Have you created anything "home-made" for your plane? (or a low cost alternative?)

As a new pilot and new owner of a cessna 172, I've noticed the
seeimingly unlimited amount of accessories available for my plane. Most
seem to have one thing in common - a high price tag.

I was wondering if anyone reading this thread would share information
on any devices that are perhaps homemade or are low cost alternatives
to items available in aviation catalogs.

I guess this would include anything from pilot -assist devices to low
cost alternatives to lighting, interior upholstery, and the like.

Thanks in advance for any input you may offer.

Andy.

I was wondering if anyone reading this thread would share information
on any devices that are perhaps homemade or are low cost alternatives
to items available in aviation catalogs.

Wheel Chocks. Go to your local hardware store and purchase a three-foot
length of whatever size angle iron you find sufficient. Cut into 8-inch
lengthes. Paint them a bright color, attach red ribbon and bungie cord.
Stow them in the baggage compartment or under the pilot seat for easy
access.

Do you use grass airstrips? Are you going to AirVenture?
Cut three 1-foot x 1-foot squares of marine plywood (not particle board)
of one-inch thickness. Stop just short of where you park the airplane.
Climb out, pull out the boards, place them ahead of each wheel. With
help, pull the airplanes wheels onto the plywood. When you are ready to
leave, pull the airplane off the plywood and stow them away for the next
use. This prevents yours wheels form sinking into the ground and
requiring high engine power to pull the airplane free from the ruts.
Montblanc may be selling them at the R.A.P gathering this summer at
AirVenture.

I was wondering if anyone reading this thread would share information
on any devices that are perhaps homemade or are low cost alternatives
to items available in aviation catalogs.

Great topic! And, now that you're a new aircraft owner, let me welcome
to the cadre of perpetually-impoverished-but-ecstatically-happy
pilots.... ;-)

I'll start off with a few:

1. Nose covers. Custom made "mittens" for airplanes (essential in the
winter in cold climes) can run hundreds of dollars. My wife, Mary,
took some measurements, took an old dark blue (essential for heat
absorbtion from the sun) nylon sleeping bag, cut it to spec, added long
velcro straps, and voila! We've got the best nose cover around for
less than twenty bucks.

2. Sun screens. When we park for a week at OSH or SNF, the interior
just bakes. Store-bought sun screens cost big bucks -- I went to
Menards, bought a roll of aluminum insulation (the 3/8" thick stuff),
carefully cut them to about 1/2 inch bigger than the windows, and had
Mary stitch around the edges with cloth. Total cost was less than $20,
and they work -- and look -- just like the "real" ones.

3. Throttle Cover. This is one I've not seen in catalogs, so I made it
myself. The plastic "T-shift" throttle on our Pathfinder always struck
me as cheap and cheesy. When we had the interior re-done in light gray
leather, I fashioned a stitch-on leather cover for it. Looks and feels
great.

I'll bet you get a lot of responses...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Instead of angle "iron" use aluminum. It's lighter.

I made a nifty glare shield cover out of "runner" carpet. I was tired
of looking at the 40 yr old stuff that was very sun-baked. It just lays
over the top. I cut holes for the defroster, avionics vent and compass.

I bought a little plastic box with a cover for the cargo area to hold
the afore-mentioned chocks, rags, oil, Pledge, etc.

Al
1964 Skyhawk
Spokane, WA

john smith wrote:
I was wondering if anyone reading this thread would share information
on any devices that are perhaps homemade or are low cost alternatives
to items available in aviation catalogs.


Wheel Chocks. Go to your local hardware store and purchase a three-foot
length of whatever size angle iron you find sufficient. Cut into 8-inch
lengthes. Paint them a bright color, attach red ribbon and bungie cord.
Stow them in the baggage compartment or under the pilot seat for easy
access.

Do you use grass airstrips? Are you going to AirVenture?
Cut three 1-foot x 1-foot squares of marine plywood (not particle board)
of one-inch thickness. Stop just short of where you park the airplane.
Climb out, pull out the boards, place them ahead of each wheel. With
help, pull the airplanes wheels onto the plywood. When you are ready to
leave, pull the airplane off the plywood and stow them away for the next
use. This prevents yours wheels form sinking into the ground and
requiring high engine power to pull the airplane free from the ruts.
Montblanc may be selling them at the R.A.P gathering this summer at
AirVenture.

The insulation material for windows is called "reflectix" IIRC. I use it
for my popup camper. I put it on the outside of the tent ends when its
popped up. It helps keep the interior cooler. Some folks go so far as to
put it in their zippered windows too when the windows are "curtained".

I didn't bother to edge it. I use spring clamps to clamp it to the roof
at the seams.

Hey, its airplane related...I take my popup to Oshkosh!

