What is the useable load of a Cessna 150?

Answer 1

Short answer - about 500 lbs.

Longer answer - varies slightly from year to year and according to equipment installed. Oldest 150s (1959 vintage) had an MTOW (maximum takeoff weight) of 1500 lbs, empty weight was about 1000 to 1050 lbs. Later models went to 1600 lbs MTOW, empty weight climbed to about 1100 lbs, so payload was still 500 lbs. Cessna 152 had an MTOW of 1670 lbs, but empty weight climbed again to about 1150 or so, and we are again at 500 lbs payload.

Some 150s and 152s had 38 gallon long range tanks (about 10% of the fleet), but filling them up weighed 228 lbs, so the passengers had to have a combined weight of no more than 270 lbs, which isn't likely nowadays (people are bigger these days, in 1959 a "standard FAA person" weighed 170 lbs.)

Best Regards,

Mike Arman

www.Cessna150book.com