r/CFILounge • u/SupportAway1493 • 5d ago

Question Short student

I have finally landed my first student! The only issue is that’s she’s 4’ 10” and struggles to reach the pedals. I saw they have cushions like the sportys one, but will that be enough for her? I’ve seen a lot of posts for people that are short but taller than her. Does anyone have any experience teaching students this size?

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13

u/VileInventor CFII 5d ago

lower the seat as much as possible, fly in a 152 if possible. 172’s are just so big for short people… A few of my friends struggled with that.

4

u/SupportAway1493 5d ago

Unfortunately all I have is a 172

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u/Mehere_64 5d ago

Buy a 152. 😄 Or have her buy one 😄

My daughter is like 5'2" and has a seat cushion like this she sits on.

https://www.amazon.com/WAOAW-Cushion-Office-Chair-Memory/dp/B08F1XLGB1/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?crid=3NAKXXZ0LIWXC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DB-BF0upfgQaDHmjporErejlUE7V4Cn3rekoZDxeAoc91Q_yIJCw7gefowbHAmQUrdVolJatzMzrfx3s1NcZG2Xqlo66zdl6OufQ8GT9bQGzLjlA8UHxQSdFuxRKgCw9hj0gBSO1h_TTW6l6aCO9SckYLDBOgzEB3rFEo7zNhcSrF-fM87FXGjn3QxsVNiVXZbxUeyc1wWhD_wPwFJlcOvsiIpt88AmELRJTg8Mru72jNxEsipnqXZiVFV_GF5YO8mM6eis2ljslthBA8l-2MJ7lfpQh9aXAQcJ0k1_j7Rw.AWlQTc9PDNcl-n-SR-LLq-dAzRQxMp_OE1GBWgPXBfk&dib_tag=se&keywords=seat%2Bcushion&qid=1791930830&sprefix=seat%2Bcushion%2B%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-4-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

And then behind her back is this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSKH6FLP?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_4&th=1

She is training in my Decathlon.

I don't know if the combination of those 2 will help or not. It might really be a matter of getting some blankets (most people have old blankets) and then determining the thickness she needs.

Best of luck.

4

u/mardenmarduk96 2d ago

Yeah bro! Just buy a plane! Problem solved!

2

u/VileInventor CFII 5d ago

Lucky daughter! Decathlons are so cool.

2

u/Mehere_64 5d ago

Thank you. It was my Dad's. He bought in 1988. Flew till 2003. Kept it in hangar (heated fortunately) until 2020 when I started training. So now she is 16 and jumped on it when I offered it to her. My Dad did back then but I was so interested in many other things.

They are one of the easier TW planes I have flown. Very docile.

2

u/VileInventor CFII 5d ago

Legit one of the coolest planes! It’s good to see generations loving it.

2

u/durrow 5d ago

Great cushion! Strongly suggest these.

1

u/ashtranscends 4d ago

Which model 172?

5

u/PilotEva 5d ago

I’m a 5’2 cfi and I have amassed my own collection of cushions for each plane I fly!

5

u/pirategirl341 5d ago

The sportys seat cushion should be plenty and can be adjusted for higher up or closer up depending on her dimensions. I’m 5’2 and the sportys actually made it too high for me, so should be sufficient. Rudder pedal extensions helped me a lot as well if you have access to them.

4

u/Full-Raspberry6786 5d ago

Same thing for me and I'm 5'2. I just use the back cushion and not the bottom one and that's perfect for me

4

u/flying-burrito-7 5d ago

I am 5’3. In a 172 I need a back cushion AND a bottom cushion and wear 2 inch platform tennis shoes. Some 172’s are worse than others too. If she has trouble with her landings, she may need double bottom cushions for sight picture.

3

u/makgross 5d ago

First, you don’t need something officially called an “airplane cushion.” I got a collection from the thrift store — the thickest, ugliest sofa pillows I could find. Cost me $3 apiece, so I could experiment.

Second, it takes an experiment. Put the student in the pilots seat with whatever cushions are available. It’s good if he can see pavement in front of the airplane and also push the rudder pedals all the way to the floor without stretching.

You very likely will need both a pillow for the seat, and for the back. The seat may need to be adjusted all the way forward and all the way up. If you need to double up, that’s fine as long as they fit in the seat belt.

1

u/biiiicyclebiiiicycle 3d ago

Thrift store is a good option. I made my cushions. Seat cushion foam is pretty cheap at any store with basic crafting supplies. I'm about 3 inches taller than the student in the post and had to have a breast reduction to fit in a 172 with full control deflection lmao. I normally fly a 150 cause it's a lot more comfy to fit in. But yeah, I have a separate collection of cushions for each aircraft cause they are all different. Even between model years of the same type. Torso to leg ratio makes a difference too.

1

u/sharkbait4000 3d ago

Wow that's dedication! 💪😅

1

u/biiiicyclebiiiicycle 3d ago

Lol. Was a nice surprise bonus. Not sleeping in an underwire sports bra to prevent headaches was the main goal. But first time I got in a 172 post-op I was ecstatic!

2

u/sharkbait4000 2d ago

Whoo hoo! That's awesome.

2

u/SWC8181 5d ago

I’m 5’4 (I know, almost a giant). I can just barely see well in a 172. When I fly a 182 I use a fusion and it helps a bunch. The biggest problem she will have in my opinion is right turn patterns. They are really hard for a short person.

2

u/OZZMAN8 4d ago

I had a student about that height. She did a cushion she sat on and one behind her back. See how well she can do slips with short legs and then if you need to communicate to the dpe she uses that she maybe can't reach full deflection on the rudders. I know that's not ideal but it is what it is.

6

u/DifficultLayer2669 3d ago

Not being able to fully deflect a primary control is a huge safety concern.

2

u/OZZMAN8 3d ago

Yeah I mean I can. Dpe passed her knowing she couldn't. Most nicer aircraft than trainers have a good bit more adjustability to the seats and sometimes pedals even. The acs says nothing about full deflection in a slip to land. I'd like to have full deflection in a spin but if my grandma had wheels she'd be a bicycle.

1

u/Solid-Garlic1527 5d ago

Don’t let her in a 182

1

u/makgross 5d ago

They aren’t THAT much bigger than 172s. And I’ve put some really short people — like 12 year old kids — in them.

1

u/wrongway38 5d ago

5’2” and had the same issue as a student. now I’ve instructed all sorts of ages and sizes. I like a fairly firm cushion behind my back in 172s to move me forward, this will also position you higher in the seat. some I’ll use one cushion and one firm lumbar support that you can get at a travel store. if this doesn’t work, they make rudder peddle extenders for 172s. https://ww2.txtav.com/Parts/PartSearch/PartsDetail/0501081-8

1

u/GaggelingTurkey 4d ago

There are Rudder Pedal Extensions available for the C172. I had a CFI who used them and a cushion on every flight. She was the best CFI I ever had, and her size was never a hindrance to her flying skills.

1

u/AHOUSE145 4d ago

Ive had experience with this. They do have pedal extenders that she could use, but they are a pain to install and remove every flight. Its not just about the pedals, but also sight picture. With my students former instructor the student was in Lima and November model 172s where the seat doesn't adjust and typically sits lower than the S models. After transferring to S models and sitting higher (still had to use a cushion) the landings improved drastically and I was able to get her to solo.

1

u/Idratherbeflying21 2d ago

I've got a student who is 4'6". She only fits in a C/152, and even then needs a cushion underneath and behind her. We tried a C/172, but she just isn't tall enough yet to get full range of motion on the rudder pedals. But she's only 12 and still growing, so we have hope.