Hi everyone!

I recently have finished up my commercial in a 182RG and have all my flight time in cessna single engine aircraft. I had a chance to tour my friends King Air C90 and was shocked to find that I was too tall to fit into the flight deck of the King Air. Then we went over to his King Air 200 and I was still too tall. Worried that my next step to fly the Seminole for my multi-engine add-on and I tried that aircraft and I was still too tall. This completely crushed me since I have wanted in all my life to be a professional pilot. Is this a career killer for me? I am 6'5" with a 36" inseam. I am not an overweight person by any means, just very tall.

I never wanted to go regional airlines and really wanted to work 135 ops. I have found a place to get my multi-engine in a Navajo which isn't going to be cheap.

I wanted to pick someone of y'alls thoughts on other aircraft to fly. Is the Metroliner cockpit roomy, or is it just as tiny as the king air? What about some other King Air products? The 1900 series?

 

A guy in my squadron was 6’6” and flew the Tweet and the T-38 in UPT, so 6’5” shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve know others in the 6’4”+ range.

GF

 

I'm not 6'5". But I'm 6' 2 1/2" and have a 36" inseam.

I flew thousands of hours in king airs (1900, 350, 200, some 90 time), and a fair amount in a Baron (including two oceanic crossings with a second pilot up front).

Very few airplanes are comfortable after sitting in the seat for 2+ hours. Fortunately the king airs usually don't have many legs that are that long, it just doesn't fit the mission of the airplane. The Baron was the least comfortable by far, especially when sitting in the right seat due to both headroom and legroom. But I got through it.

I know several friends who were your height or taller that did a lot of king air flying as well. It can be done. But it takes some getting used to. As well as learning the exact technique to getting in the seat!

Good luck.

 

My fellow fliers making the 'true backing up' noise and I BACK INTO the seat!

To the OP - It has been a long time since I flew anything like a single engine Cessna - but it amazes me that you could fit into a 182 and didn't fit into a KA200 cockpit. I'm 6'2" and the KA300 I fly is the roomiest cockpit I've ever been in!

 

TA-4J must have tight!

GF

 

Thanks for the quick reply's. Yeah it is true I cannot fit into the king air but it might've been in a 100 series. Does anyone know about how large the Metro 23 cockpit is? There is a 135 op. in my area that flies them and has a few positions open I would like to apply for as soon as I get the hours.

 

Why do want to do 91/135 at this exact moment in history? You'll be more comfortable and a hell of a lot richer long-term in 121.

 

Young, tall, and skinny at the time

A-4L was smaller and I was BIGGER post-military.

Seriously - that cockpit made me realize why SkyHawk pilots were small in stature.

 

Some of you guys that were at Flight Options may have remembered a pilot there that was 6'6" or 6'7" and flew a Beechjet! They finally moved him to the Legacy where he could stretch out. He was an all-american hoopster from Univ Maryland, and played in the NBA for 6 years in the 70's. Interesting story.

 

We fly Lear60s and I hear that I wouldn't fit well in that cockpit.

I've also heard that places that fly a variety of aircraft in their fleet that include Phenoms will try to keep you out of those 100s and 300s if you are much over 6'.

Anybody have experience with that?