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AOA pressure ports
Submitted by admin on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 20:34Due to a ridiculous wiring error many, many months ago, I had to take the right wing tip off again. I had planned to put off installing the AFS angle of attack (AOA) system's pressure ports until after the plane is flying, but... it was such a PITA to take the tip off (45 screws, remember) that I decided to go ahead and install the AOA pressure ports now. The rather artsy photo shows the top and bottom Delrin pressure port fittings installed. They are each attached by two stainless, countersunk, 4-40 machine screws, and the surfaces mating with the wing skin are sealed with Permatex. The top wing port's 1/8" O.D. blue polyurethane tube is attached. The green tube will go to the bottom port and of course, the tubes will be further secured so they won't flop around. The top port assembly also serves as an air/water separator, to dispel any small amounts of water that may get into the top port. Thus the top port, which is 3" further inboard than the bottom port, will have a drain out the bottom of the wing. The ports themselves are teeny holes through the wing skin made with a #60 drill bit -- so small they're hard to see, a very fine pinhole. So long as we avoid pressure washing the wing in that location, very little water will ever get in. Even so, draining the AOA water separator will be on the checklist for every preflight inspection.
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