Simple & Cheap Tricks for your plane

I had to replace the side window after it cracked starting from the rivets
attaching the Kool-Skoop. I won't have another one.

Rivets? Both of mine have been installed with (extremely strong)
double-backed tape.

I would NEVER drill holes in the side window to install a Kool Scoop.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:hrOUb.105938$U%5.547068@attbi_s03...
I had to replace the side window after it cracked starting from the rivets
attaching the Kool-Skoop. I won't have another one.

Rivets? Both of mine have been installed with (extremely strong)
double-backed tape.

I would NEVER drill holes in the side window to install a Kool Scoop.

Mine uses the same kind of tape. It's been there for over 10 yrs.
and still works great. On a 115F day in Arizona, the Kool Scoop is
the diference between being uncomfortable and melting.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

(Probably others have already been doing this, but new for me.)

I have been using two Large/X-Large duffle bags ($15, Eddie Bauer
Outlet) for family travel.
Campmor has large Columbia, wheeled, 6000 ci duffels on sale for $40
($140 retail).
Now that the kids are big enough, I have decided that they can pull
their own weight on trips, as well as the luggage across the ramp,
through the hotel lobby, etc.

Now that the kids are big enough, I have decided that they can pull
their own weight on trips, as well as the luggage across the ramp,
through the hotel lobby, etc.

Each of us (2 kids, Mary and me) has our own soft-sided luggage. Mary and
mine are (is?) the luggage that came with our '86 Honda Goldwing. Over the
years, Mary has sewn on patches of all the states we've visited, and
patches from all the EAA conventions we've attended.

In fact, the luggage is now primarily held together BY the patches! :-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Is anyone collecting this list?

In article , Blanche
wrote:

Is anyone collecting this list?


yes

I'll give it a few days, and then try to summarize.

Then people can have fun correcting me. :-)

--
Bob Noel

Saw the ad (Sporty's? Spruce? Somewhere) about the ABS box that holds
oil, spout, tools, etc. $140 or so.

Back to the local hardware or household store. RubberMaid box (with
top) for $10. Holds minimum tools, roll of paper towels, quart of
oil, landing light, gloves, strainer, tie-down ropes. Goes into
the corner of the baggage area.

I've been looking for a cargo net that will hold down the stuff that's
stored in the baggage area (two quarts of oil, small tool box, tiedown kit,
etc. I have this image of having to remove the tool box from someone's head
after landing out somewhere. Anyone seen one that will work well in an
Archer?

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:hCCUb.101328$U%5.507652@attbi_s03...
This thread was actually started on the Cherokee 235/236 owner's group a
couple of days ago, and it was quite interesting and informative.
However,
that group is quite small by comparison to rec.aviation -- so I thought
I'd
open this topic up for everyone here.

The challenge is this: Post all the cheap and simple little "tricks" that
you've come up with to make your aircraft or your flying easier, cheaper,
and more comfortable! I'll bet we come up with quite a list of ideas.

Here are mine:

1. The shoulder harnesses in our plane were a constant pain in the butt to
stow and reach. We were always fishing them off the floor before each
flight. One day I noticed there were snaps installed in the webbing of
the
harness, so I went to a sewing shop and bought the "male" mates to those
snaps. I then installed the co-pilot's male snap in the ceiling, using an
existing screw, and the pilot's male snap in the plastic above the left
window, also using an existing screw.

Voila! We now just snap our shoulder harnesses up and out of the way
after
each flight, and the harnesses are always within easy reach.

2. Hand-held radios are very handy things to have on board (I used a
hand-held to get into Minneapolis International one night, after a com
failure), but where to put them? They've got to be within easy reach, but
also out of the way. But I didn't like keeping one in the seat backs,
since
those always seem to be over-loaded.

So, using left-over leather from our recent interior job, I hand-tooled a
pouch for our little ICOM unit. On our Cherokee there is a little space
just
ahead of the door on the co-pilot's side that is perfectly sized for this
pouch. Again, using an existing screw I installed a snap, and we now have
our hand-held (and the headphone adaptor, which is crucial in a noisy
airplane) right by the co-pilot's knee -- handy, but not in the way!

3. When we had the interior re-done, I had the upholstery shop install an
extra pocket on the pilot's side, down by your left ankle. This cost
practically nothing, and essentially doubles the storage space on the
pilot's side -- a real God-send for stowing flashlights, checklists,
leatherman tools, etc.

4. The Kool Scoop is the best thing ever invented for a Cherokee. It
swings
out into the slip stream on a hot summer day, and literally pipes the prop
wash directly into the cabin. It's cheap, and very effective.

5. For the luggage compartment, we bought one of those wheeled
under-the-bed
plastic storage containers at WalMart. It fits perfectly, is easily
removed,
and solves the never-ending fight against clutter.

6. Also for the shoulder harnesses we bought a couple of those cheap
velcro-on fleece pads, available at any automotive shop. They make the
shoulder harnesses MUCH more comfortable, especially for Mary. Those
harnesses catch her right in the neck!

Those are mine -- what have you done to make life easier in the cockpit?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message ...
I've been looking for a cargo net that will hold down the stuff that's
stored in the baggage area (two quarts of oil, small tool box, tiedown kit,
etc. I have this image of having to remove the tool box from someone's head
after landing out somewhere. Anyone seen one that will work well in an
Archer?

You can get elastic nets at most auto parts places. Just a matter of finding a
few relatively hard points to hook it to. The Navion isn't a problem as the
hat shelf behind the rear seat covers up the baggage compartment when the
canopy is closed (you could fold down the rear seat). To secure our scooters
in the back seat, I just run straps around the rear seat.

In article , Bob Chilcoat
wrote:

I've been looking for a cargo net that will hold down the stuff that's
stored in the baggage area (two quarts of oil, small tool box, tiedown kit,
etc. I have this image of having to remove the tool box from someone's head
after landing out somewhere. Anyone seen one that will work well in an
Archer?

I purchased one from the manufacturer of roof racks sold in outdoor
stores (Yakima?). It cost me $25, but is made of heavy bungie cord (red
or black) with nylon hooks. I attached smaller, steel S-hooks to attach
to the eyes in the baggage area of the C182 I fly. I bought it for last
year's AirVenture trip and have used it other times as well.