(sigh)cue band, slide in soap box.
As a former USAF Flight test director, specializing in weight and balance issues,
Your friend is right to the point of the certificated T/O weight limit set by Cessna.
Question
1. Will the C-150-152 take off over weight?
2. How much over weight can you go and still be considered safe?
3. If I take off over weight will my insurance cover me?
Answer
1. Yes, but you become an unofficial test pilot... meaning you are in uncharted/unpublished testing areas.
2. 0. Anytime you take a risk by going outside of tested and published data, you can be considered reckless and unsafe after the fact. (Your results may vary- I am not a lawyer)
3. Probably not. Read your own coverage and call your agent.
With out trying to sound the doom and gloom, I would like to bring up a few "issues" as to going over the maximum weight as listed in the POH/handbook.
First I am sure everyone has at one time or another pushed the envelope of our tiny aircraft. Each time, we learn something from it, as usually I got away with it, I can do more, and may try some thing greater another day. In Alaska, (help me Terry) there is an allowance to go over weight by a specified amount, (10%) and I believe there are some limitations to them.
Ask Ed Pataky of what he thinks about spins.
Spins are an aggravated stall that may occur with very little notice. (ask Ed) As we go over gross, we require an ever increasing amount of lift (read also more drag) which is aquired by angle of attack/relative wind. This brings us closer to the stall spin problem that takes away pilots every year. What about Va ? As we increase the weight of the aircraft the Va speed goes up, we can over stress things that way also. Most of our 40+ year old aircraft have been stressed long before we got them and maybe it is a timeto give them a bre... no just go easy on them and not go to the max or over unless you really need to. (FedEx ships to KCWI)
Just use caution when you intentionally go outside the book, and take real good notes to share the facts with us upon successful completion of your flight test.
Last edited by Dan_Winnie; 10/22/07 03:25 AM.
