bjan11
Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2021
- Messages
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Hey folks,
I'm currently the owner of a nice Cardinal RG, based out of Auburn (S50), near Seattle. I'm considering stepping up to a 'Toga in a couple of years. I love the Cardinal, but I'm starting to want more. In particular, more baggage room, better climb performance, a quieter cabin, a bit more cockpit room, a bit more speed, and a plane that can realistically carry three pax. Some questions for 'Toga owners:
I'm currently the owner of a nice Cardinal RG, based out of Auburn (S50), near Seattle. I'm considering stepping up to a 'Toga in a couple of years. I love the Cardinal, but I'm starting to want more. In particular, more baggage room, better climb performance, a quieter cabin, a bit more cockpit room, a bit more speed, and a plane that can realistically carry three pax. Some questions for 'Toga owners:
- I'm 6'4", 32" inseam, broad shouldered, 265 lb (before Covid... have expanded a bit with the gyms closed). How am I likely to fit in the cockpit?
- I've seen a photo of a bike in a 'Toga, with the third row out. Does that work well? How can bikes be secured?
- How quiet is the cockpit and cabin compared to a Cardinal, or a similar pre-restart Cessna like a 182? Does anyone have the Bob Fields inflatable door seals, and are they worthwhile?
- In some of the photos I've seen, one of second row seats seems to be uncomfortably upright, because the cockpit seat in front of it is leaned back. Is that normal? If you have a tall guy like me in the cockpit, is the seat behind me going to be usable?
- The POHs I've seen online refer to vertical adjustment as an option for the front seats. Is it a common option? Do non-adjusting seats work well for most people?
- Useful loads on turbo 'Togas without A/C or deice from the early 80s seem to be about 1250. By 2000 it seems like every plane has A/C and a useful load of 1050. Was it a slow decline, or was there a specific year when they lost a bunch of useful load?
- How would a turbo 'Toga do for taking off from "easy" grass strips in Idaho? I'm talking about stuff like Johnson Creek, Cavanaugh Bay, Smiley Creek... strips that have high DA and obstacles to clear but fair/good grass surfaces.
