Engine Preheater - any good?

My partners and I are considering this preheater:
http://aerothermheaters.com/

It's advantages seem to be that, unlike Tannis and other sump heaters, it's
not permanently attached to the airplane, and therefore doesn't require an
STC or W&B recalculation (unless you forget it and leave it attached :-).
Anyone ever use something like this?

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I made up my own for $40. Got a ceramic heater from WallyMart for $19 (6" x
6" x 7.5"), then went to Home Depot and got aluminum flex duct (not the
aluminum covered plastic - I'm talking flex/corrugated aluminum), a duct
collar, and a flange. Bend the flange to the shape of the heater, mount the
duct collar in the 4" pre-drilled hole in the flange (home depot sells these
right next to the duct collars). Then fasten it to the front of the heater.
I cheaped out and used aluminum duct tape until I got it positioned right.

Set up with a timer and you've got 1500 watts of heat. I place the free end
of the duct in the nose wheel opening in my C172. After 3 hours, it's ready
to go.


"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
news
My partners and I are considering this preheater:
http://aerothermheaters.com/

It's advantages seem to be that, unlike Tannis and other sump heaters,
it's
not permanently attached to the airplane, and therefore doesn't require an
STC or W&B recalculation (unless you forget it and leave it attached :-).
Anyone ever use something like this?

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

Bob Chilcoat wrote:
My partners and I are considering this preheater:
http://aerothermheaters.com/

It's advantages seem to be that, unlike Tannis and other sump
heaters, it's not permanently attached to the airplane, and
therefore doesn't require an STC or W&B recalculation (unless
you forget it and leave it attached :-).
Anyone ever use something like this?

Here's what I did:
http://www.burningserver.net/rosinsk...86.640x480.jpg
Cheap 1500 Watt heater from Kmart fits neatly between nosewheel and
lower cowl.

Maybe I'm missing something, but the heater you point to strikes me as
another typical aviation ripoff: Take the normal price you'd expect
something to cost (in this case I'd say around $30), then multiply by
10 to get the actual price because it's for an airplane.

Jim Rosinski

"Jim Rosinski" wrote in message
oups.com...
Here's what I did:
http://www.burningserver.net/rosinsk...86.640x480.jpg
Cheap 1500 Watt heater from Kmart fits neatly between nosewheel and
lower cowl.

Maybe I'm missing something, but the heater you point to strikes me as
another typical aviation ripoff: Take the normal price you'd expect
something to cost (in this case I'd say around $30), then multiply by
10 to get the actual price because it's for an airplane.

What do you think it costs to build 100 units vs. 20000 units that K-mart
sells?
--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

Matt Barrow wrote:

Maybe I'm missing something, but the heater you point to strikes me

as another typical aviation ripoff: Take the normal price you'd
expect something to cost (in this case I'd say around $30), then
multiply by 10 to get the actual price because it's for an
airplane.

What do you think it costs to build 100 units vs. 20000 units that
K-mart
sells?

This "economy of scale" argument doesn't always explain the perceived
excess in price. Some things in aviation really are ripoffs. Sort of
like the saying: "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not
really out to get you".

Jim Rosinski

Matt Barrow wrote:

Maybe I'm missing something, but the heater you point to strikes me

as another typical aviation ripoff: Take the normal price you'd
expect something to cost (in this case I'd say around $30), then
multiply by 10 to get the actual price because it's for an
airplane.

What do you think it costs to build 100 units vs. 20000 units that
K-mart
sells?

This "economy of scale" argument doesn't always fully explain the
perceived excess in price. Some things in aviation really are ripoffs.
Sort of like the saying: "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean
they're not really out to get you".

Jim Rosinski

"Jim Rosinski" wrote in message
oups.com...
Matt Barrow wrote:

This "economy of scale" argument doesn't always explain the perceived
excess in price. Some things in aviation really are ripoffs.

Agreed, so how does that translate to the item in question?

Sort of
like the saying: "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not
really out to get you".

The only rip-off is the prices for parts/equipment mandated by the FAA
standards (i.e., seat belts that cost ten times more than for automobiles,
even though they are the exact same thing.

And I know for a fact that they are trying to get me. But they won't get me;
I'm on a mission from god.


--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

. After 3 hours, it's ready
to go.

3 Hours? Way too long.
I still use (and love) my trusty Red Dragon.

Last Friday it was 6 degrees when I had to do a shoot . . . preheated for an
hour and ready to go . . . warm as toast.


www.Rosspilot.com

Matt Barrow wrote:

This "economy of scale" argument doesn't always explain the
perceived excess in price. Some things in aviation really are
ripoffs.

Agreed, so how does that translate to the item in question?

The item in question appears to be an electric space heater you could
buy at Kmart, Target, etc. for $20, with a couple of hoses attached to
fit in the cowling of an airplane. The price is $299. If I'm right and
the profit margin is around 1000% per unit, this strikes me as
excessive. And THREE HOURS to preheat?!?! The Kmart preheating solution
I mentioned in an earlier article can do it in two or less.

The only rip-off is the prices for parts/equipment mandated by the
FAA standards (i.e., seat belts that cost ten times more than for
automobiles, even though they are the exact same thing.

So NOTHING in aviation outside of FAA mandates is a ripoff? You might
want to rethink, or rephrase, those words.

Jim Rosinski

"Jim Rosinski" wrote in message
ups.com...
Matt Barrow wrote:

This "economy of scale" argument doesn't always explain the
perceived excess in price. Some things in aviation really are
ripoffs.

Agreed, so how does that translate to the item in question?

The item in question appears to be an electric space heater you could
buy at Kmart, Target, etc. for $20, with a couple of hoses attached to
fit in the cowling of an airplane. The price is $299. If I'm right and
the profit margin is around 1000% per unit, this strikes me as
excessive.

THEN DON'T BUY IT. Rather, why don't you buy some space heaters from
Wal-Mart and some ducted hoses and sell them for $50? Come on...why don't
you?

And THREE HOURS to preheat?!?! The Kmart preheating solution
I mentioned in an earlier article can do it in two or less.

See previous two sentences.

Oh, the Rube Goldberg's of the world!!

The only rip-off is the prices for parts/equipment mandated by the
FAA standards (i.e., seat belts that cost ten times more than for
automobiles, even though they are the exact same thing.

So NOTHING in aviation outside of FAA mandates is a ripoff? You might
want to rethink, or rephrase, those words.

You might want to think of the word "voluntary".