Pirep on Summit Skis
- Thread starter Schwarz
- Start date
mvivion
SPONSOR
Bozeman,MT
I’m guessing that for Abilene, TX, most any ski should work just fine. Now, if you want a more realistic assessment, maybe you could tell us where and in what sort of SKI conditions you might find yourself.
For perspective, you may notice in a lot of the “ski” photos you see on the internet, there’s not much, umm, snow.
MTV
For perspective, you may notice in a lot of the “ski” photos you see on the internet, there’s not much, umm, snow.
MTV
Farmboy
MEMBER
Middlebury, VT
That said, with hp they work good. Bunch of carbon cubs and a few others run them up here. There is a little drag from the wheel, but they work.
On other people’s low horsepower cubs the drag in wet or deep may overcome the power - NYGlenn will tell you about not leaving his runway on his. So he went to Datums.
A few other experimental guys have also switched to Datums, just for the best of both worlds.
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On other people’s low horsepower cubs the drag in wet or deep may overcome the power - NYGlenn will tell you about not leaving his runway on his. So he went to Datums.
A few other experimental guys have also switched to Datums, just for the best of both worlds.
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Farmboy
MEMBER
Middlebury, VT
Wes - this video highlights VTGlenn’s sport cub on summits a few years ago. Awesome ski day.
https://youtu.be/2VaX9cEW0RY
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https://youtu.be/2VaX9cEW0RY
Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
Schwarz
Registered User
Abilene, Texas Bemidji Minnesota
I’m currently in northern Minnesota, would like to be able to land on lakes and unplowed runways. Locals say so far this year they don’t have the snow they usually see this time of year, they say they can get 2-3 feet though.
Thank you sir! I will check out the Datums, I guess I need to make my way back up to your neck of the woods and take in some ski flying, wife and I had a blast up there!!
Thanks.
Dan Gervae
FRIEND
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
I have Trick Air on my 65 HP J3 (certified) so only choice for penetration skis (Unless you get a Field approval). Mine are very nice, great quality...but we get LOTS of snow in the U.P. of Michigan often up to 300" in parts....The wheel skis are a sacrifice on take off for sure...and if you get into some overflow you could get into trouble. I have been able to get by pretty well but I have to pick my lake landing areas carefully and watch snow conditions more diligently than I did on my Federal 1500 straight skis....this year we have much less snow than we did this time last year, so it's been a lot of fun flying my trick airs. The Summits have a little less of a cut-out for the wheel....or should I say the transition straighter after the penetration creating slightly less drag than the Trick air (according to Glenn) But I did not know he switched to Datums....Interesting
RaisedByWolves
FRIEND
Tx
I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to put your small wheels in the baggage.
I have the 2300 summits. They work great. The bracket bolts onto the gear, and the ski bolts onto the bracket. You can run 8.50’s with them. They are light weight and work great. If I remember right he only makes a limited run in the fall/ winter.
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Schwarz
Registered User
Abilene, Texas Bemidji Minnesota
Originally Posted by Schwarz
It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been stuck somewhere that I probably shouldn’t have been, ask Steve P. :lol:
I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to put your small wheels in the baggage.
I have the 2300 summits. They work great. The bracket bolts onto the gear, and the ski bolts onto the bracket. You can run 8.50’s with them. They are light weight and work great. If I remember right he only makes a limited run in the fall/ winter.
LOL, Mr. RaisedByWolves might know something about it too.
Thanks Tom.
mvivion
SPONSOR
Bozeman,MT
Performance of skis depends on a number of factors, including snow depth, consistency of the snow, temperature, aircraft weight, power, etc.
Northern MN can get a fair amount of snow. The good news is, that part of the world often stays fairly cold, so wet, sloppy snow isn’t common. The problem, as noted above, with any penetration ski, like the Summit, is that part of the tire protrudes through the ski, and creates a LOT of drag. In wet snow, that drag can be HUGE. In powder, not so much. The second issue with penetration skis is that they all have some sort of “tail wheel” to prevent the aft end of the ski from dragging on the runway when on a runway. Unfortunately, that little wheel also creates drag. And again, that may be considerable in certain snow conditions. A friend has a Cessna 185 which he flys to his cabin in the Brooks Range of AK. His skis are Landes Airglas penetration skis. Those skis had a single tailwheel, mounted on a spring attached to the aft end of the ski. Many times, he’d have to remove those tailwheels just to get airborne off his lake, even with a groomed strip. He’d fly to Bettles, land on the (groomed) runway, reattach the tailwheels, then fly home.
