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New Cowling Update
- Thread starter carllee
- Start date
Jamesdub
New member
Enterprise, AL
- Aircraft Year
- 1978
- Aircraft Type
- 114
- Reg Number
- N114JA
- Serial Number
- 14365
Loaded question - how close are you going public?
I just received an estimate for 1K$ for cosmetic work for my (serviceable) upper cowling. (spider cracks in the finish + numerous nicks and dings)
Sure like to put that toward a more permanent fix. And with the Scimitar up front 'any' weight reduction is appreciated.
Q: Will the cowl include the oil and gasolator access panels? Duze and Latches?
I just received an estimate for 1K$ for cosmetic work for my (serviceable) upper cowling. (spider cracks in the finish + numerous nicks and dings)
Sure like to put that toward a more permanent fix. And with the Scimitar up front 'any' weight reduction is appreciated.
Q: Will the cowl include the oil and gasolator access panels? Duze and Latches?
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N1144J
- Serial Number
- 186
Hi John,
The original cowlings really cant be "fixed". When the factory layed up the original cowls they didn't properly impregnate the fiberglass with resin. There's a couple of dry layers in the middle, so there's an inner shell and and outer shell. When there's heat on the inside and cold on the outside the inner and outer shells work against each other. Fixing cracks is just adding layers to the outer shell. Many of our planes have had their cowls repaired over and over - adding layer after layer to the outer shell. That's why they weigh 40+lbs, and continue to crack again and again.
The new cowls are owner produced parts, so you would need to ask your IA if he will accept it if you produce it. It works like this:
$2,500 for the material, and to rent the mold from RCM
$1,500 to pay RCM's labor
$500 custom latch system (optional)
Shipping depends on your region $300 - $500 in the US - estimated.
These are universal parts. They fit: 112,112A,112B,114,114A
They do not include: latches, side scoops, oil doors, landing light nacelles, cowl flaps. All of these parts need to be transferred over from the original cowl.
Jamesdub
New member
Enterprise, AL
- Aircraft Year
- 1978
- Aircraft Type
- 114
- Reg Number
- N114JA
- Serial Number
- 14365
Bless You Sir for the quick response,
My IA is 'very level-headed' and I'm sure he'd go for it. Will see him this week and will discuss.
Q: Are you in Tyler or CA? If Tyler I could get my friend from MS to use his King Air and deliver the new cowl . . .
I'm authorized one dumb question a day at work, so I'll burn it here / now. Prices you describe above is for the 'upper and lower' cowl set?
You probably shared with us at the Fly-In's but is there any literature / flyers describing the new cowl?
Custom latch??
My IA is 'very level-headed' and I'm sure he'd go for it. Will see him this week and will discuss.
Q: Are you in Tyler or CA? If Tyler I could get my friend from MS to use his King Air and deliver the new cowl . . .
I'm authorized one dumb question a day at work, so I'll burn it here / now. Prices you describe above is for the 'upper and lower' cowl set?
You probably shared with us at the Fly-In's but is there any literature / flyers describing the new cowl?
Custom latch??
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
Carl
Can the top cowl be used with an original bottom.?
I know the TCA is not on the list due to the larger cooling opening but isn't the top cowling pretty close?
Can the top cowl be used with an original bottom.?
I know the TCA is not on the list due to the larger cooling opening but isn't the top cowling pretty close?
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N1144J
- Serial Number
- 186
Not without modification, but I believe it could be done, and would probably/maybe be easier than trying to rebuild an original.
New York, NY
- Aircraft Year
- 1976
- Aircraft Type
- 112TC
- Reg Number
- N976MA
- Serial Number
- 13043
I would go in with Joel if we did end up pursuing a mod for the TCs.
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N1144J
- Serial Number
- 186
The pricing above is for carbon fiber. If you want fiberglass it's $500 cheaper, but 8-10 lbs heavier.
Around 27-29 lbs instead of 19.
If you know of someone in your area that does fiberglass work doing the scoops, landing light, and oil doors is easy.
