G.R. Patterson III wrote:

You've been told wrong. Cessna made a "child seat" for the 150, 172, and 182 aircraft
(and maybe others). This fits in the baggage compartment. Since the seat itself
weighs a few pounds, you would probably want a 182. I don't know if Piper ever had
the same sort of option, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that they did.

It's also worth noting that "legal" isn't the only important thing. A
Warrior or 172 at maximum gross weight has truely marginal takeoff and climb
abilities, and it will put a lot of additional limits on the airports you
can fly into and the weather you can fly in. On a summer afternoon, for
example, with my full family on board, my Warrior II cannot always outclimb
the light thermals above about 6,000-7,000 ft, so I have to watch the VSI go
negative for a while before the climb resumes on the next updraft. I can
nurse a fully-loaded plane to 10,000 ft on a hot day, but it takes about
half an hour and a lot of patience.

A more powerful four-seat plane like a 182 or Pathfinder would give the
original poster a lot better takeoff performance and a bigger safety reserve
in case of downdrafts, icing, etc. Of course, once he's looking at the 182
or Pathfinder price range anyway, why not buy (or rent) a Cherokee Six and
get the extra space and seats (up to seven seats, so the kids can bring two
friends along)?


All the best,


David