Pitot tube Placement

[N3UW]

I am now to the wing skinning process. The wing has going together nicely in the jig. I made my wing jig with 2 2x4" in a T arrangement to help deal with the major shrinking and warping that we have with dimensional lumber here in colorado. It seemed to work very well. I also am only working in one wing at a time due to space issues. The only that that I wish I had done differently would have been to attach the aileron pocket ribs to the rear spar before I placed the rear spar in the jig.

As I am planning for the Pitot tube, AOA tube and landing light I am planning on where to place them. I am planning on placing landing and taxi light in the leading edge of wing near the tip. I am also planning on using a mast for the pitot tube. I have seen various installations in front of the main spar and behind. Also inboard of the strut attach and outboard. Do folks have any suggestions here. I am also planning on installing a separate AOA mast. Planning on using the Alpha Systems AOA. Would you mount that near the pitot tube, at some distance or on the other wing (I know Dynon and Garmin have integrated AOA but I am not planning on going that way at the moment).

[Battson]

The bay just outboard from the wing strut attach point is the typical spot for the kitbuilder.

This location does have the notable disadvantage of leaving the pitot tube unprotected , where people tend to walk under the wing. Cessna puts the the inboard of the strut, where passers by can't walk into it.

[mswain]

I put mine forward of the spar between nose rib 7 & 8. Have no idea if it will work, but it's in the same ballpark as what I see on Cessnas.

I used some leftover .050 from my fuel tank project to build a mount that is riveted to the nose ribs.

[Barry]

Jon, dito on the pocket rib attaching before jigging! Let me know what you decide for pitot location, I will be making the same decision in a week or two. Send pictures and videos our way when you can!

[N3UW]

Barry, I think I like Battson's idea to be inboard of the strut attach to keep from being a forehead ornament. I think I will mount it just forward of the front spar to be out of the way of the control cables. I am going to go out to the airport sat and look at some cessna 180s. I also ordered the avery pitot mast and the alpha AOA mast. I plan to mount both on the left wing which I am working on now and. The 0.020 skins should be here tomorrow.

[jaredyates]

With the mast, doesn't the chordwise location also determine the angle of the tube relative to the horizon? The tube is going to end up parallel to something like a tangent of the airfoil shape. If you want the tube to be angled down about 5 degrees relative to the chord, going forward of the main spar is going to point the tube up. Does the mast already have an angle relative to the base, or is it square?

[mswain]

Jared,

I didn't check mine but it looks square. It's easy enough to shim if the angle needs to be adjusted later.

[DesertBearhawk]

I am mounting mine into a removable panel, in the first bay otbd of the strut. I figure I have to have a panel there anyway for access why not kill two birds with one stone?