Save your back, air up your tires

[Ben Jackson]

Last Wednesday I found myself unable to push my plane back into the
hangar without help. It was wet, limiting my shoe traction, and I had
been unable to successfully get back on the concrete pad after cutting
the corner through the squishy grass, forcing me to take a more
straight-in (and more uphill) approach.

Today before flying I hauled my compressor to the hangar and aired up
my tires. They didn't look that squishy, but they sure took a lot of
air to get back to book values. It's a hell of a lot easier to push now!

--
Ben Jackson
>
http://www.ben.com/

[g n p]

I find appreciable difference in the plane's ground handling and T/O
performance, so much so, that I now have a small foot pump to top off the
tires permanently in the baggage compartment.


"Ben Jackson" > wrote in message
news:aETFb.433014$Dw6.1332454@attbi_s02...
> Last Wednesday I found myself unable to push my plane back into the
> hangar without help. It was wet, limiting my shoe traction, and I had
> been unable to successfully get back on the concrete pad after cutting
> the corner through the squishy grass, forcing me to take a more
> straight-in (and more uphill) approach.
>
> Today before flying I hauled my compressor to the hangar and aired up
> my tires. They didn't look that squishy, but they sure took a lot of
> air to get back to book values. It's a hell of a lot easier to push now!
>
> --
> Ben Jackson
> >
> http://www.ben.com/

[Roger Long]

Save your bucks too! The tires wear faster when soft. They can also
rotate on the wheel when suddenly jerked into spinning. This can break off
the valve stem. You do the math.
--
Roger Long

Ben Jackson > wrote in message
news:aETFb.433014$Dw6.1332454@attbi_s02...
> Last Wednesday I found myself unable to push my plane back into the
> hangar without help. It was wet, limiting my shoe traction, and I had
> been unable to successfully get back on the concrete pad after cutting
> the corner through the squishy grass, forcing me to take a more
> straight-in (and more uphill) approach.
>
> Today before flying I hauled my compressor to the hangar and aired up
> my tires. They didn't look that squishy, but they sure took a lot of
> air to get back to book values. It's a hell of a lot easier to push now!
>
> --
> Ben Jackson
> >
> http://www.ben.com/

[Jay Honeck]

> I find appreciable difference in the plane's ground handling and T/O
> performance, so much so, that I now have a small foot pump to top off the
> tires permanently in the baggage compartment.

One of those battery-powered ones is an absolute God-send at the hangar.
Ours cost about $50 bucks, and has a cigar lighter jack (for powering other
devices) in addition to a very high quality air pump.

We've found that the tires need to be aired up every two weeks or so. They
will lose 10% or more of their air pressure in that time.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[C J Campbell]

The worst is when a tire goes flat on the Stationair. It takes three men and
a boy to push the plane far enough to rotate that valve stem down to the
little door on the wheel pant.

[Tony Cox]

C J Campbell" > wrote in message
...
>
> The worst is when a tire goes flat on the Stationair. It takes three men
and
> a boy to push the plane far enough to rotate that valve stem down to the
> little door on the wheel pant.
>

Little door? Luxury! It takes four men, three boys, two dogs and
a horse to twist the tire on a 182 into position. And THEN you
get to reach up the pant, past the spiders and grease, and IF
you're LUCKY, you can reach the valve stem which of course
won't be QUITE in the right positon so you have to do it all
over again.

Merry Christmas!

--
Dr. Tony Cox
Citrus Controls Inc.
e-mail:
http://CitrusControls.com/
"

[Dan Luke]

"Jay Honeck" wrote:
> One of those battery-powered ones...

What voltage is your airplane? I'm trying to find out if anyone's found
one of these things that can use 28v safely.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

[Ross and Paula Richardson]

amazing what round tires will do.

Ben Jackson wrote:
>
> Last Wednesday I found myself unable to push my plane back into the
> hangar without help. It was wet, limiting my shoe traction, and I had
> been unable to successfully get back on the concrete pad after cutting
> the corner through the squishy grass, forcing me to take a more
> straight-in (and more uphill) approach.
>
> Today before flying I hauled my compressor to the hangar and aired up
> my tires. They didn't look that squishy, but they sure took a lot of
> air to get back to book values. It's a hell of a lot easier to push now!
>
> --
> Ben Jackson
> >
> http://www.ben.com/

[Jay Honeck]

> What voltage is your airplane? I'm trying to find out if anyone's found
> one of these things that can use 28v safely.

