LEFT SEAT CULTURE PILOT TOOLS

Will I Fit?

Checks whether you'll physically fit a given aircraft — weight limits against published figures, and cockpit headroom against a measured seat-to-canopy clearance, where one's been submitted.

AIRCRAFT FIT CHECKER

Will I fit?

Checks weight limits and cockpit headroom together, two independent questions, both worth knowing before you turn up for a trial lesson or a fly-in. This tool knows about 146 aircraft types; 116 have verified published weight figures so far, and headroom measurements are only just starting to come in, so expect "not yet verified" or "no data yet" on most aircraft for now, and know the numbers for one that's missing? Submit them from its card below.

v1.11.13
Version history (34)
  • v1.11.13 2026-09-23
    • The "a pilot has reported fitting/not fitting" callout now names the reporter directly ("James Sturt (184.2cm / 6'1") reported fitting...") instead of the anonymous "a pilot", crediting them right where the evidence is read and making clear this is one pilot's own account of trying the aircraft, distinct from the measured clearance figure above it. Falls back to "A pilot" only for a submission with no name given.
  • v1.11.12 2026-09-23
    • The "a pilot has reported fitting/not fitting" callout now shows that pilot's height in feet & inches too, not just cm, same as the estimate line right above it.
  • v1.11.11 2026-09-23
    • A named fit report is now credited on a card even when the aircraft also has a measured clearance, e.g. James Sturt's Comco Ikarus C42 report now shows "Also reported by James Sturt" alongside the measurement credit. Previously a fit report's name only ever showed up if the aircraft had no measured clearance at all, so it silently went uncredited the moment a measurement existed for the same aircraft.
  • v1.11.10 2026-09-23
    • Entering your height now shows the same figure back in the other unit underneath (feet & inches if you typed cm, or cm if you typed feet & inches), a quick sanity check without switching the unit toggle.
  • v1.11.9 2026-09-23
    • Added a real fit report for the Comco Ikarus C42 (James Sturt, 184.2cm, no headroom issues), the first submission to trigger the "a taller pilot has reported fitting" callout added a couple of rounds back.
  • v1.11.8 2026-09-10
    • The real-fit-report callout added last round now stands out visually, a coloured, bordered box (green for a taller pilot who fit, red for a shorter one who didn't) instead of a sentence tucked into the smaller supporting text, so it's actually noticed rather than blending in.
  • v1.11.7 2026-09-10
    • A measured aircraft's headroom section now surfaces real fit reports that beat the geometric estimate, e.g. a taller pilot who's actually reported fitting, right alongside the estimate itself, not just the estimate's own number in isolation. Real sitting height depends on build (leg length vs torso) as well as standing height, so a report like this is worth as much as the estimate, if not more, and hiding it made the tool look wrong to anyone who knew better.
  • v1.11.6 2026-09-09
    • Added the Sling 2 and Sling TSi (both by Sling Aircraft), with sourced weight figures from the manufacturer's own current spec sheets. Both are above the UK microlight weight class, so they're flown here on an LAA Permit to Fly rather than a BMAA microlight permit, roster now 146 aircraft, 116 with verified weight data.
  • v1.11.5 2026-09-09
    • The cockpit headroom estimate now shows a middle "Borderline, worth trying" result instead of a flat "Doesn't fit", for a height just above the typical estimate. Real sitting height varies more by build (leg length vs torso) than a single average-based formula can capture, confirmed by a real case where a pilot the tool would have said "doesn't fit" flew comfortably with a centimetre to spare. A height well beyond that range still reads as a clear "Doesn't fit".
    • Added the first entry to this tool's fit-reports data, a real pilot's account of flying the SkyRanger Swift & Nynja, sitting alongside the measured clearance data rather than replacing it.
  • v1.11.4 2026-09-09
    • Fixed a real bug on cards with a measured cockpit clearance: the headroom pill was correctly showing "Fits" or "Doesn't fit", but the text underneath still said "No measurement or fit reports yet for this aircraft" instead of the actual clearance figure and estimated max height, an obvious contradiction on a card that clearly had data. The pill was right; the text below it just wasn't reading from the same information.
