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Which Wing?

N

Naruto

Well Known Member
I was wondering which wing is the best one to mount to AP servo. I plan on mounting my pitot and tubing in the left wing, so the right wing may be ideal for the servo. What is the community consensus on servo location?
 
I think the "standard" servo that Trutrak sends is for the right wing (I suspect other manufacturers are similar). That would suggest to me that most put their autopilot servo in the right. However, it is more of a personal choice as you can order a servo for either wing. In my case, I have a camera mounted in the R wing, so will end up with the servo in the L wing - I chose this arrangement because of the number of wires going to each wing is similar (i.e., simpler to wire).

greg
 
right wing for me

i have trutrak servo in right wing and heated pitot in left
 
I put mine in the right as it will provide a tad bit of counterbalance for solo flight.
 
I'm a Right Wing kind of guy

My Dynon AP servo went in the right wing, same as the others.
 
Right wing also

Balanced wiring and tube runs:
Pitot, AoA and Archer Antenna in Left wing, A/P Servo in right wing
 
N941WR said:
My Dynon AP servo went in the right wing, same as the others.
Click to expand...

Bill, do you have pix of your Dynon AP servo installation(s) and wiring that you could post or send? I'm getting ready to close up things in the panel project which (as you and I have discussed...thanks!) will include Dynon servos and an AP-74. I'd like to run wires in prep for them before closing up and re-riveting the floor, so would love to see what you did in the wing and fuse (if you're allowed to post such pix as a beta tester). Others may also like to see your work! Thanks much, in advance!

Cheers,
Bob Mills
"Rocket" RV-6
N600SS
Reno-Stead (4SD)
 
rvmills said:
Bill, do you have pix of your Dynon AP servo installation(s) and wiring that you could post or send?
Click to expand...
Sorry, I'm very limited as to what information I can release regarding the Dynon autopilot.

However, installing the roll servo in the wing is very easy, so go ahead and close up your wing. Just make sure you install a pull string from the wing root out to the aileron bell crank. In my case, I had the wires exit the conduit next to the outboard wing rib in the same bay as the aileron bell crank. This keeps the wires from getting tangled in anything or rubbing against the push tubes. Remember, I have an RV-9 and the positioning of the wires in other models may be different.

You will really like the AP as Dynon has included some very nice features.

Check with Dynon for more information.
 
Roger all Bill...kinda thought that might be near the edge of the envelope of what I could ask ya...no worries. Will call Dynon today to check on wire gauge requirements, etc.

I like the idea of exiting the conduit at the bellcrank...will look at that when back at the hangar...thanks! Since I have the floor and side channels opened up for wiring, I'd like to run the wires now if possible, just to make if nice and clean.

Don't want to sidetrack the thread too far (to stay OT, I'm going with right wing for roll servo, and left wing for the pitot/AOA lines to the Dynon...now to figure out how to run the AOA line in the left wing...maybe cheat and run polypro into the midpoint of the conduit on that side.)

Thanks again for the feedback, Bill!

Cheers,
Bob
 
rvmills said:
Don't want to sidetrack the thread too far (to stay OT, I'm going with right wing for roll servo, and left wing for the pitot/AOA lines to the Dynon...now to figure out how to run the AOA line in the left wing...maybe cheat and run polypro into the midpoint of the conduit on that side.)
Click to expand...
Check the wing page of my web site for some pictures of how I ran the Pitot/AOA lines down my left wing. If I were to do it again, I might just think about enlarging the one hole and putting in a bigger snap bushing. Either way, what I did worked fine. Just leave a lot of extra tubing and when you put your wings on, run the line all the way to the panel, don't bother with a connector at the wing root.
 
N941WR said:
Check the wing page of my web site for some pictures of how I ran the Pitot/AOA lines down my left wing. If I were to do it again, I might just think about enlarging the one hole and putting in a bigger snap bushing. Either way, what I did worked fine. Just leave a lot of extra tubing and when you put your wings on, run the line all the way to the panel, don't bother with a connector at the wing root.
Click to expand...

Bill,

Your install looks great. Wish I could get to all the ribs to get the AOA line through, but this is an upgrade to a flying RV, and there are two ribs I can't reach. The pitot line was run just like yours. I've considered running the polyprope line down the lightening hole that the aileron push rod runs through, and securing it to the ribs (that I can reach) to keep it from touching the push rod. However, it just doesn't sit well with me to do that, so I'm thinking of opening the conduit near the bellcrank and running the AOA tube down it (carefully so as not to mess up the wingtip light wires). Once in the cockpit, I concur with you...run that one line all the way to the instrument, to avoid QDs and leak points. Any thoughts?

Thanks much!

Bob
 
You might want to be a little bit carefull about assuming the servo goes in the wing at all. Dynon hasn't shipped any stuff yet, and aside from a few beta testers doesn't have a lot of installs to pull details from. Using specific installs from a like (but not same) airframe for comparision won't necessarily prove to be what you'll end up using.

Anyway, my point is that with the RV6's in particular the servo is installed under the seat, not in the wing (except for the Trio servo, which some people put under the seat and some put out in the wingtip). The RV8 also gets them in the fuse, not the wing. There are a lot of reasons why it isn't wise/easy to retrofit a servo near the bellcrank in a -6 wing but suffice to say if you're going to retrofit a TruTrak (or copy) servo in an RV6, under the seat is really the only way to go.

My 2 cents as usual!

Cheers,
Stein
 
Putting holes in the ribs

Bob,

You can drill those ribs by using an extension on an extension. Of course, the wing tip has to come off to do it. It is a challenge to do but you can drill those holes for the extra line in a finished wing.

As Stein said, the AP installation is different for each plane.

Again, contact Dynon for the installation in your airplane.
 
Stein and Bill,

Thanks for the heads-up. Didn't get to call Dynon today before blasting off, but long IND overnight, so will call tomorrow. This is a fork in the road, as I drilled out the floor rivets to install the comm antennas in new locations, and want to re-rivet them so I can fly before the AP is shipped (and to OSH if I get the rest of the work done in time!) Having seen the debate on nutplates vs. rivets, I was sticking with rivets, so this may complicate things a bit.

The roll servo may fit in the center area which is accessible via screws, but I'll have to look at it when I get back home. Stein, in your experience, have you seen the roll servos fit in that accesible center section (might be a dumb question!). Also, what is the reason that you have seen -6 servos in the fuse rather than wing...space in the wing; geometry differences? Just trying to get smart on this so I do it right...and thanks again for the heads-up!!

Cheers,
Bob
 
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rvmills said:
Stein and Bill,

Also, what is the reason that you have seen -6 servos in the fuse rather than wing...space in the wing; geometry differences? Just trying to get smart on this so I do it right...and thanks again for the heads-up!!
Click to expand...

Installing a servo in a completed 6's wing isn't worth the hassle. There is a rib in the way, and just no room to work. I put mine at the wing tip.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
I used RV-6 mounts and installed the TT AP servo under the seat in my RV-9
A. Easy access and easy to wire. Can't see why I wouldn't do it that way again.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys!

In looking at the TT roll servo install .pdf, it looks like the roll servo fits nicely in the floor, just aft of the spar. Dynon previously stated that servo installs will be very similar to TT servo installs (can even use the same bracket). Since that section of floor has nutplates and screws, that looks to be the easiest place to install it in a flying RV-6 (at least in my case). I've posted on Dynon's forum and will contact them for confirmation.

That should make it pretty straight forward. Now to figure out how to pre-wire for it, before closing things up!

Thanks again for the tips, and thanks for letting me "borrow" the thread for info gathering!

Cheers,
Bob
 
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