Mine's 12 volt.

What do you want to do with it in your 28 volt plane? (It's generally a
stand-alone tool.)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[EDR]

In article >, Dan Luke
> wrote:

> "Jay Honeck" wrote:
> > One of those battery-powered ones...
>
> What voltage is your airplane? I'm trying to find out if anyone's found
> one of these things that can use 28v safely.

You can still use the 12V one... it just works twice as fast! (Or, put
another way, you get the work done in half the time.)

[Mike Noel]

Here's another idea. I have a 120V electric pump I use for bike tires at
home (pumps faster than the 12V models I have seen.) My shade-port parking
has no electricity, so I hook a 400W inverter to the car battery terminals
and use that to power the pump. The inverter also has a cigarette lighter
plug, but the plug doesn't deliver enough power for the inverter to work the
pump that way. I have also used the inverter to power a hand held vacuum
for cleaning the plane's carpets, but a higher wattage inverter would be
better for that use.
Another thing I have found is that mechanical pressure guages are very
inaccurate. I have an $8 digital guage that seems to be much better.

--
Regards,
Mike

"Ben Jackson" > wrote in message
news:aETFb.433014$Dw6.1332454@attbi_s02...
> Last Wednesday I found myself unable to push my plane back into the
> hangar without help. It was wet, limiting my shoe traction, and I had
> been unable to successfully get back on the concrete pad after cutting
> the corner through the squishy grass, forcing me to take a more
> straight-in (and more uphill) approach.
>
> Today before flying I hauled my compressor to the hangar and aired up
> my tires. They didn't look that squishy, but they sure took a lot of
> air to get back to book values. It's a hell of a lot easier to push now!
>
> --
> Ben Jackson
> >
> http://www.ben.com/

[Victor J. Osborne, Jr.]

Mines 28v so I have to pull the car up close. But the portable air pump is
a must have.

--

Thx, {|;-)

Victor J. (Jim) Osborne, Jr.



take off my shoes to reply

[Ray Andraka]

I have a 5 gallon air tank that I take out to the airport with me. Bought it
before I got in the hangar, there was no electric at the tiedowns and they
don't let cars in.

"Victor J. Osborne, Jr." wrote:

> Mines 28v so I have to pull the car up close. But the portable air pump is
> a must have.
>
> --
>
> Thx, {|;-)
>
> Victor J. (Jim) Osborne, Jr.
>
>
>
> take off my shoes to reply

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

[smackey]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message news:<sxYFb.435001$Dw6.1334133@attbi_s02>...
> > I find appreciable difference in the plane's ground handling and T/O
> > performance, so much so, that I now have a small foot pump to top off the
> > tires permanently in the baggage compartment.
>
> One of those battery-powered ones is an absolute God-send at the hangar.
> Ours cost about $50 bucks, and has a cigar lighter jack (for powering other
> devices) in addition to a very high quality air pump.


Jay,

Lazy man's question: In which catalogue do I find this? Or what
store (please not Wal-Mart).

[smackey]

"g n p" > wrote in message >...
....I now have a small foot pump to top off the
tires permanently in the baggage compartment.


gnp,

Where can I get one, and how much?

[Dan Luke]

"Jay Honeck" wrote:
> What do you want to do with it in your 28 volt plane?

Uh, air up the tires?

(It's generally a
> stand-alone tool.)

??
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

[Newps]

Tony Cox wrote:

> Little door? Luxury! It takes four men, three boys, two dogs and
> a horse to twist the tire on a 182 into position. And THEN you
> get to reach up the pant, past the spiders and grease, and IF
> you're LUCKY, you can reach the valve stem which of course
> won't be QUITE in the right positon so you have to do it all
> over again.

That's what you rightly deserve for having wheel pants. You want wheel
pants buy a girlie Cherokee.

[David Lesher]

(smackey) writes:




>Lazy man's question: In which catalogue do I find this? Or what
>store (please not Wal-Mart).


Alas, it's very much a Wal-Martish device. Also try Target and
your local chain auto parts store [Advance, Auto Zone, etc].


