182RG with Horton STOL kit

Groundpounder

Groundpounder

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Emerson Bigguns
What can you tell me about a 182RG with the Horton STOL kit? Lowers the stall speed, but does it hurt cruise speed? Any other tangible benefits to having it?
 
This may or may not be helpful. We have Madras tips (no gap seals) and the plane will fly ridiculously slow, like 50 over the numbers, which makes it really hard to stop before we get to the end of the 9,000ft runway without using the brakes.
 
Groundpounder said:
What can you tell me about a 182RG with the Horton STOL kit? Lowers the stall speed, but does it hurt cruise speed? Any other tangible benefits to having it?
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Edit: Disregard previous comment - was thinking of Roberston STOL kit. The Horton will lose you a small amount on the upper end of your cruise range, but not much.

FWIW I think the 182RG is one of the most versatile airplanes in existence. It's quite fast, can haul a load, relatively cheap to operate, and if the gear comes down (the one weakness), the gear is really really strong when it's down and locked and would be fine on unimproved runways.
 
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I flew a Cherokee 6-300 with the Horton STOL kit, it was one of the slowest trips ever. I think we did about 110 knots from CO to KY to FL. There was a belly thing that dropped and the aileron droop. Very draggy.

I would say we plan for 135 in cruise with the droop tips so they don't seem too draggy.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
It does hurt the cruise speed, and the Horton is regarded as being one of the worse STOL kits due to it's complexity and weight. It droops the ailerons when you lower flaps which helps with your decreased maneuvering speed, but again is complex and heavy.

FWIW I think the 182RG is one of the most versatile airplanes in existence. It's quite fast, can haul a load, relatively cheap to operate, and if the gear comes down (the one weakness), the gear is really really strong when it's down and locked and would be fine on unimproved runways.
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Pretty sure this is wrong - you're thinking of the Robertson STOL kit. And, it's kinda the best (slowest) and the worst (most complex).
 
AA5Bman said:
Pretty sure this is wrong - you're thinking of the Robertson STOL kit. And, it's kinda the best (slowest) and the worst (most complex).
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Whoops! Yep, I was thinking of Robertson - will update my original post. I've heard atleast on 170/180/185's that it's not any slower than a Sportsman and you have a ton of weight and complexity.
 
OP you're getting bad info here. There is no aileron droop with the Horton, so this comment on the 6-300 isn't applicable either, or it's been mis-remembered, or it's something else.

The major portion of these STOL kits is the leading edge cuff and in later years, Cessna updated their wing profile to add their own cuff that I think they called the "camber lift" starting in the early 70s. The camber lift had almost the exact same profile as the Horton STOL leading edge cuff, so it's really not a dramatic difference. See the graphic here:

https://www.steneaviation.com/collections/sportsman-stol/products/sa-sportsman

I wouldn't expect much change in handling at all, top end or bottom end, and definitely wouldn't rule out an otherwise good plane, if you've found one, because it has a Horton kit on it.

FWIW, I have the Sportsman STOL kit on my cessna and it is amazing. It's by far the most dramatic cuff and it doesn't affect my top end speed compared to similar planes without it.
 
I flew one many years ago with the Horton kit and loved to fly it, sorry can't remember any real details about performance numbers.
 
AA5Bman said:
OP you're getting bad info here. There is no aileron droop with the Horton, so this comment on the 6-300 isn't applicable either, or it's been mis-remembered, or it's something else.

The major portion of these STOL kits is the leading edge cuff and in later years, Cessna updated their wing profile to add their own cuff that I think they called the "camber lift" starting in the early 70s. The camber lift had almost the exact same profile as the Horton STOL leading edge cuff, so it's really not a dramatic difference. See the graphic here:

https://www.steneaviation.com/collections/sportsman-stol/products/sa-sportsman

I wouldn't expect much change in handling at all, top end or bottom end, and definitely wouldn't rule out an otherwise good plane, if you've found one, because it has a Horton kit on it.

FWIW, I have the Sportsman STOL kit on my cessna and it is amazing. It's by far the most dramatic cuff and it doesn't affect my top end speed compared to similar planes without it.
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^ that
 
Saw the airplane today, confirmed its just a leading edge cuff and a stall fence on each wing. It also has flap and aileron gap seals. Didn't have a chance to fly it, hopefully that happens soon.
 
Groundpounder said:
Saw the airplane today, confirmed its just a leading edge cuff and a stall fence on each wing. It also has flap and aileron gap seals. Didn't have a chance to fly it, hopefully that happens soon.
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Buy it! :)
 
Groundpounder said:
You're just saying that so I stop posting about trying to buy an airplane :)

I never try to get happy, that way I don't get disappointed, but this airplane has potential.
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I'm saying it so we get pretty plane pictures when you post them after buying it :D
 
I instructed an owner in a 1982 182RG (30 degree flaps) with a STOL kit, not sure the brand. No difference in cruise but compared to a 79 model with 40 degree flaps it wasn’t short landing.
 
Looked at this airplane a second time yesterday. Opened a wing panel and saw a wonderful coating of corrosion on everything inside. Yay.....on to the next airplane I guess.....
 
Groundpounder said:
Saw the airplane today, confirmed its just a leading edge cuff and a stall fence on each wing. It also has flap and aileron gap seals. Didn't have a chance to fly it, hopefully that happens soon.
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Based on my experience with that combination of airplane and STOL kit, that would be an ideal airplane. Finding another one will be difficult...
 
One thing to reconsider- if the corrosion is not a legal airworthiness issue (or a safety issue at your own personal level of concern), then you’re dealing with a plane that may be a little more difficult to sell in a hurry if you needed to. The fix? Offer what you think it’s worth to you, with a nice corrosion discount, instead of just walking away from it. Especially if it’s a unicorn...

Corrosion is corrosion, there’s a little and a lot and everything in between, but some people go overboard and are looking for pristine. They fly the same. Just make sure the corrosion is not caused by other forms of neglect.

Enjoy! The search is half the fun!
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
One thing to reconsider- if the corrosion is not a legal airworthiness issue (or a safety issue at your own personal level of concern), then you’re dealing with a plane that may be a little more difficult to sell in a hurry if you needed to. The fix? Offer what you think it’s worth to you, with a nice corrosion discount, instead of just walking away from it. Especially if it’s a unicorn...

Corrosion is corrosion, there’s a little and a lot and everything in between, but some people go overboard and are looking for pristine. They fly the same. Just make sure the corrosion is not caused by other forms of neglect.

Enjoy! The search is half the fun!
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It has other issues too. The corrosion isn't as bad as I have seen on other airplanes as of late, but its kind of a "three strikes" deal. We're still considering making an offer, but it would be way under what he is asking, and after talking to the owner, he doesn't really want to sell, so I doubt he'd take a low ball offer....

Next airplane on our radar is a Commander 114. Should I start a thread on that too? Haha....
 
Groundpounder said:
...Next airplane on our radar is a Commander 114. Should I start a thread on that too? Haha....
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PoA rules say you're only eligible to do this if you've already done the obligatory "What plane should I buy" thread first. ;)
 
GRG55 said:
PoA rules say you're only eligible to do this if you've already done the obligatory "What plane should I buy" thread first. ;)
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So, I can't remember. Is the answer currently believed to be correct "Bo", "RV-10", or "PC-12". I'm having a hard time staying current on this.
 
kyleb said:
So, I can't remember. Is the answer currently believed to be correct "Bo", "RV-10", or "PC-12". I'm having a hard time staying current on this.
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All of the above. And then some. ;)
 
182RG has better short field performance than a 172. I don't really see why you would need a STOL kit on one.
 
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