Thread: How efficient is Heater?

I'm taking a poll of current owners about the Winter operation of the CT. So far, I gather the engine needs to get up to temperature otherwise it's not a good thing and the heater seems to have a few problems in addition to cabin drafts.

The reason I'm asking is that I fly both a Skyhawk and a Luscombe with totally different heater qualities and am looking for a SLSA with a stellar heater for winter flying (some of the best there is). The Skyhawk is good and gives "indirect" heat by filling the back seat with warm air first, and the Luscombe's heater is almost not there. With the Luscombe's stock exhaust system the best way to improve the heat is to plug up all the holes in the cockpit.

As an example of winter temps here, I like to fly down to zero Fahrenheit but won't go if the heater doesn't work. I'm looking for positive or negative testimonials.

Skot

The heater heats plenty ... air distribution isn't the best. You'll need to rig some sort of air deflector for your foot or buy asbestos shoes - the hot air just comes out of a hole in the center console right into the footwell.

My heater heats plenty in the summer. Now I have tape on my radiator and tape on my gap seals at the wing root and the heater is marginal. I bet some more tape on the radiator would get my temps up some and if I did the heater would be pretty good.

I went flying yesterday at 18 degrees. Had on a long sleeve shirt , a polar fleece jacket, and light gloves. Took the gloves off during the flight as my hands became too warm. Otherwise, quite comfortable. I'd say that the heater won't drive you out, but it takes the chill off.

Bob in Salmon, Idaho

From the comments, I conclude the heater is okay but not perfect, and probably comes from air circulating around either the cylinder heads or the exhaust system (much the same as other "air cooled only" aircraft engines). I was hoping there might be a coolant radiator that picked up heat from the engine through a heater core for more even heat instead of the hot air scavenged from the manifold. A coolant driven heater would certainly eliminate any possibility of carbon monoxide.

I've also seen in advertisements on Barnstormers that someone is selling a small water heater that can be installed in ultralights and experimentals. I assume this unit could not be put on a SLSA because it would be considered a non-standard modification.

Skot

Our CT heater does come off from around the muffler. The muffler is enclosed and air comes in from the front of the plane under the radiator. The air circulates around the muffler then through into the cabin. One hose goes upward to help defrost the windshield and the other two vent exit at your feet. It does knock to cold off, but won't drive you out if it is really cold (less than 25F).
I know which water heater you are talking about and it would not meet FD's SLSA regs. You might email them and try to get a letter stating that the addition is ok. All they can say is no.

Because of where the heater picks up its temp., around the muffler, adding more tape won't give you any appreciable difference in the cabin, but only raise the cyl. head and oil temp. The exhaust temp won't change enough to really help you out.
More air flow around the muffler and into the cabin will help.

I didn't think that tape on my radiator would give me more cabin heat but ...

I installed the tape after flying 100 km north, on that flight I had no temps in the green and cabin heater was producing COLD air. While on the ground I put 1 3" strip across the top not quite from end to end (duct tape.) On the way home my temps were in the green but still low and my cabin heat was no longer cold, more like warmish.

Above is just anecdotal evidence and not well documented in terms of EGT temps but for the moment it's my story and I'm sticking with it.

I also notice now that I have an EGT guage that teh EGT will read zero pretty quickly if I throttle back for a descent or landing approach. I can keep warmer by keeping power and speed up longer.

Hi Ed,

I have a 2" wide piece of metal tape all the way across the top part of the radiator. My cyl. head temps are 210F-230F and oil temp is 185F-190F.
When it is as cold as your part of the country (less than 32F) my cyl. head temps are 205F. These temps are at 4750-4850 rpm.
When we have a warm day (68F-72F then the cyl. temps run about 230F-240F with the tape.