air conditioning- nice, required, or silly?

Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have? Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.


Thanks for your opinion.

Andy

wrote:
Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have? Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.

How much horsepower are you willing to sacrifice to stay cool on a hot
day when your piston engine is lacking 100% of its rated performance?

I have it and it is fantastic to have. It does weigh 70 pounds in the
Seneca. But it spits snow and makes the ride very very nice. Off for
take off and landing(incase of overshoot), single engine operation and I
think the book said expect a 2% power loss, but I don't notice any
really. I have never really regretted having it. Full fuel I can still
put in 750 pounds. The water drain for it is in out the tail cone and
often people mistake it for a fuel leak on the ramp. I suppose it would
be possible because the janitrol heater is in the tail also. But they
don't know that, they just see a puddle and are a bit alarmed.

I would have it again.

If you don't really need the usefull load, go for it!

John

wrote:
Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have? Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.


Thanks for your opinion.

Andy

wrote in message
oups.com...
Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have?

VERY nice to have, especially if you use your aircraft for business.

Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.

For the northeast, definitely. 80% of our travel is in the mid-west, from
the Dakota's all the way to central Texas.

Our A/C unit is right at 40 lbs and is certified for operation in all phases
of flight. It puts out 23,000BTU of cooling and with a sun shade, drops the
cabin from over 100F to 75 in about 10 minutes. With Aux power, we can have
it on without the engine running, while we configure the nav systems.

Also, it has climate control, so the cabin is 75F when it's 105 outside, and
it will hold that all the way to altitude where it may be sub-zero.

Get it...enjoy it; you won't regret it.
--
Matt Barrow
Performance Homes, LLC.
Cheyenne, WY

wrote in message
oups.com...
Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have? Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.

I had A/C in my Piper Arrow II and loved it. All of my flying buddies ragged
me for being a "pussy" but each of them changed their minds when noting how
nice it is to taxi in comfort after a heat soak in the sun (instead of
holding a door open against the prop blast) or a summer inversion layer
where it's hotter at 4500 feet than on the 90°F ground temps.

I've heard all the arguments, added weight, reduced horsepower, etc but you
have to know your mission, the weight/performance penalties aren't for
everyone.

On 07/07/07 08:11, john smith wrote:
wrote:
Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have? Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.

How much horsepower are you willing to sacrifice to stay cool on a hot
day when your piston engine is lacking 100% of its rated performance?

If you're lacking 100%, doesn't that leave you with none?

In article ,
john smith wrote:

How much horsepower are you willing to sacrifice to stay cool on a hot
day when your piston engine is lacking 100% of its rated performance?

Normally, the AC is off during take-off and landing. So, the loss of horsepower
is usually not an issue.

--
Bob Noel
(goodness, please trim replies!!!)

In article .com,
wrote:

Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have? Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.

depends on the airplane. In my cherokee 140, it was 70 pounds of
useless weight. Originally, my 140 was a Texas airplane, so the AC
was much more useful. But in the northeast, if it's hot enough that
the AC is really really nice, then it's too hot for decent take-off
performance for my 140.

--
Bob Noel
(goodness, please trim replies!!!)

In the PA28-180 airplanes the air conditioner is famous for reducing the
useful load and helping to throw the alternator belt. I live in Arizona and
find a $20 vent scoop and a trailed open door to be good enough for my
comfort zone.

--
Best Regards,
Mike

http://photoshow.comcast.net/mikenoel

It is not work that kills men; it is worry. Worry is rust upon the blade.
wrote in message
oups.com...
Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have? Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.


Thanks for your opinion.

Andy

Anybody have any experience with air conditioning in their plane-Nice
to have? Silly accessory? Don't leave home without it? 80% Summer
flying in Northeast.

Never had it, never missed it.

Unlike a car, you've got a built-in fan up front, with doors and
windows that open. And, of course, you're only on the ground long
enough to taxi out to the runway. Within minutes, you'll be up where
it's nice and cool.

I guess if Atlas (our Piper 235) had it, I'd probably use it (he's got
useful load to burn) -- but I wouldn't bother installing it. And if
I had a plane that was "payload-challenged" I'd probably remove it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"