Man, Trent, really enjoyed the technical content. Don’t get me wrong, the epic flight footage you normally post is great, but this is a nice change of pace. You should do more of it.
I dont have a plane or a pilots license, but that was very informative and easy to understand and watch. Maybe one day I'll be flying in the air. Keep up the awesome videos.
Blake Warrington, go find your self an instructor and go get an introductory flight lesson. Those intro flights are usually pretty cheap if not free. :-) just do it!!!
Blake, You will never get that license if you don’t take the first step And go take that first lesson. You’ll find out real quick if you really like it. Go for it
I’m an A&P IA (pilot too) that’s a total camera nerd 🤓. Would some high production value technical videos be something people would be interested in? I can cover pretty much everything , worked in many aspects of aviation maintenance.
And they look SUPER awesome! I always noticed the tires on your aircraft were larger. Very cool to learn why. How about performence on sand? Nevermind started typing and you said it lol. We mountain bike and we use bigger tires for sand or snow but that's a different beast than an aircraft. Great video. Although I did miss your signature B-Roll segments, you are a master at them 😀
Top tip - save money on bush flying by using a 29" wheel on one side and a stock wheel on the other side, and only takeoff & land along the side of mountains.
Thanks so much for the content. I just started working towards my private license this year and it got me wondering what your journey to Flight was like. I know you mentioned in previous videos that you had a fear of flying and wore the good undies haha, but if you’re grounded due to bad weather and looking for content, I know I and maybe others would love to hear more about your story into flight and bush flying in particular. Thanks again for the amazing content! Keep it coming!
I lived and worked in Colombia for too many years. My two sons are Colombian by birth. Everyone wants to be a gangster until the gangster s**t starts. I used to not care about the cocaine trade and what people did or stuffed up their noses until I lived in Colombia. The innocent lives I saw ruined by that industry was a real wake-up call.
Trent, I found this vlog piece as good or better than a cool scenic flight cuz many of us who are not yet pilots are hungry for a good introductory technical education on LSA’s, STOL performance, bush planes, propellers, engines, you name it. So thanks for a great overview of wheels/tires. Much appreciated!
As an aspiring sport pilot I have so many questions that I don’t even know what to ask. These “ informational videos are fantastic. Don’t “apologize “ . Keep them coming. Some of us don’t even know where to look, for instance, do you spend the night on some of these if so do you have a tent setup and what do you recommend to bring along in case you do etc.
Of course they are necessary... there even some 35-36” tires out there now for the really rough stuff. Unless your a runway pilot.. then a nice tiny low drag tire is fine. Bush landing? Go for big! Big Tires means Big Options!😊🤣Big fun!!
Your videos are my favourite to "smash" the thumbs up button! As far as engine out landing, it totally opens up lots of options running those Alaskan Bush wheels - a great comfort to have in the back of a pilot's mind. I stress over judging terrain surface that wouldn't flip a 172. Great topic to post on - I enjoy the conversational style.
Nice video! Liked how you explained the pros and cons of the different tires and took what could be an aggressive question into a learning and reflecting opportunity!
Not to mention it makes your plane look derpy and unique. :D I agree with your stance on bush tires. i was taught that there is no such thing as too much "headroom" or "room for error". The larger that headroom is, the better your chances are of getting on the ground with you and your plane in one piece.
I had a baby bushwheel at my house ready to bolt on but but then I realized how much weight I was adding and AOA I was losing and I decided not to go with it. It’s too much one something as small as a Kitfox in my opinion. But maybe I need to go with 35s and then I wouldn’t have to worry about my AOA 😜👍🏻
@@ImNotADeeJay It's a Niche Market, Unfortunately it's a factor of there not being a huge customer base. the Back-Country guys are a tiny percentage of GA, so stuff designed for the purpose is priced accordingly.
The bad thing about light Aviation is the market is so small that prices need to be high to recope the R&D. Keep up the awesome vids. Makes me want to get out and fly more!
Another reason for the price is that bushwheels are 100% handmade! This is coming from a guy who makes them in palmer alaska. They take about 8-12 hours each.
I'm a new subscriber to your channel and really enjoy your videos. I run a set of 29" BW's on my Super Cub up here in Northern MN and avoid pavement at all costs unless in a Class D with no other choice than pavement. They work well in fresh snow up to about 6 -7 inches and also work well on the HARD WATER this time of year. Assuming you enjoy ice fishing!:))
Awesome video! I know it’s more fun to go flying but your equipment reviews are pretty interesting especially to those of us looking to get into the kitplane stol game. Keep pumping out the awesome content.
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the difference between regular and bush wheels/tires. I'm sure many questions have been wondered about this very subject. I really like your channel and the information you present. Keep up the great work!
Thank you Trent for the video and feedback. I just hit submit to purchase the 29” Airstreak 2.0’s as well. It was harder to hit than what I thought but now that it’s over, I’m looking forward to getting them. Take care!
Please do more tech videos. Maybe something about how Rotax engines differ from "standard" aircraft engines, along with related operation, maintenance, and performance. I've hear of people accustomed to the slow drone of a Continental or Lycoming say they got headaches initially from the higher drone of the 912. BTW - thank-you for not adding background music!
That is a big help in understanding tire function. From an outsider point of view, I was always concerned with aerodynamic drag of 2 vs 3 wheels in the slipstream let alone a huge pair of bush tires. I live in Midvale, UT and having the capability to fly into unimproved locations is a door opener. You can tell I am an observer and not a pilot.
