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SafeAir1 Pitot Mast

pilot28906

Well Known Member
I have one of the old gold Safe Air Pitot masts that I purchased some time ago from Avery Tool. I received a letter, also some time ago, about swapping out the gold one for a new blue one. Seems that Safe Air is out of business? I see they can be purchased from others, however does anyone honor the swap out of the gold one for the blue? Yes, my gold one is cracked and completely broke off when I removed it from the wing.

Thanks
John
 
I have a broken gold one in my scrap pile too. I ordered a replacement blue ome when the letters came out and swapped it out for the gold one but never got around to shipping the old one back for credit. Oh well, the blue one flies good.
 
My letter is dated October 2012. I will contact Cleveland to see about the swap, either way I need a new one.
 
I contacted them and got a new one right before I took the airplane in for paint.

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Pitot mast fail

Well I'm one of the unlucky ones that had a SafeAir1 pitot mast fail. After returning from some light acro yesterday as I was putting the pitot cover on I noticed something was not quite right. Upon further inspection, I found the pitot tube was loose. Removed the inspection plate that's right next to it and after wriggling my iphone past the rib I took a picture of the failed weld. No bueno!!
Apparently SafeAir sent out a recall letter for those of us with a gold colored mast. I never got one. Tried to go to the SafeAir1 website and it is no more. Went to the Cleaveland website and they've got the new blue ones. Sent them a picture of my failed mast to inquire whether the original "lifetime" warranty transferred over. A few hours later, I receive an email from non other than Bob Avery from Avery tools, letting me know that a new mast will be on its way at no charge. Now that's some serious customer service!!! I installed that mast on my wings probably back in 2009.

So the questions I have for the brain trust are:
1. What would be the easiest way to remove the five rivets that hold the mast in place without destroying the paint on that lower wing panel?
2. How about the ProSeal removal that is between the mast and the wing skin?

I see some bruised and battered knuckles in my future. :(

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Thanks John. Yup, mine has pro seal like the instructions called for. Not sure how I'm going to pry that up. Don't mind drilling rivets out but with the paint, it presents a whole different challenge. When it comes time to rivet the new one back on, I'm also not sure if that's going to damage the paint or not. Still pondering ideas.
 
I have an unfinished one, if anyone needs it. I started to fit it and switched to a Gretz mount before closing the wing.

Of course I say that, now I'll have to find it.
 
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blue mast gold mast

Hey Bill! I still have my gold one installed and could use a blue one to take care of it before it becomes a problem... although it has made it this far.


I have an unfinished one, if anyone needs it. I started to fit it and switched to a Great mount before closing the wing.

Of course I say that, now I'll have to find it.
 
315 hours on mine when it cracked at the weld.
Cleaveland Tools is handling the replacements at no charge.
 
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