So, penetration skis are a compromise. They might work fine in most conditions you’ll find in northern MN.
But at some point, everybody gets stuck on skis. If you can afford retractable skis, like the Datums, odds of getting stuck are decreased....at least a little.
Dress warm, carry enough gear to spend the night, and have fun. Ski flying is the most fun you can have in a light airplane.
MTV
Northern MN can get a fair amount of snow. The good news is, that part of the world often stays fairly cold, so wet, sloppy snow isn’t common. The problem, as noted above, with any penetration ski, like the Summit, is that part of the tire protrudes through the ski, and creates a LOT of drag. In wet snow, that drag can be HUGE. In powder, not so much. The second issue with penetration skis is that they all have some sort of “tail wheel” to prevent the aft end of the ski from dragging on the runway when on a runway. Unfortunately, that little wheel also creates drag. And again, that may be considerable in certain snow conditions. A friend has a Cessna 185 which he flys to his cabin in the Brooks Range of AK. His skis are Landes Airglas penetration skis. Those skis had a single tailwheel, mounted on a spring attached to the aft end of the ski. Many times, he’d have to remove those tailwheels just to get airborne off his lake, even with a groomed strip. He’d fly to Bettles, land on the (groomed) runway, reattach the tailwheels, then fly home.
So, penetration skis are a compromise. They might work fine in most conditions you’ll find in northern MN.
But at some point, everybody gets stuck on skis. If you can afford retractable skis, like the Datums, odds of getting stuck are decreased....at least a little.
Dress warm, carry enough gear to spend the night, and have fun. Ski flying is the most fun you can have in a light airplane.
MTV
RaisedByWolves
FRIEND
Tx
I’ve landed in an awful warm spring slushy mash potato snow with summits and they did much much better than I expected. That being said I’ve flown some r2800’s and they sucked. In powder. Summits worked much better than I expected.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
cubdriver2
FRIEND
upstate NY
Summits are a great ski. But with limited HP on a short strip there were days where I couldn't get out and a couple times I was lucky to get back to the hangar. Datums have worked much better for my situation. And their cheaper.
Glenn
Glenn
RaisedByWolves
FRIEND
Tx
courierguy
MEMBER
Inkom, Idaho
The first time I've heard the phrase "cheaper" associated with Datums! And I realize you mean less expensive, I didn't know the Summits were that expensive in other words.
cubdriver2
FRIEND
upstate NY
RaisedByWolves
FRIEND
Tx
Bearhawk Builder
FRIEND
In the woods
Tom we need you as a DAR
RaisedByWolves
FRIEND
Tx
I tried, the Portland fsdo is “too busy to baby sit me”. I gave up. Oh well. Guess there will always be outlaws out there.
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cubdriver2
FRIEND
upstate NY
Dave understands the system better then anyone I've ever seen. In his spare time he helps keep Rhinebeck alive
Glenn
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40m
SPONSOR
Shoreham, VT
Looked very closely at Datums twice and both times chose Summits. I simply was not comfortable with the lack of support from the manufacturer on a standard way to rig them for my (any type) aircraft. On a Cub the front cables need to attach to an engine mount to achieve proper geometry, this will be a trial and error effort by the manufactures own admission. Summits come with the proper length cables, springs and hardware ready to mount. For the mechanical type rigging Datums may not be an issue but for me cutting into the cowl and hoping I got it right was. With the Summits there is a drag penalty which at times can be used to an advantage, as always there are compromises.
Bearhawk Builder
FRIEND
In the woods
I'm in, where do we start. I've never gone through the process.
I assume the engineering needs to be looked at, is it a matter of getting drawings from Summit? Will prior field approvals be helpful?
I assume the engineering needs to be looked at, is it a matter of getting drawings from Summit? Will prior field approvals be helpful?
Bearhawk Builder
FRIEND
In the woods
I'm dealing with Summit now for a Bearhawk project and modifying their attach bracket. Different animal but they would likely be inclined to help with whatever I would need to pursue a FA for my SuperCub.
