Just a brief update on this mutually-beneficial project between BAC and Rosen. The draft of the BAC Rosen Visor application document has been sent to Rosen. This document contains pictures of the original brackets for all the 19/23/24 planes, plus the Duchess and Skipper. It has a separate section for each airframe and serial number group that shares the same brackets and visor blades. The original part numbers are listed that apply to each group, as well as the replacement Rosen numbers. There are before-and-after photos, as well as Rosen instructions. I can’t put words in the “Rosen corporate mouth”, but I expect that Rosen will be able to supply a base and bracket for what are essentially three groups of bases and brackets. I’ll call them Group 1 (overhead round base with two screws/early production); Group 2 (door pillar side mount, two-screw, ball-and-claw/mid-production); and Group 3 (overhead round base with three screws, as used in most Bonanzas and Barons/late production). Specific serial number ranges of the 19/23/24 fall within all three Groups. The Duchess falls within Group 2 and 3. All the Skippers fall in Group 3. While there are more than three combinations in the BAC document because of the mix of Beech bracket and blade part numbers, Rosen doesn’t normally have a need to exactly match the OEM blade and bracket profile. In fact, part of the Rosen performance advantage comes from the use of oversize visor blades. Their brackets are so highly adjustable (articulated) that the same bracket, once attached to a suitable base that uses the factory mounting holes, can replace a wide range of OEM brackets.
Rosen has a solid replacement offering for Group 1. They have sold a few units for replacement of Group 2 mounts. If you don’t want to modify your airframe for a different mount (and you normally should try to use the OEM mount holes, to ease approvals), Group 2 requires a Piper stud (from Rosen) in conjunction with the mount base Rosen sells for this application. I am hoping Rosen will be able to offer a new “universal base” with two mounting screws, that matches the Beech mount screw spacing (2.30″), and with a profile that resembles the OEM base profile (sort of a fat diamond with rounded sides and ends). The current Rosen universal “oval base” has a hole spacing of 1.55″, and won’t match the Beech holes. The ideal is for the Rosen base to use the two original holes, and to cover the same area of the plastic trim. The Group 3 base probably has a solid offering available from Rosen, as it looks identical to the Bonanza and Baron 3-hole base.
Within these three base groups, there are visors of somewhat varying sizes and shapes. In most cases these are non-critical, but there can be exceptions. For example, the Skipper visor blade has a rather unique shape, due to the relatively unique fuselage shape at the top windshield bow, relative to our other Aero Center planes. Buyers can usually request the option of the larger or smaller Rosen visor blades. Most of the photos you see of installed Rosens are of the larger visor blade. Most people like the large blades for their obvious functionality. Others find them a bit cumbersome or inconvenient; it’s a personal choice issue.
Mike Fiske at Rosen has sent his thanks for the data, saying that they will incorporate it into their website application data. He also indicated that they will re-evaluate the practicality of applying for STCs, now that they have what was for them the most difficult element of the needed data (specific applications and OEM part numbers). I have a proposed visor blade template for the mid-production 19/23/24 planes, to send to Mike. Another BAC member said he would try to make me a tracing of the Skipper visor blade, so I could send it to Rosen. I will also be making Rosen a template for a better bracket base that they can use on these mid-production planes, so that the mount stud can be adjusted to a true vertical, to preserve all the Rosen articulation functionality.
Tim Flight has waved his magic wand over the BAC document, getting it down from about 13 MB to about 0.5 MB. I am waiting for feedback from Mike Fiske on the Rosen replacement numbers for the latest-production 19/23/24, plus the 76 and 77. As soon as I get that from him, I’ll complete the BAC document and we’ll get it posted. In the meantime, if you wish to take advantage of the BAC Rosen discount but aren’t sure of your application, get in touch with me and I’ll do what I can to help. So far, all the reported experiences with Rosen ordering and support have been very positive.