Simple & Cheap Tricks for your plane

On Fri, 6 Feb 2004 15:44:44 -0500, "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?

Go to the West Marine site and look for their cargo hammock. To give
you an idea of its size, we used to have one to hold the kid's stuffed
animals. You might be able to modify one.

Don

I'm looking for a cargo net also. The baggage area in my cherokee
has two long straps (diagonal the entire width, made of seatbelt
webbing) but that doesn't hold down the small stuff that can
get loose.

I'm looking for a cargo net also. The baggage area in my cherokee
has two long straps (diagonal the entire width, made of seatbelt
webbing) but that doesn't hold down the small stuff that can
get loose.

This is why we went with the "fits-under-the-bed-on-wheels-plastic-box"
instead of a cargo net.

It fits in the compartment perfectly, has a flip-up lid, and keeps all the
stupid little stuff contained. Unless you get a really tight-mesh net, all
the little stuff will just come through it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I'm 30 miles away from airplane and manual...anyone remember the
width & length of the cherokee 180D baggage area? Floor dimensions,
I mean. Or, Jay, what are the dimensions of your
under-bed-on-wheels-plastic-box?

thanks

I'm 30 miles away from airplane and manual...anyone remember the
width & length of the cherokee 180D baggage area? Floor dimensions,
I mean. Or, Jay, what are the dimensions of your
under-bed-on-wheels-plastic-box?

I'm only 30 seconds away from my hangar, but it might as well be 30 miles
today. :-(

You may get to measuring before I do, Blanche. The box we bought was just
the "regular" sized under-bed storage unit, available at Wal or K-Mart.
The next size up was obviously way too big for the luggage compartment, so
you may not even need to measure -- just get the one that obviously fits.

The unit doesn't fill the compartment completely, so you can still put
"tall" things on the floor. It's very handy for keeping survival food,
water, batteries, cold-weather gear, hand-warmers, tools, etc.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Blanche" wrote in message
...

thanks

Blanche wrote:

I'm looking for a cargo net also.

These are sold for SUVs.

George Patterson
Love, n.: A form of temporary insanity afflicting the young. It is curable
either by marriage or by removal of the afflicted from the circumstances
under which he incurred the condition. It is sometimes fatal, but more
often to the physician than to the patient.

On Fri, 6 Feb 2004 15:44:44 -0500, "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?

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

My cargo net is from the trunk of a mid-size chevy sedan. I think they
were standard equipment in the 90's. I got mine at the wreckers for
$5.

I seem to remember the PA-28s I've flown had those snappy
bits already there to pop the seatbelts on to.

Other planes (PA-28? 172?) have a little plastic tray there to
fold it into.

Paul

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:hCCUb.101328$U%5.507652@attbi_s03...
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.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:hCCUb.101328$U%5.507652@attbi_s03...
1. The shoulder harnesses in our plane were a constant pain in the butt to
stow and reach. ...


Jay,

You're obviously stowing them in the wrong place.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:hCCUb.101328$U%5.507652@attbi_s03...
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.

Jay,
Here are some of things which I have done and planned to do to
increase storage space and efficiency:
1. Bigger door pockets: In replacing the original material in the
lower panel doors, I also enlarged the pocket areas and made them at
least 4 times as big as the old pockets.
2. We are in the process of making a cockpit organizer to fit between
the two front seats. The space is really narrow (3") so it is next to
impossible to find a box or bag to fit. There are some commercially
available stuffs made out of alumnimum or plexiglass
(http://www.saicorp.com and http://www.cockpitcompanion.com) but they
are quite pricey. I have a bunch of old acrylic printer stands.
Tried to fit one in the plane yesterday and it fit perfectly. With a
bit of modification (adding few dividers using polycarbonate pieces
and acrylic cement), we will have a custom made inexpensive place to
keep our maps, books, hand held gps/radio, fire extinguisher etc.
3. Keeping stuffs organized in the baggage area was a big headache
until today. I had followed this thread and had looked around for
different kind of boxes, cargo nets etc. but nothing seemed suitable.
I wanted something which is lightweight, not too bulky and can hold
everything. Aside from the usual few quarts of oil, wheel chocks and
tow bar, we also have an aero step (indispensable for the strutless
cardinal), a ceramic heater and a big roll of extension cords (also
indispensable for northeast winter flying). Our baggage area is around
32"x32". The largest and bulkiest item is the 25" aero step. The day
before, I happened to think of the huge mesh gear bags which we use to
haul our diving gear. I measured the opening of one and it was just
the right size at 27". The mesh bag is quite heavy duty and the
zippers are of industrial strength (my dive stuffs weigh around 50lbs
dry and probably 50% more when wet). Brought it to the plane today and
was quite pleased to find that everything fit neatly inside the bag.
Now, I don't have to worry about things sliding about and ruin our
newly refurbished interior or get tossed around in turbulence.
We still have a few little projects to do. Rick had cut a hole out
of the plastic box covering the lower console. He planned to fashion
something to attach our water bottle. I am thinking of ways to
convert the two ashtrays in the seat backside plastics into something
useful (coin/candy pockets? barf bag or flower holders? ;-).