Am I too tall to be a pilot?

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Upper-Cow1957@reddit

I’m 6’7 currently training in a 172 working on my instrument, it’s cramped but possible also depends on the plane, some of my schools aircraft I try to avoid bc my head hits the ceiling others I don’t have that issue. Depends on the make and model and the plane itself. Nothing smaller than a 172 is gonna work for you.

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datbino@reddit

Bro just buy a Buick.

And there’s lots of planes with open cockpits

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BigJellyfish1906@reddit

I’ve seen a 6’10 dude walking around the crew lounge. He has to deal with boomers commenting on his height all the time, but that’s it.

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Saint-Paladin@reddit

You’ll have a hard time .. likely impossible time doing training. The training planes are so small at 6’0 180lbs even I’m cramped. You’ll need a specially made plane that has only a back seat in the sumbitch lol

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LongBeachTrijet@reddit

I don’t know which plane in which you did your training, but it’s more than possible.

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Saint-Paladin@reddit

An Archer. I can’t imagine someone being 6’9 having a decent amount of space to be able to train in it correctly without being cramped to the point it makes it hard to focus and learn.

I shouldn’t of said impossible, but my point was he was not gonna have a good time lol

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LongBeachTrijet@reddit

I am 6’5 and the only GA aircraft that is way too short on the headroom was the DA-20. Otherwise, I was a CFI in 152s, Tomahawks, 172s. Cherokees and never had an issue.

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Rusty1031@reddit

I’m 6 even and I scoot up a good bit in a 172, so you should have plenty of room. Just don’t expect to be comfortable in a 162 or RV12 lol

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Past_Consequence315@reddit

Lebron already planning post retirement, My goat stays proactive

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AmoebaSecret8158@reddit (OP)

🤣🤣

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Arkin3375@reddit

Not an issue. Some trainer aircraft have more room than others. Won’t be a problem in a jet

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Hodgetwins32@reddit

Hawker, Lear, Beechjet enter the chat

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LongBeachTrijet@reddit

6’5” here, and my height is mostly in my torso neck and giant freak head. No problems in the Beechjet or Hawker. The BE40 is short on legroom for those with longer legs than average

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latedescent@reddit

"lear neck" is a thing

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PILOT9000@reddit

Won’t be a problem in jets with a larger cockpit. An A320 will be fine, but most bizjets will not.

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cashew929@reddit

Just expect a lot more "whats the weather like up there?" jokes...

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gofapro@reddit

6'3, I could fit in a C172 pretty easily, its the C152 you might have problems with..

Regarding weight and balance, they might pair you with a tiny instructor that's like 130lbs, I was 270lbs then as a total gymrat. But on the bright side my instructors were for the most part, absolute angels.

There used to be this DPE that was very heavy set, would pass most people, I could never ride with him for any of my checkrides.

There is a way to adjust the seat height on a 172, I highly recommend you figure that out when you begin flying, when I first started flying I used to get chronic back pain because of it, lucky that I was young, albeit stupid.

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hehampilotifly@reddit

My designated pilot examiner was 6’8 and crammed himself in a 152 to do a checkride for me. Excellent guy. He typically flies 777s.

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Fastmover1000@reddit

Hey Kareem Abdul-Jabbar fit perfectly in Airplane! The Movie in 1980..

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csl512@reddit

That was Roger Murdock

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ThatLooksRight@reddit

Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lambier up and down the court for 48 minutes.

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Chemical_Race_8676@reddit

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got that “answer” on Jeopardy and guessed the question wrong.

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Dasgerman1984@reddit

You know, he’s been hearing that crap since he was at UCLA. Maybe you can cut him some slack?

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DefundTheHOA_@reddit

😳

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57thStilgar@reddit

Roger, Roger, but surely you know the moonroof doesn't open?

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callitanight79@reddit

Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison?

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PhilRubdiez@reddit

Do you like movies about gladiators?

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LeagueResponsible985@reddit

What’s our Vector Victor?

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sunsetair@reddit

Roger, Roger

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WuhOHStinkyOH@reddit

We have clearence, Clarence.

