Big Passanger

[TLSDriver]

I have an awkward question.  I have a new neighbor that keeps asking me to take him for a flight.  Normally that would be a fun and I would go in a second.

Here is the issue:  I dont know for sure but I think he weighs around 300lbs....(range  is 275-350.)

Wondering if there is a nice way to ask him how much do you weigh?  Will the wing be happy with this weight on it?  Seat take that weight?

I can already imagine we would be cozy but I want to make sure I am not getting my self into a dangerous situation or one that may do some harm to the plane.

On the other hand if not then lets go fly!  Would like to be a good neighbor.

The plane is a 1998 Bravo.

 

Thoughts on how to handle this?

 

[201er]

Getting in is one thing, getting out is a whole other story! I've had passengers weighing less than that barely be able to hoist themselves up to get out.

[TLSDriver]

Didn't think of that!

[gregwatts]

Quote: TLSDriver

I have an awkward question. I have a new neighbor that keeps asking me to take him for a flight. Normally that would be a fun and I would go in a second.

Here is the issue: I dont know for sure but I think he weighs around 300lbs....(range is 275-350.)

Wondering if there is a nice way to ask him how much do you weigh? Will the wing be happy with this weight on it? Seat take that weight?

I can already imagine we would be cozy but I want to make sure I am not getting my self into a dangerous situation or one that may do some harm to the plane.

On the other hand if not then lets go fly! Would like to be a good neighbor.

The plane is a 1998 Bravo.

 

Thoughts on how to handle this?

You might just tell him you don't give rides. Or you could just be brutally honest.......and tell him you only give rides to females.

[gregwatts]

Quote: TLSDriver

I have an awkward question. I have a new neighbor that keeps asking me to take him for a flight. Normally that would be a fun and I would go in a second.

Here is the issue: I dont know for sure but I think he weighs around 300lbs....(range is 275-350.)

Wondering if there is a nice way to ask him how much do you weigh? Will the wing be happy with this weight on it? Seat take that weight?

I can already imagine we would be cozy but I want to make sure I am not getting my self into a dangerous situation or one that may do some harm to the plane.

On the other hand if not then lets go fly! Would like to be a good neighbor.

The plane is a 1998 Bravo.

 

Thoughts on how to handle this?

You might just tell him you don't give rides. Or you could just be brutally honest.......and tell him you only give rides to females.

[Ned Gravel]

David:

I ran into the same thing three years ago.  My wife's friend has a hard time getting around and tipped the scales at well over 275 lbs.  I concentrated on the safety aspect of flying. Didn't she want to fly with someone who pays attention to the detail?

Yes.

Well the detail in my airplane included two things that might cause her some difficulty.  First, I had to ask her her weight so that I could assure the proper distribution of loading for a safe flight.  Second, she had to be able to get in and out of the aircraft relatively easily.  Didn't she agree?

Yes.

So she fessed up the weight and she practiced entrance and egress a couple of times.  Met all my safety needs.  So I was OK to go.  So was she.  Problem was that the seat belt did not have enough in it to go round the parts it should.  Took four attempts (on her part - no way I was going to get involved here) to get it on.  She did.  She enjoyed the flight.  We were safe. 

And she never asked to fly again. Although I know she loves to fly and has recommended that activity to many of her friends.  She also knows that I am always looking for an excuse to go flying and perhaps take someone else.  Flying is best for me as a shared experience.

You can bet your bippy anyone she talks to about this will know how I prepare, the detail I think is important, and what I do when we go flying.  Safety first - always.  Even if it means embarrassing the passenger a little.  The choice is theirs.  The requirement is mine.  Be kind, but if they know you cannot fly if it is not safe, they become more willing to cooperate.

This help?

[Parker_Woodruff]

Not necessarily a problem.  I know a guy who sits in a Mooney just fine at 300+ lbs.  For some, it just wouldn't work.

Do you have a C182 available that a friend would let you use when your airplane is "down"?

[johnggreen]

I once knew a gentleman who had a six cylinder Mooney and a "large" wife.  He was no wilting violet himself.  He weighed at least 260, I would guess, and she a "few" ounces more.  She would ride in the back seat witht the right front seat all the way forward for room.  Watching that plane take off with full fuel and "all" aboard was, uh, interesting, but they did it regularly.  They wouldn't be three hundred feet AGL as they went out of sight, but went they did.

Now, I was never privileged to see how they extracated her from the depths of the Mooney, but it must have been interesting.  Wish I had then I could tell you how to do it.

Anyway, apparently it is doable and if you leave off some fuel, even legal.

I think I would worry about him stepping on the wing though.

[DaV8or]

Quote: johnggreen

I think I would worry about him stepping on the wing though.

[201er]

Quote: DaV8or

[aviatoreb]

Quote: TLSDriver

I have an awkward question.  I have a new neighbor that keeps asking me to take him for a flight.  Normally that would be a fun and I would go in a second.

Here is the issue:  I dont know for sure but I think he weighs around 300lbs....(range  is 275-350.)

Wondering if there is a nice way to ask him how much do you weigh?  Will the wing be happy with this weight on it?  Seat take that weight?

