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The Interplay of Upgrades

When fine-tuning your aircraft, it's important to understand how one modification might unexpectedly affect another.

Some upgrades are best made in concert with others. A good engine monitor, positioned up high and in the line of sight, can help align one’s flying technique with new modifications. [Courtesy: Jason McDowell]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The author's lifelong passion for modifying vehicles, progressing to aircraft, highlights how even minor changes in airplanes can profoundly impact the flying experience.
  • A key modification, the McCauley seaplane propeller, significantly boosts a Cessna 170's performance but also causes dangerously high cylinder head temperatures (CHTs) during climbs.
  • The article emphasizes that a comprehensive engine monitor, like the Garmin GI 275 EIS, is an essential companion to the seaplane prop, providing crucial real-time CHT data to enable pilots to adjust flying techniques and ensure engine safety.
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From the very beginning, I’ve had a thing for testing and evaluating vehicles and gadgets.

Beginning with bicycles and radio-controlled cars in grade school, I’d pore through various magazines and create elaborate custom builds on paper with meticulous detail. I would typically conduct these exercises during class because, frankly, mitochondria and the Louisiana Purchase simply couldn’t compete with CODA Magic cranksets and Novak electronic speed controllers.  

Jason McDowell

Jason McDowell is a private pilot and Cessna 170 owner based in Madison, Wisconsin. He enjoys researching obscure aviation history and serves as a judge for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association. He can be found on Instagram as @cessnateur.

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