Light Twins with A/C

[jsstevens]

After a quick google, I decided to come here and ask the experts (and the other folks).

What light twins (C-310, Baron, Aztec, Seneca, this class) can have air conditioning? How common is it?

 

[OkieAviator]

My buddy's B58 has AC.

 

[mooneyflyfast]

A lot of Seneca IIs and later have factory air. Not sure how effective it is.

 

[Jim Carpenter]

Try AirCenterInc for their line of CoolAir units, or AirCommcorp for the (formerly) Keith A/C. (Sorry, can't post links yet).

 

[Fracpilot]

Try https://www.arcticaircooler.com/

Click on “Real AC”. It’s less than $5k for an actual AC compressor. That’s what’s going in my 310.

My mechanic is installing it during my avionics upgrade.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[weilke]

FTA makes a retrofit for the Baron.

 

[ktup-flyer]

I’d imagine almost any of them. Some singles came with factory air

 

[Richman67]

FTA makes a retrofit for the Baron.

Factory air conditioning on B58s is fairly common, especially as you move into the 80s. E55s also had factory AC, but it is fairly rare. B55s never had AC as an option.

The FTA system mentioned above I believe is only for IO520/550 Barons, which would be the 58s and C/D/E 55s (or one the "President" conversions in a B55) because of the way the compressor is mounted. There is AirCenter which has an all electric system that goes behind the bulkhead and Goodrich Aviation now has an STC for an AC system as well.

Any real AC retrofitted is going to be north of $25-30k for installation.

Some people have installed the Arctic Air Cooler as a "portable unit" the same way a handheld GPS plugs into one of those plastic panel sockets (IE "not permanently attached"). You can go that way, but you have to make sure you have the amperage to run it (not small), somewhere to drain the condensate and an exhaust for the hot condenser air. I've seen some really neat installs with anchors, cannon plugs for electric, drain attachments and an attachment for the exhaust into the aft bulkhead. R&R 5 minutes tops.

 

[3393RP]

I’d imagine almost any of them. Some singles came with factory air

One North Texas hot summer day I made arrangements to rent a 172, and when I arrived at the airport, much to my surprise and gratification, the aircraft was equipped with a factory installed engine driven air conditioning system.

Number five for takeoff? Pfffft, bring it on.

 

[ktup-flyer]

One North Texas hot summer day I made arrangements to rent a 172, and when I arrived at the airport, much to my surprise and gratification, the aircraft was equipped with a factory installed engine driven air conditioning system.

Number five for takeoff? Pfffft, bring it on.

There’s a 172N for rent here with like 1500TT and factory air. It’s a shame they are going to let it get beat up by renters. That’s probably the one feature I’d add to the 182 at the sacrifice of some useful load.