Dave Kalwishky / Marc Broer

Cessna 182J built in 1966

Web Link to the manufacturer: http://skylane.cessna.com/

To borrow a phrase from Charlie Brown, “Good Grief”! Who would have thought purchasing an airplane would be so hard. As you know the plane we almost purchase in Texas was hit by a ground tug and destroyed. The insurance company has decided that they are going to repair that plane, so the owners are going to receive a check for $48,000. They are not going to have it repaired; they are instead going to part out the plane for salvage. There are some nice radios and avionics as well and a Continental O470 engine that are worth something.

I wrote last month that Marc and I were looking at a plane in Oklahoma. After making arrangements to get the plane up to Ankeny for an inspection and three weeks of my time the guy decided to keep the plane. Rats, number two down.

Our third choice was a 1966 182J in Minnesota, after working some things out we flew up to get it. Chanler and Brant went with me in the Lance to see the plane and bring it home. Chanler and I came home in the Lance while Brant flew our new plane home to Ankeny.

The next day I flew it for a whole 15 minutes before putting in into the shop for some needed maintenance and upgrades. That was on February 6^th and she’s still getting worked on. With the things we are going to it I’m convinced that Marc and I are going to have one of the nicest 182’s out there. When summer comes I’d be happy to give anyone a ride who wants to fly with me J

The following is a write-up I did for the June 2006 issue of the Cessna Owners Organization magazine.

Owner Contact Information

Name: David Kalwishky / Marc Broer

Email: dave@kalwishky.com

Airplane

Make/Model/Year

Cessna 182J 1966

Pilot Biography

What was/is your career?

Dave: Information Systems Manager for Dee Zee Manufacturing. Since I work in the technology field I love gadgets and that’s probably evident when you look at our panel and the upgrades we’ve done.

Marc: Co-Owner of County Line Printing.

How long have you been flying? What is your favorite thing about flying? What licenses/certifications do you hold?

Dave: I’ve been flying for 24 years; I started in 1982 at the age of 15 in an Aeronca Champ. I currently hold a Commercial Single & Multi Engine Land Airplane with instrument rating. I am starting on my CFI; I hope to have it in June.

I am the president of my local EAA chapter and I am heavily involved with the Young Eagles program; I really enjoy sharing my love of aviation with the kids. There are Young Eagles that I have flown, that if it weren’t for this program, would not have had an opportunity to fly in a small plane. To me, that’s were the satisfaction comes from, being able to provide an experience for a youngster that he or she will probably remember for the rest of their life.

I am also involved with Angel Flight and Lifeline Pilots. I have found a real personal satisfaction from helping others with my plane and piloting skills. I get to make a difference in somebody’s life and that is worth a lot to me.

Marc: I have completed ground school, passed the written, got my medical, and I’m ready now to start flying lessons. My favorite thing is flying at night.

What’s the longest trip you have taken with this plane? What’s the most memorable trip you’ve taken with it?

Dave: I have not taken any trips yet, we bought the plane on 2/5/06 and it’s been in the shop since then getting upgraded. I did the first “test” maintenance flight on 4/10/06. There were a few bugs that needed to be ironed out, mainly the autopilot would not engage so it was sent back to the manufacturer. I plane on taking a trip to Colorado this summer and get my mountain flying checkout and then enjoy the scenery with my wife and daughter. Next year I am planning on flying to the Bahamas, after that who knows, the skies the limit!

What initially made you get this particular plane?

Dave: I owned a 1957 C172 prior to this and really enjoyed that plane. I wanted something a bit faster, IFR capable and with a bigger cabin. My main goal is to take trips with the airplane, fly young eagles and fly more Angel Flight missions. The 182 seemed to be the best plane for this mix of missions.

I also wanted a high winged plane; I like to be able to look out and down when I am flying. I have flown a number of Cherokee’s and Lance’s and they are fine airplanes but I decided that a high wing is what I wanted. I also like the doors on both sides of the cabin and the Cessna is a lot easier for me to get in and out of.

We named the plane Gumby. For those who are old enough you will remember that Gumby was a green character from the 50's. Our plane is two tone green so the name fit. We plan on getting some nose art of Gumby to put on the cowling.

