Bigrenna wrote:
(the fact that my bird is pickled and I haven't flown it in a bit is also a source for ridicule on a separate thread.)

No, there is definitely time for that here…

Dog is my Copilot wrote:I am curious about Earth X. Can they be mounted up near the firewall where my Odyssey sits or does it need a field approval ? I just replaced the J16 but maybe having some more weight savings and a stronger battery is the way to go.


Josh

I mounted EarthX on the firewall on my '55 180 before oshkosh when the stc finally came out. I fried the battery due to the colorado and texas summer in about 30 hours. Constantly throwing over temp lights. Melted and deformed the battery case. I still have the deformed battery - had to buy a new one and then installed according to the STC in the rear. We were able to mount it horizontally under the airglas extended baggage and she's much happier now. I've heard people in Alaska having success with the firewall mount EarthX but if you operate in any sort of warm climate, my advice is to follow the STC and mount it in the back. Now that the STC is out, you're not likely to get that field approval anyway.

soyAnarchisto wrote:I fried the battery due to the colorado and texas summer in about 30 hours. Constantly throwing over temp lights. Melted and deformed the battery case.

Total deal killer there… over temp and thermal runaway with a lithium battery in flight is what nightmares are made of. I will gladly trade the extra weight of an Odyssey for the stability and confidence that is offered.

Interesting and odd.
I live in warm... ah Bullshit... I live in hotter than bejeezus. Blessed with an IA and PMI that had a more reasonable interpretation of what constitutes an applicable battery for my '53 based on its TC, I've ran the blue battery on the firewall sans STC or FA since before it was a daily name. It zipps. I'm not particularly kind to my equipment, and it has tolerated me and my antics. I can't think of too many better ways to save weight while actually gaining performance. Maybe I've just been stupid lucky? Or maybe just stoopid.

Take care, Rob

A bit of a thread drift here. When I was building my last 170 and was considering which prop to use, I didn't have the stuff to do pull tests so what I did was time myself to rotation speed. Figuring the quicker I could get to that speed, the better the prop pulled and the shorter I could get off. YMMV

I have it on good authority that a new Voyager prop is under development that’s going to really excite us 520 guys. If/when it’s released next summer I’m going to snap one up.

Quick question, what drives the bias towards tubeless tires?

Depends on definition of tubeless tire. If you are talking a bushwheel which actually has a tube built into the tire it is the fact that if it slips on the rim it will not shear the valve stem. If you are talking a standard tire/tube arrangement weight what I would consider as the main factor.
DENNY

Hey Rob. Where do you live? I was in Vermont when I did the install but I do fly in the heat quite a bit normally. Planning a trip to Central America this winter. Glad to hear yours has held up.

CParker wrote:Quick question, what drives the bias towards tubeless tires?

I'm not sure about tubeless setups other than Bushwheels, but Bushwheels have a few VERY significant advantages in the backcountry.

With respect to the tubeless feature, If you get a flat Bushwheel out in the sticks, you can patch it from the outside, pump it back up with a hand pump or electric compressor and be on your merry way.

With a tubed tire: jacking the plane, pulling the brake, pulling the wheel, splitting the wheel, repairing or replacing a tube and replacing the cotter pin in the field is an extremely involved procedure that very few are prepared to perform when out and about. This can lead to hours of work, and would most likely include a trip out and back in another plane to get the supplies that you need to the site of difficulty.

I carry a patch kit and a lightweight raft pump that pumps high volume up to 20 psi. With these simple kit additions, I can deal with almost any Bushweel issue in about 15 minutes.

Preparing for self-sufficiency in different scenarios is a big part of being a "field rated" backcountry pilot in my opinion.

There is a new Voyager in the works.

MW

185Midwest wrote:There is a new Voyager in the works.

MW

Why? What is wrong with the one that is out now? If I recall correctly it isn’t very old.

Kurt

Bushwheels have a nice patch kit. We split between 3 planes. A regular tubeless tire plug also works great. A buddy had to leave his cub in the field a few days and of course the bears decided to bite his bushwheels the tire plugs held great! I carry a 12 volt compressor (less than a lb for adjusting tire pressure.
denny

G44 wrote:

185Midwest wrote:There is a new Voyager in the works.

MW

Why? What is wrong with the one that is out now? If I recall correctly it isn’t very old.

Kurt

Composite