REFLECTOR: Static Port

Andrew Ellzey ajlz72756 at yahoo.com
Wed Apr 12 20:02:28 CDT 2006


Ron,

Can you post a picture of this new location? Did you follow the manual's 
instructions to imbed the 3/8 aluminum tubing at this new location, or did 
you do something different?

Has anyone tried installing two static ports one on each side of the 
aircraft, and T-ing the two together. Most aircraft have a static port on 
both sides of the aircraft to compensate for any slipping of the aircraft, 
either from a cross wind or just because most aircraft don't fly true 
without a little rudder trim.

Andy Ellzey


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Brown" <romott at adelphia.net>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Cc: "Glenn Babcock" <glenn.babcock at oracle.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 6:07 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Static Port


> For those of you who are still building and haven't installed your static 
> port, I have an alternate location that seems to work great.
>
> I can't recall who did this originally (Perhaps Malcolm Collier) but 
> someone suggested that under the door, just below the duct was an 
> excellent location that works without having to do anything other than 
> drill the small 1/16" hole.  I did this as did Glenn Babcock.  Both of our 
> static ports work very well.  I have done the high speed passes down the 
> runway (I like 50 feet which is tree height around here).  My altimeter is 
> right on at 165 kts.  No dams, no trip strips and no raised port - just a 
> little hole.
>
> Ronnie
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Scott Derrick" <scott at tnstaafl.net>
> To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 12:10 PM
> Subject: Calibrating Static Port was: Re: REFLECTOR: Cirrus v. Velocity
>
>
>>I agree with Scott B. on the necessity of calibrating  the static port.
>>
>> I bought my V and the static port was way off.  My altitude was 400 ft 
>> off at cruise! I don't know how far off my indicated airspeed was but it 
>> must have been bad.
>>
>> The method described below to calibrate is fairly accurate and can be fun 
>> also. Our static ports have a small  plate or fence mounted for or aft of 
>> the port,  to calibrate you will need to change the thickness and or the 
>> orientation. Flying this is easier and more safely done with a co-pilot.
>>
>> You will be doing some low level flying so either you need to be 
>> comfortable with this or have somebody else you trust that is comfortable 
>> with low level flying.  Do this at an airport that the tower will let you 
>> do this or an uncontrolled airport that is not to busy.  Explain the 
>> procedure to the co-pilot so he or she understands the procedure and 
>> objective.
>>
>> 1.)  set the field elevation in your altimeter when parked near the 
>> runway threshold.  The readings you are interested in are relative so the 
>> absolute reading is not important. Do not use the announced altimeter 
>> setting is it does not agree with the your field elevation.
>>
>> 2.)  You will need to fly as close to 20 ft AGL as you can. or some other 
>> elevation that can be verified by your co-pilot. I use 20 feet because 
>> the large hanger at my field is  20 ft high.   It may help to have 
>> somebody on the ground verify your height if your unsure when in flight. 
>> The closer to the ground the easier it is the estimate.  100 ft is very 
>> tough unless you have a radar altimeter.  Your GPS altitude unless you 
>> have WAAS is unreliable for this.
>>
>> 3.) Make a low pass at the prearranged altitude at 90 knots.  A trick to 
>> make this a bit safer is to dial in some up trim so it takes a couple 
>> pounds of down pressure on the stick to maintain level flight. This way 
>> if you get distracted  you will tend to climb away from terra firma. 
>> note the altitude and speed.
>> 4.) Make a low pass at cruise speed, same altitude.  This will usually be 
>> much appreciated by all at the airport with many requests to do another. 
>> Note the altitude and speed.
>>
>> 5.) Land and compare indicated altitude with real altitude.  When I did 
>> this on my plane I was indicating 400 ft AGL when actually 20 ft AGl.
>>
>> The plate or fence now will usually need to be adjusted. If its aft of 
>> the hole, a thinner(as in height) will reduce the pressure and raise your 
>> indicated altitude, thicker will increase the pressure and lower the 
>> indicated altitude. If the fence is ahead of the hole the change in 
>> thickness is reversed.
>>
>> Make a WAG as to the change needed and fly again.  you may need to adjust 
>> to some value between what is indicated during slow flight and cruise. 
>> Keep track of the change made so any further adjustments will divide and 
>> conquer the needed adjustment. Do this until your satisfied.
>>
>> Once your altimeter is reading correctly out airspeed should also be 
>> relatively closer, unless your pitot is installed in a very bad spot.
>>
>> Fly Safe.
>>
>> Scott
>>
>>
>> Scott Baker wrote:
>>> I have noticed that many Velocity aircraft vary in their indicated air 
>>> speed
>>> due to either an un-calibrated air speed indicator and the position of 
>>> the
>>> static port.  Calibrating the air speed indicator at the local avionics 
>>> shop
>>> is a good thing to do - but that still leaves the possibility of air 
>>> speed
>>> errors caused by the static port.  I trust the Cirrus air speed because 
>>> of
>>> its being certified.  It's great to get a fast moving certified aircraft 
>>> to
>>> do some side-by-side flights with the Velocity, just to make sure both 
>>> air
>>> speed "meters" are indicating the same during formation flight.
>>> 200 knots indicated in the Denver area is outstanding.  The true air 
>>> speed
>>> must be "right on up there".  I have flown the company demonstrator 
>>> (310hp)
>>> at Front Range and at Colorado Springs - giving demo rides with 4-people 
>>> on
>>> board and about 40-gallons of fuel - and the aircraft performed quite 
>>> well.
>>> I've talked to several Cirrus 22 owners who have taken a demo ride in 
>>> the XL
>>> with the Continental IO-550.  All of them seemed impressed - and most
>>> admitted the Velocity had a small but noticable performance advantage. 
>>> Most
>>> were looking for a way to reduce the cost of aircraft ownership. 
>>> Several of
>>> the Cirrus owners were upset with the cost of aircraft insurance.
>>> Sunny Eymann recently sold his Velocity XL in favor of a Cirrus 22 
>>> because
>>> he liked the feel of the Cirrus in a cross-wind landing - something that 
>>> is
>>> an everyday event in Key West.  Still, he likes the Velocity - he just 
>>> felt
>>> the Cirrus was the right aircraft for him.
>>> Random thoughts.
>>> Scott B.
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Tom Martino" <tmartino at troubleshooter.com>
>>> To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 10:51 AM
>>> Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: Take Off Performance
>>>
>>>
>>> 1600 Pounds.  Actually a little less now that I am removing the back
>>> seats.  If I push it I can darn near indicate 200 knots ... but normal
>>> cruise would be less.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Al Gietzen
>>> Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 8:23 AM
>>> To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
>>> Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: Take Off Performance
>>>
>>> Tom;
>>>
>>> I'm curious what the empty weight is on your Velocity.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Al
>>>
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>>>
>>
>> -- 
>>
>> -
>>    The true barriers of our liberty in this country are our state 
>> governments...
>>
>>    Thomas Jefferson
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>
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