Saw a blurb in the latest GA News that Alaska Bushwheel is introducing a new line of tires for light sport airplanes. These "AIRSTREAK" tires will be lighter duty and lighter weight than the regular ABW tires, it said a 26 x 12 x 6 is currently available.
I checked the ABW website and the new lighterweight tires don't seem to be featured there yet. Wup, whazzup with this?

Eric

Haven't updated the web site yet but soon, there will be a 29" 26" and a 8:50 "Airstreak" tires rated at 1700# Gross Wt. The 26" tire weighs in at 19# each (the weight of a standard 850x6 tire and tube) and the 29's are comeing in around 27/28#'s each, the 850's are still in R-n-D. There will also be a Standard HD 850x6 later as well.

Sounds way cool, Wup..... will they have certs so we can get them field approved or are you going to try for STC's for some planes? (such as my Tcraft )
JH

hardtailjohn wrote:? (such as my Tcraft )
JH

Tcart...... Done! STC'd

How much $$$ ?

Does this new "Airstreak" line of tires have anything to do with the Airstreaks of old?
Will this line of tires use the internal bladders instead of tubes?

Eric

Hottshot wrote:Haven't updated the web site yet but soon, there will be a 29" 26" and a 8:50 "Airstreak" tires rated at 1700# Gross Wt. The 26" tire weighs in at 19# each (the weight of a standard 850x6 tire and tube) and the 29's are comeing in around 27/28#'s each, the 850's are still in R-n-D. There will also be a Standard HD 850x6 later as well.

So is that 1700 pounds each or total. Or in other words can I get a set for my husky . What will the weight difference be between the 29's I have now with the 6 inch wheels and the 29's with the 10 inch wheels? I am assuming they will last much longer than regular bushwheels but how much shock will they absorb on rough landings and how easy will it be it shear off a valve stem? Sorry for all the questions and for spying on these early but im pretty interested

zero.one.victor wrote:Does this new "Airstreak" line of tires have anything to do with the Airstreaks of old?
Will this line of tires use the internal bladders instead of tubes?How much $$$

Eric

Well... Nope they don't have anything to do with the old "Airstreaks". They are built just like the Bushwheel with the inner airbag and sidewall valve stem, they are (26") priced at $2000.00 a pair + S/H (STC included)

Renegade wrote:So is that 1700 pounds each or total. Or in other words can I get a set for my husky . What will the weight difference be between the 29's I have now with the 6 inch wheels and the 29's with the 10 inch wheels? I am assuming they will last much longer than regular bushwheels but how much shock will they absorb on rough landings and how easy will it be it shear off a valve stem? Sorry for all the questions and for spying on these early but im pretty interested

That is 1700# TOTAL and sorry but won't make the Husky..... The 29" difference will be about 6# total difference. As for the ABI 1010 wheel you are looking at a total different system, these are not "Tundra Tires" they are however a option for those that need the flotation that a will give a longer service life for higher gross aircraft that use hard surface runways more often than not, this is a step to someday haveing a true "Bushwheel Tundra Tire" for this wheel assemblie.

Sounds great, Wup!! Guess I'll have to peddle the 31's I have, and grab a set of these lightweights... makes alot more sense to me!!
JH

I have a set of the 26" (Bushwheel/Airstreak) LSA tires on my Sport Cub... absolutely fantastic!! Everything I expected and more. Ralph

Has anyone ever tried putting some Airstreak 26's on a Kitfox? Any pix?

My buddy runs a set of old 30" air streaks on his model 4 fox.....





This one has Slats also...

Wow! That's a lot of bushwheel for such a small plane. I am considering getting some AK Bushwheels for my plane as well, but not that big! What size engine is that Kitfox?

I put a set of 26" Airstreaks on my S-7. They are unbelievably, brilliantly fantastic. A couple of days after watching a Savage on skis get bumped around while landing on frozen snowmobile tracks on a lake, I landed on the same tracks and it was like landing on a feather mattress. I can't say enough good stuff both about the tires and the AK Bushwheel people that sell them.

I'm with pitfield, I have 29" AB Airstreaks on my Highlander and they are amazing. They opened up a whole new world of places to land!

I have 29" std. bushwheels on my Rans S7. They really are a little heavy for the gear - the spring gear on the S7 is just as happy to flex backward is it is vertically, so I sometimes get some shake on the gear after departing a rough strip. I have the heavy duty socket mod, so I'm not to worried about wear, but the custom HD gear that some have for the plane would be better. I think 26" airstreaks would be the best fit, like courierguy has, but hey...mine were a steal.

All that said - I sold my other tires. Its hard to imagine not having the capability of the bushwheels. As has been said by others, it opens up SOOO many places to you. The hardest part is just trying to keep off pavement to extend life, but you would be amazed at how many non-towered (and towered if they will let you) airports have suitable grass landing between runway/taxiway. I've only landed once on pavement in the last 8 months.

I also only lost maybe 5mph with them. I cruise 95mph at 4.2gal/hr

And they look cool

Brian - Steve's Aircraft wrote:My buddy runs a set of old 30" air streaks on his model 4 fox.....





This one has Slats also...

wow a airplane with a windsock on the wing... Cool... field approval I'd guess!

Ridge Runner wrote:Wow! That's a lot of bushwheel for such a small plane. I am considering getting some AK Bushwheels for my plane as well, but not that big! What size engine is that Kitfox?

912 with high compression pistons, modified exhaust (dual outlets), IVO 2 blade seaplane prop (ground adjustable). Puts out about 95 HP. Cruises around at about 85 with the prop flat as can be.

Brian

iceman wrote:

Brian - Steve's Aircraft wrote:My buddy runs a set of old 30" air streaks on his model 4 fox.....





This one has Slats also...

wow a airplane with a windsock on the wing... Cool... field approval I'd guess!

Yeah and look how that sock is hanging! He must be flying real slow.

Both of those pictured planes, the Kitfox and the S7 are nice looking planes with the AK Bushwheels, and I'm sure it makes a huge difference on where you can land. Thank you for posting the pix. It answered my question of what a Kitfox would look like with AK Bushwheels.

My Ridge Runner is quite small, at 430 lbs empty weight and having only a 50hp engine. It has no special wing modifications like on the pictured Kitfox (though I will be putting vortex generators on both wing and tailfeathers later). On my plane, I would be concerned with the additional weight forward of CG and the resultant loss of performance at slow speeds if I were to put some really big wheels on it. As such, I think the 26" Airstreak would be the biggest wheel I would want to try.