Pitot tube leak test

[Floog]

I was going to use a condom, but I thought I might be kicked off TeamKitfox if I did.

[DesertFox4]

I was going to use a condom, but I thought I might be kicked off TeamKitfox if I did.

No way Floog. We promote the practice of safe building and safe aviation here on TeamKitfox.com

[GWright6970]

Ok.... It all got a chuckle out of me!!! LOL!!

[SkySteve]

So is the glove 4 or 5 times safer than a condom?

[jiott]

I am wondering why there seems to be so much concern about a small leak in the pitot system. I am using the Dynon Pitot tube and it has a small leak hole (about 0.030") built into the bottom of the pitot tube to allow any water to drain out. It seems to me that if that much leak is OK, then a smaller leak such as a non perfectly sealed joint or fitting would not cause much trouble if any. I suppose it is all a matter of degree.

Jim

[kmach]

Hi, I just had my transponder recertified here. I have the Dynon angle of attack pitot tube. I, we, have learned after a day of chasing "a leak" that this particular pitot cannot be sealed up for testing and that you need to bypass the pitot tube and do testing off of the tubeing. Once at home and looking at the Dynon pitot tube info, it tells you off the internal drain pinholes as well as the external visible drain holes well now I know!

[mr bill]

How about putting a piece of tape over the little hole in the pitot/angle of attack head?

[Dave S]

Regarding Jim O's statement with standard pitot systems (not including an AOA) with a drainage hole......I ran into a deal a few years ago when helping another person rebuild a Tripacer.....when stripping the wing fabric, I discovered the aluminum tube (which apparently Piper used for their pitot and static plumbing) resting on one of the aluminum wing ribs and found the rib had sawed about 40% of the way through the pitot tube...a little corrosion was involved too - all in all a leak; but the curious part was the plane's ASI agreed with the published IAS's in the POH......so apparently a small leak in a pitot system, either intentionally for moisture drainage or unintentionally due to poor maintenance does not necessarily affect the system so much (ram air probably overcomes the leak). The aluminum tube going through the wing was not secured well at all (neither were a lot of other things)

However, I made sure my system was leak free...FWIW...the old piper had a lot of other anomalies we would never tolerate on our Kitfoxes.

Causes me to think our experimental planes can be superior to what is legally running around out there with a standard AW cert in the little display window.

Sincerely,

Dave S

[kmach]

How about putting a piece of tape over the little hole in the pitot/angle of attack head?

Yeh, that was tried . The fact is that there is two aluminum tubes running inside the pitot tube setup one for airspeed one for aoa and both have small drain holes in them. when you seal the outside drain holes the inner drains still cause a leak. the whole body of the assembly is not airtight . we discovered this by disconnecting the airspeed and AOA tubeing in the fuselage and pressuring, then using the soapy water test.We did this to ensure that the tubing in the wing didn't have a leak somewhere, it didn't. This was only testing the tubing and pitot assembly NO instruments.

[Floog]

After 24 hour leak test, all 5 fingers were still erect. At least I know the Tygon tube and fitting are good before I put the fabric on this morning. All I have to do now is cover the top of the wing, the last piece of fabric to have the airframe covered! I just got a ride in a 1927 TravelAir out of Scappoose today. Barrell rolls and loops in an open cockpit. Wee--e--eee! Capt. Mac uses only airspeed, needle, and ball. That's good enough for me. I got a taste of some great low and slow fun flying at the NWAAC fly-in. There was a Kitfox at the event Saturday. Perhaps someone posting here????