Great video, anyone who is ever in the Anchorage area, should take time to stop by birchwood airport and visit The bushwheel factory. Alaska airframes makes some other cool stuff too. If your not into spending 3 to 5k for bushwheels and looking for a next best, the Goodyear 26-6 tundra tires are so much better than any 850. Only downside is you can’t run them low psi like ak bush wheels.
I am glad someone said it before me.. "You should make one for the airplane engine or cockpit or pre-flight" and I would add maintenance of your aircraft. We understand those things are day to day thing for you but for us are things we wonder about. All your videos are excellent and what ever you have for us we will watch and enjoy. This one video was a knowledge video and it sure was helpful and enjoyable.
Love this video, always wondered about tundra tires. It's nice that you do these info "talking head" videos as it's a nice, informative, contrast to your flying videos. I also really enjoyed your video on what camera equipment you use. Please keep these up, hope you are able to get back in the air soon!
Interesting discussion about tires, but you brought up a good point about flying. In what conditions do you choose not to fly? Given your plane and your skill level, what are your parameters. In another video you talked about a huge headwind. What doesn’t work for you. Of course, you love blue skies, but it is not always like that...
Hard to believe Trent no one had a video up, giving there real world experience with ABW. Thank you, I'm considering 29" for my Kitfox 4. They are cheap compared to floats :-). They really do extend the usability of your aircraft. Please of mind cannot be underestimated with landing on virgin ground!
Great video. It’s cool to see the component elements that make the flying you do possible, so we get to see both the process and the results. Thank you.
Here in Anchorage, Lake hood is a dirt strip and has been forever, and Merrill field has perpendicular paved runways and a diagonal dirt strip. Just about every airport in Alaska has a dirt strip except in southeast Alaska because flat land comes at a premium since it’s almost all Fjords. But you’re better off with fiberglass wiplines in southeast than bush wheels since so many towns don’t even have a runway, just docks.
Nice video Trent! Would love to see something about the rules as you mentioned in the steep hill video about where you can land (I think you mentioned class g airspace and blm land). Loving the channel as always.
If you put a ring of little fins on the rims you could spin up the wheels prior to a pavement landing. Break briefly before landing if you want the breaking effect of spinning up the wheel on touchdown
Great video. Thanks. Weight is a consideration for me since I am flying LSA. The 29" bushwheel is 31 lbs each. , I will look up the standard tundra tire. Ok here is the weight on mine, just for comparison 21/800-6 4 PLY TUBE TYPE or TUBELESS LIGHT SPORT TUNDRA AIRCRAFT TIRE - 11 lbs. An extra 40 lbs probably isn't a big deal if your flying above LSA with lots of weight allowance and horsepower.
Great info. I’m a low time pilot looking for a reasonable Champ, Taylorcraft, Piper, Cessna 150/150 for backcountry flying. Already been through the build-a-boat-and-go cruising and build a van and go land cruising stages of my life and now at 65 with kids out of the nest I’m getting back into flying. Was considering realistic needs for the kind of flying I’d most likely do based on my previous life’s experiences. Wondering what performance an old Champ on 8.5s or 26s would have. Wish I could find one with a C90 or a 0200 crank conversion that would have a bit more oomph to carry those tires. Majority of flying would be NC but I have grandkids in KS and CA too. I wouldn’t think twice about flying a Chsmp VFR from NC to central CA with my gear in case of weather. Any viewers that have experience with a Chsmp for back country please pipe in and tell me your thoughts.
Something people have to realize about the cost is quantity production. Car tires a manufacturer might do a run of the same size making 2 million tires. Where a production run of tundra tires might only be 5000. Also an insurance question,,,, are you covered for off airport landing? If so do they look at the set up you have? My goal is to start building a Kitfox this summer. I just sold one of my boats. I’m going to try and make a little extra $$ taking people out on my boat in San Diego this year. And do a little more droning on top of my regular job selling solar. Thank for all the great videos !!!
Yes and bushwheels are all hand made, like a guy actually lays each piece of rubber on it. So they are time consuming to make, and the fact that they have FAA approval for them is something that costs them a lot of money which raises the price on them. Awesome! Hope you are able to bust ass and get a kit this summer!
Spitballing here on repairing tirewear. Has anyone looked into wrapping the outside of a bushtire with a truck innertube and gluing it on as an outside patch? Hear me out here, obviously cut out the rim side of the innertube and just use the tire side to stretch over the tread of the bushwheel and use tire rubber cement or even vulcanize the material to the outside. It doesn't have to hold air, or even hold up for particularly high speeds, we are just adding material back onto the tread. I can't be the only one to have thought of this. Look up Filipino Tire Repair and tire vulcanizing to see what im talking about to secure the tube to the tire
Not many big tires here in Yellowknife, except for the military’s Twin Otters. They go on the tundra a lot. Down here, it’s all floats and skis! Should come up someday. Sick old planes up here. We alternate between the air show and a float plane fly in each year. I used to ride fat bikes, and its phenomenal what high volume and low pressure can do. I even have fat tires on my boat for beaching and portages! Take care.
Great insight and good arguments - but I'll stay on my 850. I just put my skis on the plane and had to change back to my old 800 Carlisle turf glide (wheel penetrating skis) and they look soo small... You get a long way on rough ground with 850...
