Could someone give me some dimensions off a short body, please?

[bcg]

I'm bringing a rescue dog from Az to Tx in my C next week and need to figure out how big of a crate I can get into the plane. Could someone with a C or other short body measure the door opening and the area behind the right seat with the seat all the way forward for me, please? I meant to do it while I was doing maintenance on the plane today and forgot. It's an hour and a half round trip so it would be a huge help.

[ShuRugal]

I would recommend getting one of those collapsible fabric travel crates. You'll be able to fit much more on the back seat than you can fit through the door, past the yokes, and into the seat.

The interior width of my C at the backrest of the rear seats is about 37" at the seat top and about 38" at the seat cushion. Curvature obviously takes away width very rapidly above shoulder height.

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[bcg]

19 minutes ago, ShuRugal said:

I would recommend getting one of those collapsible fabric travel crates. You'll be able to fit much more on the back seat than you can fit through the door, past the yokes, and into the seat.

The interior width of my C at the backrest of the rear seats is about 37" at the seat top and about 38" at the seat cushion. Curvature obviously takes away width very rapidly above shoulder height.

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Thanks, this helps.  The rescue group is providing the crate, they just need to know how much space is available.  I doubt they're going to spring for one of the nice fabric ones and honestly I think I'd rather have plastic in case the dog gets sick or something.

[ShuRugal]

Something worth considering: how quickly can you get the dog out of the plane in the event that you have a fire? If the crate only opens on the end, and does not open wide enough to get the dog out with the crate on the seat, you'll need to make a plan of action for how to deal with that, including the criteria under which you will abort so you don't burn with the animal.

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[bcg]

Put a halter on the dog and connect it to the rear seat belts.

If it was my dog, I would. I don't know anything about this dog though, no idea how it'll react to being in a plane, if it's going to get sick or anything else. I'd hate to have to spend a week cleaning the interior because of something that a crate would have contained.

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[Hank]

1 hour ago, M20Doc said:

Put a halter on the dog and connect it to the rear seat belts.

But first lay an old moving quilt on the seat, covering the seat back, too.

You can likely fit a medium plastic crate (my dog travels in a small one that she sleeps in at home, too, so it's familiar). A larger crate may go in the door one piece at a time and assemble in pla e on the backseat.

Note that the dorm opening is much, much bigger than the pass-through space to the backseat with the front seat leaning against the yoke. 

[Pinecone]

FYI, Pilots n Paws will supply you with crates if you fly missions for them.

I have not tried to get them in my airplane, but I can see the large will not go in assembled (two piece ones).

[McMooney]

I believe there is a maintenance manual in the downloads section with the dimensions

[Fly Boomer]

18 minutes ago, McMooney said:

I believe there is a maintenance manual in the downloads section with the dimensions

As @Hank pointed out, the door dimensions may not be helpful.

[The Other Red Baron]

I'm 5'10" ish and I'm barely able to fit in the pilot seat with a 36Lx23Wx25H collapsible metal crate sitting across the back bench in a M20E.

[McMooney]

3 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

As @Hank pointed out, the door dimensions may not be helpful.

was just pointing to where i believe i've read all the internal dimensions.

but if the plane is like my E, folding down the rear seat  and pushing the right seat forward would give you something like 5 feet of space

maybe 4.   interesting though, think i'll go measure just for future ref

Edited June 21, 2023 by McMooney

[bcg]

Just now, McMooney said:

was just pointing to where i believe i've read all the internal dimensions.

but if the plane is like my E, folding down the rear seat  and pushing the right seat forward would give you something like 5 feet of space

My rear seats don't fold down, unfortunately.

[Skates97]

17 hours ago, M20Doc said:

Put a halter on the dog and connect it to the rear seat belts.

17 hours ago, bcg said:

If it was my dog, I would. I don't know anything about this dog though, no idea how it'll react to being in a plane, if it's going to get sick or anything else. I'd hate to have to spend a week cleaning the interior because of something that a crate would have contained.

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I have done a number of these flights. At first I was doing anything that would fit in the plane, and if it was bigger than a crate would allow I would put a harness on and clip it into the back seat belts. Then we did one flight with a bigger dog in a harness and on short final it got the runs... The old blanket it was on helped, but there was still more cleanup than I wanted. That was the last time I transported any dogs that wouldn't fit inside a crate.

[bcg]

I have done a number of these flights. At first I was doing anything that would fit in the plane, and if it was bigger than a crate would allow I would put a harness on and clip it into the back seat belts. Then we did one flight with a bigger dog in a harness and on short final it got the runs... The old blanket it was on helped, but there was still more cleanup than I wanted. That was the last time I transported any dogs that wouldn't fit inside a crate.

Ugh, that's a nightmare.

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[AIREMATT]

Harbor freight has moving blankets that are cheap enough to throw away rather than clean if something unpleasant happens.

layout a couple of those with a plastic layer under them just in case and it will cover the back seats and can be raised up vertically along the back of the front seats and clipped or clamped there and you have a small area to contain everything. Still going to be a mess when it comes time to extricate the messy pooch but at least it is all contained and separated from the plane surfaces.