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2006 CTsw IFR? E-LSA?


CTSleepy

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14 hours ago, Jim Meade said:

The old pitot OD is 19mm and the heated pitot OD is 15.7 mm OD but where it goes into the receiver it is 19mm.  There is a collar or step-down for the transition.  Pictures are hazy but maybe you can see.

Pitot3.jpg

pitot5.jpg

pitot6.jpg

pitot7.jpg

Thank you very much, now I have 100% confirmation.

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12 hours ago, CTSleepy said:

Thanks for the great pictures, I might just do that modification for fun even if I don't go ELSA or IFR. I'll have to reach out to FDUSA and see if it can work on a 2006. $11k to go IFR seems a little overkill as well. ELSA seems like it's worth it though. 

Agreed 11K is a lot to go make the platform IFR.  I'm looking at it as an offset as well.  I spent may years in the 12volt aftermarket industry and my A&P/IA is comfortable with me doing the work with his supervision as long as I document and show him the process as I go.  That will save on some of the labor costs involved.  Second I plan to keep the KX125 Nav/com and Garmin 696 currently installed and if/when I sell the plane the cost would be based on which config the new owner would like.  Finally the cost of renting an IFR equipped plane for my IFR training will add up quick, cheapest in the area is $145 per hour, based on the following requirements that would save me quite a bit of $$. 65 hours @ $145 = $9425 to rent, I estimate my CTSW hourly costs $45 per hour all in = $2925 which saves $6500 in training alone.  Using the $11K number (which I think can be managed down to $8-9K) my net cost to take it IFR is $4,500.  At the end of the day I can get that out of the resale of the plane with IFR equipment or or reinstall the KX and 696 then keep the IFR GPS/Nav/Com (planning to instal ta 430W) and use it on the next plane.

  • At least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command. At least 10 ($1,450) of these hours must be in airplanes for an instrument-airplane rating.
  • A total of 40 ($5,800) hours of actual or simulated instrument time on the areas of operation listed in 61.65(c).
  • At least 15 ($2175) hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in the aircraft category for the instrument rating sought.

Just my opinion, I welcome input from others.  Keep in mind my original plan was to sell the CT and buy an IFR equip'd plane.  Being that the CT is so cost effective to run I can't see my self parting with it so instead I'll keep the CT, upgrade to IFR and join the local flying club to get access to larger, fast planes for those long XC trips.  The local club has a few 172s and Cherokee/Warriors as well as a 182 and a Mooney M20J.  Buyin is low ($2500), monthly dues are low ($80) and hourly rental is much less compared to comparable planes in the area for rent ($70 for a 172 up to $155 for the Mooney).

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8 minutes ago, Skunkworks85 said:

11k sounds a bit steep, I would go this route:

Technically you do not need a nav radio to do IFR training, ( you maybe doing yourself a disservice though)

 

image.thumb.png.1b7da9592e3790448608bb8b19485463.png

I have the GNX 375 (same thing, but with a ADSB transponder built in), and it makes a great IFR platform. I am also ELSA and IFR capable, and while I would really like the redundancy of having a NAV radio, I have yet to find myself needing it. As long as you always have an out, which you should in these airplanes if flying IFR, it doesn’t really need the traditional NAV. The CT, especially with dynon skyview, is a phenomenal IFR platform.

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26 minutes ago, Skunkworks85 said:

Technically you do not need a nav radio to do IFR training, ( you maybe doing yourself a disservice though)

I do agree with this on both counts, not needed , I don"t want to leave training on the table that could get me out of a jam at anytime in the future. 

In addition to that the KX125 na/com I have today does not interface with the Dynon HS34 so no HSI will display.  If I go up a level from the GPS175 and get the built in Com, the 355 I'd be spending about the same as an overhauled 430W and not have the Nav radio built in.  I know many will say the 430W is old, but it is a VERY capable older unit, with service support still today and a GREAT resale value as well as the solid and simple interface to the HS34.  Also a plus is the the 430W qualifies for some of the upgrade programs that will put me into an IFD440 without having to worry about selling equipment.

For some additional insight I was also contemplating going the GPS175 + SL30 Nav/Com route, that's about an $8K hardware investment and nets me what the 430W can do for about 2K less, easier interface and install.  Finally the 430 route allow me to keep the 696 mounted in the center panel as a backup GPS source that is linked to the Dynon system and autopilot. The 175+SL30 does not leave enough room for the 696 to mount in the panel.

I've exhausted many more scenarios than this, including the even older and less costly IFR GPS like the Garmin 155 and 300 XL + SL30.  I keep coming back to the 430W as the right answer for me.  I'm not running the Skyview system, I have a D100 as my primary and a D10 for primary HSI and as a back up ADHARS both with fresh back up batteries for additional back up.  Autopilot is a TT Digiflight IIVS, but I'm going to retire that and put in the Dynon servos to get some added benefits such as altitude preselect and the nice to have 180* turn button.  Selling the TT and replacing with Dynon should bet me zero to very little out of pocket cost on the autopilot swap. 