BY THE WAY , I'm old man (70) and made my solo when I was pretty green horn ( 15 ) , and have 9.000 hours in air now ... I "DEEPLY" enjoy all "articles" from Mr. PALMER !!!!
If you are having a tough time coming up with new video subjects, maybe you should do a landing challenges series where you land at locations suggested by your viewership? I have a few to suggest.
We have 31’s on our scout. So worth it. Easy on the plane. Roll nice. And not even much drag. We loose 3 kts maybe 4. And in the 172 we run 850s and a 700. With the ram engine and power flow giving about 178 horsepower. I notice no significant loss of speed as opposed to 600 and wheel pants. My 2 cents
You should mount a camera on your suspension and film the tires rolling over stuff so we could see that effect in action. Maybe not while really landing so you wouldn't move out of the safety zone, but just rolling about over some stone or any kind of stuff they could absorb.
So, can Alaskan Bushwheels revulcanize new soft compound on the tires? Like a recap? Should be pretty easy with that type of tire compound. May make the initial investment worthwhile. A number of our smaller airports in the Pacific Northwest have grass runways adjacent to a paved runway, so that can save the tires a bunch. Love the videos and techniques you show us! 😎
Yeah, I wondered about that too. Would be a nice option to offer a rebuild. Then you wouldn't cringe at the idea of landing on pavement from time to time. I'm also in the PNW and the airports will close the grass runways in the spring because of wet soft ground so you don't get the option of taking the grass runway and you're only choice is the paved runway. It's all good for going backcountry but when you come back home it kinda sucks.
35’s for off-road are 1500 for a set of 4x. Wouldn’t the lower durometer rubber be better for cold weather so they don’t crack? I would think the plies would apply more for rigidity of the sidewall. Of course both come into play in puncture resistance.
Hi Trent, Mike here from New Zealand and I'm new to your site. We enjoy. Thanks for info. So many benefits to bush wheels, and worth the cost v cosy of aircraft. Done deal! Safe ✈.
Trent thanks for the info. Iam trickin out my taylorcraft. The big tire thing ive givin it much thought and your info helps. Few questions ? What about the drag ? And in addition . I LOVE BUSHPLANES AND THE LOOK. But i have to find that fine line between my age , ability and risk. Landing out one also has to concider the injury or having to get yourself out by foot and injured . So with my age although i once could walk 30 miles outback. Dooing it now ( depressing). So for me i pick the outback runways and iam concidering the 850s. Iam a bit concerned about spinning on the rim. I really dont see how even the 850s could easily be engineered to have the stem on the tire side! Anyways i guess the1400 buck alaskan bush are out for me. So iam searching for the bit smaller affordable my montana back road grass tires. Thanks
Alright, as a non flyer cept as passenger after military, I found this vid very educational. Who knew there were such differences in them thar arrr plane tires? I did not. Thanks for the enlightenment on them. Think I would spend the $1500.00 plus myself even if just for the mental safety enhancement they bring.
ok this is prob a dumb question but why can't you run truck tires ,, a good 4x4 tire maybe or balloon type tires on dune buggies and sand rails.. you would have to fabricate a special hub but tires would last a super long time.. if it's not glaringly obvious yet I know squat about flying but I do really enjoy your adventures..
With the low pressure bush tires, do you have to check and adjust the pressure for the different altitude landings you do? Temperature also lowers pressure. Have you started with low pressure and landed on flat tires do to atmospheric conditions?
Kinda like a stock truck tire driving on a gravel road...compared to an oversized "mud tire", allows you to Make a road. Is it worth it? Depends...just depends on what you are doing. And as far as "sucking up " rocks...compared to an ATV tire. They're balloony and run about 10 psi or lower...they float, and stuck up a ton.
Very informative. I wonder if anyone has explored a tubeless option, similar to what some folks run on their mountain bikes to allow for lower pressures.
Love your channel. Couldn't you make some Kevlar covers for the tires? They would be laced up tight on the tires that help protect them from rocks and also wearing them out on regular landings? I think it would work.
Ironically Enough Those Bush wheels proved to be Super invaluable when you experienced that engine out. If I could fly I would like even bigger tires just as insurance, and a 4 seater bush plane. Obviously I can't afford the plane and I haven't even made the commitment to get to studying for the PP license. I have been eyeing on and off bush planes and I am thinking in the future to get one. If i get the license, but i think a good video would be to have a classification on options of bush planes 2 to 4 seaters.
I haven't flown in years. But the argument for your bush tires, is the same I would use for buying V speed rated car tires and ceramic brake pads. Am I going to be doing 150 in my street car? No. The track is a rare treat, and I'm electronically limited to 135. But if I do get to, I don't want a tire rated for 80 to let go. If I do ever need to scoot that fast, I want to be able to stop. Hence the ceramic brake pads and suspension tuning. I've had to run from road rage'rs twice in the 15 years I've owned the car, and both times the peace of mind to be able to just drop a gear and disappear has de-escalated a situation that was dumb to begin with. The amount of time spent at those speeds is a minuscule fraction of my overall vehicle use. But when you DO need it, they give you the peace of mind that you have the right gear for the job.
Install some electric motors that will take the wheels to a certain speed that will keep up with your landing speed, thats an idea to slow down the wear rates on the big bush tires...
