First Look: An all-season AirCam

After years of requests from AirCam owners in northern climes, the Florida-based manufacturer now offers full enclosures that transform the slow-flying twin into a true four-season airplane. I recently flew a canopy equipped AirCam on a ferry trip from autumnal Minnesota to sunny Florida, and the enclosure added to my enjoyment of that 1,800-nm journey. It didn’t detract.

I have made the same trip before without the canopy and, even when wearing multiple layers of cold-weather clothing, the three-day flight could be a grueling endurance test. The front seat was manageable, even in subfreezing temperatures or light rain. But flying in the more-exposed back seat was a shivering, foot-numbing, teeth-chattering ordeal.

The canopy makes flying in either seat a thoroughly pleasant experience without thermal clothing. Visibility under the canopy remains unsurpassed; treated Plexiglas provides UV protection, and the radio and intercom don’t get overpowered by wind. The amphibious airplane I ferried gains about four knots at cruise with the canopy, but it was designed as an aerial camera platform, so it’s still a leisurely, 75-mph cruiser.

From the outside, the enclosure appears extremely well designed and integrated. The portion covering the pilot opens from the front (think F–16); the back-seater has hinged doors on both sides. There’s a single top-hinged door for the rear baggage area, too. The carbon-fiber canopy bow is just aft of the pilot and outside his or her forward field of view. Inside, the enclosure is spacious and roomy. In the back seat, I could raise my arms overhead and barely touch the top of the enclosure.

In flight, there’s less total noise, but the elimination of wind noise means most of the sound comes from the engines and props, so synchronizing propeller rpm becomes a priority.

The canopy is well ventilated with four large vents that can be opened, closed, and redirected, and they keep the occupants comfortable and eliminate condensation. (The AirCam doesn’t have a heater or defroster.) The sloped front windshield tends to collect water droplets during periods of light rain, and it surprisingly becomes clearer in moderate rain.

The front canopy is secured by two pins and a pair of heavy-duty latches; making sure they’re properly closed and locked is one of the most important items on the preflight checklist. I didn’t notice any difference in single-engine performance with the canopy on, although it does add weight. The full enclosure and associated hardware weigh 70 pounds.

Installing the enclosure is a big job the first time it’s done. But afterward, switching between open-air and full canopy takes 30 minutes or less.

The canopy added to my enjoyment of flying an AirCam cross-country, and the back seat is no longer a penalty box. In fact, the enclosure convinced my wife, Martha, to come along on this downriver trek, and she wouldn’t have done that in the open-air model.

The canopy transforms the AirCam from a summertime toy to a year-around adventure machine for two.

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