How To Mod Your Ride for Backcountry Fun

Friday, August 26, 2022 at 10:59 AM ET

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Modifications, like big, puffy tires, make it easier to land on unimproved grass and dirt strips. [Photo Airframes Alaska]

Key Takeaways:

To transform a stock airplane into a true backcountry companion, key upgrades focus on enhancing its ability to operate from unimproved airstrips and improving overall safety.
Performance modifications for Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) capabilities include installing robust tundra tires, specialized climb propellers, and aerodynamic enhancements like vortex generators or wingtip cuffs to lower stall speeds and reduce takeoff/landing distances.
Additional safety and visibility improvements for backcountry flying involve installing airbag seatbelts for enhanced occupant protection and upgrading to brighter, more efficient LED lighting for better "see and be seen" capabilities in uncontrolled airspace.

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You can take your stock airplane into a lot of out-of-the-way places depending on what that mount may be. Take a Cessna 172, for example. With a modest 180-hp Lycoming O-360 engine up front and lightly loaded, you can land a Skyhawk in an amazing array of places.

However, you’ll be able to go into a wider range of airstrips—those with both paved and unimproved surfaces—if you take just a few steps towards “kitting your airplane out” as a true backcountry companion. Here are a few key areas that we’ve identified that are ripe for upgrades—along with a great option in each category.