Check this crazy idea rolling around in my head, some superbrain engineer should invent landing gear with electric motors on it that would prespool the wheels to speed match the landing to reduce if not eliminate landing friction on the rubber of the tires, the same motors could be used to slow down and brake the plane with with little to no wear to the brake pads, kinda like the hybrid technology in a hybrid car, with out all the battery weight, and a really simplified system for aircraft. the goal is prespin/spool the tires, and less impact to braking components. no I'm not a engineer but I should have been, the Damn postal service tricked me before I could go to school.
Hey Eric, I’ve totally day dreamed about the exact same thing! I even started thinking of how we could make something wind powered, you would deploy it when you put in flaps and that would use the wind to spin the tires (and the drag from that would add some drag to help slow you down).
yes the airspeed tire spool/spin idea is a great idea, it can be done, might be a project for the guys at flight test to prototype on a 10th scale RC. as for the bush plane tires, yes it makes good sense, more freedom to land, pretty cheap insurance, and damn it make the aircraft look bitchin!!!!
Curious if your home airport would let you land next to the paved strip considering that your plane is a STOL and configured for non-pavement. I take it that when you talk about paved operational cost that it is the scuffing of sudden contact landing that creates more wear than the takeoff roll. Why its common to see tyre smoke when large airliners touchdown.
Thanks - seems like short sighted management.. Hope you get into your new home soon so you can have a more friendly airstrip.... but what will you do for fuel? Put a tank in the bed of your truck with a 12V transfer pump?
Brother I have to be totally honest those big tires to make that plain looks so much more aggressiveit sure does given an awesome look I love your paint job that thing is amazing I have never been up in my life but I love to watch videos and you got great videos my friend you're good at everything you do I seen your fixed-wing out the airplane video today that was awesome and I watched a few of your filming videos you've got it going on bro you and the better half you guys have a great one brother 💯👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👊🏽👊🏽🇺🇸😊
Hey Trebt! This is robster129 finally out of the hospital and back in front of my big screen TV. I so enjoy your vlogs & hope you will keep cranking them out!
Hey Rob! That’s great news!! Hope you are feeling a little better. Dealing with some less than ideal flying weather over here but I’ll be vlogging as soon as the weather allows!
I think you mean 4-6 barr not PSI unless you're in the stratosphere that is less then the surrounding air... Sure planes fly high but kitfoxes are not pressurize so you can't fly very high with them
Man, Trent, really enjoyed the technical content. Don’t get me wrong, the epic flight footage you normally post is great, but this is a nice change of pace. You should do more of it.
+1 more tech footage. I don't really watch vlogs unless they have a good hard theme.
You could probably pull the bushwheel behind a boat and go tubing when it wears out.
Or float a river with them?!
We do that with bus tire's tubes
Chew toy for my tiger.
Whenever we make a bad bushwheel we stab them and can take them home for crafts. I have about 10 of them holding up my dock in the summer lol
@@unklekal7571 ok joe exotic
I dont have a plane or a pilots license, but that was very informative and easy to understand and watch. Maybe one day I'll be flying in the air. Keep up the awesome videos.
Blake Warrington, go find your self an instructor and go get an introductory flight lesson. Those intro flights are usually pretty cheap if not free. :-) just do it!!!
At least solo it is one hell of a rush and a real confidence builder.
Blake, You will never get that license if you don’t take the first step And go take that first lesson. You’ll find out real quick if you really like it. Go for it
build your own plane you will save a bundle and get your repairmans cert at the end. No IA sign offs no nothing.
Loving the consistent uploads! As a pilot, I like to see the "technical" side of things too, not just the flying part. Keep up the great work!
Thanks man, trying my hardest to stay consistent with my uploads!
Even if it's just simple videos such as this, it's great to keep the audience engaged in new content and you're doing a superb job of it!
I’m an A&P IA (pilot too) that’s a total camera nerd 🤓. Would some high production value technical videos be something people would be interested in? I can cover pretty much everything , worked in many aspects of aviation maintenance.
Absolutely! I’d watch them
And they look SUPER awesome! I always noticed the tires on your aircraft were larger. Very cool to learn why. How about performence on sand? Nevermind started typing and you said it lol. We mountain bike and we use bigger tires for sand or snow but that's a different beast than an aircraft. Great video. Although I did miss your signature B-Roll segments, you are a master at them 😀
Top tip - save money on bush flying by using a 29" wheel on one side and a stock wheel on the other side, and only takeoff & land along the side of mountains.
Haha, brilliant!
Or maybe only touch down one tire until u slow down enough to not tear up the side with the small wheel
Lol yeah😂😁
Thanks so much for the content. I just started working towards my private license this year and it got me wondering what your journey to Flight was like. I know you mentioned in previous videos that you had a fear of flying and wore the good undies haha, but if you’re grounded due to bad weather and looking for content, I know I and maybe others would love to hear more about your story into flight and bush flying in particular.
Thanks again for the amazing content! Keep it coming!
When you're taking off from a shovel made runway in Colombia with 20 kilos of freshly cut cocaine, you will appreciate the bushwheels!
And you’ll pay them off fast!
I lived and worked in Colombia for too many years. My two sons are Colombian by birth. Everyone wants to be a gangster until the gangster s**t starts. I used to not care about the cocaine trade and what people did or stuffed up their noses until I lived in Colombia. The innocent lives I saw ruined by that industry was a real wake-up call.
