RV-14 smoke pump mounting location

[iamtheari]

I decided to go with a smoke system after all. It’s totally frivolous but it’s just money. I went with Smoke System Helper’s RV-14 specific kit.

Anyhow, the oil tank will obviously go behind the seat. But where is the best place to put the pump? I am working on the fuselage kit now and want to take advantage of having it open to prepare the installation of the smoke system. I am at the step where the forward and middle fuselage assemblies get mated together just before the side structure starts to go on.

[iamtheari]

My current plan is to use the two nutplate locations in the battery angles, forward of the elevator bellcrank and just aft of the F-01406 aft baggage bulkhead, and add two more nutplates just aft of those, then fabricate a bracket to mount the smoke oil pump there. That will make it easy to access, inspect, and service but well-hidden and out of the way. The weight and balance works out fine in that location, based on the prototype RV-14 W&B numbers. I believe it will be far enough forward not to interfere with the elevator bellcrank, but I will build the bellcrank and verify that before I start any work on the installation.