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

[Michelle P]

Ben,
On my Maule I need to put air in them about once a month. A work we put
Nitrogen in the tires of the jets and Turbo-props every three days....
Michelle

Ben Jackson wrote:

>Last Wednesday I found myself unable to push my plane back into the
>hangar without help. It was wet, limiting my shoe traction, and I had
>been unable to successfully get back on the concrete pad after cutting
>the corner through the squishy grass, forcing me to take a more
>straight-in (and more uphill) approach.
>
>Today before flying I hauled my compressor to the hangar and aired up
>my tires. They didn't look that squishy, but they sure took a lot of
>air to get back to book values. It's a hell of a lot easier to push now!
>
>
>

--

Michelle P ATP-ASEL, CP-AMEL, and AMT-A&P

"Elisabeth" a Maule M-7-235B (no two are alike)

Volunteer Pilot, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic

Volunteer Builder, Habitat for Humanity

[Kevin]

smackey wrote:
> "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message news:<sxYFb.435001$Dw6.1334133@attbi_s02>...
>
>>>I find appreciable difference in the plane's ground handling and T/O
>>>performance, so much so, that I now have a small foot pump to top off the
>>>tires permanently in the baggage compartment.
>>
>>One of those battery-powered ones is an absolute God-send at the hangar.
>>Ours cost about $50 bucks, and has a cigar lighter jack (for powering other
>>devices) in addition to a very high quality air pump.
>
>
>
> Jay,
>
> Lazy man's question: In which catalogue do I find this? Or what
> store (please not Wal-Mart).
Try Auto-Barn on the web. I have one of these for my Jeep .

TRUCK AIR 12 volt Heavy Duty Air Compressor
INTHD-300Regular price: $45.95Sale price: $42.95

/store.yahoo.com/rodi/achd-275.html

[G.R. Patterson III]

Dan Luke wrote:
>
> "Jay Honeck" wrote:
> > One of those battery-powered ones...
>
> What voltage is your airplane? I'm trying to find out if anyone's found
> one of these things that can use 28v safely.

I think Jay's talking about one that has its own battery? Recharge it at home?

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

[David Johnson]

12 Volt compressors are available anywhere auto or RV parts are
sold, at prices from about $10. The cheapie units tend to be very
noisy, but do the job. One with a built-in gauge is preferable.
I have been using an "Inter" brand compressor for about 20 years.
Great little unit - but I think they are out of business. I put a
long "truck type" chuck on mine that allows me to reach the valve
stems of a 182 with wheel pants (but without the little doors).
It's a pain in the rear, but doable. If it's hard to move the plane
with the tires low, jack it up - one side at a time - then turn the
wheel until the valve stem is accessible Push the tail down for the
nose gear (takes two people).

For those with small 110 Volt compressors, Costco has been selling
1 KW inverters for about $69 lately.

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 03:38:13 GMT, Newps > wrote:

>Tony Cox wrote:
>
>> Little door? Luxury! It takes four men, three boys, two dogs and
>> a horse to twist the tire on a 182 into position. And THEN you
>> get to reach up the pant, past the spiders and grease, and IF
>> you're LUCKY, you can reach the valve stem which of course
>> won't be QUITE in the right positon so you have to do it all
>> over again.
>
>That's what you rightly deserve for having wheel pants. You want wheel
>pants buy a girlie Cherokee.

Me, when *I* need to work on the wheels, I just set a block of wood in
front of the axle, go to the wingtip, lift up until the wheel is clear of
the ground, and swing the whole plane forward until the axle is above the
block.

Needless to say, I don't have to go through this for just airing them
up....

Ron Wanttaja

[g n p]

I'm posting from Greece my friend, don't think you want my answer!!;-))


"smackey" > wrote in message
m...
> "g n p" > wrote in message
>...
> ...I now have a small foot pump to top off the
> tires permanently in the baggage compartment.
>
>
> gnp,
>
> Where can I get one, and how much?

[Newps]

G.R. Patterson III wrote:
>
> smackey wrote:
>
>>Where can I get one, and how much?
>
>
> http://www.familydefense.com/foot_pump.htm

Well whaddyer know. A foot pump is part of an overall self defense
package. I bet these loons have fenced compounds in the middle of
nowhere for the Y2K civil strife that will surely......

