Where to place static ports

[SkySteve]

AV8RPS,
Nice Rant. I liked it.

[av8rps]

I think the boot cowl would be the best place of any, but my Highlander has one there and it too was off just like the one on the rear fuselage side of my Kitfox.

Maybe if you used two static ports on the boot cowl, one on either side of the fuselage and teed them together it would be better?

But honestly, under the panel is easiest in my opinion. And unless your Kitfox has an airtight cabin (is that even possible?), I can't imagine finding an area that is more pressure neutral than under the panel.

[jrevens]

From an engineering standpoint the boot cowl in general is a terrible place to locate static ports. You might be able to find a specific location there on your bird that is acceptable, but being close to the propeller & in it's slipstream is bad. Because of the swirling or rotating/disturbed air, the boundary layer can be compromised. If air is impinging on the port, pressurization or de-pressurization can occur. What you want is static ambient pressure - no suckin' or blowin'. It's the same issue in the cockpit... air rushing past openings on the fuselage can cause increased or decreased cabin pressure. I know that location works fine for some, but it can be a crap-shoot. If you're going to put it on the fuselage, the rear sides are usually the best, as proven by multiple factory built designs for many decades. One on both sides, teed together will help eliminate the issue of inaccurate pressure due to slips.
So, engineering aside, whatever works for you on your particular airplane is all that matters, I guess, so... never mind.

[Av8r3400]

Putting it on the side of the cowling would mean it would need to be disconnected every time you removed the cowl to service the engine.

[Dorsal]

So that was disappointing, I spent a couple of hours and moved the Static port to the recommended location along the side of the fuselage. My airspeed went from indicating 3-5 mph too high to 7-8 too low
On the bright side it turns out adding an inspection port after the fact (in a location I can not reach from inside the plane) was fairly easy.

[av8rps]

I'm curious, have any of you Kitfoxers with the static port out on the wing tested the accuracy of that location?

I have a Kitfox 4 project and a new Highlander project that I could still change to that if I knew it actually was accurate. Otherwise I will make my new planes like my old ones, taking static from behind the panel...

Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin