Has anyone in the BCP community witnessed or been party too a Belly Pod being installed on a 170B ?

Mapleflt

Reach out to Aeropod...

Any chance you have their web address, I Googled the name but no luck !!!!

Mapleflt wrote:Any chance you have their web address, I Googled the name but no luck !!!!

Ooops! Should have been more clear. His username on this site is aeropod.

Ah, got it tks

Unless the belly pod comes with a gross weight increase, I think it's addition would only reduce the amount of stuff you can carry (useful load).

Tony (Aeropod's) pod would have to be FA'd for a 170, and due to the lack of power would be hard to do. Hasnt been done yet for a 180... Its just approved for a 185.

All good considerations thanks, time for Plan B

Install an extended baggage if you haven’t already. It adds quite a bit of extra space.

Curious as to what your "plan B" is?

Your question is a good one. An extended baggage kit is great, however it places extra weight further aft of CG which isn't ideal. A cargo pod is a great way to carry bulky items, and places the weight in an ideal location. Obviously, either way you would need to be mindful of your weight and balance.

Aerocet was seeking certification for a pod for 172's. I spoke to them a few months ago and they said they were "almost there". You might want to talk to them.

On The Fly wrote:Curious as to what your "plan B" is?

Your question is a good one. An extended baggage kit is great, however it places extra weight further aft of CG which isn't ideal. A cargo pod is a great way to carry bulky items, and places the weight in an ideal location. Obviously, either way you would need to be mindful of your weight and balance.

Aerocet was seeking certification for a pod for 172's. I spoke to them a few months ago and they said they were "almost there". You might want to talk to them.

Aerocet's pod has been in the works for a long time--I think it was at OSH 3 or 4 years ago. It sure looked nice, and I could see it as a possibility on my P172D, if it didn't add much drag. I'm always running out of room for light but bulky items, things like the cowl and prop covers in the winter. But at the rate it's going, I'll be grounded by old age before Aeropod is ready to sell them.

Cary

I think Bagarre mades a good point, the weight of the pod itself in the lower gross weight aircraft is limiting. An extended baggage area therefore makes more sense for this class of airplane, maybe not so much of an issue from 180/185 and up.

Mapleflt

What's a pod weigh? 50 pounds? More, less?
I'm thinking these are fiberglas?
Maybe a good item to be done up in carbon fiber instead.

If the pod weighs 50 pounds, that's 50 pounds less you can't carry.
particular in a 170 where you run out of useful load long before you run out of room in the cabin.

Cary wrote:Aerocet's pod has been in the works for a long time--I think it was at OSH 3 or 4 years ago. It sure looked nice, and I could see it as a possibility on my P172D, if it didn't add much drag. I'm always running out of room for light but bulky items, things like the cowl and prop covers in the winter. But at the rate it's going, I'll be grounded by old age before Aeropod is ready to sell them.

Cary

Don't lump me in with Aerocet!

I can't see much utility at all coming from a pod on a 170 or 172, or even an old 180. It's already WAY too easy to get those airplanes over gross in stock form, no need to add room. I owned a really cool 170 that was way too easy to get over gross. It would haul it no problem, but I'm sure it would have lead to problems with the feds if I had bent any metal.

AEROPOD wrote:

Cary wrote:Aerocet's pod has been in the works for a long time--I think it was at OSH 3 or 4 years ago. It sure looked nice, and I could see it as a possibility on my P172D, if it didn't add much drag. I'm always running out of room for light but bulky items, things like the cowl and prop covers in the winter. But at the rate it's going, I'll be grounded by old age before Aeropod is ready to sell them.

Cary

Don't lump me in with Aerocet!

I can't see much utility at all coming from a pod on a 170 or 172, or even an old 180. It's already WAY too easy to get those airplanes over gross in stock form, no need to add room. I owned a really cool 170 that was way too easy to get over gross. It would haul it no problem, but I'm sure it would have lead to problems with the feds if I had bent any metal.

Whoops! Fat fingered that one, didn't I?

Cary

Bagarre wrote:If the pod weighs 50 pounds, that's 50 pounds less you can't carry. Particular in a 170 where you run out of useful load long before you run out of room in the cabin.

I agree. Just curious what a pod weighs.

Full size pod like a Piat Pod, with no ceiling, which would fit a 172, older 182, 180, or 185 weighs 35 lbs.