Well, we?re moving right along on the RV-3 fuselage, and before we know it, we?re going to be working on the canopy, skirt etc. Most of the cockpit accoutrements have been designed and roughed in- finishing takes a lot longer of course. Before I take up all the minimally available space, we need to give some serious thought to cabin ventilation ? we do live in Texas, after all?.
The instructions are, of course, a bit vague, suggesting small NACA scoops in the canopy skirt. That sound s like a decent option, and I saw a neat way to do it on a blue metal race plane in the antique area at Oshkosh this year. Not simple, but neat, and since we?ll be scratch-building a glass skirt, it might not be that much more work.
I have looked at a number of RV-4?s that put NACA scoops below the cheeks on the forward fuselage, but on the -3, that looks to not be an option due to interference with the rudder pedals. I?ve also seen some folks take ventilation air from the back of the engine baffles, and while I do take my heater air from that location, I have a stainless firewall box to cut that off in case of an engine fire. I suppose I could do the same thing with the cooling air, but I?d rather not ? I?d like the ventilation air to be from somewhere other than forward of the firewall. I like the under-wing vent on the -8, but we have QB wings, and that might be a tough mod?(not sure how to get the air from under the seat to someplace useful either!)
So, now that I?ve said what I don?t want to do?. I?ll see if there are any old-timers lurking here with good ideas or remembrances of what has been done before ? or young guys with other ideas I can examine. Right now, I have a place in the top of the radio stack (between the pilot?s legs) that could support a couple of eyeball vents. Either that, or a glove box?..
Paul
The instructions are, of course, a bit vague, suggesting small NACA scoops in the canopy skirt. That sound s like a decent option, and I saw a neat way to do it on a blue metal race plane in the antique area at Oshkosh this year. Not simple, but neat, and since we?ll be scratch-building a glass skirt, it might not be that much more work.
I have looked at a number of RV-4?s that put NACA scoops below the cheeks on the forward fuselage, but on the -3, that looks to not be an option due to interference with the rudder pedals. I?ve also seen some folks take ventilation air from the back of the engine baffles, and while I do take my heater air from that location, I have a stainless firewall box to cut that off in case of an engine fire. I suppose I could do the same thing with the cooling air, but I?d rather not ? I?d like the ventilation air to be from somewhere other than forward of the firewall. I like the under-wing vent on the -8, but we have QB wings, and that might be a tough mod?(not sure how to get the air from under the seat to someplace useful either!)
So, now that I?ve said what I don?t want to do?. I?ll see if there are any old-timers lurking here with good ideas or remembrances of what has been done before ? or young guys with other ideas I can examine. Right now, I have a place in the top of the radio stack (between the pilot?s legs) that could support a couple of eyeball vents. Either that, or a glove box?..
Paul