Has anyone tried installing fresh air vents into the round inspection plates adjacent to the rudder pedals? It seems like a good way to get air down by your feet without cutting into the fuselage skin. You could even remove them in the winter and repalce with the original solid plates if you had air leakage. There is probably a way to make them operable in flight with a cable. Any other ideas on getting more fresh air into an RV-3?
Van's Air Force
Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.
Fresh air vents
- Thread starter MarkAR
- Start date
Hmmm....I'm not actually sure what inspection plates you're referring to Mark. We just finished our -3B, and I don't recall seeing anything in the plans for them - but that doesn't mean anything, since every RV-3 is different and bears the unique ideas of it's creator!
We installed two round vents in our canopy skirt, but I am already thinking that when the weather warms up, we might have to add something like the RV-10 back-seat vents in the fuselage sides just below the longerons. The little round vents seem to be stuck in the boundary layer, and are not flowing a lot of air - I could maybe fix that with vortex generators or something, but we'll see....Several have taken fresh air into through the engine baffle and routed it to a vent in the cockpit.
I'm also curious to see other people's solutions!
Paul
We installed two round vents in our canopy skirt, but I am already thinking that when the weather warms up, we might have to add something like the RV-10 back-seat vents in the fuselage sides just below the longerons. The little round vents seem to be stuck in the boundary layer, and are not flowing a lot of air - I could maybe fix that with vortex generators or something, but we'll see....Several have taken fresh air into through the engine baffle and routed it to a vent in the cockpit.
I'm also curious to see other people's solutions!
Paul
Fresh air source idea
I have been thinking about small holes in the front of the cowling so you don't compromise engine cooling or get involved with the boundary layer complexities Paul referenced. The concept is something as small as 3/8" dia hole at 175 MPH would provide several cockpit air changes per minute. You can do the math with your own criteria. Small holes in the front of the cowling, what am I missing ??
I have been thinking about small holes in the front of the cowling so you don't compromise engine cooling or get involved with the boundary layer complexities Paul referenced. The concept is something as small as 3/8" dia hole at 175 MPH would provide several cockpit air changes per minute. You can do the math with your own criteria. Small holes in the front of the cowling, what am I missing ??
Very interesting idea Larry. The only ptoential problem I see is having to connect and disconnect a hose every time you put the cowling on or off....sounds trivial, but I sure got tired of disconnecting a cowl-mounted landing light on my Grumman years ago....
David Paule
Well Known Member
I think I read that the original had a slot in the front of the windshield to let air in, and a wedge that could be placed in it to block it.
Dave
Dave
wedge
David, you are correct I have one of the older planes and it does have the wedge in the lower portion of the windscreen. I can't tell you how well it works, as i have only flown it once, which was the first time and i was not paying to much attention to how well the air was moving in the cockpit.
David, you are correct I have one of the older planes and it does have the wedge in the lower portion of the windscreen. I can't tell you how well it works, as i have only flown it once, which was the first time and i was not paying to much attention to how well the air was moving in the cockpit.
rph142
Well Known Member
I installed two RV-10 vents. One is installed on the right side of the cockpit area about 6" below the canopy hinge and the other is installed on the left side down where your knees would be. The blow tons of air on the ground and if installed properly are almost invisible from the outside.
Interesting thread - RV-3 or otherwise. I have seen a couple of instances where cockpit fresh air was taken in from the forward edge of the wing-root fairing. Looked neat and word was that it worked well.
I am finalizing the build of my Rocket with minimal ventilation with the idea that I can add more later as needed; hence my interest in this thread.
I am finalizing the build of my Rocket with minimal ventilation with the idea that I can add more later as needed; hence my interest in this thread.
Our neighbor's F-1 is done that way, and he loves it. I looked into it for the -3, but the fuselage-to-wing gap is so small that it would have been really hard to install (not to mention that the forward tank attach point is in the way).
We also looked into putting a NACA scoop in the fuselage, under the cheek cowl - I've seen -4's do that. But there was no place to fit such a scoop on the -3 without intruding on leg or rudder pedal space.
Paul
nomocom
Well Known Member
fresh air into the 3
Mark,
On the old C172, the annual inspection includes looking at the penetrations underneath the airplane, making sure they are tight so to keep exhaust outside the cabin. Of course I haven't seen pictures of where these plates are, but based on your description, they have to be fairly close to your exhaust exit, no?
2232B has NACA ducts in the cheeks, they begin about an inch behind the firewall. I can verify these provide a great deal of air. The air is guided into a very short hose, and the hose is attached to what looks like a standard vent control valve mounted in the side of the cabin, near the knee, but placed such that it isn't in the way.
Mark,
On the old C172, the annual inspection includes looking at the penetrations underneath the airplane, making sure they are tight so to keep exhaust outside the cabin. Of course I haven't seen pictures of where these plates are, but based on your description, they have to be fairly close to your exhaust exit, no?
2232B has NACA ducts in the cheeks, they begin about an inch behind the firewall. I can verify these provide a great deal of air. The air is guided into a very short hose, and the hose is attached to what looks like a standard vent control valve mounted in the side of the cabin, near the knee, but placed such that it isn't in the way.
