Cessna 180 belly pod

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Mtns2Skies

Final Approach
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Mtns2Skies
So having a baby really fills up airplanes. To best keep our 180 and have it continue our mission it really is going to need a cargo/belly pod Does anyone have a lead on an Alaska SkyCraft (now Aerocet) belly pod? I contacted Aerocet and they will no longer manufacture it for any amount of money.

The alternative is to get a Cessna 185 pod from Aeropod field approved onto my 180. Does anyone know of this being done prior?

Any other leads would be greatly appreciated.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Any other leads would be greatly appreciated.
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Bob Piatt in Wasilla AK makes pods for 180 series. They're not STC'd but have seen a number installed under a field approval. Last I heard he still was making them.
 
Bobby’s pods are marketed as “Alaska Bush Pods” and are far better than the old Skycraft (Aerocet) pods. I have a field approval for a Bush pod on my 180. I’ve never installed one, though. Send me a message if you’d like a copy.
 
Stewartb said:
Bobby’s pods are marketed as “Alaska Bush Pods” and are far better than the old Skycraft (Aerocet) pods. I have a field approval for a Bush pod on my 180. I’ve never installed one, though. Send me a message if you’d like a copy.
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Bell206 said:
Bob Piatt in Wasilla AK makes pods for 180 series. They're not STC'd but have seen a number installed under a field approval. Last I heard he still was making them.
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Thanks guys. Im flying back from the seaplane fly-in right now. I dug up his number and will give him a call this week as soon as I get home. If he's still making them then ill definitely be checking for a copy of that paperwork. Yall are lifesavers thanks!
 
Mtns2Skies said:
If he's still making them then ill definitely be checking for a copy of that paperwork.
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As I recall, he had copies of previous 337s to use for reference for the pods. He also took over the production of the old Firmin Pods for Super Cubs. Great guy and very helpful.
 
Bobby was a close fried of Bill’s and took the pod business over as a favor to Bill and his widow. It IS the old Firmin pod. My old PA-12 had a Firmin pod field approved and Bill himself helped weld the tabs on, which was not long before he passed away. I promised him I’d get it approved and that was no small effort. The approval came after his death but that plane still wears that pod. The 180 approval came a few years later and was much, much easier.
 
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MTS- before you commit to adding a pod, consider the installation. On a Cub we use tabs on the lower longeron and 2 stainless steel straps. A Cessna uses rivnuts and screws. Lots of drilled holes with lots of rivnuts. I wasn’t willing to do that to my 180.
 
Stewartb said:
MTS- before you commit to adding a pod, consider the installation. On a Cub we use tabs on the lower longeron and 2 stainless steel straps. A Cessna uses rivnuts and screws. Lots of drilled holes with lots of rivnuts. I wasn’t willing to do that to my 180.
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Yeah its a good point. But flying with a little one, I think we're at the crossroad of either bellypod or sell the 180 and get something bigger - which is not something wife or I are interested in doing. The belly also is already pock-marked with 55 years of now removed antennae
 
My daughter grew up spending weekends and lots of weeknights in airplanes. We started with a Hawk XP and moved up to the 180 about the time she started school. We’ve never wanted anything else. My daughter overheard my wife and I talking about selling the 180. She asked me not to, saying it’s part of the family and she’d like her kids to be able to experience the same things she has. That was a dream realized. Life is good.
 
First full day of flying. The Powerflow is incredible! I climbed through 11,500 at 1000 fpm, it feels like I up-engined the thing. CHT's are cooler and I'm burning about 1gph more. Letting the engine breathe does wonders.

The belly pod is great. No adverse affect, maybe the loss of a knot. One day coming up I'll probably remove it in the name of science and see if this powerflow got me more speed, but the point of doing both was so I could maintain my existing speed, while increasing cargo capacity. Mission accomplished. This knocks the pants off of a 206 :), Keeping the Wagon perfect for the family.
 
With no plans for big trips in the future I pulled the belly pod off. It only took 15 minutes to remove. Then went for a quick flight to see the speed difference. It looks like it was about a 2 knot difference, which boggles my mind with how big it is.
 
Nice looking installation. How much can you put in it? Anything tricky with calculating the W&B?
 
Did the STC give you an Arm for the pod cargo weight?
 
It’s not called a belly pod, it’s called a beer gut, and if you’re putting anything other than beer in it you’re using it wrong.
 
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