Awesome video! I’m running 8.50’s and just asked this question on a Tailwheel FB page. Your explanation is much better. Thanks!!
Trent, I found this vlog piece as good or better than a cool scenic flight cuz many of us who are not yet pilots are hungry for a good introductory technical education on LSA’s, STOL performance, bush planes, propellers, engines, you name it. So thanks for a great overview of wheels/tires. Much appreciated!
As an aspiring sport pilot I have so many questions that I don’t even know what to ask. These “ informational videos are fantastic. Don’t “apologize “ . Keep them coming. Some of us don’t even know where to look, for instance, do you spend the night on some of these if so do you have a tent setup and what do you recommend to bring along in case you do etc.
Of course they are necessary... there even some 35-36” tires out there now for the really rough stuff. Unless your a runway pilot.. then a nice tiny low drag tire is fine. Bush landing? Go for big! Big Tires means Big Options!😊🤣Big fun!!
Jennifer WhiteWolf it's not the size of your tire it's the skill of your flyer
@@juanjohnson7547 NO pretty sure size matters in this case LOL
Your videos are my favourite to "smash" the thumbs up button! As far as engine out landing, it totally opens up lots of options running those Alaskan Bush wheels - a great comfort to have in the back of a pilot's mind. I stress over judging terrain surface that wouldn't flip a 172. Great topic to post on - I enjoy the conversational style.
Nice video! Liked how you explained the pros and cons of the different tires and took what could be an aggressive question into a learning and reflecting opportunity!
Not to mention it makes your plane look derpy and unique. :D I agree with your stance on bush tires. i was taught that there is no such thing as too much "headroom" or "room for error". The larger that headroom is, the better your chances are of getting on the ground with you and your plane in one piece.
I’ve had 35” Bushwheels on my Super Cub since 2012. Wear/lack of wear has been fine. You need the Baby Bushwheel tailwheel and taller tail spring too!
I had a baby bushwheel at my house ready to bolt on but but then I realized how much weight I was adding and AOA I was losing and I decided not to go with it. It’s too much one something as small as a Kitfox in my opinion. But maybe I need to go with 35s and then I wouldn’t have to worry about my AOA 😜👍🏻
1500-2000 per TIRE is insane. It's a wear item. Maybe I'm just poor. Sure wish I had some 31's though...
Agree. These tires are great, but crazily overpriced. 2k tires on a Cessna Citation can make sense, but on a 60k plane... hardly
@@ImNotADeeJay It's a Niche Market, Unfortunately it's a factor of there not being a huge customer base. the Back-Country guys are a tiny percentage of GA, so stuff designed for the purpose is priced accordingly.
Rather have 35s to match Jeep
The bad thing about light Aviation is the market is so small that prices need to be high to recope the R&D. Keep up the awesome vids. Makes me want to get out and fly more!
Another reason for the price is that bushwheels are 100% handmade! This is coming from a guy who makes them in palmer alaska. They take about 8-12 hours each.
I'm a new subscriber to your channel and really enjoy your videos. I run a set of 29" BW's on my Super Cub up here in Northern MN and avoid pavement at all costs unless in a Class D with no other choice than pavement. They work well in fresh snow up to about 6 -7 inches and also work well on the HARD WATER this time of year. Assuming you enjoy ice fishing!:))
angle of attack, prop strikes, rocks, way cheaper than a crank or prop. the sandrail tires in that one vid are worth exploring!
Awesome video! I know it’s more fun to go flying but your equipment reviews are pretty interesting especially to those of us looking to get into the kitplane stol game. Keep pumping out the awesome content.
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the difference between regular and bush wheels/tires. I'm sure many questions have been wondered about this very subject. I really like your channel and the information you present. Keep up the great work!
Thanx!
You should make one for the airplane engine or cockpit or preflight.
Or maybe your hanger.
All the best!
Trent, thank you for allowing me to fly vicariously through your videos.
Thank you Trent for the video and feedback. I just hit submit to purchase the 29” Airstreak 2.0’s as well. It was harder to hit than what I thought but now that it’s over, I’m looking forward to getting them. Take care!
Anyone who asks if those wheels are necessary doesn't understand freedom. Great video. I love this info.
Please do more tech videos. Maybe something about how Rotax engines differ from "standard" aircraft engines, along with related operation, maintenance, and performance. I've hear of people accustomed to the slow drone of a Continental or Lycoming say they got headaches initially from the higher drone of the 912.
BTW - thank-you for not adding background music!
I’ve never heard of people getting headaches, that’s interesting... but I could definitely do one on the Rotax!
That is a big help in understanding tire function. From an outsider point of view, I was always concerned with aerodynamic drag of 2 vs 3 wheels in the slipstream let alone a huge pair of bush tires. I live in Midvale, UT and having the capability to fly into unimproved locations is a door opener. You can tell I am an observer and not a pilot.
prop strike angle of attack rocks way cheaper than a crank and prop!!! but the vid with the sandrail tire is worth exploring!
Very informative,you picked up on some interesting points there Trent,especially the bit about an engine out landing.
Great video, anyone who is ever in the Anchorage area, should take time to stop by birchwood airport and visit The bushwheel factory. Alaska airframes makes some other cool stuff too.
If your not into spending 3 to 5k for bushwheels and looking for a next best, the Goodyear 26-6 tundra tires are so much better than any 850. Only downside is you can’t run them low psi like ak bush wheels.