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Just a note and a personal opinion:

There have been a couple of comments in this thread (and others) about not wanting to do things to your airplane to "preserve resale value".  To me this seems a little ass-backwards.  An airplane is a depreciating asset like a car.  While they typically don't depreciate as quickly as a car, every hour you fly the thing does in theory "lower the resale value."  I'd say don't let fear of valuation changes drive you to less enjoyment of your airplane; these airplanes seem to resell for similar pricing, with the only big changes being due to high total hours and/or damage history.

As a friend of mine once said: Not doing things you want to do for resale reasons, is like not making love to your girlfriend so she'll stay pristine for the next guy.   ;)  

YMMV

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Very interesting reads. So the $11k included updating the autopilot to do GPS approaches. That's something I definitely would want. I live in south NM surrounded by mountains so I would like to have the extra layer of security. I do not believe the money you put into avionics, you will get back. It's like upgrading your kitchen, it looks nice but you won't recover all that money in the resale. IFR CTs are rare, but on the flip side, it's a very niche market. Pilots who need a LSA because they fly under their sport license won't care if it's IFR equipped. Those pilots who are PPL probably want more than 2 seats and LSAs have a stigma because they just don't understand. I personally love my SW and how easy it is to fly. Not much I have to think about and I can enjoy the awesome view. So upgrading the plane and going ELSA would just be because I want to keep the plane and grow old in it. I like the 430 or 530 approach and upgrade to the AP. You reminded me that I should probably refresh the batteries on my avionics. 

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3 hours ago, johnnyjr said:

Autopilot is a TT Digiflight IIVS, but I'm going to retire that and put in the Dynon servos to get some added benefits such as altitude preselect and the nice to have 180* turn button

Best upgrade I did to the CT.  The Dynon autopilot has some great capabilities, and the servos are basically an exact replacement for the TT.

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2 hours ago, CTSleepy said:

Very interesting reads. So the $11k included updating the autopilot to do GPS approaches.

CTSleepy I took that $11k from the previous quote regarding the avionics only. I might be in my entire upgrade for about 8-9k depending on the time I have to do the work vs. paying for labor to speed the process a bit. I’ll report back once things start to move forward. Right now I’m waiting on the bill for my annual 😬

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2 hours ago, garrettgee2001 said:

Best upgrade I did to the CT.  The Dynon autopilot has some great capabilities, and the servos are basically an exact replacement for the TT.

Good to hear, I wasn’t able to get feedback from someone who made the switch although I did know the servos we basically drop in

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  • 2 years later...
On 2/25/2021 at 5:23 PM, Jim Meade said:

The old pitot OD is 19mm and the heated pitot OD is 15.7 mm OD but where it goes into the receiver it is 19mm.  There is a collar or step-down for the transition.  Pictures are hazy but maybe you can see.

Pitot3.jpg

pitot5.jpg

pitot6.jpg

pitot7.jpg

Hi Jim,

So are you saying your old pitot was 19mm? I haven't measured mine yet but I'm sure it's only about 10mm (what I can see external to the wing).

How was your old pitot secured in place?

Thanks

Phil

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On 2/25/2021 at 5:23 PM, Jim Meade said:

The old pitot OD is 19mm and the heated pitot OD is 15.7 mm OD but where it goes into the receiver it is 19mm.  There is a collar or step-down for the transition.  Pictures are hazy but maybe you can see.

Pitot3.jpg

pitot5.jpg

pitot6.jpg

pitot7.jpg

Hi Jim,

So are you saying your old pitot was 19mm? I haven't measured mine yet but I'm sure it's only about 10mm (what I can see external to the wing).

How was your old pitot secured in place?

Thanks

Phil

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On 2/25/2021 at 5:23 PM, Jim Meade said:

The old pitot OD is 19mm and the heated pitot OD is 15.7 mm OD but where it goes into the receiver it is 19mm.  There is a collar or step-down for the transition.  Pictures are hazy but maybe you can see.

Pitot3.jpg

pitot5.jpg

pitot6.jpg

pitot7.jpg

Hi Jim,

So are you saying your old pitot was 19mm? I haven't measured mine yet but I'm sure it's only about 10mm (what I can see external to the wing).

How was your old pitot secured in place?

Thanks

Phil

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The CT used two different sizes of pitot tubes. The factory Dynon equipped airplanes used the Dynon pitot tube with AoA port. The non Dynon airplanes had a smaller simple pitot tube. If I were looking to upgrade I think I would use a mast mount and "L" shaped pitot tube. It would require adding some hard points to be added to the wing working through the inspection opening. Plug the original hole in the leading edge.

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The mast ones have a couple big advantages, one of which is a natural drain.

The boom types lack that, and require opening the pitot system to blow them out away from the instruments.

A drain port wouldn't be a bad idea for the pitot system on boom types, but it would have to be a 3 way 2 position valve that closes off the instruments when clearing.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My air data computers are mounted on the rear bulkhead so I ran the pitot line to the baggage compartment.  The T block vertical passage must be drilled as large as possible so water surface tension doesn't cross the hole just in case there is any leak downstream. I also ran a line through the tunnel to an analog backup airspeed. I believe I got the T block from Aircraft Spruce. 20230521_144851.thumb.jpg.399e991e4d0d09fe3fcea731d5745e02.jpg

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