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Jims RV-8
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Date:  6-7-2017
Number of Hours:  3.00
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Magnetometer shelf behind the aft baggage

A magnetometer is a precision instrument that can be used to accurately sense the Earth’s magnetic field alignment and provide this data for use in referencing aircraft magnetic heading. So basically it’s a very precise, 3-axis magnetic compass. For it to work properly, the magnetometer needs to be mounted away from other sources of magnetic interference and as such, there aren’t a whole lot of options of where to mount one in an RV-8. The most popular place to mount it seems to be behind the aft baggage area in the area between the pitch auto pilot servo (motor/magnetic) and the elevator horns (steel/magnetic) and trim servo (motor/magnetic). The problem with that spot is that it is very hard to get access to after the turtle deck is in place.

My buddy Bob, from Virginia, is teaching a training class in the DFW area next week and he is coming in over the weekend to help me get the aft fuselage skin (the turtle deck) riveted on. This is definitely a two-person job and I want to get all the pre-work finished up so we can utilize all the 2-man time we have. Therefore, I need to get this mounting decision/fabrication done in the next few days!

Well – in the end, I spent a total of 3 hours, over two nights, working on a good fuselage spot for the magnetometer and in the end… I have decided to mount the magnetometer in the wingtip. Inever drilled any holes in the airplane but I did make a few different angle /shelf combinations. The deciding factor was hearing from the experts at Garmin and they said that the wingtip of an RV-8 is a great place for their magnetometer. So, as my dad used to say, “Every education costs you something”. So, with a bit more “education” than I had before – I will be moving on.
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aft position of the magnatometer shelf

aft position of the magnatometer shelf

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