New Belly Pan

[N601RX]

I noticed Bill Wheat of Mooney now has his new belly pan for sale. He has a ad on page 8 of MAPA.  It says it is 30% lighter than other fiberglass ones and installs much easier.  I believe I read somewhere that some of the others require welding to install.  Pricing is 4K for pre J models.

[HopePilot]

4k is too much, but 1002-801 for $2900 looks more doable.  What's the difference?  Are there any speed advantages?  Many people say there isn't with the fiberglass.  I wonder what the weight advantage over the original aluminum pieces would be?

[N601RX]

I was disappointed in the price also.  When I heard a few months ago he was comming out with one I was hoping he would take the approach that he would rather sell 50 of them a year at @2000 each than 5 or 10 a year at @4000 each. I realize it cost a lot of time and money for to get the STC, but it is very hard to believe it cost more than a couple of hundred each to have these made.

When I built my experimental I was able to get a very nice composite cowling for $700. If the kit maker could sell these for $700 each that would lead me to believe he was able to pay someone to make them for $300-$400. It resembles the Lopresti which sells for about 10K.

I believe the $2900 one is for replacing the factory 1 pc belly on the J and K model.

[scottfromiowa]

Molds are expensive to make and maintain...This along with the approval makes for an expensive proposition.  Should be <AMU's...but it fly's so double it.

[DaV8or]

I wonder if he incorporated a skid plate for electric gear motors. I cant remember which, the motor or the actuator, but there is one that is vulnerable on a gear up and can get ground up. This make a regular gear up even more expensive. All that is needed is a small piece of steel, maybe 6" square and 1/4" thick to save the motor. If I were designing a new belly with an STC, I would include this.

[Hank]

If I recall correctly, Bill Wheat's $4000 belly pan is carbon fiber [expensive material], and it attaches with those wonderful quarter-turn fasteners like hold on the cowl.

My fiberglass belly pan is held on by 52 screws that have to be laboriously lined up and installed every annual. I have to support the belly pan, start a couple of screws at one end, a couple in the middle and a couple at the other end. Then I have to start the remaining screws, then go around again and tighten them up. That makes it easier to pull off and fix if one won't start . . . The voice of experience. Just remember to hook up the antenna wire first, as pulling the durn thing off to hook it up is discouraging.

Having the quick fasteners sure would be nice. Now if I could just remember what they're called?

[carusoam]

Hank,

dzus fasteners......?

Wonderfully simple, no stripped screws.  I still tighten a few around a panel first, before going around and tightening all....

-a-

[Hank]

Yep, that's them. I like to put them in the corners first, but on the six-foot-long belly pan, that's not enough of a start to hold the durn thing up. And with lots and lots of screws, I'd hate to have just one out of 52 not start and require a finger to wiggle something--that means removing several already-done screws, much easier with dzus. Both forearms are always sore after removing/installing the belly.

[thinwing]

I think the quarter turn fastners used are Camlocks.....not dzus....available in stainless...kpc

[carusoam]

Thinwing has kept us on track....

I've changed out enough of these, I should know better.....

 

graphics from aircraft spruce.....

[KSMooniac]

Bill Wheat's belly pan uses camlocs.  Carbon fiber is roughly 10x more expensive that fiberglass, so all things considered, the price is fairly reasonable in aircraft terms IMO.  I work in the aircraft industry and with composites and understand what it takes to do this...

The weight advantage vs. fiberglass is on the order of 10 lbs or so if I remember correctly and weight-neutral versus the standard aluminum panels.

I want one, but bought a new prop this year instead.  Maybe next year!

[N9937c]

how do you get hold of Mr. Wheat?

thanks

larry

 

[N601RX]

Aviation Design Services, Inc

Kerrville, Tx 78028

bwheat (at) ktc.com

830-896-7550

[fantom]

Before Hurricane Charlie flattened the Mod Works paint shop in Punta Gorda, I saw a carbon fiber top and bottom cowl that Tim Coon's people had fabricated. You could pick either one up up between two fingers.

They never got it STC'ed, but I sure would have liked one.

[DaV8or]

Wonder why nobody has made a one peice belly out of aluminum? Reasonably light, inexpensive and you know what? Doesn't crack or fray around the fasteners. Everybody out there who has a fiberglass cowling knows what I mean. I would be really interested in an aluminum one.