Revving up your AOPA sweepstakes

So, what is there to do that Cessna didn’t already get right in the late 1950s? We look to the now! The Continental O-470 is already a fantastic powerplant, but by adding just a couple of upgrades, we can give this Skylane a small power bump, better fuel efficiency, and a beefier sound. Hopefully these improvements have given you, the reader and hopeful AOPA Sweepstakes winner, an idea of where this is headed. That’s right: Your 1950s resto-mod 182 is stepping into the now with a dual electronic ignition system from Electroair and a Power Monster Cross Flow or PMCF Exhaust System from Power Flow Systems Inc.

Dual electronic ignition

Electronic ignitions have been mainstream in automobiles since the late 1960s, but it’s taken decades, till 2011 to be precise, for electronic ignitions to become certified in general aviation aircraft.

To refresh your memory, magnetos are self-contained generators that deliver ignition to an engine via the spark plugs. If your aircraft has an electrical system failure, the magnetos will continue operating normally, keeping your engine running until you can find a place to land. Unfortunately, magnetos are antiquated and not the most efficient piece of equipment. They can also require expensive and intensive maintenance.

Enter the electronic ignition or EI. EIs provide a hotter, longer-lasting spark that fires at exactly the right moment, improving fuel efficiency and engine output, and is less likely to foul your spark plugs. You can install one EI and keep one magneto or replace both magnetos with a dual system, which is what we’ve chosen to do with the AOPA Sweeps 182. Installing a dual electronic ignition requires a backup power supply for one of the ignition systems. Our system will utilize the TCW backup lithium-ion battery paired with Electroair’s backup battery monitor panel to meet all FAA requirements. The installation will be performed by Aerosecure Avionics in Buckeye, Arizona, after the Buckeye Air Fair.

Power Monster Cross Flow Exhaust

Thanks to Powerflow Systems Inc.’s Power Monster Cross Flow Exhaust (PMCF), the AOPA Sweeps 182 will receive another power bump and a brand-new sound. The PMCF dual exhaust system converts the 182’s stock high back pressure muffler to a true dual exhaust with two independent high-performance mufflers. Less back pressure means an increase in performance. Dyno testing of the system corrected to sea level on a Continental O-470 at 2,600 rpm showed a gain of 15 horsepower and 28 foot-pounds of torque.

This will also require some modification of the aircraft cowl which, as I’m sure most of you have noticed, only has one exhaust hole cut-out. The system will be installed in-house at Powerflow System’s headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida.

With these upgrades, your resto-mod 182 won’t only be looking like it’s fresh off of the Cessna manufacturing line in the 1950s, but will be performing like the Skylanes of today.

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