Andy Smitty i lived on anchorage and live close by still but never vist there i will have to do that thanks
You're an excellent communicator, Trent. Thanks.
I am glad someone said it before me.. "You should make one for the airplane engine or cockpit or pre-flight" and I would add maintenance of your aircraft. We understand those things are day to day thing for you but for us are things we wonder about. All your videos are excellent and what ever you have for us we will watch and enjoy. This one video was a knowledge video and it sure was helpful and enjoyable.
Love this video, always wondered about tundra tires. It's nice that you do these info "talking head" videos as it's a nice, informative, contrast to your flying videos. I also really enjoyed your video on what camera equipment you use. Please keep these up, hope you are able to get back in the air soon!
Interesting discussion about tires, but you brought up a good point about flying. In what conditions do you choose not to fly? Given your plane and your skill level, what are your parameters. In another video you talked about a huge headwind. What doesn’t work for you. Of course, you love blue skies, but it is not always like that...
"Is $1500 too much for a wheel?" - If you plane is $35k it probably is too much for a wheel. If your plane is $300+ I think it's pretty reasonable. :D
but do they produce a lot of drag?
Hard to believe Trent no one had a video up, giving there real world experience with ABW. Thank you, I'm considering 29" for my Kitfox 4. They are cheap compared to floats :-). They really do extend the usability of your aircraft. Please of mind cannot be underestimated with landing on virgin ground!
For not being a pilot this was very informative and looking forward to your bush flying.
Great video. It’s cool to see the component elements that make the flying you do possible, so we get to see both the process and the results. Thank you.
Here in Anchorage, Lake hood is a dirt strip and has been forever, and Merrill field has perpendicular paved runways and a diagonal dirt strip. Just about every airport in Alaska has a dirt strip except in southeast Alaska because flat land comes at a premium since it’s almost all Fjords. But you’re better off with fiberglass wiplines in southeast than bush wheels since so many towns don’t even have a runway, just docks.
I also worked with your Brother (Kevin), both are super smart. keep doing what you doing man
Nice video Trent! Would love to see something about the rules as you mentioned in the steep hill video about where you can land (I think you mentioned class g airspace and blm land). Loving the channel as always.
If you put a ring of little fins on the rims you could spin up the wheels prior to a pavement landing. Break briefly before landing if you want the breaking effect of spinning up the wheel on touchdown
Great video. Thanks. Weight is a consideration for me since I am flying LSA. The 29" bushwheel is 31 lbs each. , I will look up the standard tundra tire. Ok here is the weight on mine, just for comparison 21/800-6 4 PLY TUBE TYPE or TUBELESS LIGHT SPORT TUNDRA AIRCRAFT TIRE - 11 lbs. An extra 40 lbs probably isn't a big deal if your flying above LSA with lots of weight allowance and horsepower.
Great info. I’m a low time pilot looking for a reasonable Champ, Taylorcraft, Piper, Cessna 150/150 for backcountry flying. Already been through the build-a-boat-and-go cruising and build a van and go land cruising stages of my life and now at 65 with kids out of the nest I’m getting back into flying. Was considering realistic needs for the kind of flying I’d most likely do based on my previous life’s experiences. Wondering what performance an old Champ on 8.5s or 26s would have. Wish I could find one with a C90 or a 0200 crank conversion that would have a bit more oomph to carry those tires. Majority of flying would be NC but I have grandkids in KS and CA too. I wouldn’t think twice about flying a Chsmp VFR from NC to central CA with my gear in case of weather. Any viewers that have experience with a Chsmp for back country please pipe in and tell me your thoughts.
Something people have to realize about the cost is quantity production. Car tires a manufacturer might do a run of the same size making 2 million tires. Where a production run of tundra tires might only be 5000. Also an insurance question,,,, are you covered for off airport landing? If so do they look at the set up you have? My goal is to start building a Kitfox this summer. I just sold one of my boats. I’m going to try and make a little extra $$ taking people out on my boat in San Diego this year. And do a little more droning on top of my regular job selling solar. Thank for all the great videos !!!
Yes and bushwheels are all hand made, like a guy actually lays each piece of rubber on it. So they are time consuming to make, and the fact that they have FAA approval for them is something that costs them a lot of money which raises the price on them.
Awesome! Hope you are able to bust ass and get a kit this summer!
That's a lot of AMUs. Did you also mention that they look totally sick?
That needs no mentioning, everyone can see that 😜😎
there is no k on the word sic in this context.....time to go back to skool
Spitballing here on repairing tirewear.
Has anyone looked into wrapping the outside of a bushtire with a truck innertube and gluing it on as an outside patch?
Hear me out here, obviously cut out the rim side of the innertube and just use the tire side to stretch over the tread of the bushwheel and use tire rubber cement or even vulcanize the material to the outside.
It doesn't have to hold air, or even hold up for particularly high speeds, we are just adding material back onto the tread.
I can't be the only one to have thought of this. Look up Filipino Tire Repair and tire vulcanizing to see what im talking about to secure the tube to the tire
Not many big tires here in Yellowknife, except for the military’s Twin Otters. They go on the tundra a lot. Down here, it’s all floats and skis! Should come up someday. Sick old planes up here. We alternate between the air show and a float plane fly in each year. I used to ride fat bikes, and its phenomenal what high volume and low pressure can do. I even have fat tires on my boat for beaching and portages! Take care.
