I bought new "ultralight" 29" Airstreaks,( for 1320 gross) and carefully weighed the difference between them and my old "regular" Airstreaks (1850 gross), 12 pounds. TWELVE POUNDS! And a few ounces, that's a huge difference. I may get even more cush out of them also, as the sidewalls I expect are lesser ply.

The old ones are in good shape, I made the switch for the weight savings. I had casually mentioned to another S-7 pilot that my old ones would be for sale in a couple weeks, and within 45 seconds of finishing the swap out and while I was putting the last of the tools away, my phone rang. SOLD! Less then a minute on the market, so to speak, and they are gone, buying the new ones was obviously meant to be.

I went for a quick flight, and noticed a marked change in rolling resistance when pushing the plane out of the hangar, as in easier. Partially I'm sure because I'm at 6 lbs., I usually run around 4, but maybe something about their internal construction helps too? I expect some bleed down as they seat in, why I started at 6.I'm at a loss as to how I didn't know about these ultralights earlier, ABW has been making them for quite a while I understand. Time will tell how they hold up.....I will most likely go the Herculiner bedliner route again,as it sure kept the old ones in good shape, for 1500 hours. You know how the big female movie stars hit a certain age, and just lock in with that look? The bedliner works like that for the Airstreaks, without surgery or Botox. I've worn out a lot of bedliner, but almost no tire rubber.

Thanks for the info! 12 pounds savings is awesome for the same sized tire! Keep us posted on any updates.

The only mod to offer that dramatic of a weight loss in one fell swoop, is getting the EarthX battery and a mechanical master switch, and ditching the Odyssey gel cell (rear mounted, with long wiring runs). I knocked 11-12 lbs. off there also.

One of the really great things about Airframes Alaska is that they keep improving on their already outstanding products. Good for them!

MTV

These seem to be slightly different in construction, there is a seam running down the center, and they are a bit wider and just a little less tall then my previous Airstreaks. But, after some time with some air in them, they may assume a more similar shape to the old ones.

At 6 lbs PSI, they seem about the same or if anything maybe a bit softer then the heavier tires. I checked them just now and found, still, right at 6, so I let a bit out and will try 5 for a while.They are now pooched out, like a chipmunk's cheek a bit at the bottom, which is what I am more used to. Since I folded one of my earlier tires in half, ( a relief, as I thought at first the gear had folded) while parking on a steep side slope, I pay more attention to my PSI. Turns out I was at 2.5 when it folded, after that I never went below 3.5 and also when turning around on steeper slopes I do it FAST.

I had time to hit this 8600' site before getting a call for work today, a place I can use in the winter also. The guy called me short notice, needed crane work in 1.5 hrs., and I was 20 minutes away from home, plus 30 minutes drive time to my crane yard then another 15 to the job site. I was headed towards it (the distance shot, the peak on the left, down a couple hundred feet from the summit) when he first called, then a few minutes later while I was circling and more or less on short final he called again with some lame question (did I have any slings to pick his load?!) and while I assured him I was fully equipped, landed it. The LightSpeed headset allows phone conversations so well, they don't know I'm flying much less landing off airport, I get a real kick out of that, plus it means I can play while taking care of business. So, the new tires have officially been broken in. I got to this job right on time, plus my second one, after taking a quick lunch break, and then I found a dollar bill in the fast food joint's parking lot, a good day all in all.

LIFE IS GOOD!