Hi Guys,
I purchased a Safeair1 pitot mast that I plan on installing, but had a question about a side bracket. In the Gretz mast installation manual, it asks that a side bracket is attached to the neighbouring rib for additional reinforcement, however in my case with the Safeair1 mast, if this bracket is in place and you ever want to remove the mast, it makes it next to impossible, because you can't just drill out the rivets from beneath the wing, push the mast up into the bay then pull it out the inspection panel in the next inboard bay. Safeair does not specify one in their instruction manual. I'm going with not installing any additional reinforcement, but I just wanted to make sure I'm on the right page before I take the plunge in case there are issues with cracking etc. in the future because the installation is too flexible. I guess the other option is to make the bracket attach to the rib using some screws and plate nuts, then reaching in blind to remove them if necessary, but really that sounds like a PITA.
I'm installing the Garmin pitot, and it's sure a pity that the aluminium tubes aren't an inch longer so that I can easily get from just inboard of the 11th rib to the mounting bracket I'm installing on the 10th rib (like many others) with a large radius curve so that you can still fit the tubing down the mast for replacement if necessary. I'm definitely concerned about getting everything to fit back down the mast if and when required, but I figure if remove the screws, drop the pitot tube an inch then rotate it 90 degrees I should be able to maneuver everything down. That mast is just so long. I measured the mast on a Cessna 172S and it is 3" from the wing surface to the pitot centerline. A Piper Comanche 400 is 5", and the safeair1 mast is 6.75", and about 1.5" more than the Gretz. I asked safeair a while back why they picked such a long mast, and they said that it was just because it placed the pitot at the same position as Van's original aluminum mast, no other specific reason.
Anyway, after that monologue tangent, if anyone has experiance with cracking due to the lack of reinforcing when installing the Safeair mast, please let us know.
Cheers,
Tom.
I purchased a Safeair1 pitot mast that I plan on installing, but had a question about a side bracket. In the Gretz mast installation manual, it asks that a side bracket is attached to the neighbouring rib for additional reinforcement, however in my case with the Safeair1 mast, if this bracket is in place and you ever want to remove the mast, it makes it next to impossible, because you can't just drill out the rivets from beneath the wing, push the mast up into the bay then pull it out the inspection panel in the next inboard bay. Safeair does not specify one in their instruction manual. I'm going with not installing any additional reinforcement, but I just wanted to make sure I'm on the right page before I take the plunge in case there are issues with cracking etc. in the future because the installation is too flexible. I guess the other option is to make the bracket attach to the rib using some screws and plate nuts, then reaching in blind to remove them if necessary, but really that sounds like a PITA.
I'm installing the Garmin pitot, and it's sure a pity that the aluminium tubes aren't an inch longer so that I can easily get from just inboard of the 11th rib to the mounting bracket I'm installing on the 10th rib (like many others) with a large radius curve so that you can still fit the tubing down the mast for replacement if necessary. I'm definitely concerned about getting everything to fit back down the mast if and when required, but I figure if remove the screws, drop the pitot tube an inch then rotate it 90 degrees I should be able to maneuver everything down. That mast is just so long. I measured the mast on a Cessna 172S and it is 3" from the wing surface to the pitot centerline. A Piper Comanche 400 is 5", and the safeair1 mast is 6.75", and about 1.5" more than the Gretz. I asked safeair a while back why they picked such a long mast, and they said that it was just because it placed the pitot at the same position as Van's original aluminum mast, no other specific reason.
Anyway, after that monologue tangent, if anyone has experiance with cracking due to the lack of reinforcing when installing the Safeair mast, please let us know.
Cheers,
Tom.