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Thread: Cockpit ventilation

  1. #1
    Administrator RandyL's Avatar
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    Default Cockpit ventilation

    I don't see any provision in the manual (Super Sport) for cockpit ventilation, what have most of you who have flying airplanes done?
    Randy Lervold
    TeamKitfox.com Admin Emeritus
    Day job: www.dynonavionics.com

  2. #2
    84KF
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    N84KF has "VISTA VENTS" installed in the lower forward corner of the left and right side windows.
    http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...vistavents.php

    They seem to work ok. Simple, maintenance free, and provide a nice quiet breeze in-flight when desired.
    I tend to taxi with the door open (helps with forward visibility) until takeoff, so, like AH, lots of fresh air on the ground.

  3. #3
    wadeg's Avatar
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    Have those snap vents in my Aeronca 11AC. They work pretty well. Have them essentially just forward of the knees. When it's real hot I will use the most basic air conditioner....stick my hand just out the sliding window enough to blast my face.
    I'll probably put a few snap vents on the boot cowl on each side and rig some way to close the hole in winter. Not putting a heater in. Used to bundling up in the Chief since the heater sucks. Less weight without and fewer plumbing points to fail.

  4. #4
    Administrator RandyL's Avatar
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    Does anyone ever put a naca duct with 2" scat tube to vents in or below the panel?
    Randy Lervold
    TeamKitfox.com Admin Emeritus
    Day job: www.dynonavionics.com

  5. #5

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    Randy,
    Saw the Eurofox-Usa LSA at Sun N Fun which bears a great likeness to the kit fox and it had the NACA ducts to vents for air--http://eurofox-usa.com/europhotos/bluefox/blue37-m.jpg.

    By the way, whats your opinion of this plane?

    Steve

  6. #6
    Administrator RandyL's Avatar
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    I don't know that much about it. I'll make a point of checking it out at Arlington and/or Oshkosh.
    Randy Lervold
    TeamKitfox.com Admin Emeritus
    Day job: www.dynonavionics.com

  7. #7

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    Randy,

    Back to your question about the naca ducts. Jeffs reply to my earlier post included his website that has some great pics incl naca ducts installed. Check it out at http://www.aselia.com/n85ae.html.

    Steve

  8. #8
    Administrator RandyL's Avatar
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    This looks like exactly what I was thinking except to run some scat tube from the back of the naca duct up to a vent in the panel. All the parts for this are available from Van's Aircraft. (Sorry, because I'm so familiar with the RV series I'll probably use more than a few RV parts if I know they work)

    Anyway, the question is do the naca ducts in this location (side of the boot cowl) flow enough air properly? I know from my RV experience that if you locate one of these ducts in certain places on the airframe there is negative pressure and it won't work.

    Jeff (N85AE), can you comment on how they flow in real life?
    Randy Lervold
    TeamKitfox.com Admin Emeritus
    Day job: www.dynonavionics.com

  9. #9

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    I took a small SS eyelet and attached it to the wood panel that encloses the area around each stick (forward of the seat). Attached to that is a small SS rod (about 3/32" diameter). I bent a small loop in one end (going through the eyelet) and welded it so it couldn't come lose. The other end of this rod has a 90 degree bend in it with about 1" extending past the bend. I drilled a 1/8" hole through the bottom of the door frame, about 3' in front of the latch. The hole goes all the way through the frame. The 90 degree bend lines up with the hole and basically just drops through the frame. Think about a latch on a screen door...but instead of the latch going through an eye-screw, it drops through the door frame.

    We started out with about a 3" opening...that was WAY TOO MUCH. It is amazing how much air you can get through a small crack!

    I do not taxi or take off in this configuration. The pulses from the prop cause the door to shake too much. We normally taxi with one or both doors completely open and then close them for departure. After we are trimmed for climb...and all other factors are good...we open the door(s) and secure the vent lock. We can run anywhere from stall to VNE with no problems...just can't taxi or take off! Also...We climb about 150 FPM faster with the doors slightly open.

    During my next trip to the airport I'll take a couple of pictures and post them.

    Travis

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