A airplane is usually a series of compromises weighted one way or the other.
Can you think of any that with a quick or easy change redefines its mission?
I was originally thinking along the lines of interchangeable wings for a Cessna 210 , fast ones and slow flight ones.
But that instantly took me to float planes. same Idea one change totally can redefine the planes mission.
Are there others where you bolt on a slotted leading edge, swap wings add flap extensions etc to get into short remote places then come back out make a stop and remove them for the flight home?
Can you think of any planes that are hot and fast heavy haulers at gross but capable short field planes with just a pilot and 100 pounds of camping gear?

The newer models of the kitfox are convertible from nose wheel to tail wheel and they used to offer a kit to convert the wings from long to short...32 foot to 29 foot wingspan.

In short wing configuration it is a little bit faster and roll a little faster. The tail wheel is a little faster than the nose wheel but not "Hot and fast". It is a quite capable short field plane with just a pilot and 100 pounds of camping gear though.

I'd posit that most bigger, higher horsepower planes are hot and fast at gross and excellent performers with minimal weight. The 185, 206, and Cherokee 6 with big engines can certainly perform. Take an airplane with 1500 lbs of useful load and fly it light and it will impress. Many of the typical mods (Wing X, VGs, Stol Kit) can dramatically expand low speed capabilities with minimal impact (and perhaps gain) to the top end. So the removable mod that would make the most difference would be tires.

The rapid acceleration in low ground effect, fast cruise speed, load capabilities, and slow stall speed in ground effect are pretty impressive for most common four place airplanes.

Goldinthecreek wrote: Can you think of any planes that are hot and fast heavy haulers at gross but capable short field planes with just a pilot and 100 pounds of camping gear?

Skywagon

robw56 wrote:

Goldinthecreek wrote: Can you think of any planes that are hot and fast heavy haulers at gross but capable short field planes with just a pilot and 100 pounds of camping gear?

Skywagon

Nice

Really other than defining what "fast" is you pretty much described Skywagons to a T.

Goldinthecreek wrote:...
Can you think of any planes that are hot and fast heavy haulers at gross but capable short field planes with just a pilot and 100 pounds of camping gear?

C-130 comes to mind, but I think they require more than just one pilot.

I am not sure how much speed difference there will be but I am thinking of having an extra nose strut available for my 57 182 that would allow me to make a pretty quick conversion from 8:50 mains and 8:00 on the landis nose fork to stock wheels and wheel pants. Just looking it over, it appears that a complete strut assembly with fork, wheel, tire, and wheel pant could be changed out pretty quickly with about 4 bolts involved after suspending the front of the airplane high enough. The mains would change out quickly also. Not sure about brake disk compatibility though...

C182 guy wrote:I am not sure how much speed difference there will be but I am thinking of having an extra nose strut available for my 57 182 that would allow me to make a pretty quick conversion from 8:50 mains and 8:00 on the landis nose fork to stock wheels and wheel pants. Just looking it over, it appears that a complete strut assembly with fork, wheel, tire, and wheel pant could be changed out pretty quickly with about 4 bolts involved after suspending the front of the airplane high enough. The mains would change out quickly also. Not sure about brake disk compatibility though...

Don't see why you couldn't run 3/8" discs on a smaller tire, or for that matter run 1/4" discs on a double piston caliper...?