Cessna 180 Supplemental Type Certificate

The engine power in Petersen's 180 comes from a modified Continental 10-550 putting out 310 horsepower. There are only four Cessna 180s and one Cessna 185 on the FAA registry using the 10-5500. But Petersen's 10- 5500 has been modified with 10-550G parts for more power. First, Petersen had to purchase the 10-5500 engine and three-blade propeller kit (your choice of Hartzell or McCauley) from Air Plains in Wellington, Kansas, which has the sup- plemental type certificate for converting a Cessna 180 (and other aircraft) to 300 horsepower. Cessna 180s originally came with the 230-horsepower Continental 0-470. (You'll need the old engine for a core trade-in, but don't bring the shop an 0-470A used in the first Cessna 180s because Continental no longer accepts those cores. If you do, you'll pay an extra $10,000 charge.) Petersen opted for the McCauley three-blade propeller. "There is no STC for the G cylinder conversion," Petersen said. "The [FAA] field approval is very specifically for this airplane and was tied into the modifica- tions on the rest of the airframe and the gross-weight increase. The 3,200-pound gross weight was selected because it was the gross weight of the early 185s. We used a 1961 Cessna 185 owner's manual as basic data for the weight approvaL" That means, to be legal, Petersen must fly with both a Cessna 185 and a 1954 Cessna 180 pilot's operating handbook (actually they were "owner's manuals" back then) aboard. The 185 manual is used for weight calculations, and the 180 manual is used for everything else, . including speed limitations .• Petersen said that to his knowledge his is the only earlier model 180 with a gross weight of 3,200 pounds. It was 1954 Cessna 180 Price when new: $15,000 Today's Vrefbase price: $64,000 Price as tested: $200,000 Specifications Powerplant ..... 310-hp modified Continental 10 550-D16B Recommended TBO 1.700 hr Propeller McCauley 88-in constant-speed 3 blade Length 26 ft Height 7 ft 5 in Wingspan 36 ft Wing area 174 sq ft Wing loading 18.4 Ib/sq ft Power loading 10.32 Ib/hp Seats 4. 6 possible on some models Cabin length 7 ft 6 in Cabin width 3 ft 4 in Cabin height 3 ft 11 in Standard empty weight.. l.540 Ib Empty weight. as tested 1,850 Ib Max gross weight. as tested 3,200 Ib Max useful load 1,660 Ib Max useful load, as tested l,350 Ib Max payload w/full fuel, as tested ...822 Ib Max takeoff weight. 3.200 Ib Fuel capacity 93 gal (88 gal usable) 558 Ib (528 Ib usable) Baggage capacity 350 lb. 25 cu ft Baggage door 15.5 x 22 in Performance Takeoff distance. ground roll 382 ft Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle 995 ft Max crosswind component 11 mph Rate of climb. sea level l.500 fpm Max level speed, sea level 183 mph (redline is 184 mph) Cruise speed/endurance w/45-min rsv, std fuel (fuel consumption). 10,500 ft @64% power, best economy . ............ 207 mph/5.2 hr (90 pph/15 gph) Range : 812 nm Service ceiling 21.200 ft Landing distance over 50-ft obstacle . ..................................................... 1,200 ft Landing distance. ground roll 372 ft Limiting and Recommended Airspeeds Vx (best angle of climb) 70 mph KIAS Vy (best rate of climb) 90 mph KIAS VA (design maneuvering) 122 mph KIAS V'E (max flap extended) 100 mph KIAS VNO (max structural cruising) 160 mph KIAS VNE (never exceed) 184 mph KIAS VR (rotation) 55 mph KIAS VS1 (stall, clean) 60 mph KIAS Vso(stall, in landing configuration) . ............................................. 55 mph KIAS Specifications were interpolated by the owner or are based on manufacturer's and owner's calculations. All performance fig- ures are based on standard day. standard atmosphere, sea level. gross weight condi- tions unless otherwise noted. needed because with full fuel, the air- plane would have used up so much of its available payload that only a person weighing 150 pounds or less could fly it. An STC is available for an increase to 3,190 pounds but requires a larger verti- cal stabilizer and dorsal fin than Petersen wanted. Petersen contacted Cessna and was told that the larger dorsal fin wasn't necessary if floatplane operations are not involved. He was then able to hire a designated engineering representative for $15,000 to conduct the months-long approval process that resulted in the full 3,200-pound gross weight. For the 10-5500 engine, he talked to a company at Van Nuys, California. The company suggested converting the engine to G cylinders because those cylinders have better airflow (caIled "cross-flow") and are equipped for a tuned induction system. Tuned induc- tion adds slightly more efficiency and 10 more horsepower by providing intake pipes to each cylinder that are sized so that each pipe carries exactly the same volume of air. The paperwork was never completed, so Petersen and the desig- nated engineering representative ended up having to do it themselves. To approve the engine, FAAofficials contacted Ken Tunnell of Lycan Aircraft Engines, who said, "It's a good idea. wish 1 had thought of it." He was the FAA'stech- nical consultant, and "if Lycan thought it was a good idea, then the FAAwould look kindly on it," Petersen recalled. Lycon, located in Visalia, California, even added a letter with data on parts numbers that aided in the approval process. The cowl- ing had to be redesigned slightly to fit over the induction system. When 1flew Petersen's 180, 1found the engine smooth and, as expected, capable of amazing climb rates. The climb rate with two on board and 76 gallons of avgas was a sustained 1,500 fpm that continued long after takeoff. Airspeed tests at a typical cruise setting of 24 inches and 2,400 rpm showed a true airspeed of 152 KTASat 4,500 feet where, on that December day east of Sacramento, it was 45 degrees Fahren- heit. That's a 20-knot gain compared with a stock Cessna 180, and a five- knot gain over an average Cessna 185 with a 260-horsepower