The Cessna 120-140 Association Forum

Hello Everybody!

New member here, just signed up and paid my dues this morning. Former Citabria owner who understands the concept of the cheapest part about aircraft ownership being the initial purchase. That being said, I have been looking for a fun airplane that won't make me a slave to it financially. ( Webster's definition of Oxymoron ) The C-140 keeps shining to the top of the list when it comes to "bang for your buck low and slow flying". She is also one of the prettiest airplanes in my opinion. I love the vintage "Studebaker" instrument panels on some of these restored classics.

My membership has already answered so many questions as I have found the resource section here invaluable! Great to see all of the AD's, STC's, 337"s and supplier details and parts from Univair in one place. Very helpful indeed.

I am in Canada and will likely be importing a C140/120 from the US. This airplane should be an excellent candidate for import because it is so simple. If anyone here has gone through that process, I would really appreciate any advice you learned from doing your import.

One question I do have to the general membership. I notice that some airframes have modified the seat by installing seats from a C-150. If that has been done properly, I assume there should be an accompanying STC in the tech log? Also, for the aircraft with the standard seats, I see that the POH details an adjustment rail for the seat back. Does that provide much extra legroom? I ask because I am 5'11" with a 32' inseam and just wondering how the fit will be.

Thanks everyone. Cheers.

Paul

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the show! I hope you find an airplane of your dreams!
Importing to Canada should be fairly straight forward. Email me directly if you have specific questions. You'll need to have an airplane with a recent annual, find a DAR here in the states to handle the paperwork.

XU Aviation out of London Ontario is an extremely well balanced shop, while they don't specialize in imports, Jeff has levels of expertise in all matters old Aviation and does a fair amount of cross boarder work.

As far as the seats. The original seats only recline, they don't provide much more leg room. I'm 5'10 and will be installing C-150 seats just as soon as I find the time. They do have seat adjustment on the bottom. I run my at the aft most hole and it's still too close. Long X countries are just painful. I fly with my right leg on the outermost copilot peddle for long trips. I don't fly long distances with two people, my sciatica will not allow it.

No 150 seats to date have been installed as an STC, they have all been field approvals. That being said our Club MX Director, David Lowe out of Kentucky did get an STC for 150 seats within the last year. Regardless you'll probably want 150 seats. the added leg room will make your life much happier.

Hi Paul.

Not only does the original seat back recline, the bottom is adjustable fore and aft. There is a pin on each side of the bottom of the seat back. The pilot's side pin is spring loaded. These pins fit into brackets located on the lower fuselage over the rear outside corner of each seat bottom. The bracket has 4 holes (for the pins) which are spaced 1 inch apart, allowing for 3 inches of adjustment front to rear of the bottom of the seat back. So there are 3 inches of leg room adjustment.

The parts catalog shows these pins and brackets are for all 120's,140's and 140A's, so you should have this adjustment on any model that hasn't been changed to C150 seats.

I'm not much help in the leg room department. At 5'4", I have to use a 1 inch pad behind my back with the seat back full forward to be comfortable on the rudder pedals in these airplanes!

Hope this helps.

Steve A H

Must be the new math... Four holes 4" apart should net you 4" of adjustment... (Never mind... The position ranges over 4 inches, but front and back are only 3" apart...)

That said, I'm 5'8" with 30" inseam and I fly with the seat all the way forward, IIRC.

John and I are the same size and I also leave the seat in the most forward hole although I do that mostly for my nephew who is a short 5' 3". The 150 seat conversion is not cheap and other than it would be nice to have split seats to give a bit more shoulder room, I can't justify the cost. I would much sooner spend that money on an alternator....

BTW, where in the frozen north are you?

Thanks for the replies. Great help! I will certainly reach out more when I start to zero in on a desirable candidate.

I’m 5’10” and fly with the seat in hole two or three of four possibilities, so I think it will accommodate an over 6’ tall person.
It’s width that the airplane suffers comfort wise, to be comfortable I fly with the window open. Back when average was 150 lbs I’m sure there was enough shoulder room, but people don’t often weigh 150 lbs anymore.
To be clear the original seat both reclines and can be moved for and aft, that is the seat back, the bottoms stay in place.

Coming from having a C-210, I believe all modern Cessna’s have a recurring AD with the seat rails, and those rails are not inexpensive

a64pilot wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 2:29 pm I’m 5’10” and fly with the seat in hole two or three of four possibilities, so I think it will accommodate an over 6’ tall person.
It’s width that the airplane suffers comfort wise, to be comfortable I fly with the window open. Back when average was 150 lbs I’m sure there was enough shoulder room, but people don’t often weigh 150 lbs anymore.
To be clear the original seat both reclines and can be moved for and aft, that is the seat back, the bottoms stay in place.

Coming from having a C-210, I believe all modern Cessna’s have a recurring AD with the seat rails, and those rails are not inexpensive

Thanks Jody. Just curious if you happen to sail an Island Packet? If so, we may have spoken over on the cruisers forum about refrigeration at some point. I just managed to sail into Grenada for hurricane season before the pandemic hit.

pete o static wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:30 pm

a64pilot wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 2:29 pm I’m 5’10” and fly with the seat in hole two or three of four possibilities, so I think it will accommodate an over 6’ tall person.
It’s width that the airplane suffers comfort wise, to be comfortable I fly with the window open. Back when average was 150 lbs I’m sure there was enough shoulder room, but people don’t often weigh 150 lbs anymore.
To be clear the original seat both reclines and can be moved for and aft, that is the seat back, the bottoms stay in place.

Coming from having a C-210, I believe all modern Cessna’s have a recurring AD with the seat rails, and those rails are not inexpensive

Thanks Jody. Just curious if you happen to sail an Island Packet? If so, we may have spoken over on the cruisers forum about refrigeration at some point. I just managed to sail into Grenada for hurricane season before the pandemic hit.

We have an an IP 38 and lived on it for the last three years, I’m a moderator on that forum. We have since bought a house and moved ashore and the boat is for sale if you know anyone who wants an exceptionally well equipped IP.
We got caught at Long Island in the Bahamas for the Pandemic ourselves