The greatest invention in general aviation

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

May the force be with you
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Aug 8, 2013
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First Officer 6PC
Once you have tasted the Cirrus life, it can be difficult to go back to one of the biggest hurdles when flying the planes of the unwashed masses.
I am talking about how for 50 years planes had plenty of ash trays but not a single damned cup holder.

I don't know about y'all but I'd speculate about 75% of my flights include a Yeti of coffee or the occasional bottle of water.

In the Cirrus, we were graced with 4 cup holders. Sure they were made from the flimsiest plastic ever and "Holder" might have be a misnomer as it did its job best when the plane wasn't in motion but a cup holder nonetheless.

I don't know who this angel is but I am glad to have stumbled across this today. You can take the pilot out the Cirrus but you can't take the Cirrus out the pilot!

www.ebay.com

*Retrofit* Cupholder LH Arm Rest for Piper PA24, PA28, PA30, Replaces P/N 23463 | eBay

•Retrofit for P/Ns 23463 and 63008. PA24 Comanche. PA30 Twin Comanche. Retrofit armrest for Piper aircraft. Throw away your old peeling armrest and replace it with a cupholder armrest! Our custom design is made of lightweight, durable PETG.
www.ebay.com



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SixPapaCharlie said:
Once you have tasted the Cirrus life, it can be difficult to go back to one of the biggest hurdles when flying the planes of the unwashed masses.
I am talking about how for 50 years planes had plenty of ash trays but not a single damned cup holder.

I don't know about y'all but I'd speculate about 75% of my flights include a Yeti of coffee or the occasional bottle of water.

In the Cirrus, we were graced with 4 cup holders. Sure they were made from the flimsiest plastic ever and "Holder" might have be a misnomer as it did its job best when the plane wasn't in motion but a cup holder nonetheless.

I don't know who this angel is but I am glad to have stumbled across this today. You can take the pilot out the Cirrus but you can't take the Cirrus out the pilot!

www.ebay.com

*Retrofit* Cupholder LH Arm Rest for Piper PA24, PA28, PA30, Replaces P/N 23463 | eBay

•Retrofit for P/Ns 23463 and 63008. PA24 Comanche. PA30 Twin Comanche. Retrofit armrest for Piper aircraft. Throw away your old peeling armrest and replace it with a cupholder armrest! Our custom design is made of lightweight, durable PETG.
www.ebay.com



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I complained on PoA about the lack of cupholders on all the trainers that my school has and I was basically told to get over it :lol:

But yes, I do wonder why these aren't more prevalent in single engine props!
 
When some goof ball putts a 64 oz big gulp in it we will read the lawsuit about obstructed controls.
 
There was an article years ago to retrofit some aftermarket automotive cupholder into the positions that the Bonanza ashtrays were mounted.
 
tlglenn said:
My club has a 182S with a center console on the floor immediately rearward of the fuel-select switch. It has cupholders.
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You ain't right, bro.... My 2000 182-S does not have one...GRrrrrr. I thought they only were on the -T models but could be retrofitted. I priced one and it was near $2K!!! I'm jealous. I did find an automotive center console cup/I-pad holder that I have velcroed in but kind of a Fred Sanford fix.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
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WAIT! That's a fake part! It's 3D printed - Parts like this should only be made by leprechauns that have been properly anointed by the FAA.
 
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The cup holder is important, however I would propose that without a sippy cup the cup holder only provides for a wet flight and a messy cleanup afterwards. I vote for the sippy cup.
 
There’s no way I would let anyone drink a Coke,etc in my plane, if it’s spilled it can cause corrosion. Bottle water only.
 
tlglenn said:
My club has a 182S with a center console on the floor immediately rearward of the fuel-select switch. It has cupholders.
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Looks like a good idea for the pipers. No place on the floor to put one I don't think? Think about it every time I fly with my buddy in his pipers.
Remember these? Remember transmission humps in cars? That's what this was made for. I think I got it out of a old car because I don't remember buying it? It was one of the first things I put in my 172. Works fine. There is always at least one bottle of water in it. And it will hold a 30oz yeti cup also.
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Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
WAIT! That's a fake part! It's 3D printed - Parts like this should only be made by leprechauns that have been properly anointed by the FAA.
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If you print it yourself, it's owner-produced. If someone else prints it and sells it to you, they need PMA/STC/BBQ. Did I get that right?

Does it need a burn cert?
 
Gary Ward said:
Remember these? Remember transmission humps in cars. That what this was made for. I think I got it out of a old car because I don't remember buying it? It was one of the first things I put in my 172.Works fine. There is always at least one bottle of water in it. And it will hold my 30oz yeti cup also.
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And it has handy change holders on the sides, for those fly-through toll booths!
 
GeorgeC said:
If you print it yourself, it's owner-produced. If someone else prints it and sells it to you, they need PMA/STC/BBQ. Did I get that right?

Does it need a burn cert?
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I believe you can get someone to make the part for you.
From the ad:
"Made out of industrial-grade PETG plastic with a minimum ignition temperature of 849° F (454 °C) per ASTM E659, and a melting temperature of approximately 500° F (260° C)."

If the armrest gets to 849°F the pilot is already dead.