  • v1.11.3 2026-09-07
    • Added real cockpit clearance measurements for the Comco Ikarus C42 (99cm) and the Best Off SkyRanger Swift & Nynja (90cm), two of this tool's original four launch aircraft, now with real headroom data alongside their weight figures.
  • v1.11.2 2026-09-05
    • Cockpit headroom now answers the same "Fits" / "Doesn't fit" question the weight check does, once you've entered your height. Previously it only ever showed a data-quality label ("Measured"), even when your entered height clearly fit, so you had to read the smaller text underneath to find out. The measured-vs-reported distinction is still there, it's just in the text below the pill now, not the headline answer.
  • v1.11.1 2026-09-05
    • Added weight data for the Aeroprakt A32 Vixxen and a cockpit clearance measurement for the Groppo G70, both missed out of the last update (114 of 144 aircraft now verified).
  • v1.11.0 2026-09-05
    • Added real, sourced weight data for 30 more aircraft (mostly BMAA Type Approval Data Sheets, some manufacturer or encyclopedia sources where the TADS wasn't reachable), verified aircraft on the roster goes from 83 to 113 of 144.
    • Added the Groppo G70, researched from the manufacturer's own published specifications.
    • Fixed two aircraft (the Aeronca Champ/Chief and the Van's Aircraft RV series) whose real weight data existed but never showed up on their cards, a mismatched internal reference meant the data and the aircraft were never actually linked.
    • Identified the manufacturer for five previously "Unknown" aircraft (the Tri-Flyer Sprint, Puma Sprint, Hummerchute, Kestrel and Snowbird Mk I), two of which (Tri-Flyer Sprint and Puma Sprint) also now have real weight data.
  • v1.10.1 2026-08-26
    • Added the Luscombe 8A/8E, submitted via "Can't find your aircraft?", with sourced gross weight, empty weight and useful load figures from an AOPA fact sheet (roster now 143, 83 with verified weight data).
  • v1.10.0 2026-08-25
    • Added "Report incorrect data" to every aircraft card, for exactly the kind of catch that led to the last fix: if a published figure looks wrong, this opens a pre-filled email showing what's currently on file, so you can say what looks off and, if you know it, what it should be instead. Every report is read and checked by hand before anything changes, same as every other submission on the tool.
  • v1.9.1 2026-08-25
    • Fixed a real data error on the SkyRanger (Swift & Nynja): its 120kg figure is a per-seat maximum, not a combined limit for both occupants, so the tool was wrongly rejecting two people who were each comfortably under 120kg (e.g. two 85kg adults, 170kg combined) as "outside the published range". It now correctly checks each occupant against the per-seat maximum, with no invented combined ceiling where none is published.
  • v1.9.0 2026-08-25
    • Every submission link (weight data, a measurement, a fit report, or a missing aircraft) now asks for your name, clearly marked as shown publicly on the site if you provide it. Once that data's added, aircraft cards show a small credit line, e.g. "Measured by ..." or "Weight data provided by ...", thanking whoever sent it in. Leaving the name blank still works exactly as before, your submission is just credited anonymously.
  • v1.8.4 2026-08-25
    • Simplified the weight pill to a common "Fits" / "Doesn't fit" / "Not enough data" across every aircraft, microlight and GA single alike, instead of a separate wording (and colour) for GA singles. GA singles are still checked against useful load rather than a published pilot weight limit, so weight alone can't guarantee a full weight & balance pass, that caveat is now explained in the text under the pill instead of changing the pill itself.
  • v1.8.3 2026-08-25
    • Fixed the weight pill on GA single cards (e.g. Cessna 172) that showed "Not enough data" even when the aircraft was correctly appearing under "Show me aircraft I fit in". These aircraft now get their own "Within useful load" pill, since real data was checked, it just isn't the same firm guarantee as the published range check used for microlights. "Not enough data" is now reserved for aircraft that genuinely have no weight figures to check against.
  • v1.8.2 2026-08-25
