Static Pressure System

February 23, 2008

While installing the the fuselage electrical wires, I also ran a 1/4" Nylaflow tube for the static pressure system from under the instrument panel back to the area aft of the baggage bulkhead in the fuselage. Under the instrument panel, the tube was attached to the Transponder Encoder, Airspeed Indicator and Dynon D100 EFIS system.

The final thing to hook up is the static pressure system at the aft end, behind the baggage bulkhead.  Other builders have installed the static ports back near the vertical tubes of station "K/G", on the fuselage sides, so that is where mine will be as well.  I bought the Static Pressure kit from Van's Aircraft as it has everything needed except for a couple of 2" squares of .025 aluminum.  Here is a picture of the parts:

The little plastic things at the top of the picture will slip over the rivet stubs after they are installed. This set up will put one static port on each side of the fuselage which will run to the barbed "T" and the Nylaflow hose, which runs back to the instruments.

The squares of aluminum were thoroughly cleaned and scuffed with scotchbrite pads and then attached to the inside of the fuselage with some regular contact cement.  One piece on each side just below the top stringer and just forward of the tubes at station "K/G".

The hole was back-drilled into the fabric and the supplied rivet was installed and set with a pop rivet tool.  The mandrel must be knocked out of the rivet after setting it.  I had a helper hold a bucking bar on the inside, right next to the rivet, while I used a hammer and pin punch to knock it out from the outside.

Here it is with the rivet installed:

Here it is from the outside:

The final thing to do is attach the barbed "T" fitting to the end of the Nylaflow tube and to the supplied small plastic hose supplied by Van's in the kit.  The hoses go to the rivets. These were attached over the stub of the rivets and sealed with some clear RTV adhesive.  Here is the system completed:

Note that the tubes run uphill from the static ports.  This helps keep water out of the system

The tie wraps holding the hose to the fuselage tubes must be left fairly loose.  Any squeeze at all and you will clamp the hose shut.

Static Pressure System

Total Time: 2 hours

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