Hi! Tony .Yes I guessed everyone would have trouble with the descriptive
edict which I did, probably everyone else has ditched it in despair !!!
It's a good job we have a common language , I feel sorry , but am full of
admiration for those that have to translate our ramblings.! Like my
prospective Swedish Daughter in Law over here taking dual degrees in
Tourism and Business Management!!!! in a foreign language !!!! Still I've
always said that everyone should take a foreign language , and so long as
it's English I'm happy !!!!!
The water drain mod. will specify the location of the actual drain points,
which being rearwards
in monowheel configuration enables easy access to check for water without
laying on your back .
However on the trike configuration the same location would leave the drain
point higher than the tank bottom, hence you therefore need to access the
drain points at a lower position point one ,and point two the tank will
need to be tilted backwards for the intank collector pipe to suck water
---From the rearmost corners (in both saddle tank sections) hence the
necessity to tip the a/c backwards, and if the drain taps are mounted in
the inspection windows they can be allowed to hang down giving a better
'head' to force the water out . .... problem is you will need to ensure
that the length of pipe when pushed back to refix the windows must not rub
on the aileron cross tube or rudder cables. Whilst the water drain mod. is
approved these small items of suggestion are not approved .... just
'Harrison' tweeks !!!!!
The copper 'bundy' pipe mentioned later are quite separate to this.
On the question of the 'Harrison fuel sight gauge which is also unapproved
and only IMHO !!' ....
Bundy pipe is the type of auto brake pipes and fittings with olives and
elbows etc. .... from the port side tank outlet there is a 'tee' connector
one branch going onwards to the engine /auxiliary pump and the other as if
to go to the Europa sight gauge . Part of the Europa Sight Gauge set up is
a tiny restrictor
(just a very small diameter piece of aluminium with a 'minuscule ' hole in
it ) which is inserted in the sightgauge line to stop massive fluctuations
in the level readings when in flight. From here the plastic pipe is jubilee
clipped to an auto type brass elbow by means of the usual 'adapter ' in
both sides of the elbow continues in the original diameter plastic pipe
through the top of the tunnel in the 1" wide by 3" long for and aft slot
to the top of the seatback bulkhead where another brass elbow changes the
pipe through the seatback bulkhead into a length of the so called 'bundy'
pipe, across the top of the tank in copper 'bundy ' pipe and emerges from
the area just under the door sill and above the normal tank filler, where
it changes back to plastic pipe and onwards to the vent system .....( which
is another item I have changed eliminating the need for outside
vents.!!!!!.)...... The length of plastic fuel pipe which runs up the
forward side of the seatback, between the two copper elbows , is all
encased in a piece of 1" diameter rigid clear plastic pipe , bent by
heating to fit the slight bend in the seatback, sealed top and bottom by a
mould of redux after a white plastic card with a black line drawn on it has
been pushed between the two plastic pipes ,but behind the fuel pipe, and
the orifice between the pipes with the card filled with glycerine ( except
for about 1/4" to allow the glycerine to expand). when the tank is filled
the level of fuel is very clear by the 3 times (3X) magnification of the
line below the fuel level and normal line width above the fuel level.
With regards to the reinforcing question ... the top hole into which is
floxed the top elbow is now stronger than the original , and the bottom
slot in the tunnel top has not been reinforced other than to paste flox
between the two existing tunnel skins by removal of the foam layer and
since this is a minor incursion in to the horizontal part of the tunnel
IMHO it hasn't had any great detrimental effect on the structural integrity
. The slot could be eliminated if you don't wish to see below the tunnel
level which is the saddle tank split level anyway. Of course we haven't
explored whether your kit is an excess cockpit module or the older mono
cockpit module , which is a bit higher tunnel forward of the seatback? if
it is the latter you may need to see the fuel level below the tunnel top
and therefore need the slot, and indeed that is part of the reason I'm
intending putting a small light below the tunnel top to shine on the pipe
/fuel level
to the bottom of the arrangement. My comments regarding the structural
factors are based on the knowledge that a syndicate near me have severely
reduced the level of the whole cockpit tunnel and had it stress evaluated
since they have also gone on to "trike" configuration.
Incidentally in place of the many jubilee clips needed in my fuel sight
gauge "gismo" I have used the smaller crimp pipe clips , especially where
they need to go inside the top and bottom of the rigid plastic tube.
Regards
Bob Harrison 337 G-PTAG.Europa /Jabiru 3300.
|