Subject: Issues with the Piper PA-22 Taildragger Conversion belly pans not fitting correctly on some aircraft.
Applicability: Piper PA-22
Download PDF: PA-22-Conversion-Belly-Pans.pdf
PA-22 Taildragger Conversion Belly Pan Fit
Reference: P/N L1037-01 and L1037-02
We have owned STC-SA45RM since about 1981. Since that time we have had somebody who always has a fit issue with these pans. Early on we changed the shape based on the recommendations of a customer who said that they simply would not fit. We changed them to suit him and then we had a whole bunch of other customers saying that they wouldn’t fit. We went back to the original design. Since that time we have had a few customers who still complain that the pans do not fit correctly. They don’t like the gaps or space around the pans.
The installer of this kit must take the steel “U” channel and weld up the framework for these fairings. If the installer makes a big or incorrectly shaped opening, the pans are not going to fit correctly. The issue is not the shape of the pans but the opening that they go into.
After almost 30 years and hundreds of kits we have not been able to resolve this issue to everybody’s satisfaction. We cannot make a variety of pans to stock and hope that we will have something that will work when the opening is not correct. It has then been decided we will have one design, the ones as originally designed. If somebody calls and says that the angles of the shape are way off, have him return them. We will issue a full credit and they will have to fabricate something for their specific application.
Revised 12/17/2008