    • Fixed "Show me aircraft I fit in" incorrectly hiding every GA single. GA aircraft don't publish a fixed pilot weight limit, they're checked against useful load instead, and the filter wasn't counting that as a fit. A GA single like the Cessna 172 now shows up correctly when your combined weight is within its recorded useful load.
  • v1.8.1 2026-08-25
    • Fixed a wording issue in the weight-check message shown for GA singles with no fixed pilot weight limit (e.g. Cessna 172), where a single published useful-load figure was displayed as a confusing range instead of a plain number.
  • v1.8.0 2026-08-25
    • Added "Show me aircraft I fit in", a toggle that filters the results grid down to just the aircraft your entered height and weight actually fit, based on the weight data on file. An aircraft only counts as a fit once weight is confirmed within its published range, it's never included just because there's no data to contradict it, and a measured cockpit-headroom record that rules out your entered height is checked too, when one exists.
  • v1.7.0 2026-08-25
    • Populated real, sourced weight-limit data for 78 more aircraft (BMAA TADS for microlights, AOPA fact sheets and published FAA type data for GA singles), verified aircraft on the roster goes from 4 to 82 of 142. The remaining 60 (mostly older, discontinued, or very obscure microlight types) genuinely have no reliably reachable published figures and still show "⚪ Not yet verified" rather than a guessed number.
    • Where a published figure varies by variant, engine, or equipment fit-out (common for GA singles and modded microlights), the entry says so in its note rather than presenting one number as universal, always confirm against your specific airframe's current permit or Weight & Balance Schedule.
  • v1.6.1 2026-08-25
    • General text tidy-up across the tool and its measuring guide.
  • v1.6.0 2026-08-25
    • Fixed the root cause behind a bug that had already resurfaced three times on this site (most recently the search/filter issue in 1.5.2): toggling an element's native `hidden` attribute in JavaScript could silently do nothing if a same-specificity CSS rule also set `display` on it. Closed site-wide with one rule in global.css, instead of another one-off local patch.
  • v1.5.2 2026-08-25
    • Fixed the search box and category filter not actually narrowing the results grid, the cards were being correctly marked hidden, but a CSS rule for the card layout was silently overriding that, so every aircraft kept showing regardless of what you searched or filtered for.
  • v1.5.1 2026-08-25
    • The howto card's "Full measuring instructions →" button now opens the same in-page pop-out as every other "How we measure this" link, instead of navigating to a separate page.
    • Restyled the print button inside the pop-out to match the site's actual button style.
  • v1.5.0 2026-08-25
    • Added a "Print this guide" option to Measuring Cockpit Headroom, on the standalone page, and as a print button inside the in-page pop-out, for anyone who wants a paper copy in hand at the aircraft rather than a phone screen.
  • v1.4.0 2026-08-25
    • Added "Can't find your aircraft?", a pre-filled email to propose an aircraft that isn't in the roster at all, alongside the existing submit-weight-data / submit-a-measurement / submit-a-fit-report paths for aircraft already listed.
  • v1.3.0 2026-08-25
    • "How we measure this →" now opens the measurement guide as an in-page pop-out instead of navigating away from the tool. The guide still has its own page at /tools/aircraft-fit-checker/measuring-headroom/ for anyone who wants a direct link to share or bookmark.
  • v1.2.0 2026-08-25
    • Moved the cockpit-headroom measurement guide on-site (previously hosted externally) with its diagram, step-by-step instructions and the sitting-height formula.
    • Added a "How we measure cockpit headroom" card alongside the tool so the method is visible before you're asked to submit anything.
  • v1.1.0 2026-08-25
    • Expanded from 4 aircraft to a full 142-aircraft roster (103 microlight, 39 GA single), so every known aircraft now appears in search, and aircraft without published weight data yet show a "⚪ Not yet verified" state instead of being invisible.
  • v1.0.0 2026-08-25
    • Initial release: weight-limit check against published BMAA TADS / POH figures for 4 aircraft, plus a cockpit-headroom estimator (currently "no data yet" for every aircraft, measurements collected going forward via the companion measurement guide).
    • Submit a measurement / Submit a fit report, both compose a pre-filled email, no backend.
1