Marc: I have flown in a few different small airplanes, and I liked the power, roominess, and the 182 seems ideal for medium distance trips with comfort. Also I wanted a plane old enough to fit the antique category, as well as a very safe and reliable airplane.

Performance Questions

How has your plane’s performance changed as a result of modifications?

Dave: The performance has not changed but the utility has. The original panel had minimal radios that did not work very well and the instruments we just kind of where ever in the panel. With the new instrument panel, lighting and avionics upgrades that have been done we now have something that will be a very functional IFR flying and trip taking platform.

What is your favorite improvement on your aircraft? Explain.

Dave: The Garmin 530, no question about it. I feel that the moving map GPS really increases your situational awareness, coupled to the autopilot you can really take some descent trips and if you have to shoot an approach at the end since the autopilot has been doing most of the work you’ll be relaxed and fresh to fly the approach.

Marc: I like the new panel lights and new sun visors.

Do you plan to modify your aircraft any more in the future? Explain.

Dave: In a few years we will be looking at a new engine, we may put a bigger engine in the plane or stick with the O470. Regardless of what we do with the engine we will be putting in a fuel flow monitor and an engine monitor.

Do you have any advice for fellow pilots considering modifying their planes?

Dave: Really think about what it is you want to accomplish and work with a shop that will work with you. Remember to be patient, good quality work takes time and should not be rushed. What you receive at the end will make it all worthwhile. Since I work three miles from the airport I was able to go out there every couple of days and meet with the mechanics and see the progress that was being made. They also kept me in the loop with regards to any decision making that was going on, communication is the key. Even though the process took almost three months from start to finish the wait was worth it. I feel we have one of the best 182’s out there for its age.

Upgrades/Improvements/Changes

Please explain in detail what changes have been made to the following parts of your aircraft and provide detailed part descriptions. Also, estimate how much money went into each section. Do you have 300 dpi or higher resolution before/after photographs of the changes to your aircraft?

Yes, I have pictures if you let me know which ones you want I can send very hi resolution versions of the picture. You can see them at http://www.eaachapter135.org/Images/Member_Projects/Kalwishky_Broer/index.htm

I would like to have a picture of Marc and I standing by the plane in the article, I will get one in the next couple of days for you.

All prices are the estimated installed prices; we have not seen the final bill yet.

Avionics:

1. PS-Engineering PMA6000M audio panel with entertainment music jacks - $1500. I wanted to go with the Garmin 340 but at some point you have to draw the line on how much money you are spending, after all the checking account is not bottomless.

2. Garmin 530 GPS with Garmin GI106 indicator - $16,000. I looked at the Garmin 300XL, the 430, 480 and the 530. I like the larger screen of the 530 and decided “what the heck, we’ve already spent this much money we might as well put in the best”. I was very close to going with the 480 as I liked some of the flight planning capabilities it has, namely the ability to create a flight plan using the victor airways. I can’t pinpoint the exact reason I went with the 530 over the 480.

3. Narco MK12D Nav/Com radio with Narco ID825 indicator – This was already in the airplane and in good working condition so we decided to keep it. I really wanted Garmins’ SL30 radio for the second Nav/Com but the Narco radio was already there and working. Besides, we just spent a bunch on money on the 530.

4. Narco AT150 transponder – This was already in plane and working. I saw no reason the change it out.

5. S-TEC 40 autopilot that was upgraded to the model 50 to include altitude hold - $4000. We upgraded the S-TEC 40 to a 50 so we could have altitude hold. Being a newly minted Instrument Rated pilot I feel that flying single pilot IFR is a lot safer with a good autopilot.

6. S-TEC GPSS Steering - $1300. This is another of those things that will be a neat gadget to have and when using the autopilot to fly segments of a trip or approaches this will make the turns more smooth thus providing a better ride for my wife and daughter.

7. Split avionics master switch. This will allow us to control what avionics are on if we loose the alternator. I know that we could simply turn off what we didn’t need but this seemed like a good idea. Before we did this the plane did not have an avionics master at all and I wanted one.

