External Sailplane Plumbing
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funnel external plumbing clearing the sailplane a&p

funnel you need it to taper close a little on the top to eliminate spills. I have seen turkey basters and ear syringes used with a hole cut out of the top.

 

 

Clearing the sailplane

The issue now is how to get it overboard. You need to talk to your A&P before breaking out the power tool. Please remember the problems I mentioned a few weeks ago regarding corrosion. It needs to make it clear of the aircraft. 

 I have seen a long tube (2ft out the bottom) going through the seat pan and out the belly of the glider. Inside is your favorite system. A bonus is to have another ‘staw’ with quick connects so you can blow a mouthful of clean drinking water through so when you pull the tube inside it is relatively clean.

 The following systems run a longer tube below the seatpan and allow for low spots. Low spots are bad when they are not adequately cleaned after landing. Low spots are horrible when flying below freezing. You could use a straw type idea to blow it out after but you need to make sure it is liquid free.

  Another system is attaching a tube to the gear door, and every time you go, you have to lower the gear. This system is for pilots who are attempting to get the pee away from the glider without having a tube dangling all the time. 

 Others allow the tube to dangle all the time. The question is, how long is long enough? Based on the lower rudder hinge of a Discus I just purchased, 3 inches directly behind the gear is not long enough. I have seen tubes running the entire length of the tail boom and exit below the rudder with the assistance of a small fish pump to get everything transferred out of the glider.

 One of my favorites is the Mark VIII by Dave Nadler. https://youtu.be/QEJJb_ufo8A

 Please consult your A&P before drilling any holes in your glider as you do not want to make it unairworthy. However, a proper functioning relief system is one of the best performance mods you can make.

 

Banner photo by elfo.sk

 

The Soaring Engine Volume 1

The Soaring Engine Volume 1 THE SOARING ENGINE, series explains how the sun, wind, and terrain combine to produce rising air for the soaring pilot to exploit. In this volume, you will see how the wind flows over and around hills, ridges, and mountains, how thermals form and evolve, the patterns that ridge and thermal activity create in the air and how to use the lift produced both in flat terrain and in mountains. Illustrated with clear simple diagrams, this book is a primer for soaring pilots flying anything from a paraglider to high-performance sailplanes.

LXNAV Nano

LXNAV Nano LXNAV Nano is the smallest IGC flight recorder ever built. Fly without any cables and chargers! A battery serves up to 36h with advanced power management. The Nano has a rocker button for easy handling.

The NANO flight recorder is the smallest flight recorder designed in accordance with “All Flights” IGC specification. It has IGC approval for all flights including world records. It features an integrated 66–channel GPS receiver with a built-in antenna, altitude sensor, ENL sensor, security micro–switch, Bluetooth module, and a 1700mAh battery. The internal battery allows up to 35hours of stand-alone operation. The battery is charged when the flight recorder is connected to a computer, NanoPower or a wall charger.

garret willat  Garret Willat holds a flight instructor rating with over 8000 hours in sailplanes. His parents have owned Sky Sailing Inc. since 1979. He started instructing the day after his 18th birthday. Since then, Garret has represented the US Junior team in 2003 and 2005. He graduated from Embry-Riddle with a bachelor's degree in Professional Aeronautics. Garret represented the US Open Class team in 2008 and 2010 and the Club Class team in 2014. Garret has won 3 US National Championships.