Continental 10-470 engine. (A later 185 model had a Lycoming 10-5200 engine that could sustain 300 horsepower for five min- " utes and cruise at 285 horsepower.) Petersen can cruise at 310 horsepower continuously. AOPA PILOT' 73 .APHIL 2009 On my flight there could have been up to 88 gallons of usable fuel on board resulting from another of the aircraft's modifications: four fuel tanks. "Monarch Air and Development made a nice, heavy [quarter-inch-thick polypropylene] gas tank system that has a total of 93 gallons if you get the main tanks and the aux tanks. We used 88 useful for the data, just because there were five unusable gallons in the original 180 and we didn't want to change the basic data," Petersen said. "The aux tanks are plumbed into the main [tanks], so there are no pumps. It's gravity feed. You have a fuel system identical to the 180 fuel system, except all the lines have been changed to a half- inch so that the fuel flows [fast enough] to feed the bigger engine. This will fly at least six hours. At 7,500 feet with 23 inches and 2,300 rpm the speed is nor- mally 150 knots." A motorcycle rumble Inside the cabin and wearing a noise- canceling headset, the noise level seemed typical of aircraft equipped with similar engines. But on the ground it's a different story. Petersen, who had remained on the ground while I flew with his friend, flight instructor Don Knight, said it sounded extremely loud as Knight and I passed over his house at Cameron Airpark 30 miles east of Sacra- mento. He asked if Knight and I were at a high power setting, but actually we were in a descent at reduced power. Petersen seemed surprised, but his wife, Norma, said their granddaugh- ter could identify her grandfather's airplane from inside her school classroom near Cam- eron Airpark. So yes, it's got a throaty roar. Petersen said he flight-plans for 150 KTAS, and normally cruises at 10,500 to 12,500 feet for fuel economy and range. "If you are up in the Shown outside the owner's hangar, this 180 was approved for a higher gross weight to restore its utility. 10,000-foot range, wide open, 19 or 20 inches [manifold pressure] at 2,300 rpm, it burns a little less than 15 gallons per hour. "I would say my operating cost, count- ing everything [maintenance set aside, Presenting ACE - Absolute Cost Efficiency The most important thing we buildis trust Upgrade from ACK Two-Frequency HTs to 406Mhz Technology • No alterations of instrument panel necessary for remote switch • Re-useexistingwiringharness from remote switch to ELT • Mounting holes on ArtexME406lineup with existingholes for ACKELT • Extremelysimplifiedinstallationfor maximumcost efficiency • Basedon popularME406system • 6-year battery • Made inthe USA Artex Quality. Artex Technology. Artex Service CDBURflI Cobham Avionics Artex Products Aurora,OR97002,USA 800-547-8901 Email:sales@artex.net AOPAPILOT' 74 'APRIL 2009 www.cobham.com [Five Cessna 180s considered for this article had ] more than 20 improvements each, with 40 to 60 percent of those related to avionics and electronics. engine set aside, gas, fuel, oil], is $120 to $150 an hour. 1don't figure it precisely," he said. Since he lives in the Cameron Airpark fly-in community, the aircraft is hangared on his property in a hangar he owns. "My insurance went higher because 1bent [the airplane] a couple of times, so 1don't have hull insurance. Oth- erwise, it would be $6,000 for $110,000 in coverage. It's worth way more than that, so I am self-insured on the hull. 1carry the million-dollar liability." He leans the mixture, on the advice of Lycon Aircraft Engines, to run rich of peak. (When Knight and 1were flying at lower altitudes and had the mixture full rich, I saw fuel flows not uncommon to the 10-550 engine series of 18 to 21 gph.) With such a big engine, the first thing most pilots would worry about is over- heating. Not a problem, Petersen said. "I fly pretty much year round with the cowl flaps closed because it cools so well. During the flight test for FAA approval [of the engine and 185 parts], we climbed at 89 mph indicated, slowing to 84 mph indicated at 10,000 feet, 2,700 rpm, throttle wide open, and you would expect the engine to heat up. We had everything monitored with calibrated instruments and the designated engi- neering representative was in the plane during the flight recording all the data. The only temperature that even got close to limits was the oil temperature, and it had a redline of 240 but only got up to 203 degrees. Then [for testing purposes] you normalize the numbers to the FAA 100-degree day, and it put the oil tem- perature up at 236." Here comes the sheriff Further proof that the engine runs cool comes from his law-enforcement flights. Petersen is commander of the volunteer EI Dorado County Sheriff's Air Squadron. "We fly the deputies and detectives for surveillance and other kinds of applications. [A deputy] was looking for pot farms one day and I had the aircraft trimmed out for 65 mph. I was at 12 inches manifold pressure and 2,000 rpm for 1.5 hours, and flew with no heating problems." He took advantage of the aircraft's range when he flew it to the shops that participated in the aircraft's rebirth. Major structure work was done by Beegles Aircraft Service in Greeley, Colorado. For paint, he went to Gray's Aircraft Refinishing in Ozark, Arkan- sas. The interior was done by Elite Air Interiors at Sacramento Mather Airport, while the rosewood panel was installed by Pflueger's Custom Aircraft Panels in Trinity Center, California. The 180 could easily have disap- peared when the nosewheel-equipped Cessna 182 came to market. By then it had established itself as an indispens- able utility aircraft. The proof lies in a production run that continued for 25 years. As Petersen has proven, once you get a 180, you can tweak itto a 181.5 and make it do anything you want. IaA E-mail the author at alton.marsh@aopa. org. III