The Importance of Seat Height in Initial Flight Training

[Big Pistons Forever]

This came up in recent discussions with a new instructor. The student was having trouble landing. One of the things I asked was if they ensured the student adjusted their seat the same for every flight. I got a blank look

Personally for C 172's with vertically adjustable seats I get the student to wind the seat to the highest point. This does 2 things

1) it gives them a better view over the nose which is where they should be looking 95% of the time, not at the instruments, and

2) The sight picture is the same for every flight

For very tall people where full up is too high, I get them to crank the seat all the way up and a set number of turns down, so the seat height is consistent.

For the older C 172's that have fixed seats, anybody less than 6 ft tall gets a cushion.

[praveen4143]

Strongly agree with BPF here. I do it slightly differently, asking the student to make sure that their eyes are level with the door trim of the aircraft for Cessna 150/152/172/182. But the idea is the same, you need to have enough of a view of the outside that you don't become an accidental instrument pilot and also able to see enough outside that you don't lose 100 feet every time you need to verify a nearby landmark by pushing the nose down.

I am almost 6'1" and I need a cushion on fixed seats because I am all legs and not enough torso, so I think it is not just a height thing.

[valvelifter]

Thank you for mentioning this! I never gave any importance to the seat height and I wonder if this is the reason my landings are never consistent. I will pay attention to this on my next flight.

[co-joe]

It's not just in Cessnas, Airbus has an eye position indicator used to set perfect seat height, Boeing has nothing and you're left to figure it out for yourself. It's no less important though.

Here's a video on the Airbus thingie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsn7j9ItoA4

[telex]

I agree with BPF in teaching it right the first time.

We all know a shorter pilot who sits ridiculously low because that's the way they did it in a C172.

Boeing put some thought into correct seat position as well.

https://asiri37.wordpress.com/2018/07/1 ... djustment/

[North Shore]

Not just initial training!! Every single time you fly. If I'm out a notch either vertically or horizontally on the seat, it just doesn't look/feel/fly correctly..