I can already imagine we would be cozy but I want to make sure I am not getting my self into a dangerous situation or one that may do some harm to the plane.

On the other hand if not then lets go fly!  Would like to be a good neighbor.

The plane is a 1998 Bravo.

 

Thoughts on how to handle this?

 

[Jeff_S]

I ran into this when I was approached by a fellow member here on Mooneyspace to pick him up at an airport where he was getting some work done on his Bravo. Being a pilot himself he was very open about his weight, which was over 300.  I knew that total W&B wasn't a problem but my J seems to be nose-heavy to begin with so I was concerned about having both of us in the front seats.

I ran through several different W&B calculations at different fuel levels, and having him in the back seat instead of the front. No matter how much fuel I had, the calculations showed that with both of us in front we'd be forward of the CG envelope, but with him in the back seat we were well within limits.

I sweated about this overnight because I didn't want to offend, and frankly didn't think the back seat would be too comfy. Then it hit me...with the front passenger seat kept all the way at its aft position that was practically the same as having him sit in the back, and I reasoned this would be satisfactory. So that's what we did, and frankly, in my J I don't think he would have been able to move the seat forward at all anyway. The flight was uneventful.

[GeorgePerry]

I've always believed honesty is the best policy.  I'd simply tell him that your plane is like a small "sports car" and small planes and big guys don't go together.  If he really wants a ride see if you can rent a 182 or somthing designed to haul a load.

[Piloto]

Three things I would keep in mind if you decide to fly him around:

1. Leaves the flap down before boarding and egressing

2. Set the articulating seat to the lowest/far position. Otherwise the mechanism will crack.

3. Point to him the hand hold strap when egressing. Most heavy peopple tend to grab the door upper edge thus deforming it. Depending on his condition you may need someone on the wing to help him getting out.

 

José

 

 

[DaV8or]

Quote: Piloto

Depending on his condition you may need someone on the wing to help him getting out.

[FAST FLIGHT OPTIONS LLC]

I had the same issue and rented a 182! 

[Skywarrior]

As mentioned above, I fly a '91 Bravo, and I weigh 315 lbs. The biggest problem with that weight is my blood pressure - not the Mooney. 

I have a lot of trouble getting out of the aircraft, even after doing it so many times. One thing that helps is wearing shorts, so that bending my knees is easy to do. Actually, my problem is mostly due to my height (6' 4"), not my weight.

No problem with walking on the wing root, no problem with the seat.

But, it is your airplane.

[Becca]

I can't imagine if it's just two people you are going to have weight and balance issues with 300 lbs in your right seat,  from a lateral cg perspective it's not different from having to skinny right seat pax in front and back.  Check your forward cg but any problems there you can probably fix with either human or cargo ballast in back and still not over gross your plane.  I wouldn't be shy asking him about his weight - just tell him you need it to do some preflight calculations, after that I don't think you need to discuss it again. 

 

 As for getting in and out - yes it's hard, old skinny people have a hard time too.  Bring a stool and be patient.  If your attitude is "can't" that's what will happen, if your attitude is "can do" you willbe fine.  People with wheel chairs go flying.  People with broken arms and legs go flying.  Share your love of flight it will work.

[Becca]

Oh as for wing don't worry about it.  Isn't there a picture from mooney factory of a dozen people standing on wing?  It holds lift force of a 2000' airplane, it's ribs aren't going to bend under 300 lb man.  Haven't you ever had two people climb onto wi g at same time.

[flyboy0681]

I recently flew a rather large relative without any issues. The only problem was that I couldn't get to the trim wheel because of, how should I say, the spillover.

[jlunseth]

I always ask weight.  I tell them the FAA requires it, which is true.  I have not had to put any large passengers in the back seat because of it, but did have one passenger move the seat to the rear stops.  That worked balance-wise, for that flight.

[MARZ]

I usually pull out my w&b app on my Iphone when the request to fly comes - my explanation is that I have to determine the amount of fuel I can take.  

"Lets see I weigh 210, you're going to sit in the Co Pilot seat, You weigh?, your wife will be behind me, You weigh? my son will be behind you to help balance the plane, he weighs 110.  There, we can safely take off with xx amount of fuel, which gives us x hours. "

It's all part of the pre flight at that point and well received.

 

[DaV8or]

Quote: flyboy0681

I recently flew a rather large relative without any issues. The only problem was that I couldn't get to the trim wheel because of, how should I say, the spillover.

[flyboy0681]

Quote: DaV8or

That's actually a serious problem. I can't imagine flying my Mooney without access to the trim!

[PTK]

Have your neighbor consider losing some weight as an incentive. Make it a condition to have him lose say 100 pounds. It will be healthier for him and your Mooney!

Wasn't it US Air or some airline that was charging a double seat price for overweight passengers?! I'm not suggesting charging him but have him lose some weight for crying out loud! Not all things we do are for everyone. I wouldn't feel bad saying no to him until he loses weight! Assuming he has control over his weight he bears the whole responsibility and should not be dissapointed. Your responsibility is to educate him. I personally have no sympathy for people who lack personal responsibility.