SFA Air Conditioner Kit

Anyone install or use the A/C kit from South Florida Aviation? Looking to chat with anyone who has installed it or the overhead console.

Thanks,
Lynn

I second that inquiry. I am planning on AC and would probably benefit from doing the install while the fuse in being built. Their overhead looks pretty nice. Saw it last year at OSH

Maybe I should add to this, does anyone know anyone who has installed this unit?

Same question, old thread...

It?s been over a year since the OP?s question. Hoping that since then someone has installed the SFA AC unit, or knows someone who has, and can comment on the installation and effectiveness of the system...

Thanks!

I understand the SFA unit is basically a copy of another available unit out there. The SFA kit has a digital control panel, which the "original" does not, as well as an overhead duct.

I already have the Aerosport overhead, which is carbon fiber vs. fiberglass and weighs a bit less - so I don't need the SFA overhead. The SFA unit is also several AMU's more expensive.

I'm going with the original over the copy.

We have the SFA interior kit with overhead, but no AC. The quality of the products was really great. We just routed NACA vents in the tail to the overhead instead of AC. Because: Wisconsin.

SFSA = Nice Stuff!

I have seen a full interior kit from SFSA and it looks 1) beautiful and 2) has everything you could want to finish out the interior of an RV-10. Their overhead console and center console options are not made with carbon fiber, like Aerosport's, but they are nicely designed, in my opinion, and seem to be more cost effective, as a full kit.

I'm happy that we RV-10 builders have multiple options for our interior finish kits. All the vendors that offer products for the RV-10 have put careful thought and lots of design dollars into their products. We should all feel blessed that they have gone to great lengths to make our jobs easier/faster, as a builder.

I have not seen their Air Conditioning installed in an RV-10, but I would imagine they've done tons of them, since I think they used to (maybe still do) supply all the interiors for Aero Centro (an RV-10 manufacturer) in Brazil.

Give Eliane Lignelli a call at (561) 454-9201. I'm sure she can answer all your questions or put you in touch with someone who can. I have not pulled the trigger on my RV-10 interior yet, but I sent her a message and she sent me a ton of pictures and other information, almost immediately. So far, great service from them..

They do use a copy or the full set up from Airflow Performance including the exterior scoop but I think they have a digital control head similar to the older version from Flightline. The overhead console is a bit different as it incorporates the return air grille I believe. Nice stuff, and yes, options are good. You can't really go wrong either way!

I got the full Monte from SFA. All products are to quality. Have installed the center console with Vans throttle quadrant and Andair fuel valve. Everything fits nicely. All the premade AC hoses are in as well as the belly scoop for the condensor. Putting the evaporator/blower in tomorrow and the overhead console next week. All the components required are included, even nice templates for hose hole cutting, scoop install, cowling bump & NACA scoops. All the leather is still at home in my office and it still has that new car smell. Interior panels are pre-covered and drop in place.

Traash said:

I got the full Monte from SFA. All products are to quality. Have installed the center console with Vans throttle quadrant and Andair fuel valve. Everything fits nicely. All the premade AC hoses are in as well as the belly scoop for the condensor. Putting the evaporator/blower in tomorrow and the overhead console next week. All the components required are included, even nice templates for hose hole cutting, scoop install, cowling bump & NACA scoops. All the leather is still at home in my office and it still has that new car smell. Interior panels are pre-covered and drop in place.

Click to expand...

Joe,

I'd really like to know the weight of all the interior kit (side panels, headliner, seat covers, carpet, etc.). I'm planning the SFSA full interior kit with center console and overhead console, but without the front throttle quadrant piece and no Air Conditioning. Since you've already installed the center console, can you guess about that. I already know the weight of the overhead console. I need to know the rest. Can you help a brother out?

Been on a break

Been on a long break due to home reno that went really bad, but hopefully gonna be back at the 10 soon. I emailed them the same question. Below is their response

1)Can you email me the weights of the interior and ac systems?

Eliane: This is an interesting discussion. Many people decide to install a very simple interior in order to avoid weight and end up adding materials that are not designed for aviation and increase a lot the weight without knowing. A good exemplo is the interior and AC we installed for a customer in a RV-10. We had the opportunity to weight the aircraft before and after. So he arrived with a very simple interior (but heavy materials) and no AC and left with a very detailed interior and AC adding only 57LBS, check the photos at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/sfsportaviation/photos/?tab=album&album_id=194576880972597
My personal RV-10 flies with our interior and AC since 2012, adding that I have a Garmin 900x that is super heavy. I take off full tank, four people, luggage easily, even when we are above see level.
I am explaining this to you because sometime I hear that people are so afraid of adding weight on the RV-10. Our kit use the lighter material on the market and it is very detailed. There are more than 500 RV-10 flying around the world with our interior so far.
So, weights: Full interior, including overhead console, arm rest and throttle consoles, carpeting, front seat covers and rear seats, headliner and details: 80Lbs
AC (it adds weight to the tail cone, improving the CG): 90Lbs

Not sure what Aerosport weighs in at. I called them once and vaguely remember a lot less than 80lbs, but can't remember any details.

If the SFA air conditioning system weighs 90 pounds, it's a lot heavier than the system they copied - which weighs around 50 pounds. To be fair, the original does not include the overhead console, but with the original you can use the Aerosport carbon fiber console, which weighs under 3.5 pounds.

SFA sent me a link of an airplane that they installed an interior and a/c system with before and after weights. I hope this airplane had fuel in it, because the before weight was 1908 lbs. and after install, 1965 lbs.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/sfsportaviation/photos/?tab=album&album_id=194576880972597

I'm being told by at least one builder, who has a complete SFSA interior (carpet, headliner, seat covers, etc., SFSA overhead console, center console and throttle console, but no Air Conditioning), that their RV-10 has an empty weight of 1,600 lbs. I believe this is doable, assuming Eliane's estimate of 80 lbs for everything is correct.

I also believe her estimated weight of the AC system too. I think that the 50lb-ish estimate that the AC vendors try to sell us on does not include the weight of a second alternator, flywheel and some other stuff, that's not included in their kit, but that most people install as part of their AC system. Perhaps Eliane's estimate of 90 lbs added (for the whole AC system) is closer to the truth than the people who love their AC systems would like to admit.

If you're building a plush, mostly 2-passenger-with-bags RV-10, with only occasional 4-seats occupied, which is most people, then perhaps there's enough useful load and CG to have the whole, leather-wrapped, five-toned, double clear-coated, air-conditioned, sound-proofed, multi-batteried, LED-lighted, oxygen-equipped enchilada. However, you'll have to give up some utility. For those of us who truly want full fuel, 4 people and bags utility, it's good to know that we can still have a nice interior (no matter which vendor we use) and stay near 1,600 lbs empty.