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N1144J
- Serial Number
- 186
I'd be willing to work with you on this, if a couple of TC/TCA owners want to commit to orders. I think I could come up with a forward lower section that could be spliced into the new lower cowl.
New York, NY
- Aircraft Year
- 1976
- Aircraft Type
- 112TC
- Reg Number
- N976MA
- Serial Number
- 13043
The TC does have heat/heat shield requirements that we'll have to figure in.
However we're nose heavy to begin with - this helps and also a new part.
We should discuss.
Not many moving parts on the upper cowl - access door for the oil/gascolator ; latches and the screw points to the lower cowling in the front.
i'd be interested.
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
Me too!!
Glendale, AZ
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N91GM
- Serial Number
- 13184
From post #4
These are universal parts. They fit: 112,112A,112B,114,114A
"They do not include: latches, side scoops, oil doors, landing light nacelles, cowl flaps. All of these parts need to be transferred over from the original cowl."
Bolivar, MO
- Aircraft Year
- 1977
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N4645W
- Serial Number
- 13175
I took out my metal shield years ago. Jim has a blanket that is light, oil resistant, and I never see my cowl temp probe over 80 deg (it's placed above the turbo between the blanket & the fiberglass). Haven't cracked the fiberglass since I installed it. I'm ok right now but would be onboard if something breaks.
I think Sherman has a blanket too. k
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The first post says it is for a 114 and #4 post is universal parts that are on 112,112A,112B,114,114A. The cowl, if I am reading it right, is not for a 112.
Sherman
New member
Columbia MD & Goldvein VA
- Aircraft Year
- 1978
- Aircraft Type
- 112TCA
- Reg Number
- N112HT
- Serial Number
- 13254
My understanding, years ago from Sid. Is that the 114 being a 6 cyl is much heavier up front than the 112 or TC. Also he shared flying with me. That the TC cowl is MUCH shorter than the 114 cowl and my 'over the nose visibility' is much better. Especially during landings. He also said our over the nose 'slope ', increasing visibility is 'somewhat steeper'. So many details to explore!
Right Kelly, I have Aerodymes heat shield blanket which I believe cut 2# weight from the steel shield ( which did get hot too) under the top cowl.
Not home so don't have my W&B sheets
handy.
So right, these issues would have to be addressed with a new cowling. The TC also uses an extended prop hub.
So in addition to all the other misc 'Owner Produced Parts' that would have to transfer, we TC owners need to concern ourselves with how the new cowl would align (length) with the lower cowl AND the extended hub.
Right Kelly, I have Aerodymes heat shield blanket which I believe cut 2# weight from the steel shield ( which did get hot too) under the top cowl.
Not home so don't have my W&B sheets
handy.
So right, these issues would have to be addressed with a new cowling. The TC also uses an extended prop hub.
So in addition to all the other misc 'Owner Produced Parts' that would have to transfer, we TC owners need to concern ourselves with how the new cowl would align (length) with the lower cowl AND the extended hub.
- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N1144J
- Serial Number
- 186
As stated in the original post it is a universal part that fits the following: 112,112A,112B,114,114A. It's already been fitted to both a 112, and a 114.
It would fit perfectly onto the 112TC/TCA airframe, but wouldn't work because the inlets are different. The 112TC/TCA's engine is cooled by air being forced from bottom-to-top rather than, the traditional, top-to-bottom. As Joel stated above the new upper cowling would work fine, as it is, I would just need to crate a mold for a new 112TC/TCA lower cowl that would match up with the new upper.
The 114B, 114TC, 115, and 115TC's are different. The propellers have a 3" extension on them, so the cowlings are longer. These models are obviously not included in this program.
It would fit perfectly onto the 112TC/TCA airframe, but wouldn't work because the inlets are different. The 112TC/TCA's engine is cooled by air being forced from bottom-to-top rather than, the traditional, top-to-bottom. As Joel stated above the new upper cowling would work fine, as it is, I would just need to crate a mold for a new 112TC/TCA lower cowl that would match up with the new upper.
The 114B, 114TC, 115, and 115TC's are different. The propellers have a 3" extension on them, so the cowlings are longer. These models are obviously not included in this program.
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