I just found a 1953 C180 w/ p-ponk super eagle for sale locally. Had a chance to fly it and I'm in love. Except for the cabin volume. It was so loud I'm actually worried about hearing damage. And I don't worry about much. Has anyone had good success soundproofing a similar aircraft? I know it will never be quiet, but I also don't want my ears ringing more than they already do.

what prop? pponk says that the 88" wastes a log of energy breaking the sound barrier (loud) and doesn't pull more than the 86" mac.

Have never heard anyone having a problem with a 180 being to loud inside. Mine was noisey with the big prop but nothing out of hand.

What's loud? What prop? Betting it's the 86 or 88 Mac. Trade with Soy or get an MT. Problem solved.

No problem with cabin either. I'm 6'3 and 215lbs. Yes, a large person up front can be tight but how often are you really flying with a large person up front? My wife, kids and most friends fit perfetly.

Akt

Let me know if you want to solve that noise problem. I'll trade you my 82" mac - and you'll be cruising faster to boot!

I found my 180 and cyclone 185 to both be louder than average, but nothing terrible. I double on ear protection and can fly all day. A pair of foam earplugs under your favorite headset works wonders.

I am here to help. Yes, it will be loud, you may get hearing damage. Pm me the owners phone number. Problem solved
Gary

What headset are you using?

There are headsets, and there are headsets. Not all are equal. If you're using a passive one, try any of the ANRs--huge difference. Or if you don't want to go there, modify yours with an Oregon Aero hushkit, and go farther with a Headsets Inc. ANR conversion.

Or don't get it--Gary (and probably several others) is ready to leap onto it!

Cary

I have a bose a20, but used the owner's lightspeed with thrashed earcups when I flew it. It's a 3 blade hartzell, 84", i think.

I've had good luck with my light speed Zulus (though I do keep them in good shape) in my 185 with a three blade and the bare style interior with the plastic side panels.

I have owned my 1954 C-180 for 38 years and yes it is indeed noisy.
My ears ring steady and for the past 15 years I have used an ANR type headset.
Should of done that from the start. Hard to believe they used to have a cabin speaker figuring you could use that to talk on the radio with a hand held mic ...
Everything got wet last year, parked on floats when a twister flipped my 180 and it sank. The refurb is approaching completion. I am installing that black noise reduction foam on the firewall and throughout the cabin. With some new seals on properly fitted doors, it will interesting to seeing how much the noise volume is reduced. Certainly, I am keen to get back flying. The fuselage goes into the paint shop today.

The Selkirk foam insulation and 1/4in windshield helped a lot. My 185 has the 88in Mac 3 blade and will make your ears bleed on the ground, but in the plane its not that bad. The MTs are quiet but they don't pull as hard as a Mac, they have been known to brake starter drive springs, and their fragile.

I went from an 82" Mac to an 88" Mac on my 470-powered 53 model-- everyone says it's louder but I can't tell the difference from inside the thing.
Ditto what everyone else is saying:
1) earplugs under regular headset, or ANR headset
2) thicker windshield
3) black insulation
Plenty of threads on this site showing this last being installed.

With some new seals on properly fitted doors, it will interesting to seeing how much the noise volume is reduced.

Please let us know what you find. My firewall insulation is in pretty poor shape. I wear foam earplugs along with the Bose A20 and it's not too bad but communicating isn't very good.

Shortfielder, I called dibs!

shortfielder wrote:I am here to help. Yes, it will be loud, you may get hearing damage. Pm me the owners phone number. Problem solved
Gary

Spend a day behind a 985, then the 180 will be quiet

Has anyone tried the products and approaches suggested here: http://www.soundproofing.org/infopages/soundprf.htm

I've always used DC passive sets and found them more than acceptable for my needs. I Pponked my 1953 180 and added a MT prop about 18 months ago and I think it channeled all the noise it used to make outside with the 88" Mac inside. The neighbors and strip owner love the quieter departures but the cockpit noise level went up substantially. It actually wears on me now after a straight 5-6 flight hrs.

Flynengr

180Marty wrote:.... My firewall insulation is in pretty poor shape. .....

I don't have any insulation on my firewall at all.
Do you think much engine noise comes in there?
That sounds like a dumb question but it's my thinking that most of the noise is the wind and the prop pulses against the windshield & wings.

The '53s and '54s have the air vents on the inboard part of the wing which is in the prop wash. In '55 Cessna moved the vents out side of the prop wash and increased the thickness of the windshield to cut down on the noise. Cessna did go to a two vent system in 1969.