Cessna 172, san jose to las vegas?

Seems to me you'd be pushing the limits in a 172 for that trip.
A 182 is better suited for that amount of weight and flies a lot like a 172.

There was a fatal accident earlier this year when a newly licensed pilot loaded up 4 adults in a 172.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/small-plane-crash-kills-4-se-michigan-airport

Definitely don't want to be over the limits of weight or balance on a hot day.

Straight line distance fron SJ to LV is 383 miles so you'll need quite a bit of fuel in the 172's tanks to have a decent reserve margin.

When doing weight & balance calculations, I add at least 5 to 10 lbs to whatever weight my passengers tell me they weigh.
Also, be sure to use the actual empty weight of the specific Tail Number you'll be flying. Seems like every plane I've flown has 30 - 80 lbs less useful load due to equipment installed, compared to the useful load number in the POH.

Of course, it depends on several variables, such as, the total weight of the four people, the weight of the baggage, the density altitude that day, and if you're willing to stop midway and get fuel so that you can trade some fuel weight for payload.
.

 

I've flown 4 in a 172. It'll do that trip easy.

 

I haven't flown for years,... but my recollection is you can not get 4 adults in a 172 with full fuel even w/o baggage.

How big are you and your passengers?

Unless 2 are small children,... and each travels with nothing more than a small duffel,... not a chance.

(If you're 140,... the wife is 110,... and 2 kids at 50,... then it's worth calculating carefully.)

 

Solution. Take just 1 woman. With the fuel savings, pick another two up in Vegas.

 

LOL.

Or, here's another idea.
Ship all the luggage to the hotel using UPS the day before the trip and ship it back when you check-out.
And you might want to verify that each woman weighs less than 125 lbs.
.

 

Not enough airplane for the mission. Spend the extra money and rent the 182.

 

Not a pilot, so winging it here ;-)....but I lived at Tahoe for many years, flew in & out on many different private aircraft. Those mountains are high (8,000 ft =/-) and there's lots of them, with greatly variable weather conditions, with effectively no place to put down enroute. For peace of mind, I vote for a much bigger plane with lots more fuel, weight, and altitude capacity. And maybe an extra motor!

How 'bout at least a 206, or even better a Caravan, or a Pilatus?

172/182 just seems wrong for your plan......

 

just jump in the G550 to make the hop

 

HP rating? 160 or 180? Powerflow? etc. We flew from KAND Anderson, SC to KSBM Sheboygan and I think you would really need to limit what your passengers carry. There is not that much luggage room for that many people for anything over a few days. Plus most woman just can't be forced to pack light, although Julie does well in this regard. Light luggage may be the case with anything smaller than a 206.

 

I havent flown a 172 in a couple years but I wouldn't even try it. Four people over the Mountains and that aircraft is going to have a hard time even if the density altitude isnt high due to heat.

 

the truth about most small singles is that you can't fill all the seats, take luggage and fill full of fuel and still be legal... I haven't flown a 172 since training, it wouldn't do it then and won't do it today...

it is a "HELL NO" especially since you are asking... not being fully familiar with the performance of the 172 and the route... assuming you stay legal in ALL aspects the 172 is being pushed to its' limits, if not beyond

can a 172 do the trip ? Yes... but not with your parameters and still have a good margin of safety... especially with a normally aspirated engine that already is short on power at sea level and operating the plane at gross weights with enroute altitude of 9-10,000 or more feet... there is no mention of IFR capability or potential of dealing with possible very light icing

it hasn't been that many months that there was a thread here about someone taking a Mooney with similar circumstances into the mountains and sadly he lost it on departure for home

 

"I've flown 4 in a 172. It'll do that trip easy. "

Ah... NO!

I ferry aircraft when not doing contract work. I flight plan 360nm with a 15-kt headwind in a 172 to land with :45 min. of fuel on standard tanks.
2 (160 lb.) normal people in front, 2 60-pounders in back, maybe full fuel if it's a 'light' Hawk. Add in 8,000+ enroute altitudes and turbulence, unforecast winds, it's definitely a no-go.

The Skylane or a Cherokee 235 would be a minimum.