REFLECTOR: Static Port

Ron Brown romott at adelphia.net
Thu Apr 13 05:52:33 CDT 2006


I don't have a picture - not much to see actually.  Just a small 1/16" hole 
located midway of the door opening, just below the duct for the oil lines, 
wiring, etc.  (I really should put one of those decals around it marking the 
spot.)

I did  use the factory imbedded 3/8" tubing, just in the new location.  Mine 
is on the copilot side.  I thought about doing two and teeing, but decided 
to just do the one.  I do have a valve inside the plane that I can open in 
case of icing, mud daubers, etc.

Works good!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andrew Ellzey" <ajlz72756 at yahoo.com>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 9:02 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Static Port


> 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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>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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