Your height & weight

Used to check every matching aircraft at once, nothing is sent anywhere.

Height unit
Weight unit
Your height

Your weight
Flying with a passenger?

Passenger weight only affects the weight check (combined occupant weight against the published range), and headroom is estimated for the pilot's seat only.

?

How we measure cockpit headroom

The one figure this tool uses to estimate whether you'll clear the canopy.

Cockpit headroom comes down to a single number: the clearance between the seat and the lowest point above the pilot's head, the canopy, or a structural member if that's lower. What matters is sitting height, not standing height, since that's what actually has to clear the canopy, since two pilots of the same height can need different amounts of room depending on build.

  • A Seat reference point, where the hips meet the seat pan, cushion in place, as normally flown.
  • B Lowest point directly above, the canopy, or a structural tube/frame member if one sits lower.
2

Find an aircraft

Search by manufacturer or model, or filter by category (146 aircraft types on file).

Category

Can't find your aircraft on the list?

3

Show me aircraft I fit in

Filters the results below to aircraft your entered height & weight actually fit, based on the data available.

Results

Chaser S

Microlight

Aerial Arts

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Chaser S 1000

Microlight

Aerial Arts

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Chaser S 447

Microlight

Aerial Arts

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Chaser S 508

Microlight

Aerial Arts

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Hummerchute

Microlight

Aerochute International

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Dual

Microlight

Aerochute

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Champ / Chief

GA single

Aeronca (type club supported, mfr defunct)

Weight

Cockpit headroom

A32 Vixxen

Microlight

Aeroprakt

Weight

Cockpit headroom

EuroFOX

Microlight

Aeropro

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Dynamic WT9-UK

Microlight

Aerospool

Weight

Cockpit headroom

WT9 Dynamic LSM

Microlight

Aerospool

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Edge XT-912

Microlight

Airborne

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Citabria

GA single

American Champion Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Decathlon

GA single

American Champion Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Scout

GA single

American Champion Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Husky A-1

GA single

Aviat Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Bonanza (single-engine variants)

GA single

Beechcraft (Textron)

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Musketeer / Sundowner

GA single

Beechcraft (Textron)

Weight

Cockpit headroom

SkyRanger (Swift & Nynja)

Microlight

Best Off

Weight

Cockpit headroom

600

Microlight

Bobcat

Weight

Cockpit headroom

M400

Microlight

Breezer

Weight

Cockpit headroom

150

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

152

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

170

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

172 Skyhawk

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

175

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

177 Cardinal

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

180

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

182 Skylane

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

185 Skywagon

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

206 Stationair

GA single

Cessna

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Series BD

Microlight

CFM / Shadow

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Series C

Microlight

CFM / Shadow

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Series CD

Microlight

CFM / Shadow

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Series D & DD

Microlight

CFM / Shadow

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Shadow B

Microlight

CFM / Shadow

Weight

Cockpit headroom

2-32

Microlight

Chevron

Weight

Cockpit headroom

C42 (Alpha & Bravo)

Microlight

Comco Ikarus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

C42 Charlie (560/450/472.5kg)

Microlight

Comco Ikarus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

AX2000

Microlight

Cyclone

Weight

Cockpit headroom

AX3/503

Microlight

Cyclone

Weight

Cockpit headroom

DA20

GA single

Diamond Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

DA40

GA single

Diamond Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Spirit

Microlight

Ellipse

Weight

Cockpit headroom

SportStar SLM

Microlight

Evektor

Weight

Cockpit headroom

300/330 (single-seat/two-seat aerobatic)

GA single

Extra Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

CT2K

Microlight

Flight Design

Weight

Cockpit headroom

CTSL

Microlight

Flight Design

Weight

Cockpit headroom

CTSW

Microlight

Flight Design

Weight

Cockpit headroom

G70

Microlight

Groppo

Weight

Cockpit headroom

AA-5 Traveler/Cheetah/Tiger

GA single

Grumman American / Gulfstream American

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Hybred 44 XL 'R'

Microlight

Hiway / Hybred

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Hybred 44 XL

Microlight

Hiway/Hybred

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Dual Trainer Raven

Microlight

Hornet

Weight

Cockpit headroom

SR

Microlight

ICP / Savannah

Weight

Cockpit headroom

III

Microlight

Lazair

Weight

Cockpit headroom

8A / 8E

GA single

Luscombe

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Tri-Flyer Sprint

Microlight

Mainair Sports

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Blade

Microlight

Mainair

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Blade 912

Microlight

Mainair

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Blade 912S

Microlight

Mainair

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Mercury

Microlight

Mainair

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Rapier

Microlight

Mainair

Weight

Cockpit headroom

M-4/M-5/M-6/M-7 series

GA single

Maule Air

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Puma Sprint

Microlight

Medway Microlights

Weight

Cockpit headroom

EclipseR

Microlight

Medway

Weight

Cockpit headroom

SLA-100 / SLA-80 Executive

Microlight

Medway

Weight

Cockpit headroom

B22 Bantam

Microlight

Micro Aviation

Weight

Cockpit headroom

HM-1000 Balerit

Microlight

Mignet

Weight

Cockpit headroom

M20 series

GA single

Mooney International

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Snowbird Mk I

Microlight

Noble Hardman Aviation

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Pegasus Quik

Microlight

P&M Aviation

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PulsR

Microlight

P&M Aviation

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Quik GT 450

Microlight

P&M Aviation

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Quik GTR

Microlight

P&M Aviation

Weight

Cockpit headroom

QuikR

Microlight

P&M Aviation

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Panther XL-S

Microlight

Panther Westwinds

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Photon

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Quantum 15 (2-stroke)

