What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

thinking ahead re wing kit

Adam W

Well Known Member
a few more questions. im really soaking it in from this forum. FYI i did make a payment to the site administrator

about to order wing kit for my 7
Vans site only mentions a fuel sender and lighting as options to consider at this time however after reading a classified on a wing kit for sale i realize there may be other items that must be considered at this time?
in my experience pitot tubes are on the fuse, is there a reason to be considering this at this time?
temperature probes, antennas etc. i thought this was all fuselage stuff until reading the add. other than lighting is there a consideration that must be addressed now with wing kit construction? who makes and sells the sexiest easiest LED lighting and strobe unit?
flop tubes, i understand for aerobatics, who sells them must they go in now?
i intend on getting the vans fuel senders is this a mistake? i like a standard fuel gauge but if one day i am choosing nice glass avionics that have fuel quantity displays id like that to be enabled etc. anyone who loves sharing their experience im listening and thank you
 
wing wiring

Here's the equipment I'm putting in my wings:
Left wing
-Nav light
-Strobe light (flash tube Whelen bought a few years ago, I don't consider the LED ones bright enough)
-Landing Light (Duckworth kit from Vans, for daylight recognition and night landing)
-Heated pitot (I bought a used Cessna one, tens of thousands made, heater element readily available. Some new EFIS have a companion pitot that includes AOA)
-Nav 1 antenna (Archer antenna mounted in wingtip)
-Van's stall warning switch (standard with current wing kits)
-EFIS magnetometer (Garmin mounted in wingtip)

Pitot tubes MUST be installed outside of the propeller arc which precludes fuselage mounting on tractor propeller aircraft

Temperature probes may be installed in the wing or aft fuselage

Right wing
-Nav light
-Strobe light
-Landing light
-EFIS autopilot roll servo (can go in either wing, less equipment in right wing)
-EFIS magnetometer
-Nav 2 antenna (Archer)

I'm using the Vans float type fuel level senders, this works well with steam gauges or EFIS. The other option is capacitance type from Vans, this is a pretty permanent installation, if anything goes wrong I think it is a major pain to repair. Also has to be recalibrated using different fuels (avgas, mogas, and eventually unleaded avgas)

The routing of the wiring should separate any high voltage/periodic firing wires (flashtube strobe) especially from any sensor wires (nav antenna and magnetometers)

The Com antennas are belly mounted on the fuselage as are the transponder, ADS-B and stormscope antennas

GPS antennas are either going under the cowl or on the glareshield

Hope this helps
 
Wings

So many decisions.
Most glass panels use a pitot/aoa and most fit either Gretz or Safeair mast. Personally I went Gretz because it's removable.
I also installed the stall warner. Many leave it out if they go glass.
Plumbing can be amuminum or many choose Safeair. Nice solution. I used it.
Fuel pickup is like primer. I put flop on the left, standard right. Nothing wrong with two standard pickups.
Gauges are the same. I used capacitive. Nothing wrong with the floats.
The other decisions like antennas and lights can be made later if you put pathways in. Snap bushing or conduit. I put both.
I'm going with AeroLED Aerosun VX, NS in th tips and a Suntail.
No choice yet on antennas.
 
Back
Top