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odinsen251a@reddit

I doubt it, really. I'm 6'1" and end up moving the seat a fair bit forward on the rails even in a 172. The left seat also usually has a height adjustment so you will probably be fine.

Go take a discovery flight and see for yourself.

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tomdarch@reddit

172s are pretty generous for height (not so much for width.) But my CFI (6'2"/188cm) tried to get training in the school's new Evektor aircraft and couldn't comfortably close the canopy, so some training aircraft could be a problem at that stage.

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Malcolm2theRescue@reddit

I was 6’2”. Never a problem.

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odinsen251a@reddit

Edit: getting in and out on the other hand... That might suck.

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Cherokee260@reddit

At least for a 172, bigger folks can exit out the copilot side where the seat rail is able to move further back

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not7squirrelsincrye@reddit

6’7. I’ve flown 182s and 172s. Only thing I couldn’t really make work was an MD500.

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Tough_Wrap_333@reddit

I’ve met 2 guys who were 6’5 and 6’7, and they did make it work. Id recommend booking discovery flights in different trainers and see if anything works.

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Taptrick@reddit

Except in the military, I have friends that are 6’3” and they don’t fit in a lot of cockpits, mostly the training aircraft.

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Sad-Umpire6000@reddit

This guy isn’t too tall: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2012/february/pilot/b-ball-to-biplane

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voretaq7@reddit

Can't be too tall for the cabin if there's no cabin ceiling!
That's some Galaxy Brain shit right there! :-)

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voretaq7@reddit

only problem is I’m 6ft9 is that an issue?

Well you're not gonna fit in a Cessna 150.
You'd probably be a tight fit in a 172 or a Piper Cherokee/Warrior.
For reference (I'm 6'2 and in a Cherokee 180 I'm 2 holes from the back of the seat rail. You'd be all the way back and maybe a little cramped.)

Your weight may be as much of an issue as your height for Weight-and-Balance purposes in light aircraft (again I think a Cessna 150 might be out, but you'd be OK in other common trainers).

Pretty sure you'll fit in anything made by Boeing or Airbus, albeit maybe not with optimum comfort.

TL;DR? Yeah, you can make it happen.

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Big-Carpenter7921@reddit

I've met 6'10 pilots

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Tendercut@reddit

Yea I'm 6,2 and barely fit in the chreokees, even with the seat dropped as low as possible the head set scraps the ceiling.

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pilotingmusicman@reddit

I’m 5’10’ and skinny and even I feel cramped in a Cherokee

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Big-Carpenter7921@reddit

I'm 6'5. It was snug

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Tendercut@reddit

Ingestions depend on leg to torso ratio. I have comparable short legs and a long torso. So I'm having to slide the seat up close to properly apply the breakers and rudders. But the seat barely drops low enough to accommodate my torso height.

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DadOnTheInternet@reddit

Have you invested your money? Invest and fly for fun!

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rrconey@reddit

Im 6’9 and train in a cessna 172 weekly I gotta pull the seat all the way back and my knees don’t fit under it but still more comfortable than in my jeep wrangler!

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Glum_Lavishness_601@reddit

We have a guy working for us that is that tall and flew in the military. You will be fine.

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Low_n_slow65@reddit

6’ 5” here. The older model 172s (N&M in my experience) suckkkk. Especially as the CFI in the right seat because some of the seats don’t move down and I have to move the seat all the way back. The newer models I have no issues and fit just fine. 6’ 9” is a different story but worth a shot!

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Adventurous_Bus13@reddit

I’m 6’5 and fit ok. You won’t be able to fit in everything but I know pilots your size .

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AsleepExplanation160@reddit

might need to pass on a school that uses 152s, but other than that you'll be fine

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AvocadoLarge@reddit

I’m 6’7”, got my license in a Cherokee 140. Was a little tight but it worked. Moved into high wing Cessnas, fit pretty well in those. Flew 207’s for a 135 in Bethel, very roomy. Went into bonanzas, did not fit great, you’ll be very scrunched at 6’9”. Got into Navajos, got just fine. Now flying king air 200’s with plenty of leg and head room. Long and short of it all, you’re not too tall but you won’t always be comfortable.