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Quantum 15-912

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Quantum 15-HKS

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Quasar

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Quasar 2 TC

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Quasar TC

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

XL-Q

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

XL-R

Microlight

Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-28-181 Archer

GA single

Piper Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-28-236 Dakota

GA single

Piper Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-28R Arrow

GA single

Piper Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-32 Cherokee Six / Saratoga

GA single

Piper Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-38 Tomahawk

GA single

Piper Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

J-3 Cub

GA single

Piper

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-18 Super Cub

GA single

Piper

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-20/22 Tri-Pacer

GA single

Piper

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-24 Comanche

GA single

Piper

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-28-140/150/160/180 Cherokee

GA single

Piper

Weight

Cockpit headroom

PA-28-161 Warrior III

GA single

Piper

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Alpha 164 & 164A

Microlight

Pipistrel

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Virus SW 127 BCAR-S

Microlight

Pipistrel

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Kestrel

Microlight

Powerchute Systems International

Weight

Cockpit headroom

DR400 series

GA single

Robin Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

HR200

GA single

Robin Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

SHARK 600 UK

Microlight

Shark Aero

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Ranger ST

Microlight

Sherwood

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Scout

Microlight

Sherwood

Weight

Cockpit headroom

377GB

Microlight

Sirocco

Weight

Cockpit headroom

JA-400 Skyleader 400

Microlight

Skyleader

Weight

Cockpit headroom

JA-600 Skyleader 600

Microlight

Skyleader

Weight

Cockpit headroom

DeltaJet 500 StingRay

Microlight

Skyrider (Exodus Airsports)

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Sling 2

GA single

Sling Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

TSi

GA single

Sling Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

TB9 Tampico / TB10 Tobago / TB20 Trinidad

GA single

Socata (Daher)

Weight

Cockpit headroom

MW5(k) Sorcerer

Microlight

Solar Wings / Mainair

Weight

Cockpit headroom

MW5B Sorcerer

Microlight

Solar Wings / Mainair

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Flash

Microlight

Solar Wings / Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Flash 2

Microlight

Solar Wings / Pegasus

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Gemini Flash

Microlight

Solar Wings

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Gemini Flash 2

Microlight

Solar Wings

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Gemini Flash 2 Alpha

Microlight

Solar Wings

Weight

Cockpit headroom

SV4-RS

Microlight

Stampe

Weight

Cockpit headroom

T300

Microlight

Thruster

Weight

Cockpit headroom

T600 (N)/(T) 390kg

Microlight

Thruster

Weight

Cockpit headroom

T600N 430 503

Microlight

Thruster

Weight

Cockpit headroom

T600N 450 582

Microlight

Thruster

Weight

Cockpit headroom

T600N 450 JAB

Microlight

Thruster

Weight

Cockpit headroom

T600T 450 582

Microlight

Thruster

Weight

Cockpit headroom

T600T 450 JAB

Microlight

Thruster

Weight

Cockpit headroom

TST Mk 1

Microlight

Thruster

Weight

Cockpit headroom

EV-97 Eurostar SL

Microlight

TL Ultralight / TeamEurostar

Weight

Cockpit headroom

EV-97 teamEurostar UK

Microlight

TL Ultralight / TeamEurostar

Weight

Cockpit headroom

TL 2000 Sting S4

Microlight

TL Ultralight

Weight

Cockpit headroom

TL-3000 Sirius 600

Microlight

TL Ultralight

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Stream

Microlight

TL-Ultralight

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Gemini Sprint

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Hornet R-ZA

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Hornet RS - ZA

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Pipistrelle

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Raider

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Raven

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Raven 'X'

