AIR CONDITIONING MODS
The July 2023 Aviation Consumer article on aftermarket air conditioning could not have arrived at a better time. It initially gave me some hope, when all of south Florida was frying in the heat most of the day, that I could get real air conditioning for my plane. Getting into a heat-soaked plane sitting in a 120-degree hangar is definitely a downer even for the most die-hard aviator. Convincing non-pilots who are used to air conditioning in every space to get in a non-AC vehicle is a losing proposition. But after reading the article and evaluating the options, I’m resigned to my Arctic Air Chiller and tons of ice.
It’s dumb simple and works—for a while. Did I mention tons of ice? The article reviewed Thermocool from Kelly Aerospace. I stopped at their demo booth at AirVenture 2023 and it certainly was blowing a lot of cool air. But the weight penalty and big bucks needed to install it in my Piper Saratoga were out of my range. Nearby was the Peter Schiff Aero display, a direct competitor to Thermocool. One of its products, the SofieLite, seemed like a good option as it is available in 12- and 24-volt versions and is a non-permanent installation. At $5500 it won’t break the bank too badly. Read closely, however, as the 12-volt system will require an alternator capable of at least 100 amps. Plane Power does make such an alternator, but that will add another couple grand to the total cost, not to mention the labor of cutting a hole in the baggage door to get outside air into the SofieLite.