Disclaimer in the ad:
"The aircraft parts you are purchasing or receiving, unless stated otherwise on ad, may not be in compliance with applicable Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. Buyer takes sole responsibility for determining suitability and airworthiness of part installation."

Also:


And, this is why I own an E-AB aircraft.
 
GeorgeC said:
If you print it yourself, it's owner-produced
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Provided you still have some approved data to conform the part to.
GeorgeC said:
If someone else prints it and sells it to you, they need PMA/STC/BBQ. Did I get that right?
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Yes and no. For TCd aircraft yes.However the ebay vender put a disclaimer in which covers any Part 3 issues. However, he keeps one foot firmly in the gray area by listing aircraft model numbers which can get him under Part 21 rules.
GeorgeC said:
Does it need a burn cert?
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No. Just needs to meet the appropriate flame requirements for the aircraft.

Regardless, it could be installed as an alteration if you found a willing mechanic.
 
While I’m in no way going to disagree with the importance of a good beverage holder, THAT is not a good one…that armrest is an essential part of good aircraft control, and has allowed the pilot to hold heading and altitude through one 45-minute nap that I’m aware of.:eek:
 
Recently at a weekend car show with my two daughters....mostly just killing time on a nice day, I'm not overly passionate about old cars but I can imagine if I had time that it might be fun to have an old car project...
anyway, I pointed out to my daughters that none of the old cars had factory cup holders.... except the japanese cars produced in the 1970's. I remember finding taht interesting even when I was a kid.

MooneyDriver78 said:
There’s no way I would let anyone drink a Coke,etc in my plane, if it’s spilled it can cause corrosion. Bottle water only.
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Does it really? I remember as a kid...probably 12 years old or something...hearing or reading this. That coke would eat up a nail.... so science, as good as a 12 year old can conjure, was conducted.... an old nail in a cup of coke...sat there in my room till the coke dried up and turned to a gooey syrup. No corrosion noted. Of course it wasn't real science and not very meaningful...no control, No measurements taken, no notes made, I have no idea what the alloy was, etc... but still, it's something.
I suspect that it does facilitate corrosion in high exposure and over long periods of time...such as in pipes of the wrong alloy at the factory (or elevated temperatures, etc...)...of course I could be wrong...but I'm not so sure any real damage would occur from a little spill.
Anybody have any experience to counter my gut feel?
 
Brad W said:
Does it really? I remember as a kid...probably 12 years old or something...hearing or reading this. That coke would eat up a nail.... so science, as good as a 12 year old can conjure, was conducted.... an old nail in a cup of coke...sat there in my room till the coke dried up and turned to a gooey syrup. No corrosion noted. Of course it wasn't real science and not very meaningful...no control, No measurements taken, no notes made, I have no idea what the alloy was, etc... but still, it's something.
I suspect that it does facilitate corrosion in high exposure and over long periods of time...such as in pipes of the wrong alloy at the factory (or elevated temperatures, etc...)...of course I could be wrong...but I'm not so sure any real damage would occur from a little spill.
Anybody have any experience to counter my gut feel?
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That's why I only drink Pepsi.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I don't know who this angel is but I am glad to have stumbled across this today. You can take the pilot out the Cirrus but you can't take the Cirrus out the pilot!

www.ebay.com

*Retrofit* Cupholder LH Arm Rest for Piper PA24, PA28, PA30, Replaces P/N 23463 | eBay

•Retrofit for P/Ns 23463 and 63008. PA24 Comanche. PA30 Twin Comanche. Retrofit armrest for Piper aircraft. Throw away your old peeling armrest and replace it with a cupholder armrest! Our custom design is made of lightweight, durable PETG.
www.ebay.com
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Of course, if you put a cup in it, then it is unusable as an armrest.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
In the Cirrus, we were graced with 4 cup holders.
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Oh, man, this brought up an old memory. A friend bought a Dodge Grand Caravan back in the day and was talking about how it had like 20 cup holders. He was excited because he has a family and welcomed the possibilities of not having the kids fight over them. A mutual friend from France (which I mention so that you can, accurately, imagine this in the most derisive and obnoxious French accent) heard this and snorted, "It is a car, not a restaurant".
 
The amount of liquid I could drink on a 3.5 hour flight would fit in the ashtray... so maybe smaller water bottles?
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
There’s no way I would let anyone drink a Coke,etc in my plane, if it’s spilled it can cause corrosion. Bottle water only.
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I encountered a 210 in Africa whose rear floorboards were eaten out by spilled Coke. People in Africa love Coke. Coke might not eat iron nails so quick, but the phosphoric acid in Coke sure will eat aluminum, especially 2024 alloys, as they have copper as the primary alloying element. Copper accelerates the corrosion.
 
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I believe these are available from Sporty's at $49.95 for certified aircraft or $15.95 for experimentals. $10 extra if you want a Piper or Cessna or Beechcraft decal stuck on it.

Or you can pick them up at the National Aviation Parts Association (NAPA) store for ~$2.
 
Half Fast said:
Or you can pick them up at the National Aviation Parts Association (NAPA) store for ~$2.
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I first read that as minus $2. Which is probably pretty close to true sometimes. Probably get them for free with the WeatherTech logo when they are trying to get rid of them to put something else on the retail floor!
 
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