Cool the cabin before you climb in.
Solve the biggest challenge to a pleasant flight in your pressurized aircraft: the hot cabin before engine start. CockpitCool™ connects an EcoFlow Wave 3 portable air conditioner to your Piper PA-46 through the upper door. A foam-sealed plenum sends cool air in and pulls return air back out, cycling it for efficiency. It runs on battery (AC and/or solar power optional), with no ground power cart, and packs away small.
Get ground conditioned air worthy of a jet for a fraction of the cost.
Ready to ship now · call or email Rob for availability
Hangar to cabin in about 20 minutes
Power draw at max cooling
At max cooling, per 1 kWh battery
Of the cost of any other aircraft ground cooling system
Two hoses and one sealed door.
The plenum sits in your upper door opening and seals it with soft foam. One hose carries cool air from the Wave 3 into the cabin. The other carries return air (ambient cabin air) back out, which is far more efficient than trying to cool outside air, as most aircraft ground cooling systems do. The cabin cools without the engine running and without a ground power cart.
Only soft foam touches the airplane
Nothing but soft foam touches your door or paint. A Velcro strap around the upper door handle holds the plenum in place.
No ground power needed
It runs on the Wave 3's battery, wall power, or solar. No ground power cart, no generator, no engine running.
Cools, and heats too
The Wave 3 cools at 6,100 BTU and heats at 6,800 BTU. It's a heat pump, so it heats far more efficiently than a resistance heater.
The cabin cools best with a CoolMatz on the glareshield, which greatly reduces the solar heat load on the system. Available at CoolMatz.com.
The plenum, with foam on every edge that meets the airplane.
On in five steps.
- Open the upper door.
- Position the plenum even with the door frame.
- Secure the Velcro strap around the door handle.
- Close the door.
- Plug in the cooling and return hoses and turn it on.
The insulated hoses collapse and nest together, so the whole kit packs down small for storage or transport.
Wave 3 outside or in the cabin.
Your interface comes with two hose ports for the setup you choose. If you want to switch between the two, add a second pair of ports.
Outside setup
The Wave 3 sits on the ramp or a cart, with the hoses running up to the door.
Inside setup
The Wave 3 rides in the cabin, with the hoses connecting from inside.
Battery, wall power, or sun.
At full cooling the Wave 3 draws about 400 watts. EcoFlow rates it for up to 8 hours on one battery in lighter use. On a hot ramp you'll usually run it at full power.
1 kWh ÷ 400 W ≈ 2.5 hours
Running time per battery at max cooling. Add batteries for longer run time.
Wall power
Plug in at the hangar and run as long as you like.
Battery
The Wave 3 battery, with extra capacity available from EcoFlow.
Solar
EcoFlow's optional 220 W solar panel kit.
Field test: the Wave 3 app during a cabin cool-down.
The interface is $995.
CockpitCool builds and sells the interface. The EcoFlow Wave 3 is sold separately by EcoFlow. Together they cost a fraction of any other aircraft ground cooling system.
| CockpitCool | Other ground cooling | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | Battery, wall, or solar | Needs external electric or a stinky diesel generator |
| Seal at the door | Foam-sealed plenum | Doesn't seal efficiently |
| Cost | A small fraction of the cost of any currently available PCA (preconditioned air) unit | Many times the cost |
Built for the Piper PA-46 door.
Built by a Piper owner.
Rob Kasper built CockpitCool after a career in the cockpit, from the Air Force to the airlines to his own Piper M700.
- Piper M700 owner
- Retired Delta pilot, 35 years
- A-10 pilot and instructor, U.S. Air Force
- B.S., Physics and Aircraft Design, U.S. Air Force Academy
- MBA, Finance, Mississippi State University
Order your CockpitCool.
Send your order and Rob will contact you personally to confirm the details, quote crating and shipping, and arrange payment. There's no online checkout. Multiple units are welcome.
A limited number of units are ready to ship now; after that, allow 4 to 6 weeks. For availability, call 850 247-3706 or email Rob@CockpitCool.com.
Questions, answered.
Which aircraft does it fit?
It fits every Piper PA-46 through the upper door: the Piper Malibu, Mirage, Matrix, Meridian, M500, M600, and M700. Tell us your model and year on the order form and Rob will confirm fit before building yours.
Interfaces for the Daher TBM (all models) and Daher Kodiak 100 / 900 are in development. Join the free waitlist on the order form and we'll contact you when yours is ready.
Do I need to buy the EcoFlow Wave 3 separately?
Yes. The interface is designed for the EcoFlow Wave 3 portable air conditioner, which you buy directly from EcoFlow. With one battery and a carrying case it is about $1,369. Already have one? Great, it works with what you own.
How long will it run on battery?
At max cooling the Wave 3 draws about 400 watts, so a 1 kWh battery lasts roughly 2½ hours. EcoFlow rates it for up to 8 hours in lighter use. For longer runs, add battery capacity, plug into wall power, or add EcoFlow's 220 W solar panel kit.
How cold will it get?
In an 82°F hangar, the system cooled a Piper PA-46 cabin to about 65°F in roughly 20 minutes. Results depend on sun, outside temperature, and how long you run it. A CoolMatz glareshield mat cuts the solar heat load and helps the cabin cool faster.
Will it scratch my paint or door seal?
Only soft foam touches your door and exterior. A Velcro strap around the upper door handle holds the plenum securely in place.
Inside setup or outside setup?
Outside keeps the Wave 3 on the ramp or a cart with the hoses running up to the door. Inside puts the unit in the cabin. Your interface includes two hose ports for the setup you choose. Add a second pair for $100 if you'd like to switch between the two.
Does it heat as well as cool?
Yes. The Wave 3 is a heat pump: it cools at 6,100 BTU and heats at 6,800 BTU, far more efficiently than a resistance heater. The interface works the same way for heating as it does for cooling.
How do I pay, and what about shipping?
There's no online checkout. Send your order here and Rob will contact you to confirm the details and arrange payment. Prices are for the CockpitCool interface only. Crating, shipping, and tax are quoted when Rob confirms your order, and nothing is charged until you've agreed to the total.
How long does it take? Can I order more than one?
A limited number of units are ready to ship now. After those, each unit is made to order, so allow 4 to 6 weeks. For current availability, call 850 247-3706 or email Rob@CockpitCool.com.
Multiple units are welcome. Set the quantity on the order form.