Tied Down RVs - Pitot Clearance Photos

OK fellow VAFers, I spent time searching but could not find what I was looking for in the archives. I am pondering the best location to mount my dynon heated pitot tube to avoid any issues with interference from tie down ropes or chains on the ramps of the many transient airports I will visit once I am flying. I want to be certain that any tie downs that might be adequately spaced for securing most certified GA aircraft would also be OK for the RV without the possiblity of damaging the pitot tube.

There have been some comments on various posts about this, but I am unable to find many actual photos of tied down RVs on airport ramps that would show the actual clearance of the tie down chain or rope in relation to the pitot tube.

My inclination is to mount it in the next bay outboard of the aileron belcrank location, but I also realize that this puts it outboard of the tie down ring, and that has me a little concerned. So I am looking for any pics of tied down RVs on a ramp using the FBOs tie downs that also shows the clearance between the tie down and the pitot tube so I can make the best possible decision about this.

be mindful of access...

Wherever you place it, be mindful of the limits imposed by the location of the access panel. Mine is outboard of the panel one bay and clearance is always a concern when tying down but has never ended up being an issue... I will double check for any interference with the pitot before leaving the plane. If the pitot was located inboard of the tie down there would be no interference for the tie down but there might be some airflow conflicts. I get excellent pitot and AOA performance through all airspeeds.

What is wrong with following the plans?

My RV-6 has been flying 15.5 years and almost 2,700 hours.

I did not follow the plans and used a Piper blade type pitot tube with static port. I installed it where the plans built pitot tube would go.

Having flown the aircraft across the US more than 20 times, out to the Bahamas, and as far north as Fort Yukon Alaska (north of the arctic circle) I can say that placing the pitot tube where Van's plans says to put it works great. Have had all different kinds of tiedowns at lots of different airports. Some of the tiedowns were for twins or much larger aircraft as the ground anchors were a long way out from the wing tips.

Not a single issue with the pitot tube being in the way at any airport using the anchors that were already in the ground.

I do advise to carry your own ropes to tied down and to make sure that they are twice the length you think you need. IMHO, 10' is the minimum length rope that you want to carry. 15' or 20' pieces are much better.

Roger that

[email protected] said:

Wherever you place it, be mindful of the limits imposed by the location of the access panel. Mine is outboard of the panel one bay and clearance is always a concern when tying down but has never ended up being an issue... I will double check for any interference with the pitot before leaving the plane. If the pitot was located inboard of the tie down there would be no interference for the tie down but there might be some airflow conflicts. I get excellent pitot and AOA performance through all airspeeds.

Click to expand...

Thanks Stephen - I actually have reviewed some of your other responses to related pitot tube installation threads. I am definitely paying attention to access, not only from a "which bay" perspective, but also from a "where exactly in the bay" perspective also. I.e. on the inboard or outboard end of the bay.

Access to the next outboard bay will be OK since I will be running all my wiring back into the same bay as the aileron belcrank. I also liked the idea of mounting the heat controller to the belcrank inspection plate so everything will be right there for service or replacement as needed. I like that idea a lot better than attaching it to the rib as most folks seem to be doing.

Concerns about using the original plans location....

RV6_flyer said:

My RV-6 has been flying 15.5 years and almost 2,700 hours.

I did not follow the plans and used a Piper blade type pitot tube with static port. I installed it where the plans built pitot tube would go.

Having flown the aircraft across the US more than 20 times, out to the Bahamas, and as far north as Fort Yukon Alaska (north of the arctic circle) I can say that placing the pitot tube where Van's plans says to put it works great. Have had all different kinds of tiedowns at lots of different airports. Some of the tiedowns were for twins or much larger aircraft as the ground anchors were a long way out from the wing tips.

Not a single issue with the pitot tube being in the way at any airport using the anchors that were already in the ground.

I do advise to carry your own ropes to tied down and to make sure that they are twice the length you think you need. IMHO, 10' is the minimum length rope that you want to carry. 15' or 20' pieces are much better.

Click to expand...

Thanks Gary. I had not sized up the original bay quite yet since I don't currently have the aileron bracket installed. I thought I had read some posts that indicated that using a Pitot Mast mounting bracket and running the plumbing and wiring for a dynon pitot or similar was just too cramped in the default "per plans" location.

Just to be clear, are you saying that you have a similar pitot tube mount and dynon pitot tube in the standard location with no problems, or do you just have the 1/4 inch pitot tube per the plans from Vans?

Either way, I will certainly do some fit testing in that area, but I am concerned about clearance of the pitot and the lines from the aileron pushrods in that area. I would love to see a pic of a dynon heated pitot and mast installed in that area with all the pushrods installed.

Flyin'Bryan said:

Thanks Gary. I had not sized up the original bay quite yet since I don't currently have the aileron bracket installed. I thought I had read some posts that indicated that using a Pitot Mast mounting bracket and running the plumbing and wiring for a dynon pitot or similar was just too cramped in the default "per plans" location.

Just to be clear, are you saying that you have a similar pitot tube mount and dynon pitot tube in the standard location with no problems, or do you just have the 1/4 inch pitot tube per the plans from Vans?

Either way, I will certainly do some fit testing in that area, but I am concerned about clearance of the pitot and the lines from the aileron pushrods in that area. I would love to see a pic of a dynon heated pitot and mast installed in that area with all the pushrods installed.

Click to expand...

In my post, I stated that I have a "Piper" Pitot / Static pitot tube.

It looks like this but these but these are not mine.

Front is toward you.


Or this with a cover on it.


Hope this helps.

Thanks for the save!

Thanks for running this discussion. I am building the wings now for my RV-3B and was all set to put my homebuilt pitot tube just outboard of the tie-down fitting. Didn't think about that interference like I should have.

Dave

a couple of reference shots...

I looked back through my photos and found a couple that might be useful...

There is never an issue if you can set up a three point tie down with the wing ropes angled forward a bit. Some fixed spaces (like the one in the photo) do not have enough room to pull the tail for this though.

If I am actually tying down, I tie the wings first then tie the tail and pull the plane back in the process getting a firm three point anchor.

Here are a couple of reference shots (the only ones that I could find), one on a ramp with fixed points and another in grass with stakes.

Exactly what I wanted to see

Thanks Stephen. A very interesting first pic indeed - tied down at the anchor on the right wing, but sand bagged and well forward of the pitot on the left wing. Wing tie down points are also forward of the LE of the wing in the other pic. As you suggest, as long I keep the wing tie downs sloping forward and outward from the tie down ring, and the tail securely fastened, I could still work with the pitot tube bing that far outboard.

I don't think much of the sandbag option, but I also realize that sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Since the spacing and placement of all solid anchored tie down points at an airport is at the discretion of each airport operator/FBO to decide, they are typically not set to the same exact dimensions. Hmmm. I think we need airports that are specifically designed just for RVs, but that's just me........

These pics definitely give me something to think about.

Canopy cover in its sack...

Not a sandbag... canopy cover in its sack...

Photo was taken at Erie, CO just north of you on the other side of Denver

I stand corrected!

[email protected] said:

Not a sandbag... canopy cover in its sack...

Click to expand...

Thanks again for the pics.