Air Mods One-Piece Belly

[HRM]

I am getting ready to instalI an Air Mods one-piece belly pan (SA4080NM) onto my E. My IA is letting me do it under supervision and I wondered if any of you were familiar with the procedure and could offer any advice.

 

 

[Marauder]

I am getting ready to instalI an Air Mods one-piece belly pan (SA4080NM) onto my E. My IA is letting me do it under supervision and I wondered if any of you were familiar with the procedure and could offer any advice.

Tell us more about this mod. Who is Air Mod?

[orionflt]

yes, I'm interested also

[Bob_Belville]

This looks like the right folks. Central NJ. N87

 

www.airmodsflightcenter.com/modifications-and-repair/main

 

Mooney Service Center.

[Bob_Belville]

It may be the Lasar belly. A-M references installing Lasar kits.

[Marauder]

This looks like the right folks. Central NJ. N87

www.airmodsflightcenter.com/modifications-and-repair/main

Mooney Service Center.

Oh Mike, where are you? You use them... Dave whateverhislastnameis... He did my lower cowl enclosure 20 years ago.

[carusoam]

Air Mods and Repair

Trenton Robbinsville airport. N87

Dave Mathiesen

Email airmods1191@aol.com

http://www.airmodsflightcenter.com

This is the MSC in NJ. The email may be old.

Hope this helps,

-a-

[PTK]

Oh Mike, where are you? You use them... Dave whateverhislastnameis... He did my lower cowl enclosure 20 years ago.

Air Mods and Repair, Dave Mathiesen, N87.

I was just looking for a name spelling and came across this:

http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=11377

Ouch!!!

[HRM]

The one piece belly pan with skid runners is made by Air Mods, Inc of Wheat Ridge, Co. The paper work says: weight change add 10 lbs to aircraft empty weight with no change in moment. It can be used on Mooney models: M 20 C, D, E, F, G, J, and K. The Supplemental Type Certificate number is SA4080NM.

 

The Air Mods that owns the STC is not any of  the "Air Mods" you guys are discussing.

    

[Bob_Belville]

The one piece belly pan with skid runners is made by Air Mods, Inc of Wheat Ridge, Co. The paper work says: weight change add 10 lbs to aircraft empty weight with no change in moment. It can be used on Mooney models: M 20 C, D, E, F, G, J, and K. The Supplemental Type Certificate number is SA4080NM.

 

The Air Mods that owns the STC is not any of  the "Air Mods" you guys are discussing.

    

Sorry for my part in misleading. I googled air mods. 

 

In fact the one piece belly on my E is the "One piece fiberglass belly pan fairing with skid runners by Aero Mod Inc, STC SA4080NM" which a prior owner installed in 1997! 

 

I shoulda knowed better.

[PLN_FXR]

I've installed LASAR pans; would be interested to know how the Air Mods pan fits once you get her installed. 

[HRM]

I've installed LASAR pans; would be interested to know how the Air Mods pan fits once you get her installed. 

 

My understanding is that all that is required is some cutting of existing metal and the installation of floating nutplates to hold the panel on.

[PLN_FXR]

My understanding is that all that is required is some cutting of existing metal and the installation of floating nutplates to hold the panel on.

Yes - but I'd like to know how it fits; i.e., does it conform nicely to the compound curvature of your belly, of does it develop "gaposis" between fasteners?

[HRM]

Yes - but I'd like to know how it fits; i.e., does it conform nicely to the compound curvature of your belly, of does it develop "gaposis" between fasteners?

 

There be gaps 

[Bob_Belville]

Mine is 17 years old. 

[HRM]

Mine is 17 years old. 

 

...and looks damn good for her age! Show me a woman who isn't sagging in a few places after 50 years and I'll show you a heckuva lot of plastic surgery work!

 

(I'm safe, my wife never comes here...)

[Hank]

My belly has no runner down the middle, is not white like that and less edge rippling. It is not a perfect fit, but it does well. Fifty two screws to remove and reinstall. I recommend the snazzy double-ratchet screwdriver from Lowes, that ratchets while turning in both directions. Makes screws go faster.

[aaronk25]

I love mine the runners saved the airplane when it was landed gear up. We actually were able to reuse the existing one piece belly, although the runners are 1/4" shorter as the fiberglass was left behind over about 200 feet on runway 36 at Lansing IL. We were able to just reseal the runners with fiberglass.

Very nice addition to any mooney.

[Bob_Belville]

My belly has no runner down the middle, is not white like that and less edge rippling. It is not a perfect fit, but it does well. Fifty two screws to remove and reinstall. I recommend the snazzy double-ratchet screwdriver from Lowes, that ratchets while turning in both directions. Makes screws go faster.

I have a couple of inexpensive power screw drivers, one is only 4V,a Ryobe from Home Depot. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-TEK4-4-Volt-Screwdriver-HP53LK/202351930

I didn't expect much when I bought the 1st one but they are great. The torque is adjustable, they're light to hold up while laying on my back, and they're much easier on the screws than the big DeWalts. 

[Hank]

I have a couple of inexpensive power screw drivers, one is only 4V,a Ryobe from Home Depot. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-TEK4-4-Volt-Screwdriver-HP53LK/202351930

I didn't expect much when I bought the 1st one but they are great. The torque is adjustable, they're light to hold up while laying on my back, and they're much easier on the screws than the big DeWalts. 

 

But I've grown to like my Popeye forearms! The previous owner(s) and A&P's apparently used power drivers on the belly, I had a difficult first two annuals. Then I started replacing screws and making sure everything went in straight [no more crossed threads, jammed screws and buggered up Phillips slots!], and now it's much easier. I just wish they'd used shorter screws, there's no reason to engage the threads with ½" exposed when you're screwing into nutplates. Most of them would be fine at ¼" long.

[Bob_Belville]

But I've grown to like my Popeye forearms! The previous owner(s) and A&P's apparently used power drivers on the belly, I had a difficult first two annuals. Then I started replacing screws and making sure everything went in straight [no more crossed threads, jammed screws and buggered up Phillips slots!], and now it's much easier. I just wish they'd used shorter screws, there's no reason to engage the threads with ½" exposed when you're screwing into nutplates. Most of them would be fine at ¼" long.

Hank, my light weight, light duty driver is easier to keep straight than a hand tool and I back off on the clutch to keep from overtightening. When I got the plane back from the prop strike I found that 4 cowl nutplates around the spinner which are a size smaller than the rest had been boogered. No doubt the mechanic didn't notice the difference. All it took to fix was a turn or two with the right size tap. I keep a tap & die set and cutting oil in the hanger. Having a Mooney involves a lot of screwing around.