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Familiar_Hand_4352@reddit

I saw a video of an airline pilot being 6’11

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Tendercut@reddit

You might be unless you find a trainer aircraft that has a particularly high cockpit. I'm 6'2 and barely fit in the cherokees i fly.

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Ok_Tale7071@reddit

Do a discovery flight at a local flight school. I’m sure you will fit just fine.

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skywagonman@reddit

No, I’m 6’7, trained in a 172, flew as a 727 Flight Engineer, flew tiny ass Falcons and have had very little trouble. My back hurts, but that’s just a normal day for taller people.

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350RDriver@reddit

Student of my school is 6'8" in the 172.
No problem, just sits really far back, which actually leaves more room for everybody's shoulders.

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Narrow_Cheetah4236@reddit

No

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Happy-Tax1242@reddit

I know a dude whos like 6’4-5 who fits in a da20. Probably not comfortably but he fits. Definitely look for a 172 though

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firecasey@reddit

6'8" and trained in a 172M no problem

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AmoebaSecret8158@reddit (OP)

🫡

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Rough_Engineering743@reddit

No . My buddy is 7 feet . He flies professionally. But your formative training might be a bit uncomfortable.

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jgremlin_@reddit

Whether or not your height will be an issue really all depends on what you intend to do and where you intend to do it. Because the reality is at 6'9" you will not fit comfortably in certain airplanes.

That doesn't mean its a non-starter for you. It just means your job options may sometimes be limited because of your height. They may, then again they may not. Really just depends on what your particular job options end up being. But I'm 6'1" and there's planes I wouldn't want to fly because of how I fit in the seat.

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LeagueResponsible985@reddit

6’ 7” pilot here. You’re not too tall. Once in the 172 or 182 I’m fine. Getting in and out is a bit of a challenge but manageable.

I have a few hours in a DA40 which I found quite cramped.

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554TangoAlpha@reddit

No, I've flown with 2 people who are 6'10". One of them in a CRJ lol.

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Chemtrailcreator@reddit

Taught a guy back in the day that was about 6-7 or so, he had a hard time for the first few flights in the school’s 172s so I suggested to him that we try a flight in the 182 and that made all the difference. He got his private, he rented it all the time after, and we did his instrument rating, all in the same airplane.

So, no, you’re height can be managed as a pilot. Just find a plane that will fit you and you’ll be fine. Just starting out as a pvt pilot and into your instrument rating can all be handled by a 182 so it’s likely a good starting point for you to look for a school that has one.

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I_love_my_fish_@reddit

Im around 6’4 and fit in a C172, you probably won’t fit in a DA20 or C152 though.

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flannelavenger@reddit

Im 6'6" and fit in a piper warrior with lots of room to spare. It's been a long time since I've been in a cessna 172 but I remember fitting without complaint. I'd definitely try to find a school with pipers.

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HoboSaaz767@reddit

Roger Murdock had no issues

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chillvilletilt@reddit

Absolutely! Good luck! Keep us posted on your progress

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Pro-editor-1105@reddit

Unfortunately not. You need to be atleast 7'1. Shaq said he wanted to be a pilot when he grew up but was just too short.

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austinstrider@reddit

Not fully qualified to answer this, but seems like you have the ability to do what you want, so start by seeing how well you fit in a 172 and go from there. Don’t kill the dream because you may or may not fit in X aircraft after you’re done with training.

I’m 6’4” and was fine for my training. Might depend on where the length is distributed in your frame.

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Additional_Shoe8605@reddit

I wanna see you try and fit in a c150, not even that you can w&b cause at 6ft 9 your probably at least over 220, but just to see the proportions. A 172 may even feel a bit small lol. At this point you may have to train in a 206 or something.

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Neither-Way-4889@reddit

I mean, you're not really "too tall" but you're tall enough that most normal trainers are going to be a very tight squeeze for you. I would say go to a couple different schools and ask for discovery flights in Cessna 172s and Cirrus SR20s and SR22s. Those would be more likely to fit someone of your size than something like a C152 or DA20.

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

Currently a professional basketball player but will not have enough to just live on forever like people in the NBA but I love planes and want to fly and by the end of my career I should be able to comfortably pay for pilot school only problem is I’m 6ft9 is that an issue?

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