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new gas spring door stays

carllee

Sponsor
Supporting Member
Sponsor
Aircraft Year
1974
Aircraft Type
112 Hot Shot
Reg Number
N1144J
Serial Number
186
Oh boy! Look at that bent door. That's a big expensive ouch! Coulda been so easily avoided by installing gas spring door stays. $500, and 2 hours work. Too late now.


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Carl,

One of the best investments I have ever made was getting the front door and baggage door spring kits. Besides avoiding damage to the airplane, it's so much easier now to take the seats in and out with that easy snap in/out of the spring. You can swing the door wide open with no issues.

Bonus: The door now stays open when I am on the ground with the engine on. I would consider that natural air conditioning.

The landing gear lights are in as well. With the two LED gear lights plus the front cowling LED light, my 112 looks like a airbus on short final!!! LOL
 
Ditto with Marcos!!! The gas door stays, the main gear landing lights (never figured out how anybody saw the runway with that nose lamp), flap gap/aileron seals and the new stinger lens! All, Carl is a Great asset to the Commander community!!!
 
Agreed! I bought them a number of years ago as my pax door was missing the factory stop entirely. Really nice to be able to leave a door open in the summer.
 
Hey Carl, tell me a little bit more about your flap gap seals? How long is the install? what's the benefit? (I am sure there are many) what's the gain on climb?

I have a 112 - 1973. Does it fit the 112?
 
Hey Carl, tell me a little bit more about your flap gap seals? How long is the install? what's the benefit? (I am sure there are many) what's the gain on climb?

I have a 112 - 1973. Does it fit the 112?

They fit all models. Up to a 100fpm increase in climb. Some improvement in cruise also. The results are somewhat dependent on the quality of the install, and the way your flaps are adjusted. 10 - 40 hours installation time depending on the time spent on flap adjustment, and required paint work.
 
I installed the flap gap seals on both my planes and on several on my friends Commanders. I have personal experience with the before and after performance. It is one l of the best modifications that can be done to the commander singles, including the expensive mods. I have seen other mods that have worked on some planes and not so well on others. The owner of planes with flap gap seals have always been ecstatic.
Side note: Robin Miley saw my plane at the Commander Fly In McCarran Las Vegas. He accused me of coping his design and he did not realize they were his. Good guy:)
 
I'm going to have to endorse Carl's door struts even though I don't have them. (What's the crazy old guy talking about)

I acquired a set of 2000 model doors years ago which come with a smaller gas strut that installs about where Carl's circle is in his first pix above. (inside the door of course)

I'd give it a 3 -4 hammer project due to working with the dated interior panels and weather stripping you have work with. We also had to 'beef-up' the area where the strut ball bracket mounts to the door jam.
Still not completely finished in that area. (Also required a 337)

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I always wondered where that dent came from. Now I know.
 
I installed Carl's cabin door stays, landing gear light kit and the stinger tail light cover also...awesome quality, makes the plane look better and like Marcos, when I'm coming in to land my plane looks like a 747! (I also have wingtip landing lights so 5 total, all LED).:cool:
 
Hello Carl, hope all is well in Tyler, TX. Do you guys install the door stays and also the landing light kit? I’m over in Fort Worth and it would be super easy to pop in to Tyler. Also, how much weight does the lithium battery save over the lead acid (I have the Gill). Finally, on the Hot Shot, can it be paired or ordered with the MT prop? Sorry for all the questions but as I approach my first year of ownership I find myself looking at all your stuff....LOL.
 
Hi Shane,

I have a local AP that will install the gas springs, and landing light kit. It would probably require an overnight, so we'd have to coordinate it in advance. We have a guest house over here, so if you want to fly out with your wife, grab the club car, go out to dinner, and make mini vacation out of it you're always welcome.

The lithium battery saves 22lbs vs the Gill.

I'm not currently offering the Hot Shot (might again soon due to popular demand), but the MT is available.

Congrats on your first year. Always happy to help.
 
Carl, what do you think the odds are of you bringing back the Hot Shot? On a scale of Pipe Dream to In Stock Next Year?
 
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