Smoke system - pros and cons

[MacCool]

I have an opportunity for a pretty good deal on acquiring a 4.25 gallon "hidden" smoke system (tank mounts behind passenger seat) as part of the deal on an RV-9A that I'm buying and picking up this weekend .

I find the concept intriguing but know little about them. What are the pros and cons of having a 13.5 lb smoke system on my airplane?

[74-07]

Check the price of smoke oil.

[SMRacer]

Smoking is addictive, so be very cautious. I'm about to buy my 4th 55 gallon drum of smoke oil.

Regarding price: This is the current best priced 55 gal drum that I can find.
https://petroleumservicecompany.com/...5-gallon-drum/
In the past I have used concrete from release oil and it was much cheaper, but I no longer can find a cheap source.
PSC offers flat rate shipping, so you can purchase up to 4 55 gal drums and get it shipped for $95. Find some friends
for a group buy and get it shipped cheap.

[MacCool]

Originally Posted by SMRacer

Smoking is addictive, so be very cautious. I'm about to buy my 4th 55 gallon drum of smoke oil.

LOL. That's a lot of oil. It's expensive stuff...I'll have exercise restraint and be judicious.

Does it make a mess on the hull?

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by MacCool

What are the pros and cons of having a 13.5 lb smoke system on my airplane?

Best one I can think of is collision avoidance.

[David Paule]

Since visibility of one of the main reasons we go flying, why on Earth would anyone want to intentionally degrade it?

Dave

[scrollF4]

Pros
- It's friggin' fun, especially in formation and when flying extended trail. Looking over my shoulder and seeing my own smoke-traced loop in the sky is really a cool feeling.
- A couple of quick sequential puffs of smoke help other pilots find you visually when they're "searching" for traffic. That falls in the 'safety' category. Quite a few pilots have commented positively on that to me.
- Did I mention fun?

Cons
- Oil cost. There are two parts to this. First, you'll spend anywhere from $8 to $13 per gallon depending on the source, product, and quantity (55 gal drums cost less per gallon than 5 gallon cans). You can defray some of that by splitting a drum with a buddy. Secondly, you burn approx 1/2 gallon of oil per minute, so it's easy to 'burn' money with this.
- Installation. You've got to get this right. Oil leaks are a bear to clean.
- Weight and space. I believe you're talking about the SmokeSystemHelper.com tank which, like mine, mounts behind a seat. That's a GREAT system to use, but it still denies you a little space you could have used for bags.
- Your aircraft's belly. It's going to need cleaning (but isn't that always true for RVs?).

It's your mind to make up. Me? I love my system. I wish I had been a little swifter and bought Marvin's company.

[Foghorn]

Originally Posted by Mike S

Best one I can think of is collision avoidance.

This is the #1 reason I'm adding smoke. I have a 3 gallon tank and when tower or traffic say "not in sight" I'll just give them a few seconds of smoke, problem solved. It will be nice for aerobatics/formations too.

[RONSIM]

Talked my buddy out of smoke system --- just could not see it over Clearwater Beach without reports to 911.

Ron

[Rich Pulman]

I pondered doing it for my build, but quickly realized that the only time I'd want to use it is when I wouldn't want the feds to know what I'm doing. I.E. the guy doing stupid (fun) stuff can be found at the tip of the smoke trail.