- Aircraft Year
- 1974
- Aircraft Type
- 112 Hot Shot
- Reg Number
- N1144J
- Serial Number
- 186
The Hot Shot “hump”, the blister on the cowl that replaces the cowl light and provides clearance for the turbocharger has been the iconic trademark of the Hot Shot for over 20 years. I have mixed feelings about changing this design. My biggest hesitation stems from a sense of nostalgia. I feel like changing the design, to some degree, violates Commander history, but progress demands change, and the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
The change that I'm making will not effect any of the existing Hot Shots. Those of you (and I) that have the original design should wear your “humps” proudly. Like a badge of honor. You represent an elite group of Commander owners.
Here are the reasons for the change:
1) The original blister is in the wrong place. I covers the location of the landing light, but the turbocharger is actually slightly aft of this.
2) The new design blends with the nose gear nacelle (probably better aerodynamically)
3) It creates better clearance for the turbo, but doesn't protrude as much from the cowl..
4) The original blister required fiberglass work and paint to install. This is a”biggie” (fiberglass work and paint is expensive and time consuming). The flanges that attach the new part are turned inward, so it can simply be painted and then glued, and screwed into place. Instead of taking days or weeks to complete it can be done in hours, or perhaps, in some cases, just minutes. I'm going to have them gel coated white, so if you have a white belly you won't even need to paint before installation.
Making this change streamlines and simplifies the installation process and reduces the overall cost of the modification.
The change that I'm making will not effect any of the existing Hot Shots. Those of you (and I) that have the original design should wear your “humps” proudly. Like a badge of honor. You represent an elite group of Commander owners.
Here are the reasons for the change:
1) The original blister is in the wrong place. I covers the location of the landing light, but the turbocharger is actually slightly aft of this.
2) The new design blends with the nose gear nacelle (probably better aerodynamically)
3) It creates better clearance for the turbo, but doesn't protrude as much from the cowl..
4) The original blister required fiberglass work and paint to install. This is a”biggie” (fiberglass work and paint is expensive and time consuming). The flanges that attach the new part are turned inward, so it can simply be painted and then glued, and screwed into place. Instead of taking days or weeks to complete it can be done in hours, or perhaps, in some cases, just minutes. I'm going to have them gel coated white, so if you have a white belly you won't even need to paint before installation.
Making this change streamlines and simplifies the installation process and reduces the overall cost of the modification.
