----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Field" <peter.field@hgfield.co.uk>
Subject: Europa-List: Battery position
<peter.field@hgfield.co.uk>
|
| We have also yet to decide where to put the battery. One of our
| considerations has been that it will be easier to fit an external power
| point behind the cockpit which would limit the battery position to a
similar
| place.
|
| The question to all those who are flying is how often have you arrived to
| fly your aircraft to find the battery is flat?
| Is an external power source point worth having?
| It certainly has been in the past with our Piper Archer, when we have
| managed to drain the power from reluctant starts!
|
| Peter Field
| Kit 566
Peter,
Nigel Charles has said it all but my $.02 is that I see ti to be
necessary for long trips in relatively remote areas where a car might be the
only solution.
Having used ground power rigs on most of my flying (military and airline) I
have endured many a slip in trying to get a smooth transition to departure.
It is obvious to me that it often presents an unexpected danger
to the GP operator. he is tempted to relax and leap to the recovery mode to
retract the GPU from the aircraft after prop/turbine is running. The safest
thing is to position him well clear of danger bits, and in the case of the
Europa, I deem this to be [a] behind the wing and [b] portside where I can
see him.
For that reason I have reversed the order of fuel portside and
battery starboard. I have installed Bob Nuckolls' Piper-style GP inlet just
behind the cowling line and just below the top/canoe join. That way he can
be behind the port wing, and when done I can reach forward from the seat and
retract the GP plug myself. The battery will be only inches away, along with
the batt and start switches and other powerphernalia.
Good Luck
Ferg
A064
|