I learned something today, New to flying and your videos are inspiring.
Worth it!!! love them! Thanks for the info, as always!
I totally get it, you made some very good sound arguments that in my mind 100% justify the expense of Bushwheels. Safety first and foremost for sure.
Trent, you talk about the rocks, what types of rocks are the biggest issue for the tires?
Great insight and good arguments - but I'll stay on my 850. I just put my skis on the plane and had to change back to my old 800 Carlisle turf glide (wheel penetrating skis) and they look soo small... You get a long way on rough ground with 850...
Yep, like I said, most of the time 8.50s are just fine
BY THE WAY , I'm old man (70) and made my solo when I was pretty green horn ( 15 ) , and have 9.000 hours in air now ... I "DEEPLY" enjoy all "articles" from Mr. PALMER !!!!
Love your Channel and ALL of your Information Brother
If you are having a tough time coming up with new video subjects, maybe you should do a landing challenges series where you land at locations suggested by your viewership? I have a few to suggest.
We have 31’s on our scout. So worth it. Easy on the plane. Roll nice. And not even much drag. We loose 3 kts maybe 4. And in the 172 we run 850s and a 700. With the ram engine and power flow giving about 178 horsepower. I notice no significant loss of speed as opposed to 600 and wheel pants. My 2 cents
The Kevlar and the integrated tube is part of the high cost.
And you cant waterski on 8.5s!
Also worth mentioning the dual capability of the airhawk 29” on abi 1010 rims. Thanks for the post!
Oh you can waterski on 8.50s, I’ve seen a friend do it on 600s! Better keep your speed up though
You should mount a camera on your suspension and film the tires rolling over stuff so we could see that effect in action. Maybe not while really landing so you wouldn't move out of the safety zone, but just rolling about over some stone or any kind of stuff they could absorb.
So, can Alaskan Bushwheels revulcanize new soft compound on the tires? Like a recap? Should be pretty easy with that type of tire compound. May make the initial investment worthwhile. A number of our smaller airports in the Pacific Northwest have grass runways adjacent to a paved runway, so that can save the tires a bunch. Love the videos and techniques you show us! 😎
They probably could but then they wouldn’t make as much money from selling another set of tires!
Yeah, I wondered about that too. Would be a nice option to offer a rebuild. Then you wouldn't cringe at the idea of landing on pavement from time to time. I'm also in the PNW and the airports will close the grass runways in the spring because of wet soft ground so you don't get the option of taking the grass runway and you're only choice is the paved runway. It's all good for going backcountry but when you come back home it kinda sucks.
35’s for off-road are 1500 for a set of 4x.
Wouldn’t the lower durometer rubber be better for cold weather so they don’t crack? I would think the plies would apply more for rigidity of the sidewall. Of course both come into play in puncture resistance.
Can you "recap" these tires? Would it be possible to put a thin layer of harder compound where the tire hits the pavement?
Hi Trent, Mike here from New Zealand and I'm new to your site. We enjoy. Thanks for info. So many benefits to bush wheels, and worth the cost v cosy of aircraft. Done deal! Safe ✈.
Trent thanks for the info. Iam trickin out my taylorcraft. The big tire thing ive givin it much thought and your info helps. Few questions ? What about the drag ? And in addition . I LOVE BUSHPLANES AND THE LOOK. But i have to find that fine line between my age , ability and risk. Landing out one also has to concider the injury or having to get yourself out by foot and injured . So with my age although i once could walk 30 miles outback. Dooing it now ( depressing). So for me i pick the outback runways and iam concidering the 850s. Iam a bit concerned about spinning on the rim. I really dont see how even the 850s could easily be engineered to have the stem on the tire side! Anyways i guess the1400 buck alaskan bush are out for me. So iam searching for the bit smaller affordable my montana back road grass tires. Thanks
Excellent explanation. More videos about pros and cons of gear please.
Seems like there's some greedy bastards involved in those tires
Mr. Palmer, very good and informative video! Thank you Sir. Best to you. The Norwegian.
Alright, as a non flyer cept as passenger after military, I found this vid very educational. Who knew there were such differences in them thar arrr plane tires? I did not. Thanks for the enlightenment on them. Think I would spend the $1500.00 plus myself even if just for the mental safety enhancement they bring.
ok this is prob a dumb question but why can't you run truck tires ,, a good 4x4 tire maybe or balloon type tires on dune buggies and sand rails.. you would have to fabricate a special hub but tires would last a super long time.. if it's not glaringly obvious yet I know squat about flying but I do really enjoy your adventures..
Had 26" ABW on my Carbon Cub-Expensive. Just ordered at XCub...ABW again. Good video!
Great explanation. Love the channel Trent.
Thanks!!
With the low pressure bush tires, do you have to check and adjust the pressure for the different altitude landings you do? Temperature also lowers pressure. Have you started with low pressure and landed on flat tires do to atmospheric conditions?
Thus ends the lesson! Great vid Trent. Keep em coming.
Kinda like a stock truck tire driving on a gravel road...compared to an oversized "mud tire", allows you to Make a road.
Is it worth it? Depends...just depends on what you are doing.
And as far as "sucking up " rocks...compared to an ATV tire. They're balloony and run about 10 psi or lower...they float, and stuck up a ton.
Very informative. I wonder if anyone has explored a tubeless option, similar to what some folks run on their mountain bikes to allow for lower pressures.