Paint:

1. We did not do any improvements here; the paint is only 10 years old and in really good condition.

Engine/Exhaust:

1. Reiff engine preheater - $600. Flying in Iowa you quickly learn how cold the winters can get. I fly all year long and want to be as “kind” to the engine as possible, so a preheater was a must. I choose the Reiff because I prefer the heated bands on the cylinders instead of the probes that go into the tops of the cylinders. Much like a lot of things in aviation, this was just a personal preference.

2. F&M Enterprises oil filter kit - $500 – I choose the F&M oil filter system for its simplicity, it bolts right onto the engine crank case. The others that I have seen remotely mount the oil filter on the firewall and therefore need hoses and other parts to hook it to the engine. To me that seems like another place for an oil leak to develop and they were more expensive.

Speed Modifications:

1. None.

Interior:

1. We did not do any improvements here; the interior is only 10 years old and in really good condition.

Other:

1. Ameri-King AK-450 ELT - $600 – The old ELT was literally falling apart and it was mounted under the rear seats. I had the Ameri-King mounted behind the baggage compartment next to the battery.

2. New flat instrument panel with instrument arranged in the standard six pack - $2000 – This is one of my most favorite upgrades. After spending a few days with cardboard templates we had the new instrument panel cut on a C.N.C. machine by a company in Minneapolis. When it came back I took it to my work and had it powder coated black.

3. Selkirk Glare Shied - $500 – I wanted a nicer looking glare shield than what was in the plane, the new panel is also a different shape so a glare shield would be needed. I choose Selkirk because I have read many positive things about the company. After having their product installed I’d do it again, I could not be happier with how it turned out.

4. Aero Enhancements Glare Shield lighting - $600 – On the 172 I had the overhead lighting did not work very well. I had installed NuLites on the instruments and they worked well. My only complaint was that since they are a light bezel they push the instrument back and away from the panel. With as tall as I am, looking down at the panel the tops of the instruments were cut off, I could not see them unless I brought my head down. I did not want this on the new plane. Selkirk recommends the Aero Enhancements lighting so I thought I’d try it. After some night flying with this setup I am very pleased with the outcome. The overhead lights do a pretty good job, I was surprised but the addition of the glare shield lighting makes it all that much better. They also have a 9 volt battery that can power the light for 4 hours if there is an electrical system failure.

5. The BAS Shoulder harnesses were already installed in the plane; I was a little leery at first as to whether these would be comfortable, they are. I would recommend these to anyone looking at installing shoulder harnesses.

6. The right elevator had some cracks in the skin that we did not like to it was sent to Williams Airmotive to be reskinned. They did an outstanding job and exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend them.

7. The airplane came with a WREN 100 STOL kit already installed. I’ve done some short field testing of the STOL capabilities and I’ve found that I can have the plane flying at 40 mph with half fuel and two on board. I’m anxious to get up to a safe altitude and really see what the low speed characteristics are like.

8. We also installed a Precision Vertical Card compass, I debated on this a little bit because of some of the horror stories I’ve read about vertical card compasses. Marc and I decided that it looked really cool so we bought one.

9. We installed a Davtron M800 digital clock. The only thing this clock does not do that I wish it did was have a pause feature on the timer. I’d like to be able to run the timer, stop it and restart it again where it was.

10. ARFC tinted sun visors. This is a very useful upgrade, I like to fly in the mornings and the evenings and it always seems that I am going into the sun. These do a really good job at minimizing the effect of the suns glare in your eyes. I looked at Rosen but I did not want to spend that amount of money, remember we were getting a Garmin 530 and had to draw the line somewhere.

Supplier Information

Who did the work on your aircraft? (Provide the companies’ name, location and contact information.) What work did they do? What parts did they supply?

1. Exec 1 Aviation

Dan Folkers – Shop Manager

3700 S.E. Convenience Blvd

Ankeny, IA 50021

(515) 965-1020

www.exec1aviation.com

They are my local FBO and did all the work described in this article.

2. S-TEC

One S-TEC Way
Municipal Airport
Mineral Wells, Texas 76067

(800) 872-7832

www.s-tec.com

Autopilot manufacturer.