AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2011 - 85

his shop from many others. It makes no sense to redo an interior and ignore any underlying corrosion, he says. Ultimately, corrosion is what will claim so many airplanes in our aging general aviation fleet. Although our Cessna 182 has a remarkably clean airframe, Wolter still found corrosion, and more. The aluminum beneath the seat rail attach points had corroded, as had some aluminum panels in the footwells and above the headliner. Luckily, this could all be corrected with a thorough cleaning, using Scotchbrite pads and lacquer thinner. This was followed by a zinc chromate treatment of the entire cabin interior. Next came removal of all the original windows, and their replacement with new, lightly tinted windows from LP Aero Plastics of Jeanette, Pennsylvania (www.lpaero.com). Take our word for it: Don’t even think about upgrading an older airplane without installing new windows. The original windows may

not have seemed scratched, crazed, or dull before, but after a new interior and paint job they’ll certainly look sub-par. Air Mod’s attention to detail took other avenues. The nosewheel assembly, for example, was found to be loose and in need of new bushings. The nosewheel itself—a three-piece assembly—had allowed moisture into the bearings over the years, and you know what that means. Yep, corrosion. So a new, modern-style, two-piece nosewheel was ordered and installed. Air Mod also installed the sleek new Knots2U wheel pants, Hartwig Fuel Cell Repair’s Monarch fuel caps, and new seat rails from MacFarlane Aviation Inc. of Baldwin City, Kansas (www.macfarlane-aviation.com). A few words about the fuel caps and seat rails are in order. The original Cessna 182P fuel caps are recessed slightly beneath the level of the wing skin. This can cause water to pool on the caps, a design that inevitably results in spillage of rainwater into the fuel tanks
The old seat covering material was yanked (left) while new leather-covered interior door panels were installed to the door inserts (below). Cracked fuel-line connections at the wing roots (bottom left) were replaced with new rubber sleeves. New seat rails from MacFarlane Aviation Inc. were installed (bottom right) to prevent seat slips.

when it comes time to fuel the airplane. Over time, fuel seals can deteriorate, and so any water trapped on top of the caps can enter the fuel tanks that way also. The Monarch caps are raised, and thus prevent water from entering the tanks. So Monarch caps are a good investment—even at $700 for the pair. As for the seat rails, they’re the subject of a repetitive airworthiness directive that calls for inspections every 100 hours. The holes in the rails are engagement points for the pins that lock the front seats in place. If the holes are elongated, the seat can slip during takeoff or other times when flying at nose-high attitudes. This sort of seat slippage has been blamed for fatal accidents, but installing new seat rails does away with both the AD and the danger. So new seat rails also made sense in our goal to make this sweepstakes airplane the best it could be. Anyone flying an older Cessna single would be well-advised to keep an eye on those seat-rail holes, and replace the rails at the first signs of wear—even if a set of seat rails can set you back some $600. Leather and bubinga The final stages of Air Mod’s renovation involve the fitting of the new seats, carpet, sidewalls, and interior plastic components. The latter were generously contributed by Vantage Plane Plastics (www.planeplastics.com). The old plastic was shot, of course. This was most evident when you examined the plastic headliner. In the past, someone used a spray-on cleaner such as Fantastik, Windex, or who knows what else to clean the headliner. Bad move. The cleaner interacted with the plastic and gave it a sticky surface that attracted more dirt; otherwise, it was in good shape. Air Mod

AIR MOD

AOPA PILOT • 85 • MAY 2011

http://www.macfarlaneaviation.com http://www.lpaero.com http://www.planeplastics.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2011

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