John

("john smith" wrote)
Do you use grass airstrips? Are you going to AirVenture?
Cut three 1-foot x 1-foot squares of marine plywood (not particle board)
of one-inch thickness. Stop just short of where you park the airplane.
Climb out, pull out the boards, place them ahead of each wheel. With
help, pull the airplanes wheels onto the plywood. When you are ready to
leave, pull the airplane off the plywood and stow them away for the next
use. This prevents yours wheels form sinking into the ground and
requiring high engine power to pull the airplane free from the ruts.
Montblanc may be selling them at the R.A.P gathering this summer at
AirVenture.


1-ft x 1-ft square was found to be somewhat ...ungood. I would recommend at
least 1-ft x 18 inches.

I'll have to start saving scraps of plywood. For long term use, marine
plyw$$d is great! For one week at OSH ...we'll see what I find.

Cost? Free.


Montblack

Andy wrote:
As a new pilot and new owner of a cessna 172, I've noticed the
seeimingly unlimited amount of accessories available for my plane. Most
seem to have one thing in common - a high price tag.

I was wondering if anyone reading this thread would share information
on any devices that are perhaps homemade or are low cost alternatives
to items available in aviation catalogs.

I guess this would include anything from pilot -assist devices to low
cost alternatives to lighting, interior upholstery, and the like.

Thanks in advance for any input you may offer.

Andy.


First, please don't crosspost to 3 different newsgroups. Pick one. The
groups are separated for a reason.

I have made a yoke mount for my computer.

The most popular homemade accessory around here is airplane covers,
mostly made with tarps :-0

"Andy" wrote:

I was wondering if anyone reading this thread would share information
on any devices that are perhaps homemade or are low cost alternatives
to items available in aviation catalogs.

My biggest home-made project has been to build a console to fit between the seats on my 182. It worked
out really well, and at virtually no cost. I just used some scrap 1/4" or 3/8" particle board and just glued it
all together. Not real fancy to look at but very functional. It has a space on the bottom for my oxygen
cylinder, plus pencil holder, drink holder, and space for charts and approach plate books.

Mike

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
I was wondering if anyone reading this thread would share information
on any devices that are perhaps homemade or are low cost alternatives
to items available in aviation catalogs.

Great topic! And, now that you're a new aircraft owner, let me welcome
to the cadre of perpetually-impoverished-but-ecstatically-happy
pilots.... ;-)

I'll start off with a few:

1. Nose covers. Custom made "mittens" for airplanes (essential in the
winter in cold climes) can run hundreds of dollars. My wife, Mary,
took some measurements, took an old dark blue (essential for heat
absorbtion from the sun) nylon sleeping bag, cut it to spec, added long
velcro straps, and voila! We've got the best nose cover around for
less than twenty bucks.

2. Sun screens. When we park for a week at OSH or SNF, the interior
just bakes. Store-bought sun screens cost big bucks -- I went to
Menards, bought a roll of aluminum insulation (the 3/8" thick stuff),
carefully cut them to about 1/2 inch bigger than the windows, and had
Mary stitch around the edges with cloth. Total cost was less than $20,
and they work -- and look -- just like the "real" ones.

3. Throttle Cover. This is one I've not seen in catalogs, so I made it
myself. The plastic "T-shift" throttle on our Pathfinder always struck
me as cheap and cheesy. When we had the interior re-done in light gray
leather, I fashioned a stitch-on leather cover for it. Looks and feels
great.

I'll bet you get a lot of responses...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

My wife made me up a pitot cover made from bright red cloth with a flag
hanging down with the words "high voltage don't touch!" sewn on it both
sides.
Worked wonders for keeping people from handling it at the show sites :-)
Dudley

"Andy" posted the exciting message
ups.com:

As a new pilot and new owner of a cessna 172, I've noticed the
seeimingly unlimited amount of accessories available for my plane. Most
seem to have one thing in common - a high price tag.

I was wondering if anyone reading this thread would share information
on any devices that are perhaps homemade or are low cost alternatives
to items available in aviation catalogs.

I guess this would include anything from pilot -assist devices to low
cost alternatives to lighting, interior upholstery, and the like.

Thanks in advance for any input you may offer.

Andy.


One thing that bugs me is the high cost of headsets. I've been enjoying
some Sony in-the-ear audio earphones that sound great with my MP3 player.
I did some research and found that if you buy a Radio Shack transformer
you can adapt standard earphones to the impedance of the headset, but I
haven't done this yet.

About the time I was thinking about it, I saw that there are a couple of
very light headsets hitting the GA market, same idea, non active NR, with
in-the-ear design. But they're around $500!!!!!

So what I'm wondering is.... I take my earbud headset, make the adaptor
box with the impedance transformer and a potentiometer for volume, and
then how can I get a cheap microphone and make that work? I'm still
thinking about it; I see that you can get relatively inexpensive headsets
for computers with noise-cancelling microphones for around $50.... I've
been contemplating making my own very light, full function headset.
Anybody have any ideas on this one?

(Yes, I know I'm a cheap bas****, but it's either that or I spend $1000
for a Bose headset!)