SafeAir Static Ports

[Jrskygod]

I put the safe air units on my RV9 in January. They protruded from the surface. As a previous user indicated I had a +/- 6 mph error when flight testing. I installed crescent shaped fences in front of the vents to bring them into calibration. It took several tries and Kevin Hortons assistance to get the error to nil but all worth it. Now I know I have an accurate system and will check it for leaks every condition inspection to maintain it that way.

[Lynnb]

Thanks for all the responses. Anyone have the Rivet part number for the pop rivets Van's uses in there system?

Thanks again,
Lynn

[N941WR]

Back in 2007 I mounted mine on the exterior of the skin because of some reported issues and after seeing them mounted in a similar manner on a business jet. In this configuration, they have worked great! (When I had the plane painted, I had them leave the entire fitting unpainted.)


(Click to enlarge)

[Brantel]

I used the original SafeAir static ports mounted inside. Had issues and ended up grinding them completely flush, drilling em out and gluing in the body of one of Van's pop rivets. Problem solved.

[Bill.Peyton]

I am using the latest safe air ports and have had excellent results. Mine are mounted from their inside, the fuse is painted, the button head port is not

[Carlos151]

Installed static ports with rivets and sealed with pro-seal from the inside on my RV8. Work great and numbers are spot on between my Dynon FightDEK180 and my TruTrak Gemini ADI. Just confirmed the accuracy with an avionics shop pitot static calibration and transponder check last month. Pitot and AOA connections are with the Safe-Air system also.

[ColoRv]

Used the full safair system in mine. No issues to report.

[Bavafa]

Originally Posted by Carlos151

Installed static ports with rivets and sealed with pro-seal from the inside on my RV8. Work great and numbers are spot on between my Dynon FightDEK180 and my TruTrak Gemini ADI. Just confirmed the accuracy with an avionics shop pitot static calibration and transponder check last month. Pitot and AOA connections are with the Safe-Air system also.

Aren't both systems connected to the same static/pitot? If so one would expect to get the same numbers and if there are errors as the result of static port, both will have the same errors. I am also curios how did the shop test for accuracy if not just for the leak and with his machine which would not account for inaccurate static port or location of the port.

[RV7A Flyer]

Originally Posted by Bavafa

Aren't both systems connected to the same static/pitot? If so one would expect to get the same numbers and if there are errors as the result of static port, both will have the same errors. I am also curios how did the shop test for accuracy if not just for the leak and with his machine which would not account for inaccurate static port or location of the port.

Yep...an on-ground pitot/static test will tell you if the equipment is measuring the difference in pressure correctly, and if the altimetry portion is properly calibrated based on the suction that is being pulled on the static ports, but it can't tell you anything about *in-flight* errors due to the ports being in or out of the free stream, etc.

In other words, it can tell you that if the static ports "see" pressure equivalent to a certain altitude, that that altitude is what is being reported. But it can't tell you that the installation will actually "see" that pressure in flight at that altitude...

[GalinHdz]

Originally Posted by Jrskygod

I put the safe air units on my RV9 in January. They protruded from the surface. As a previous user indicated I had a +/- 6 mph error when flight testing. I installed crescent shaped fences in front of the vents to bring them into calibration. It took several tries and Kevin Hortons assistance to get the error to nil but all worth it. Now I know I have an accurate system and will check it for leaks every condition inspection to maintain it that way.

Where did you get the "crescent shaped fences" or did you fabricate them?