There are other options that are tubeless, but you just have to be aware of running too low of PSI and burping the bead off the rim.
Please elaborate on why the Bushwheels wear out so much faster on pavement. Is it a matter of compound? Thickness? Both?
Great video! Our local airport allows pilots to land in the grass between the runway and taxi way. Why not do that to preserve your tires?
Love your channel. Couldn't you make some Kevlar covers for the tires? They would be laced up tight on the tires that help protect them from rocks and also wearing them out on regular landings? I think it would work.
Ironically Enough Those Bush wheels proved to be Super invaluable when you experienced that engine out. If I could fly I would like even bigger tires just as insurance, and a 4 seater bush plane. Obviously I can't afford the plane and I haven't even made the commitment to get to studying for the PP license. I have been eyeing on and off bush planes and I am thinking in the future to get one. If i get the license, but i think a good video would be to have a classification on options of bush planes 2 to 4 seaters.
I fully agree Trent.
Is there a way to add skies ? Or something like that . You know for the winter blues. I'm sure theres lots of caveats .
I haven't flown in years. But the argument for your bush tires, is the same I would use for buying V speed rated car tires and ceramic brake pads. Am I going to be doing 150 in my street car? No. The track is a rare treat, and I'm electronically limited to 135. But if I do get to, I don't want a tire rated for 80 to let go. If I do ever need to scoot that fast, I want to be able to stop. Hence the ceramic brake pads and suspension tuning. I've had to run from road rage'rs twice in the 15 years I've owned the car, and both times the peace of mind to be able to just drop a gear and disappear has de-escalated a situation that was dumb to begin with.
The amount of time spent at those speeds is a minuscule fraction of my overall vehicle use. But when you DO need it, they give you the peace of mind that you have the right gear for the job.
Thanks for the good information !!!
Thx again Trent, great insight as usual!
Hey they may be more expensive but at least they wear out faster!
Install some electric motors that will take the wheels to a certain speed that will keep up with your landing speed, thats an idea to slow down the wear rates on the big bush tires...
I seem to recall you had your Bush wheels retreaded at one time. How did that turn out & who did it?
Check this crazy idea rolling around in my head, some superbrain engineer should invent landing gear with electric motors on it that would prespool the wheels to speed match the landing to reduce if not eliminate landing friction on the rubber of the tires, the same motors could be used to slow down and brake the plane with with little to no wear to the brake pads, kinda like the hybrid technology in a hybrid car, with out all the battery weight, and a really simplified system for aircraft. the goal is prespin/spool the tires, and less impact to braking components.
no I'm not a engineer but I should have been, the Damn postal service tricked me before I could go to school.
Hey Eric, I’ve totally day dreamed about the exact same thing! I even started thinking of how we could make something wind powered, you would deploy it when you put in flaps and that would use the wind to spin the tires (and the drag from that would add some drag to help slow you down).
yes the airspeed tire spool/spin idea is a great idea, it can be done, might be a project for the guys at flight test to prototype on a 10th scale RC.
as for the bush plane tires, yes it makes good sense, more freedom to land, pretty cheap insurance, and damn it make the aircraft look bitchin!!!!
I’m currently studying to be an aerospace engineer and I’ll look into this I’ll try to keep you in the loop
Some Citations have a nose wheel spin-up kit option for gravel strips.
I would guess the cost (including weight) of the solution would outpace the cost of the problem. That's the biggest hurdle to overcome.
I've seen several videos where guys with bush wheels land in the dirt right next to a paved runway. It made no sense to me, but now I understand.
And they look so dam COOL . They are a lot cheaper for my Multiplex Funcub ;) All the best .........
The terrain you enjoy flying justifies your setup. I was wondering if you would mention that expanded opinions for emergency landing.
Curious if your home airport would let you land next to the paved strip considering that your plane is a STOL and configured for non-pavement. I take it that when you talk about paved operational cost that it is the scuffing of sudden contact landing that creates more wear than the takeoff roll. Why its common to see tyre smoke when large airliners touchdown.
They won’t approve that. Believe me I have asked many times... 😔
Thanks - seems like short sighted management.. Hope you get into your new home soon so you can have a more friendly airstrip.... but what will you do for fuel? Put a tank in the bed of your truck with a 12V transfer pump?
Brother I have to be totally honest those big tires to make that plain looks so much more aggressiveit sure does given an awesome look I love your paint job that thing is amazing I have never been up in my life but I love to watch videos and you got great videos my friend you're good at everything you do I seen your fixed-wing out the airplane video today that was awesome and I watched a few of your filming videos you've got it going on bro you and the better half you guys have a great one brother 💯👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👊🏽👊🏽🇺🇸😊
When you land at an airport do you have to land on the concrete? Seems like the grass next to it is perfect especially if it is chewing up your tires.
Hey Trebt! This is robster129 finally out of the hospital and back in front of my big screen TV. I so enjoy your vlogs & hope you will keep cranking them out!
Hey Rob! That’s great news!! Hope you are feeling a little better. Dealing with some less than ideal flying weather over here but I’ll be vlogging as soon as the weather allows!
Thanks for the information. Really neat stuff!
I think you mean 4-6 barr not PSI unless you're in the stratosphere that is less then the surrounding air... Sure planes fly high but kitfoxes are not pressurize so you can't fly very high with them