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Jeff & Jackie's RV-8 Project
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Date: 4-9-2006
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Number of Hours: 1.25
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Manual Reference: n/a
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Brief Description: Evans Aviation pitot tube
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I had chosen not to use Vans' sorry excuse for a pitot tube, but didn't want to spend a fortune either. Since I was getting Evans Aviation to make my fuel tanks for me (which Vans then shipped with the wing kit) I got Evan to throw in one of his pitot tube kits and static air kits as well. Today, I fitted the pitot tube to the left wing. As per Evan's instructions, I chose the next outboard bat from the aileron bellcrank since it is out of the way of the controls, but still accessible via the access plate. First, I taped the reinforcing plate to the inside of the sking with duct tape, all carefully aligned. From the outside I reached in and supported the skin while I drilled one of the #40 spar attach holes. In went a cleco and then I did the next spar hole. Next, round the other side (top skin had been removed) and drilled the remaining #40 holes one at a time, putting a cleco in each one as I went. The reinforcing plate then got removed and cleco'd onto the outside of the skin using every #40 hole. I drilled through the screw holes one at a time with a #12 drill, putting in a gold cleco for each one as I went. Next, all the clecos got moved to the inside so I had room to maneouver with the dremel (flexible wand) and I made a rough cut for the cutout (I drilled a #12 hole at the 'thin' end to make life easier). I removed the reinforcing plate, removed the vinyl from around the hole, and then re-fitted the reinforcing plate on the inside of the skin. Finally, the dremel with a sanding drum, a half round 6" file and some emery cloth finished up the cut out until everything was neat, aligned, and the pitot tube mast would fit through. Job done! I leave all the deburring, countersinking, dimpling, etc until when everything gets fitted together...
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Pitot reinforcing plate on inside
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Rough cutout done
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Pitot tube fitted - nice!
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