Piper Pawnee Rear View Mirrors

[William Kautter]

I'm looking for sources for rear view mirrors suitable for mounting on both the left and right exterior sides of a Piper Pawnee. Thanks for your help. Bill

[Dan Marotta]

I've flown several tugs (Pawnee and Ag Wagon) with automotive mirrors
attached to the wing struts.

On 3/2/2020 7:09 AM, William Kautter wrote:
> I'm looking for sources for rear view mirrors suitable for mounting on both the left and right exterior sides of a Piper Pawnee. Thanks for your help. Bill

--
Dan, 5J

[Charles Longley]

Minor alteration just make sure they don’t fall off.

[dtarm...@gmail.com]

About two years ago we had a tow pilot fly through a set of powerlines at the end of the runway. Lots of bad stuff happened to cause it and many more bad things followed shortly afterwards. The only thing the FED seemed interested in was who had done the annual and where the paper work was for the mirror on the strut. I shit you not.

DT

[uneekc...@gmail.com]

If that pawnee like ours was still flying under a restricted catagory you can tell the feds to take-a-hike. As a duster, and under restricted airworthiness we still have alot of latitude. We operate under much of the old CAA regs, meaning we can modify a hell of a lot as we see fit. I remember years ago getting a ramp check from some little Barney Fife type. Guy never recognized that the left door on the taylorcraft was completely different than the right one. Only thing he was worried about is my not having a compass card!
Dan

[dtarm...@gmail.com]

It was a -150 with a 180hp engine. I've never seen any use with those mirrors, you can't see anything in them you can trust. You're better off turning your head/body.

[kirk.stant]

On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 8:09:03 AM UTC-6, William Kautter wrote:
> I'm looking for sources for rear view mirrors suitable for mounting on both the left and right exterior sides of a Piper Pawnee. Thanks for your help. Bill

Bill, our club has 2 Pawnees with mirrors mounted internally, attached to the curved "crash pad" above the instrument panel. One on each side, using RAM ball mounts (so "removable"). Mirrors are from a truck stop I think, about 8 by 5 inches square, with the RAM clamp bonded to the center of the back of the mirror (the RAM ball is attached to the panel). Inexpensive, easy to install, adjust, keep clean, excellent field of view, no vibration to speak of - best solution I've seen. PM me and I can get some pictures this weekend. kirk dot stant at gmail dot com.

[sgs...@gmail.com]

I like Kirk's solution. Never been able to get my eyeballs in sync with external mirrors once the power comes up!

[t...@adirondacksoaring.com]

On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 9:09:03 AM UTC-5, William Kautter wrote:
> I'm looking for sources for rear view mirrors suitable for mounting on both the left and right exterior sides of a Piper Pawnee. Thanks for your help. Bill

We purchased our last nice sized mirrors on Amazon.com for $9.99 each.

[stu8...@gmail.com]

Anybody ever tried a backup camera?

Might have less vibration and more field of view.

[Paul Agnew]

Rear-view camera discussion...

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!searchin/rec.aviation.soaring/Camera/rec.aviation.soaring/iy6oB2co8Mc

[jjd...@gmail.com]

" If that pawnee like ours was still flying under a restricted catagory you can "tell the feds to take-a-hike" "

Odds are very good, this won't improve the situation.

Joe

[Bob Youngblood]

On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 9:09:03 AM UTC-5, William Kautter wrote:

> I'm looking for sources for rear view mirrors suitable for mounting on both the left and right exterior sides of a Piper Pawnee. Thanks for your help. Bill

I have had 3 Pawnee's and each was fitted with the same type mirrors that I mounted on the outside curve on the top side of the old hopper top. The hoppers were removed and I glassed over the old hopper hole and mounted my mirrors on the top side of the hopper top. Vibration is a problem if you use cheap plastic mirrors. Use a nice metal mirror and the vibration will be greatly reduced. Being able to see what is behind you is important while towing. Bob

[jjd...@gmail.com]

Hi Bob

Could you share your data for the hopper removal and fabrication/installation of the new skin on the Pawnee that you modified?
I havent been able to find anything for this yet, perhaps you did a field approval?

What did you use as a reference for signing off this work?

I'm considering purchasing a Pawnee and would be interested in doing this mod.

[Bob Youngblood]

I did all the fabrication work under the supervision of my IA. The hopper removal is a must in my opinion, it requires removal of the spray plumbing along with removal of the hopper. Be careful removing the hopper and do not damage the roller pulley for the elevator that is the forward pulley at the end of the control shaft. You will see where the hopper sits in a saddle on either side of the fuselage. Mark below the saddle and cut that tank off leaving only the top and sides of the hopper top shell.
You may wish to fill the hopper top hole as you like, I used some filler board and fiberglass to complete this altercation. Now you can move below and start making a new bottom area or panel where the hopper dump was. This is really quiet simple and can be done by using some of the bottom pieces as a pattern. For your own safety I would use the hopper dump handle as the release arm for the towhook, you will not be sorry, just MHO. You can then go to a 337 from your IA if you wish.
A few other things to consider, make sure the AD for the wing attachment is completed, there were three, one is junk. Also the horz, attachment AD, this can be approved by an AMOC, that will follow the airplane as long as it is inspected annually and only used for tow purposes. Contact me through my private email and I can shoot you all the FAA contact information.

[Roy B.]

We have owned 3 different Pawnees (all 235s and one a full Hutch conversion) and I've towed extensively in 5 or 6 other ones, so I have a few suggestions: 1) the best mirrors are either mounted on the struts or with a 2 point or triangular base on the hopper deck. It's not the mirror that matters to avoid vibration - it's the rigidity of the base and a single stick base vibrates too much. 2) If the Pawnee is going to be used at a remote location (like a temporary field or a wave camp) the hopper is helpful to stuff things into like gas cans, sleeping bags, cleaning kit, spare oil, glider covers, etc. One Pawnee I flew had a table or deck built halfway up the hopper to make reaching in for stuff much easier. It is possible to use Bob Y's suggestion for the hopper dump handle to be used as the release handle without removing the hopper entirely.
ROY
GBSC Chief Pilot