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Scorcher

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Spectrum

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Ultralight Fun 18s GTBis

Microlight

Unknown

Weight

Cockpit headroom

RV-6/7/8/9/12/14

GA single

Van's Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

Clipper-100

Microlight

Worldwide Ultralite

Weight

Cockpit headroom

CH701/CH750/CH650

GA single

Zenith Aircraft

Weight

Cockpit headroom

This tool's aircraft list is broader than its verified data: it knows about 146 aircraft types, but only 116 have published weight figures on file so far (BMAA TADS / manufacturer data, GA single figures are sample weight & balance sheets, since every real airframe's equipment fit-out differs, so always check the specific aircraft's current documentation). An aircraft without a weight record isn't "unknown", it just hasn't been verified yet; use "Submit weight data" on its card if you have the figures. Headroom figures, where present, are community-submitted measurements and estimates, not certified data. None of this replaces the aircraft's approved documentation, a proper trial sit in the aircraft, or pilot-in-command judgement, so always verify independently before you commit to a flight, a course, or a purchase.

Measuring Cockpit Headroom

Where To Measure

The straight-line vertical distance between the seat and the lowest thing above the pilot's head.

structural member (if lower than canopy, measure to this instead) A seat reference point B lowest point above A measure plumb
A is the seat reference point, where the pilot's hips meet the seat pan, cushion in place, as normally flown. B is the lowest point directly above it: the canopy, or a structural tube/frame member if one sits lower. Measure the straight vertical distance between them, using a plumb line or spirit level and tape, not a tape following the canopy's curve.

How To Take It

  1. 1

    Set the seat to its normal flying position. Cushion in place, seat where the aircraft's usual pilot actually flies it, not pushed back for easy access.

  2. 2

    Find point A. Press the cushion down where hips would sit, as if someone were in the seat. An empty, uncompressed cushion reads a few cm too high.

  3. 3

    Find point B. Usually the canopy, but check for a roll bar, cross-tube, or frame member sitting lower. Whichever is lower is the one that matters.

  4. 4

    Measure straight up between them. A plumb line dropped from B, or a spirit level held horizontal at B with a tape run down to A, not along the canopy's curve.

  5. 5

    Note how it was measured. With someone actually seated (most accurate) or an empty seat, and whether a headset was worn.

Why This One Number Is Enough

Sitting height, not standing height, is what determines whether someone's head clears a canopy. It runs to roughly 53% of standing height on average, so a measured clearance converts to a recommended maximum standing height:

max height ≈ (clearance − 4cm margin) ÷ 0.53

The 4cm covers headset, hair, and head movement in turbulence, the same kind of margin aviation medicine uses for helmet-to-canopy clearance in fast jets. It's a guide, not a guarantee: two pilots of the same height can have different sitting heights depending on build, so anyone near the line is better off measuring their own sitting height and comparing it directly.

What To Note Down

Send these back with your measurement, since that's everything the Fit Checker needs to publish it.

FieldYour answer
Manufacturer 
Model / variant 
Clearance, A–B (cm) 
Measured with someone seated? 
Headset worn? 
Measured by / date 

Community-submitted measurement for the Left Seat Culture Aircraft Fit Checker, not a certified or manufacturer-approved figure unless stated otherwise. Use the "Submit a measurement" button on an aircraft's card in the Fit Checker to send these in.

How this works

Weight and headroom are checked independently, because they're independent problems — a pilot can be well within an aircraft's weight range and still not have the headroom for it, or the other way round. Weight limits use real published figures: BMAA Type Approval Data Sheets (TADS) for microlights, and weight & balance data for GA singles. GA singles don't publish a fixed per-seat pilot weight limit the way microlights do — they're governed by useful load, fuel and centre of gravity together, so this tool can only flag a clear "no" from weight data alone; for a full check on a specific airframe, use the Useful Load & Endurance Planner.

Cockpit headroom is estimated from a single measured "seat-to-canopy clearance" figure per aircraft type, converted into a recommended maximum pilot height using an average sitting height ratio — see "How we measure this →" on each aircraft card for the full method. No aircraft has a submitted measurement yet; that data starts arriving as owners and manufacturers work through the companion measurement guide. Until then, most aircraft will show "no data yet" for headroom, and a handful may show an "estimated" badge where pilots have submitted their own fit reports instead of a formal measurement.

Neither check is a certified figure, a go/no-go decision, or a substitute for sitting in the actual aircraft. See something wrong or missing? Use the "Submit a measurement" or "Submit a fit report" link on the aircraft's card.

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