Managing cabin temperature

[H60 pilot]

I fly DA40's in Hawaii. The cabin temperatures reach liquid boiling lava hot in the summer, often times turning the G1000 knobs to goo and baking the interior into crispy potato chips. Flights below 5,000 are exceedingly uncomfortable, especially for my family. The Cabin Cool and Arctic Air systems are cost prohibitive, maintenance intensive, further reduce payload margins and baggage space. A simple cost effective solution IMO must be a window film. Something that doesn't inhibit visibility, however still reflects Infrared energy. To that end, I'm interested in this product from 3M: http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/a ... 668&rt=rud

The CR90 film rejects 99% UV, 90% IR, and 34% total solar energy. It does this with just 10% visible light reduction. A darker film, CR40 for example, could be used in back to maximize heat rejection without compromising pilot visibility.

Thoughts on this anybody? It seems so obvious a solution to me I must be missing something.

[Steve]

Potentially a good solution to your problem. The key would be whether you could get a decent installation on the canopy. It is significantly more curved than the average auto windshield.

I live in TX, with similar issues. My solution is to preflight in the hangar, and get to altitude ASAP. Luckily, my home field is outside of the SAT Class C, so I'm usually at cruising altitude within 15 minutes of closing the hangar door.

Steve

[blsewardjr]

One issue is whether it works with plexiglass. Automotive glass tints do not normally work.

[Lou]

I opened this thread because last week I went flying at -17C. Different problem, I guess.

[H60 pilot]

Yes, there seems to be quite a lot of information in regards to automotive window tint re purposed for acrylic applications. The general consensus strongly suggests avoiding this mistake. However, in recent years there has been a number of technology firms bringing tinted films to market specifically for use on plastics. Avweb covers some installation details here:
http://www.avweb.com/news/features/Glas ... 181-1.html

This company for example, conceding that traditional films could result in ugly blisters and ruined plastic, offers a product called Plexifilm. I can find Plexifilm available for sale by numerous retailers, but I can't find a manufacturers website for detailed product information.
https://www.windowtint.com/collections/ ... indow-film

Now LP Aero sells DIY kits to apply their own UV-Solar Gray tint, or you can visit an authorized dealer and have them do it. They also offer pre-tinted acrylics for certain models as drop in replacements (Diamond Aircraft are not among these).
http://www.lpaero.com/stcpdf/RebatePressRelease.pdf

And then there's Cirrus, who had previously offered tinted windows as an option, the G6 now includes them as standard features. I received a reply from Cirrus a few years ago, following the release of the Australis edition, and was told the UV protected windows were all encompassing, front seats to baggage compartment.

I have sent a request for information to 3M in regards to this Crystalline film. I don't know if it matters, but they advertise it's material makeup as being free of metals. But any hoot, there seems to be viable options for today's plastic GA windows. The testimonials I read on aviation blogs indicate a 20° cooler cabin temperature can be expected. My guess is that puts my cabin temps in the balmy 115° during taxi, uncomfortable, but not sickening.

[H60 pilot]

Lou, I would love to have that problem. I keep telling my wife we won't have these issues when we move back to the mainland, principally Washington State. Never the less, when I'm holding short and waiting for arriving traffic at Honolulu, my wife says she wants a Cirrus. The struggle is real.

[Antoine]

Holding short in Hawaii is a punishment I could accept in return for the rest!
I suppose you are doing mostly sight seeing flying? If this is the case, you might want to combine less IR with a lot of airflow into the aircraft.
There are plexiglass scoops available for other aircraft. Google Kool Scoops.
Maybe have a pair made for your DA40?

[AlexanderBingham]

Could consider portable air conditioner or install an air conditioner (for a ridiculous fee, but cheaper than a cirrus).

[blsewardjr]

H60- I share your frustration. This summer in VA was miserable and doubly miserable in my DA40. Increasing airflow only helps so much, especially when the air is hot. Also glare is a real issue, especially in winter when the sun is low on the horizon. It's almost enough to send me back to the C182 truck.

I can't find anyone who actually applies tints (vice tinted window replacements) to aircraft. The Avweb article only speaks of window replacement, not adding tints to existing windows. Similarly, I can't find any mention of of DIY tinting on the LP Aero website -- only window kits (not for DA40) or tinted sheets of plastic. The Plexifilm might work, assuming it allows 70% of the light in (as required by the FARs), but if it turns out to ruin the canopy, the costs are high (in 2013 the canopy cost over $3,000.)

Bernie

[H60 pilot]

http://www.lpaero.com/accessories.html

Scroll down to the bottom for "Aircraft Quality Sheet Acrylic". The remainder of the DIY tools are also on this page. Granted I'm not interested in "Doing It Myself" per se, I'm just interested in the capability to have plastic tinted at all. I'd pay thousands of dollars to have it professionally installed.

Yeah the ventilation is somewhat of a mixed bag. The howling air vents can jet dry you in such a way a pilot might suspect an APU was the air source. I find it best when they're completely closed and I'm flying at cool altitudes. I do however enjoy being able to open the bubble windows and crack the canopy for taxi. I'm glad Diamond has addressed the blazing hot leather seats with the XLT, that's one step. I really need to see diamond take one more with tinted windows and they could consider me sold.