How Short Is Too Short?

[Three_Per]

I agree fully. They could never do that as every machine is different. A law would just be pointless.

 

Do you think manufacturers would actually make a min. height?

I'm really wondering why they don't (or I haven't seen) any mins. already.

 

 

If "X" individual is able to get their CHPL then I would have to think they where at least physically able to fly in the machine they trained on. Of course if you where a too short to physically be able to fly any training helicopter without illegal mods you would therefore be unable to obtain a CHPL. Same goes for someone who exceeds the maximum allowed weight in the front seat of a given helicopter.

 

I have met an engineer who had never been for a ride in an R22 (the machine they where endorsed to work on) due to max weight issues. This person would obviously never be able to be a pilot on that particular helicopter, unless of course they shed some weight.

[Winnie]

Being short might preclude you from flying certain machines, where there is a 'Design Eye Reference Point'. this due to safety, as accidents have happened when pilots could not see over the top of the instrument panel correctly (Moosonee accident comes to mind).

 

But other than that, if you don't mind traveling with an extra piece of bagage, and have a way to bring extra weight with you when you take over a job, should be no worse than anything else.

 

Cheers

H.

[Gary Watson]

Being short might preclude you from flying certain machines, where there is a 'Design Eye Reference Point'.

 

 

Can that be installed in cars driven by little blue-haired ladies?

[Daz]

Hey, a thread about me

 

I might get to 5'3" with my boots on. I've lost a few pounds over the past couple years; I'm probably about 135 or 140 pounds now depending on how much change is in my pockets.

 

I'm a low-timer (223 hours or so) and my time is limited to Robinsons, but I can tell you that with the Robbie back-rest, bot the 22 and the 44 fit about perfect. I don't even need to have the 44 pedals all the way forward - with the back-rest the middle pedal position fits bang on. I've had my CPL-H for a bit over a year, and spent last summer with Mountain View Helicopters flying happy tourists around Drumheller in an R44.

 

As the minimum solo pilot weight in a 44 is 150lbs (unless a w&b calculation shows otherwise), I had to chuck a 25lb barbell under the seat whenever I flew alone. We always kept one or two around 'cause both my base managers were also small/short ('cept they's chicks, so it looked normal on them )

 

I forgot the ballast weight once on a solo flight back to the farmhouse - as I didn't have much fuel on board my COG was probably fine, but I did feel a bit nose-high on approach...

 

I found that being a runty little feller did have advantages. One of my co-workers was very tall, and after a long stretch behind the controls, he really had to un-fold himself getting out of the machine. That, and with a bunch of fuel and three big passengers on a hot day, I always had more power available than the big guys did (one co-worker probably weighed 100lbs more than me!).

 

Befire I started my ab initio training posted a similar question - I received similar answers and a bit of a consensus saying basically " it's easier to stretch into most machines than to squeeze into 'em".

 

Cheers!

 

- Darren

[papa bravo]

Hey, a thread about me

 

I might get to 5'3" with my boots on. I've lost a few pounds over the past couple years; I'm probably about 135 or 140 pounds now depending on how much change is in my pockets.

 

I'm a low-timer (223 hours or so) and my time is limited to Robinsons, but I can tell you that with the Robbie back-rest, bot the 22 and the 44 fit about perfect. I don't even need to have the 44 pedals all the way forward - with the back-rest the middle pedal position fits bang on. I've had my CPL-H for a bit over a year, and spent last summer with Mountain View Helicopters flying happy tourists around Drumheller in an R44.

 

As the minimum solo pilot weight in a 44 is 150lbs (unless a w&b calculation shows otherwise), I had to chuck a 25lb barbell under the seat whenever I flew alone. We always kept one or two around 'cause both my base managers were also small/short ('cept they's chicks, so it looked normal on them )

 

I forgot the ballast weight once on a solo flight back to the farmhouse - as I didn't have much fuel on board my COG was probably fine, but I did feel a bit nose-high on approach...

 

I found that being a runty little feller did have advantages. One of my co-workers was very tall, and after a long stretch behind the controls, he really had to un-fold himself getting out of the machine. That, and with a bunch of fuel and three big passengers on a hot day, I always had more power available than the big guys did (one co-worker probably weighed 100lbs more than me!).

 

Befire I started my ab initio training posted a similar question - I received similar answers and a bit of a consensus saying basically " it's easier to stretch into most machines than to squeeze into 'em".

 

Cheers!

 

- Darren

 

Hey Darren, I feel the same about my height and weight being an advantage. I posted this thread to show someone else that it isn't a negative thing to "stretch into most machines than to squeeze into 'em".

 

 

You put it perfectly.

 

THANKS

[Torquestripe]

I worked with a gal that was about your size back in 06 and she was flying 204's. When I flew... seat all the way back...when she flew seat all the way forward! She had to carry ballast as the 204 had a 200lb min pilot weight. But she did just fine! Monica I believe her name was.

[06HeliMAN]

Hey, a thread about me

 

I might get to 5'3" with my boots on. I've lost a few pounds over the past couple years; I'm probably about 135 or 140 pounds now depending on how much change is in my pockets.

 

I'm a low-timer (223 hours or so) and my time is limited to Robinsons, but I can tell you that with the Robbie back-rest, bot the 22 and the 44 fit about perfect. I don't even need to have the 44 pedals all the way forward - with the back-rest the middle pedal position fits bang on. I've had my CPL-H for a bit over a year, and spent last summer with Mountain View Helicopters flying happy tourists around Drumheller in an R44.

 

As the minimum solo pilot weight in a 44 is 150lbs (unless a w&b calculation shows otherwise), I had to chuck a 25lb barbell under the seat whenever I flew alone. We always kept one or two around 'cause both my base managers were also small/short ('cept they's chicks, so it looked normal on them )

 

I forgot the ballast weight once on a solo flight back to the farmhouse - as I didn't have much fuel on board my COG was probably fine, but I did feel a bit nose-high on approach...

 

I found that being a runty little feller did have advantages. One of my co-workers was very tall, and after a long stretch behind the controls, he really had to un-fold himself getting out of the machine. That, and with a bunch of fuel and three big passengers on a hot day, I always had more power available than the big guys did (one co-worker probably weighed 100lbs more than me!).

 

Befire I started my ab initio training posted a similar question - I received similar answers and a bit of a consensus saying basically " it's easier to stretch into most machines than to squeeze into 'em".

 

Cheers!

 

- Darren

 

You make me chuckle Darren

 

[pilot5]

I couldn't resist!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NvgLkuEtkA