to be flown by the same pilot with virtually no training. If you aren't comfortable with the systems, never hurts to get a half hour with an instructor
Disastrous_Drop_4537@reddit
That was the design philosophy all the way up to the jets for cessna for many years. That's a lot of why the slowtations had those straight wings, for the handling similarities to pistons and twins. You'd train in a 172, upgrade to a 210, upgrade to 310, then if you had the cash flow, a citation. Eventually, the owner operator market got smaller, the slowtation name got tiresome, so they made the X.
things_most_foul@reddit
I went from a 172 to a Cherokee. Only flew a 152 once. I missed being able to throw out 40° of flaps and aim at the numbers. The Cherokee could land so gently that it made me look like I knew what I was doing, but it also glided like a brick off power. It was lovely to have a manual flap rod, a Johnson rod, I think it was called, so I could feel the airflow in my hand as I came in to land.
baby-shart@reddit
Does FlightSafety offer conversion training or type ratings?
Swimming_Way_7372@reddit
Yea they have a full differences course for 172->150. Its 2 weeks. Lots to go over.
IFlyatM90@reddit
It’s probably $22,000!
baby-shart@reddit
No doubt. Dimensions of the seats, maybe stitching on the harnesses, differences in the injection moulding for some of the internal plastic fittings like the cap in the fall switch. A safe pilot would need to know all of these and how they may affect performance and the flight envelope.
BakerHasHisKitchen@reddit
It’s smaller, slower, and simpler. Flown both and there’s not much difference that’s noteworthy to my memory. Enjoy the Spruce Goose pie, I miss it.
flyingron@reddit
150 is way more forgiving. You just drive it where you want to go. Trim? Who needs it.
Rev-777@reddit
Blasphemy. One always needs more trim.
Always.
KindaSortaGood@reddit
I never touch the trim in my 150. Definitely needed in my 172 tho
flyingron@reddit
Never flew a Taylorcraft I take it. While it does have trim, it's largely pointless (it likes to unset it self back into the trail position). Some planes don't even have it.
But if you hadn't freaking guessed, that was a joke son.
Rev-777@reddit
Take it easy Ron, we’re all joking around here.
According_Tree_7892@reddit
5kts slower
cpav8r@reddit
I’m probably in the minority, but after I “upgraded” to the 172, I didn’t have much fun flying a 152 again. I think it’s because it’s so light that a dog farting in the next county will rock your wings. If you’re a competent 172 driver, will you be able to fly it safely? Absolutely.
iamflyipilot@reddit
I did all my training in a 172 then bought a 150 and hopped right in it without ever flying with an instructor. In hindsight, not what I’d recommend to anyone but the two planes are very similar.
Watch out for the speeds, though most of the early ones are in MPH vs knots. Also the full 40° of flaps will make you drop like a rock.
iamflyipilot@reddit
Only 5 knots slower? The 172s I have flown do about 120 true and my 150 seems to only make it to about 90 true. But maybe I just have a slow 150.
JSTootell@reddit
I did all my training on a fuel injected 172. Now I'm flying a 150. The air speed on mine is in MPH, so the numbers are nearly identical, just everything happens slower.
And yeah, I guess carb ice is a thing. Learned that the hard way recently too (no incident, just a scare for me). Even in conditions where I didn't even think it would be possible, I guess it can still happen.
I like flying the 150 more.
Ok-Stomach-@reddit
control wise, it's the same. though it's been a while, but my memory of flying 152 is closer to flying citabra than 172: more agile, you want it to do something and it just does it. 172 in comparison, especially after flying citabra for a while, felt very much heavier in control
Accurate-Indication8@reddit
I flew a C150 once after flying almost exclusively C172s for well over 150 hours and I found to to be a pretty seamless transition. C150 is way more power limited so that's something to watch out for (and is also a lot more susceptible to carb ice so keep an eye on that). As far as the actual stick wiggling, I found the C150 to be a ton of fun to fly and it felt way easier to fly for some reason. If you're uncomfortable, find a (small/light) instructor, but any pilot who can fly a C172 should have no issues in a C150 and they're a joy to fly.
thrfscowaway8610@reddit
Yes, yes, and yes. Get into the habit of using precautionary carb heat (I give mine a solid blast every fifteen minutes). If your engine is going to stop other than because you ran the tanks dry, carb ice will be the reason.
Best glide speed is 60 kt, rather than the 65 in the C172. Full flap setting is at 40 degrees, which provides you with a lot more flexibility, especially in engine-out or wake-turbulence-avoidance situations (you can pretty much arrive over the threshold at 500' AGL, and still touch down on the thousand-footers). Fuel setting is either on or off. Otherwise, most of what you see and do will be very familiar to you.
VanDenBroeck@reddit
Back when I was just a lowly student pilot, my CFI checked me out for solo in both his 150 and his 172. Never had an issue going back and forth between the two. I really enjoyed the 150 but did my checkride in the 172 for the extra size and stability. You should be ok.
loose_as_a_moose@reddit
Good ship but if you’re used to injected 172s get familiar with carb heat and carb ice.
BlacklightsNBass@reddit
The 150 feels like riding a bike. It’s so easy it feels like cheating. I had a much harder time going from a 150 to a 182. Controls were so heavy
SanAntonioSewerpipe@reddit
150 continental engine makes a lot more carb ice than the 172s.
douger1957@reddit
It's lighter on the controls. Otherwise, the important speeds are close enough to each other.
neobud@reddit
I have no idea, but just read through the POH and see if anything is significantly different. Also check AD's, maybe it has a unique AD.
I fly a tiny 152, and the fuel selector is: On / Off. I think on the 172, theres left and right, so maybe something like that with the 150.
Proof_Mood_9451@reddit
I think it flies significantly nicer than a 172. Light and nimble on the controls. I flew them interchangeably for years. The big thing to look out for is just the lack of power. Otherwise they’re great and I prefer them over 172s for slow VFR and pattern work!
BrtFrkwr@reddit
The 172 glides better than the 150 and is a bit more stable. You're going to like it.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Want to grab some pie up in WA this weekend and the only plane available is a 150. I've only flown 172s. Is the 150 substantially different? Looking it up it seems pattern speeds are the same (80/70/60kts) and vx and vy are ever so slightly different.
Anything else I should know? Should I try to grab an instructor for an hour or is it similar enough to a 172? The avionics is all stuff I'm familiar with, so not worried there.
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