So I am looking for some opinions. I recently bought my 59 c172, I got the seller to include a set up 2500 main skis and 1200 nose ski with the deal. I am wondering just how well it will perform in the snow with the skis. I would love to be able to fly out to some lakes or cool places this winter. Just wondering if the o-300 will be able to keep me above the snow

Haven't you heard? It doesn't snow up here in the winter anymore! Haha. I think that set up will work great for most of the larger lakes in the valley. That sounds like a good combo and I think you'll be surprised what that o-300 will do on a cool winter day.

Happy flying!

Shy of engine/prop, probably the best think to get you light on those skis is a Sportsman STOL kit.

the guy before me flew it on the skis, but i never did ask about how deep of snow he got into. Guess i will have to see. and we are going to get a good snow this winter, have some faith haha

That rig will work fine, and it'll teach you a lot about ski flying. Get with some guys who are ski flying around there this winter and hang out with them. They can tell you where the plane will work, and help you dig out when you get stuck. And you will get stuck......part of the game.

Put together a good survival kit to carry with you, dress properly for the conditions, and go have some fun.

Ski flying is the most fun you can have in a plane.

MTV

awesome thanks, ill have to try to find a group to fly with

Well "F" Ray, wrote you up a nice nose ski post and poof! Gone :/ I should know better.

Here is two thousand words worth:

While I don't have any ski experience, I did pay attention in physics class. Assuming that the area and friction of the skiis remains constant.... the primary equation you need to balance out is thrust to weight.

To increase thrust, have your propeller pitched down to a climb prop, because that will give you the most pull, to get the skiis up "on plane".

Likewise, with only 145 HP and limited propeller thrust, the weight of the aircraft determines how well you will accelerate the skiis up on plane.

Wait are you selling these right now on Ak list?
Looks like the same nose ski that came off my previous 172 before I TD converted it long ago. The previous owner said it was a bad A ski plane with three big skis. Lots of floatation in deep snow. The nose gear is pretty darn week on those things. Not really made for skis. It's only for a handfull of rivets mounting it to some thin ass sheetmetal on the firewall. I have also seen the check cables mounted to the main gear u bolt clamps. That configuration cracked both ob castings.

PAMR MX wrote:Wait are you selling these right now on Ak list?
Looks like the same nose ski that came off my previous 172 before I TD converted it long ago. The previous owner said it was a bad A ski plane with three big skis. Lots of floatation in deep snow. The nose gear is pretty darn week on those things. Not really made for skis. It's only for a handfull of rivets mounting it to some thin ass sheetmetal on the firewall. I have also seen the check cables mounted to the main gear u bolt clamps. That configuration cracked both ob castings.

You're absolutely right....the nose gear on 172s is pretty wimpy. But, it's like anything else, you have to use some judgement and skill. Stay out of the rough stuff....and ski operations offer a lot of opportunities to get into rough snow.

You're not going to go out glacier bashing with this setup, but there are a lot of semi-groomed areas out there, and smooth snow if you get a little experience and be careful.

MTV

the nose gear worry's me for sure on the 172. but hopefully i can get a taste for it this winter

I'm wondering if there is there some way to brace the nosegear forward to the lower engine mount clusters under the rear of the engine with cables, to reduce/limit flexing of the firewall and the loads that are put onto those cast aluminum nosegear mounts? Has anyone tried this, or done any engineering on it to see if this would relieve the loads on the structure?

IF, and I say IF the problem with 172 ski installations is fore-aft flexure of the firewall, then it seems like a relatively straightforward V-brace or brace cables could be developed to reduce this problem.

We don't have much experience with ski-plane operations here in the Mojave Desert (in August...), so my comments and questions are purely theoretical and academic.

Hi,
I know this is an older post, but I was wondering if you still had your Cessna 172 nose ski for sale?
Or if anyone knows someone who has one that they’d be willing to sell?

Thanks!

mtv wrote:
Ski flying is the most fun you can have in a plane.

MTV

Made my first ski landing in real snow last Friday on a frozen lake. Man are you ever right.

I don’t know what the heck I’m doing but it just felt right to “step taxi” with the tail flying. Super fun!

Ross4289 wrote:

mtv wrote:
Ski flying is the most fun you can have in a plane.

MTV

Made my first ski landing in real snow last Friday on a frozen lake. Man are you ever right.

I don’t know what the heck I’m doing but it just felt right to “step taxi” with the tail flying. Super fun!

Ain’t it great?

MTV

Pretty hard to beat. Zane and I are going to go tear it up this weekend