Spiral climb to service ceiling?
 

I am a fairly new/young private pilot with less than 200 hours total time. I am so tired of flying at low altitudes in the 172. I would really like to take it up to it's service ceiling for a nice view but I do not want to fly a great distance in the climb. Is it legal to do a spiral climb to let's say 12,500 feet MSL? I want to see my neighborhood from a really high view but I am not sure if that would be considered reckless operation. Any answers, suggestions or advise?

If you're VFR and free of Class A/B/C/D, or any other form of controlled airspace... do what you want. Not to sound terse but I would read all of FAR Part 91 and make sure you understand it. Would you call circling VFR in a climb reckless? If it is, I'm done flying.

Make sure you have your transponder on above 10,000 ft. And that you suck O2 anytime you're 12,500-14,000ft for more than 30 min.

You will never get it to that altitude, especially if it is an older one. Just because it says it can, doesn't mean it can or you should. I don't see the point of going this high? Houses look the same regardless of the altitude and honestly you get a better view at 2-3k while keeping it safe.

How about you go get a multi-engine rating or tailwheel to keep yourself entertained for now. You are exhibiting a dangerous attitude that has killed many in the past. Before you go do something stupid, write a letter to your parents, friends and tell them how much you miss them and why you decided to do this. Maybe that will wake you up and show you are not invincible.

Tell that to my 1980 172P, I've taken her to 14,000ft on several occasions. Before that I took a 1976 172M (only 150HP) up to that same altitude.

I fail to see how this is a dangerous attitude if proper precautions are taken....

Watch out for the effects of hypoxia. Your body reacts to density altitude not true altitude.

Yes. Unless you know how your body handles it, better take some O2 above 10k.

Also you should have no trouble getting any 172 to service ceiling with one pilot and less than full tanks.

Skydiver pilots do this all day long and they do not use spirals because turning uses up more energy than straight-line climbing. What you should do is look at your sectional and choose a point about 10 miles away, fly there and then come back to the origin climbing the whole time. Lean out your engine as you go so you get max power. On the descent don't forget to use the carb heat, and descend a few miles away from any airport pattern.

...and be careful to not shock cool the engine.

I took a 1966 C-150 with a pull starter up to 14,100 feet some 30 years ago.

Go for it and have fun! Just make sure that you have a mode C transponder above 10k.

As someone else said, doing a spiral all the way up would take up unnecessary energy and limit your climb, so go out 10 mikes and then back and forth.

A 172 should have no issue getting to 12,500 (or higher). Also, now that it's winter you will climb even easier.

You said you're young, so hypoxia shouldn't be a big issue for you at 12,500. I've done a lot of XCs in non-pressurized planes between 11000-12,500 no problem.

I find that people who have not gone that high and are from sea level are particularly susceptible to hypoxia. Doesn't have to do with being young or old, or even fit or not, even though those play factors, the conditioning is usually the biggest one. For people that cruise 10-12K without O2 day to day it's usually a non-issue, but don't discount this if it's not your normal operating procedure. Potentially big deal.

Otherwise, as people have said, a circle usually kills what little climb performance you have up high. With a lot of updrafts, you can "find" the rising air on a hot day, which is also fun.

It's nice to get up to 10K or higher on a hot day and experience the cool air.

I think the altitude record for a 150 is over 20K feet, think a lot higher actually. There is a guy claiming 19K something with a 150. Maybe that is official. I worked with a guy years ago that had one over 20. He and some buddies would regularly go to the area around Bishop, CA (at the right time of year) and ride the wave up...

That sounds awesome haha

I took a 150 to 17,500 about thirty years ago, but it wouldn't get up there by itself. It took some time, thermaling, to get it up there.

The 172 should still be climbing at its service ceiling, as that's not absolute; it's the ceiling at which the airplane still has a 100 fpm climb under original demonstration conditions (standard atmosphere).

Bring along some Beemans. And don't end up like this :D

Yep, cheap thrills... in the Summer even solo you would be lucky to get a 150 to 10K, regardless the last few thousand feet take forever, and you sure won't get there in a spiral. Many turbocharged piston planes will go much higher than advertised. The reason they are not legally permitted to do so is they would be operating outside the parameters of the flight manual. One of the biggest reasons most of the aircraft with this capability are not certified to operate at the higher altitudes is that the certification is more involved and expensive. Nevertheless, many folks have taken Cessna Turbo 210's, for example, over 30K...