[Jay Honeck]

> I have a 5 gallon air tank that I take out to the airport with me. Bought
it
> before I got in the hangar, there was no electric at the tiedowns and they
> don't let cars in.

You don't need a car *or* electrical with the portable air pump we've got.
It's basically a big rechargeable battery with an air pump built around it.

We use it a LOT.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jay Honeck]

> > What do you want to do with it in your 28 volt plane?
>
> Uh, air up the tires?
>
> (It's generally a
> > stand-alone tool.)
>
> ??

You said you were looking for one that works with a 28 volt plane. My air
pump is a 12 volt contraption, and is a stand-alone unit. It doesn't matter
what voltage your plane is, when all you want to do is fill up your tires!
:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jay Honeck]

> I think Jay's talking about one that has its own battery? Recharge it at
home?

Yep. We was talking past each other, methinks! :-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Jay Honeck]

> Lazy man's question: In which catalogue do I find this? Or what
> store (please not Wal-Mart).

This is the exact unit I own, although I bought mine locally. It is GREAT:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?G5E1223E6
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[G.R. Patterson III]

smackey wrote:
>
> Where can I get one, and how much?

http://www.familydefense.com/foot_pump.htm

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

[g n p]

Yup, that's the one, same color, too...!!!


"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> smackey wrote:
> >
> > Where can I get one, and how much?
>
> http://www.familydefense.com/foot_pump.htm
>
> George Patterson
> Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually
said is
> "Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

[Paul Mennen]

> http://www.familydefense.com/foot_pump.htm
> George Patterson

I like the idea of the footpump because it is small and
light enough I can throw it in the back of the plane
so it will be available no matter where I am.

Unfortunately that style with the flip up lever won't
work for me since I have wheel pants and the filler
hole is too small and close to the stem. So I can push
it over the valve stem but there is no room to flip up
the lever. The attachments I find at the typical fuel
island work fine, since I can just push it over the
valve stem and hold it while it is filling.

What I actually have in the back is one of those small 12 volt
electric pumps. Just about as portable as the footpump, however
it has that same damn lever, and no air goes into the tire
unless the lever is pushed over. So to use it, I've got to remove
the whole wheel pant, which is a real pain in the butt.

If anyone knows of a solution to this problem, please
let me know!

Thanks

~Paul Mennen

[Bob Noel]

In article >, "Paul
Mennen" > wrote:

> What I actually have in the back is one of those small 12 volt
> electric pumps. Just about as portable as the footpump, however
> it has that same damn lever, and no air goes into the tire
> unless the lever is pushed over. So to use it, I've got to remove
> the whole wheel pant, which is a real pain in the butt.
>
> If anyone knows of a solution to this problem, please
> let me know!

find or make a hose with the appropriate fitting(s) and
attach it to the pump.

--
Bob Noel

[G.R. Patterson III]

Paul Mennen wrote:
>
> If anyone knows of a solution to this problem, please
> let me know!

Head down to NAPA auto parts and buy the type of hose end they have on the pumps
at gas stations. Replace the lever-type hose end with that.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

[Drew Dalgleish]

On Thu, 25 Dec 2003 06:36:16 GMT, "Paul Mennen" >
wrote:

>> http://www.familydefense.com/foot_pump.htm
>> George Patterson
>
>I like the idea of the footpump because it is small and
>light enough I can throw it in the back of the plane
>so it will be available no matter where I am.
>
>Unfortunately that style with the flip up lever won't
>work for me since I have wheel pants and the filler
>hole is too small and close to the stem. So I can push
>it over the valve stem but there is no room to flip up
>the lever. The attachments I find at the typical fuel
>island work fine, since I can just push it over the
>valve stem and hold it while it is filling.
>
>What I actually have in the back is one of those small 12 volt
>electric pumps. Just about as portable as the footpump, however
>it has that same damn lever, and no air goes into the tire
>unless the lever is pushed over. So to use it, I've got to remove
>the whole wheel pant, which is a real pain in the butt.
>
>If anyone knows of a solution to this problem, please
>let me know!
>
>Thanks
>
>~Paul Mennen
>
>
I have the same problem with the mains on my amphib floats. Just get
one of those extenders that replace the valve cap on a car so you
don't need to take off the hub cap. screw it on when needed.
Drew Dalgleish

[smackey]

(Ben Jackson) wrote in message news:<aETFb.433014$Dw6.1332454@attbi_s02>...
> Today before flying I hauled my compressor to the hangar and aired up
> my tires. They didn't look that squishy, but they sure took a lot of
> air to get back to book values. It's a hell of a lot easier to push now!

and to others in reponse to my query: Thanks for the information and
suggestions. I very much appreciate the replies from fellow pilots.
I will follow up.

