172M wing tips

Jdm

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Jdm
I’m shopping for new tips for a 172M. I want fiberglass, and hopefully an aero improvement from original if possible. They also need to have the flush plate to accept Whelen Orion LED 650 nav packs.
I’ve checked with Knots2U. Looking for any other quality manufacturers that might offer a similar or higher quality product. If anyone has experience with this I’d appreciate suggestions.
Thanks.
 
Those got my attention first but unfortunately they don’t fit my model.
 
Ha, I’ll say. Thanks.
 
Stene Aviation. Check their website.
 
Stene has tips for my model. They even have one made with a prefab notch for LEDs. It looks really nice in the photo. Appears to have more droop than the originals though? All said and done they are a couple hundred less than knots2U w/custom LED flat mounting pads.
I’ve installed a number of Stene small fairings but never wing tips. The small pieces were ok, but they were a little thin feeling and not necessarily a perfect fit. Based on the drill shavings I assumed they were made out of plastic. According to the site they are made with “the latest resins and aviation grade E-glass weaves” whatever that is? I can’t tell if it’s really fiberglass or not? Kinda sounds like a composite mix of some sort.
What I really want to know is how sturdy they are and are they repairable like fiberglass?
Does anyone have experience with Stene wing tips? I’d like to know how well they fit, performance comparisons, etc.
There’s no reviews on the site, and only a very limited description of the product.
 
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E-glass is the more common grade of fiberglass. Not quite as strong as S-glass but a little less dense. "latest resins" likely could be polyester, vinylester, or epoxy.

What we typically call "fiberglass" is a composite. Other countries more correctly refer to it as "glass reinforced plastic".
 
Interesting. I’ll have to read up on this. Thanks
 
Just call Stene and ask about them. They are a small company, and you can easily speak with someone who knows.

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Stene has tips for my model. They even have one made with a prefab notch for LEDs. It looks really nice in the photo. Appears to have more droop than the originals though? All said and done they are a couple hundred less than knots2U w/custom LED flat mounting pads.
I’ve installed a number of Stene small fairings but never wing tips. The small pieces were ok, but they were a little thin feeling and not necessarily a perfect fit. Based on the drill shavings I assumed they were made out of plastic. According to the site they are made with “the latest resins and aviation grade E-glass weaves” whatever that is? I can’t tell if it’s really fiberglass or not? Kinda sounds like a composite mix of some sort.
What I really want to know is how sturdy they are and are they repairable like fiberglass?
Does anyone have experience with Stene wing tips? I’d like to know how well they fit, performance comparisons, etc.
There’s no reviews on the site, and only a very limited description of the product.
They're all fiberglass and they're far more repairable than the old ABS plastic Cessna used. I have installed lots of them, and would never go back to plastic.They don't crack in the cold, either.

Much cheaper, too. One stark example is the tailcone end fairing used on the 180/185. Many were metal, but later plastic was substituted. I can't remember the specific prices now (it was about four years ago) but the Cessna plastic fairing was around $4K Canadian and the Stene fiberglass was maybe $250.
 
I’m only considering fiberglass for those exact reasons. Thanks for the review. Have you installed the knots2U tips by chance? I’d like to know how they compare.
 
Ordered from Stene. They are made to specially fit the new Orion 650 style LEDs. They look great in the pics. I’m looking forward to this. I’ll give an update after the job is complete.
 
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