ELT Orientation?

I understand that my ELT (AK-450) needs to face forward per the big arrow and that it needs to be substantially mounted - but does it need to be attached to a horizontal surface? Could the bracket be mounted to a vertical surface, i.e. rotated 90 degrees about its long axis.

Jim Sharkey

(I'll re-read the manual too!)

Van's sells a plate to do just that. It mounts on the side wall.

Sideways

What Alton said (see above). That's how mine is mounted.

Chris

You mean like this?

As long as the arrow is forward, you can mount it how you want. Here's mine:

Weird double post. Can't delete it, so I'll shorten it.

Guy Prevost said:

As long as the arrow is forward, you can mount it how you want. Here's mine:

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I already have it mounted like that on the Stbd (RH) Flap Linkage Cover on my RV6 - just need to beef up the cover - it flexes too much just now!

Thanks for the feed back.

Jim Sharkey

PS - Did the plastic clip for the telescopic "escape" antenna RTVed to the AK-450 mounting strap stay stuck? Mine fell off when I looked at it side ways!

jsharkey said:

PS - Did the plastic clip for the telescopic "escape" antenna RTVed to the AK-450 mounting strap stay stuck? Mine fell off when I looked at it side ways!

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Mine hasn't fallen off yet, but it doesn't look like it will last long.

Guy - that is a good looking fuselage. Can you describe your interior finish process? I'm thinking ahead....

IowaRV9Dreamer said:

Guy - that is a good looking fuselage. Can you describe your interior finish process? I'm thinking ahead....

Click to expand...

Thanks! I scrub with a ScotchBrite pad in soapy water, rinse, and dry. I then clean with Acetone and spray with PPG DX1791/1792 self etching primer. It is incredibly light and thin. It provides some corrosion protection, as the chromate acts as a sacrificial. It is NOT waterproof. Depending on your philosophy and climate, it's a nice product.

PM me or email me if you would like more info--I'm not entering a primer discussion in public.

Regards,
Guy

I wanted to mount the ELT on the vertical surface of the RH Flap Linkage Cover. It's out of the way, oriented OK and accessible if needed - but boy was it flimsy - especially after reading the dire admonitions concerning inadequate mount stiffness in the installation instructions.

I decided to add some low cost angle stiffeners to the back of the cover as below. A couple of verticals made from spare 3/4 x 3/4 x .062 extrusion, a top edge reinforcing made from spare tank floor angle and a small 1/8 plate to link the top to the upper rear mounting screw - luckily I had some space there. (I had already fitted a stiffer lower edge angle to replace a poorly bent lower flange - but that's another story.) The stiffeners are far enough back to clear the flap linkage but I had to trim them to fit around the fuselage intercostal. It does add a few ounces but it was essentially free and now makes the ELT bracket feel flimsy - so it must meet code!

Jim Sharkey
RV6 Tip-Up FP O360-A1A
Still plugging - but getting there