I am looking for some advice on which STOL kit is a better value for the plane I fly. I currently have a 1968 Cessna 172 on EDO 2000's powered by at Lycoming O-320.

The Horton STOL kit cost $1,499

The Sportsmen STOL kit cost $1,995

Both kits include new wing tips, the Horton has stall fences but no flap gap seals, the Sportsmen has flap gap seals but no stall fences. Both take the same amount of time to install according to the manufacture.

Anyone have experience with these kits on a Skyhawk on floats? I am thinking the Horton kit is the better one simply because it cost $500 less. The wings need to be painted and I think it would be a good time to add a STOL kit.

Do not pass go, buy the Sportsman kit......it hands down offers better performance than the Horton or any other cuff out there.

For perspective, I know of quite a few who've removed Horton cuffs and replaced with a Sportsman cuff, but I've never heard of anyone going the other way...

I've flown a number of planes and several of them on floats with these kits. The Horton provides a LITTLE performance improvement, but the Sportsman cuff really makes a very noticeable difference in performance. When we put a Sportsman cuff on a 185 I flew, even my boss, a non pilot, noted the difference in landing speed.

Look at the difference in the SIZE of the cuff (Sportsman is much larger) and the camber of the leading edge (Sportsman is much more cambered). These are what make a cuff work. Fences?? Not so much.

The Sportsman does NOT include a flap gap seal, it DOES include an aileron seal....a VERY good addition on these ailerons.

Finally, the Sportsman cuff is the result of NASA research on MOLE technology, and is proven technology.

Oh, and Will Stene is one of the good guys....

MTV

Im one who removed the Horton and installed the Sportsman in my 182.
Go for the Sportsman, big big difference

No experience with the Horton, but had the Sportsman on a 170, and loved it. It makes the plane unbelievably safe to handle at low speeds.

Planning to put a Sportsman on my 180 this spring.

Sportsman hands down. Besides the comments above, Will Stene has been awesome RE: customer service. I'm actually in the middle of two Sportsman installs now (one on my 180 and also on a 170) and cant speak higher of Stene Aviation.

Good luck!

I have a 1967 172H and with the help of Will Stene, we installed the Sportsman kit on my aircraft two years ago. From personal experience and 600 hours + in this aircraft, I can give you this advice, DO IT. The Sportsman kit took 10-15 mph off all bottom numbers with no effect on cruse speed, the aileron seals increase their effect at lower speeds, the aircraft handles/feels @ 45 or 50 like it used to @ 60-70, perhaps better. Like the man said “ they remove the Horton and install the Sportsman, never the other way around”

mtv wrote:
Oh, and Will Stene is one of the good guys....

MTV

For more info on people's experience with Willie & Sportsman STOL here's another recent post:
http://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum/k ... 09#p190409

I'll add another vote for the Sportsman, I love it on my 170. Here's a thread from when I first installed the kit. http://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum/c ... pirep-9921

I second what MTV said….

Thank you for the input, I will be going with the Sportsmen STOL. I can't wait to get this bird back in the water this spring.

I'll pile to say Sportsman! And add a plug for Wing-X as well, now or as another upgrade in the future. Worth it if it fits your budget especially on floats. Extra wing and more lift at the flat angle of attack you have when on the step.

Unfortunately the wing-x is only STC'd on the 172 in Canada, for now anyways.

Ah sorry, I missed that part. But Sportsman alone is still great