Cabin Vents

[Rollie]

On mine I dimpled them and used 1/8 flush rivets. It's just like when I first installed it 3 years and 300 hours later.

[Bcone1381]

Another option might be using soft rivets. The hard rivets are AN426AD. The soft ones are AN426A (no D). They squeeze like butter. I think less stress might be placed on the fiberglass.

They are listed at the bottom of the page....can be purchase in a 1/8th pound at time. Don't get them mixed up with your AD rivets, but if you do, it obvious during installation, and they drill out easy.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/solidalumrivets.php

[Nev]

Another option might be using soft rivets.

Thats a really good idea, I didn’t know there was a difference. In the meantime I’ve bonded them in place - seems a lot of the Vans builders do this and if the bond fails it’s a pretty low risk issue. I’ll order some soft rivets and use them over the top. Thanks.

[PaulSA]

On the RV10, they are simply bonded with fuel tank sealant .....

[Gerd Mannsperger]

Aircraft spruce has several options for window vents like the Vista vent that works real well at high speed as well as the piper vents.

The small round ones are designed for helicopters that seldom go past 100 mph they crack often, however if you trim them back they last much longer and still shut of.

one can go as far as trimming them to the 1/2 way point and dramatically increase the airflow as well. They still shut of even in winter.

[Jhankins]

Does anyone have pictures of their wing root vent install that they are willing to post and share?

[RatherBFlying]

alaskabearhawk has pictures of his leading edge vent installation on his kitlog page:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=3973&log=284121&row=26

[Paul Johnston]

Cessna vents FE6A3DE3-0E3C-4617-AE81-B522EEBA9A51.jpg02C82D6F-5DC6-4A1D-88D6-C0069BA30177.jpg8064EE9F-0453-463C-8686-2AC69C5547FC.jpgC234C496-E07C-45A6-9EE5-14A605850D3F.jpg

[mbaerobat]

I used the vents that are standard equipment on Maules. Had them on the M5 prior to the Bearhawk.
Easy to install and use. Best part is the ability to direct the airflow and quantity.
Able to install anywhere out of the line of sight including the lower door for extra ventilation if needed.

[Mark Dickens]

In regards to the naca vents that Vans sells, I have two of them on my RV-8 and have flown many times (probably more than I should have) through driving rain and to my surprise other than maybe a couple of drops, I don't get any water in the cockpit. Of course, I'm cruising anywhere from 155 KTAS to 173 KTAS, so those raindrops don't have much of a chance to get sucked into the vents