Steve m

[Paul Mennen]

> > What I actually have in the back is one of those small 12 volt
> > electric pumps. Just about as portable as the footpump, however
> > it has that same damn lever, and no air goes into the tire
> > unless the lever is pushed over. So to use it, I've got to remove
> > the whole wheel pant, which is a real pain in the butt.
> > If anyone knows of a solution to this problem, please
> > let me know!

> find or make a hose with the appropriate fitting(s) and
> attach it to the pump.
> Bob Noel

> Head down to NAPA auto parts and buy the type of hose end they
> have on the pumps at gas stations. Replace the lever-type hose
> end with that.
> George Patterson

Yes, that was the first thing I thought of also. However
at least on the pumps I've seen, the hoses are attached
in a way that doesn't look like they were intended to be
able to be removed. (No standard fittings, like I've
seen on air tanks for instance). Perhaps I could just
cut the hose, but I don't know if those hoses are
standardized and if I can find the fittings I would need
to connect to it.

> I have the same problem with the mains on my amphib floats.
> Just get one of those extenders that replace the valve cap
> on a car so you don't need to take off the hub cap. screw it
> on when needed.
> Drew Dalgleish

Yes, I have some of those handy extenders too. They don't
help for my mains however because the valve stem comes out
at too sharp of an angle and the extender would hit the wheel
pant. That would help if I make the filler hole larger and find
an appropriately larger filler hole cover. (The hole in there
now is only 2.5" dia). I'm hoping to avoid that mess however.

~Paul

[David Johnson]

> > If anyone knows of a solution to this problem, please
> > let me know!
>
> Head down to NAPA auto parts and buy the type of hose end they have on the pumps
> at gas stations. Replace the lever-type hose end with that.
>
> George Patterson

This is the same device I referred to as a "truck type" chuck. It's
made of brass, about 6" long, and has double valve stem receptacles
(back to back), set at a 45 degree angle to the shaft. Just cut off
the end of the hose, shove the new fitting in and secure with a
small hose clamp. These are available for a couple of dollars at
Wal-Mart.

You do have to press down firmly on the valve stem while inflating,
but that beats hell out of removing the wheel pant.

David Johnson

[Bob Noel]

In article >, "Paul
Mennen" > wrote:

> Yes, that was the first thing I thought of also. However
> at least on the pumps I've seen, the hoses are attached
> in a way that doesn't look like they were intended to be
> able to be removed. (No standard fittings, like I've
> seen on air tanks for instance). Perhaps I could just
> cut the hose, but I don't know if those hoses are
> standardized and if I can find the fittings I would need
> to connect to it.

These don't have to be high pressure hoses (at least on the footpump),
just cut the hoses, use a piece of steel tubing (for example)
and some worm clamps.

--
Bob Noel

[Blanche]

>small hose clamp. These are available for a couple of dollars at
>Wal-Mart.

Or 50 cents at the local hardware store.

[Dan Luke]

"Jay Honeck" wrote
> You said you were looking for one that works with a 28 volt plane. My
air
> pump is a 12 volt contraption, and is a stand-alone unit.

[back from Houston]
Duh, ok, now I get it: yours has a *battery*in it!
I'm slow, but I get there.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

[Jon Woellhaf]

Dan,

Don't feel bad. I was confuzzed too.

Jon

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
> "Jay Honeck" wrote
> > You said you were looking for one that works with a 28 volt plane. My
> air
> > pump is a 12 volt contraption, and is a stand-alone unit.
>
> [back from Houston]
> Duh, ok, now I get it: yours has a *battery*in it!
> I'm slow, but I get there.
> --
> Dan
> C172RG at BFM
>
>

[smackey]

"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message >...
> smackey wrote:
> >
> > Where can I get one, and how much?
>
> http://www.familydefense.com/foot_pump.htm


Thanks. To hell with the airpump.. I'm going for the laser sighted blowgun!!