Static system
 

Posting my experience with the static system construction on my 10. I followed Van's directions, but was never happy with how the connections looked in the empennage. I tested the static system and had a leak. It was back in the empennage where the pull rivet attaches to the tubing. I purchased the Cleaveland Aircraft static system. When installed on the airframe the relief from the skin surface looks the same as the Van's pull rivet. The connections inside the empennage are rock solid and it looks so tidy compared to the RTV suggested by the kit. When tested it works like a charm. Will fly it in one month for the real test of the installation. If I ever do this again, I will go directly to the Cleaveland kit.

Well, since you are doing reviews.....
 

Because of a new instrument panel installation, I just did a static system check on my RV-6A originally built with the cheapo static ports and lines.

Held altitude for 10 minutes with zero change.

Not meaning to slam alternate choices (it is experimental after all). Just pointing out that every installation requires that it be done properly. I have seen people complain about leaks, but never followed the instructions regarding sealing the tube to the rivet....
It doesn't matter what parts you use.... if they aren't installed correctly, it can't be expected to work correctly.

And be prepared for some airspeed errors to deal with.

If you use flush ports as were sold quite a few years ago, then you may have airspeed errors, but if your ports protrude from the surface like the pop rivets, there should be no error. I had someone talk to me recently about airspeed errors and I saw he had flush ports. I suggested he cut the factory head off a rivet and glue it on over the flush port and that fixed his airspeed errors.

That is exactly what I did to fix the old style flush ports. On the next plane I just made ports from 3/16" round head rivets, drilling a 1/16" hole through the center. The rivet has a small piece of 1/8" aluminum glued over the rivet shank and onto the skin inside the plane to secure. 1/4" tubing is a friction fit over the shank, but I add a little glue there as well.

Simple, light, no leaks and is accurate.

Carl

I used the Safe Air kit and the ports as provided.. I believe that mine would be considered flush. Is that right? Jesse, I just started flying, so how do you know if you are getting airspeed errors? I'm seeing IAS and TAS in the range I would expect for the plane in the current configuration I'm flying.

My plane has the flush ports, and I have thought about adding the factory rivet in a manner similar to what Jesse mentioned.

Instead of just gluing the rivet head on the flat face of the port, I am thinking of creating a socket to hold the shank of the rivet, and gluing it into the socket

I think that drilling out the existing hole in the flat of the existing static port to accommodate the shank of the rivet will give a more secure attachment, also better sealing surface.

I would disconnect the static line before drilling to keep chips out of the system, blow air through the lines as I drill.

Anybody see a problem with this method?

While I had a decade of trouble free service from the "glue the rivet head on" approach, there is no reason for your proposal not to work. I'd keep the rivet shank very short - no more than 1/8". Recommend getting a handful of rivets as drilling the hole in the middle with a small drill bit may take a few attempts. Be careful not to get JB Weld in the static hole. Using a toothpick or piece of lock wire in the hole while the JB Weld sets works well.

Carl

New Static Port option ?
 

https://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin...tatic-kit-port

Is this a new product from Vans? I don't remember seeing it when I was looking at options for static ports. I went with one of the after market products that needed secured in place with adhesive (fuel tank sealant). I'm sure the product I have will be fine, but I like the simple design of the Vans product.
I know the blind rivet supplied with the kit is simple (and works well from what I've heard), but I just didn't like the connection from the blind rivet to the static line.

Static port
 

There were static ports on my partially completed 7 kit when I purchased it. They are sold by ACS protruding about 1/16" and are 1/4" dia. Well made with a flange riveted inside the fuse with 4 flush rivets and a nice 1/8" FPT thread for the fitting. Pitot/static testing on the ground was great with no leaks. I had a 10 kt IAS error in cruise when flying beside someone whose IAS was accurate. Have tried various sized washers etc to try and correct. I ended up with a thin AN4 washer cut in half stuck in front of the 2 ports with 2 sided tape. I am now about 4 kts slower than my calibrated buddy.

I am going to do the same as Mike S. Cut the ports flush, drill out for the rivet and JB welding it in place. Will crawl down the belly of the beast again to disconnect the lines so as not to get shavings in the system. I am told the rivet is the same as the baffle rivet, which I have lots of. Hoping that this will solve the problem. Will also do a bunch of stall tests to see what the new indicated stall speed is.

Al

If you used these

http://www.cleavelandtool.com/Push-O.../#.WoSvpaJu6kI

then I believe they are *not* considered "flush". They do protrude above the skin, as noted in the description.

That's what I have, and airspeed seems to be right on the money.

(Note that I don't know for sure, but perhaps an earlier version of these *was* actually flush with the skin when installed?)

Must be.
I hadn't heard anything about it.
I imagine it is a vendor produced part being offered as an (additional) $30 option for those that don't want to use the blind rivet supplied in the $19 static system kit.

It all depends on the vintage of the parts that someone has....

I think Cleveland, Safeair, and perhaps others originally offered a rivet on static port that had a flush profile. After enough users had errors because of incorrect static pressure, they redesigned the part.

If someone has ports that look flat/flush to the outer skin, and do not protrude to mimic the recommended blind rivet, the should count on there being some error in their ASI and altimeter.

The original Safe-Air “flush” ports were most definitely wildly inaccurate. I saw cruise TAS errors nearing 10KTAS and commensurately large altitude errors.



The Cleveland ones that mimic the vans rivet I can report are super accurate.



This has been extensively covered before so worth a search.

The new vans screw version looks like a good compromise between the convenient but probably overkill push fitting Cleveland one and the rivet method which some people struggle with for various reasons.

Cheers

I bought the static ports from Cleaveland probably around 2002 and they were absolutely flush. I had errors (low and slow) that got worse with increasing airspeed.

Checked a lot of posts and it seemed that the Vans rivet static port worked well and people had a lot of trouble with other systems so I decided to stay with it and just change the internal tube connection. So - son machined a couple flanges with threads for Parker fittings, scuffed mating surfaces and applied a little proseal (just because) and pulled the flanges tight to the fuselage with the Vans rivets.

Picture during construction: