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Field Approval 30" AirStreaks

LMartin

Lisa Martin
FRIEND
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Has anyone received a field approval to put 30x13-6 AirStreaks on a PA18-150? It looks like there is not an STC. I do have the STC for and the wheels/tires for 26" Goodyears and 8.50x5s. A little bigger might be fun.


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the OLD originals?, or the bushwheels version???

if the old original, Roger "the candy man" from Washington? had a single time STC we would reference to get a field approval...
 
I don't know that. It also says "Antique Tire and Rubber Co" on the sidewall, if that helps.
 
I would guess the bushwheels version. They're fat and the valve stem comes out the side wall, not the center.
 
I don't know that. It also says "Antique Tire and Rubber Co" on the sidewall, if that helps.


no, that the old original version... made in Alaska before being sold to the Oregon company.... and being sold BACk to the newer alaska current bushwheels company...

you'll need roger Peterson's? "the candy man" one time STC to use as basis if the FAA will even do that anymore.... do they hold air still? they gotta be REALLY OLD and dry rotted by now!!!

(Roger the candy man was a candy sales man from washington and would bring outdated candy to naknek when he came to spot or fish to give us :) that was back when I was younger & had teeth..!)
 
no, that the old original version... made in Alaska before being sold to the Oregon company.... and being sold BACk to the newer alaska current bushwheels company...

you'll need roger Peterson's? "the candy man" one time STC to use as basis if the FAA will even do that anymore.... do they hold air still? they gotta be REALLY OLD and dry rotted by now!!!


That's interesting. They do hold air. Maybe I should just stick with the Goodyears though.
 
I can remember all that stuff from over 25+ years ago...

but now I can't remember what i walked across my shop to do, or where i put the bag with the trim switch in it!!! grrrrrr....
 
Antique Tire and Rubber and Airstreaks were owned by Guy Selman out of California. My old man was the Alaska distributor for these ORIGINAL Airstreaks in the 80s, maybe even the late 70s.

When Mr. Selman went west, his son Gary brought the basics of tire building to Alaska and my father. Dad engineered out all of the flaws from the Airstreak and the Bushwheel was born.
 
Thank you! I'll call this morning and see if I can figure out how to use them.
 
Wow. I have a cool history to my tires. I love your dog too...I've been missing a beagle with very similar coloring for about 7 years now.
 
I have a field approval for the original 30" Airstreak on a PA18.

I'll try Roger in Washington, since he's so close. If I need more help can I get a hold of you about the field approval data?

How about care of old rubber? I was advised a couple days ago some silicone spray, rubbed in, will help keep it from getting dry and brittle.
 
How about care of old rubber? I was advised a couple days ago some silicone spray, rubbed in, will help keep it from getting dry and brittle.[/QUOTE]

Aerospace 303 is all I ever use, has a UV protector in it also.
 
I talked to Roger. Very helpful man. He doesn't have the STC anymore (or any helpful data), the FAA took it away when Antique Tire and Rubber was bought out by "the guy in Alaska". He said the Alaska bushwheels are the same thing and have the STC so I should plead that case with the FSDO for a field approval and it will most likely be accepted.
 
From an article about Bushwheels in the Aug/Sep 2000 issue of the old "Northern Pilot" magazine:
"Antique Tire and Rubber Company came to an end with the death of the last surviving partner, Guy Selma, in 1993."
The article goes on to say that (former) Airstreak dealer Jim Pazsint went on to develop the "Alaskan Bushwheel" which went into production in 1994,
and that "the design was a radical departure from that of the Airstreak".
So I doubt that anything from Alaska Bushwheels would be of any use in getting an old set of Airstreaks approved.
Maybe whoever holds the rights to / paperwork from the old Antique Rubber & Tire company could be tracked down,
but that's probably be a tough show now that close to 25 years have gone by.
 
I'd say the Bushwheel design has not been revolutionary, but evolutionary.
The old Bushwheels were a little different than old Airstreaks, but a lot the same.
I've used both.
 
I'd say the Bushwheel design has not been revolutionary, but evolutionary.
The old Bushwheels were a little different than old Airstreaks, but a lot the same.
I've used both.

Carey, you are very correct. The functionality was by and large the same. However, the methods of construction and internal design were quite different.
 
The Helena FSDO has a work sheet for a Field Approval for oversize tires. Spokane probably does too. Give them a call.

Were those tires recapped? I had some I used for a while and later sold to a guy in Spokane. If so I can fill you in on a little more of their history you might find interesting.

I liked the the tires but they were a bit heavy and stiffer than 31" Bushwheels.
 
Don't know if there's maybe more than one version, but FWIW here's a scan of a "work sheet for tundra tire installation" from the Sacramento FSDO.

tundra tire worksheet.png
 

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I keep care about my 32" Bushwheels with the black solution they use it for rubber leading edges they pump up when they ice up. It is expensive, one quart is about 75$ it is black and dirty but it keeps the UV-light and O³? off. It works for me since 25 years . I had 26" tires before my 32". These 26" tires I had to recap (was possible 22 years ago) I still have these tires and they are in a very good shape!
C-M
 
I have a set of the 30 x 13 x 6’s that are like brand new. Hard to believe that they haven’t been made since the 90’s!! Be interesting to see what takes for field approval.


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