bill.hutchison
Well Known Member
The original builder of my RV used a pitot tube that doubles as a static source. Originally I thought this would be handy/helpful, since I'm replacing it with a Dynon heated Pitot/AOA unit to go with an upcoming HDX EFIS and ADAHARS unit.
The idea is that I'd use the lines already in the wing for pitot, use the existing static line for the AOA, and then plumb a couple of new static ports into the airplane - there are no other static lines in this RV.
However, I'm unsure about how to go about doing this now, and here's why:
In the first picture, you see the inspection mirror showing a couple of hard lines with AN fittings going all the way down into the mast. These lines arch up and go into the large hole, which, directionally is FORWARD, toward the leading edge. If I feel around in there, they then bend inboard and penetrate the next rib - the second and third photos show this a little more clearly.
This routing seems odd to me, because it seems like the lines are running through the fuel tank, or, if they're not, they're bending back around the rib and then going behind the tank but I can't tell that for sure. Either way, I can't get to them very easily and there is very little slack in them.
So...with the new pitot, does it make sense to cut the existing hard lines, cut the ones on the new pitot shorter and then splice them together with AN fittings? Or plastic tubing? Something from the Dynon plumbing kit?
EDIT - further thought....the mast is screwed into the wing on nutplates....maybe it makes sense to unscrew the mast, drop it low enough to access the AN fittings and unscrew them, and then remove the pitot? Then cut the lines on the new one and match them to the existing AN fittings?
I figure there are multiple ways to approach this, so I'd be interested in the advice of someone more experienced than I here. What say you?
The idea is that I'd use the lines already in the wing for pitot, use the existing static line for the AOA, and then plumb a couple of new static ports into the airplane - there are no other static lines in this RV.
However, I'm unsure about how to go about doing this now, and here's why:
In the first picture, you see the inspection mirror showing a couple of hard lines with AN fittings going all the way down into the mast. These lines arch up and go into the large hole, which, directionally is FORWARD, toward the leading edge. If I feel around in there, they then bend inboard and penetrate the next rib - the second and third photos show this a little more clearly.
This routing seems odd to me, because it seems like the lines are running through the fuel tank, or, if they're not, they're bending back around the rib and then going behind the tank but I can't tell that for sure. Either way, I can't get to them very easily and there is very little slack in them.
So...with the new pitot, does it make sense to cut the existing hard lines, cut the ones on the new pitot shorter and then splice them together with AN fittings? Or plastic tubing? Something from the Dynon plumbing kit?
EDIT - further thought....the mast is screwed into the wing on nutplates....maybe it makes sense to unscrew the mast, drop it low enough to access the AN fittings and unscrew them, and then remove the pitot? Then cut the lines on the new one and match them to the existing AN fittings?
I figure there are multiple ways to approach this, so I'd be interested in the advice of someone more experienced than I here. What say you?
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