Pitot tube on a canard - where to put it?

[H.Zwakenberg]

Hi group,

 

where do you gals & guys put the pitot tube on a canard? I don't like the exposed position on the nose cone, because of sometimes rough hangar handling (by others... ).

Are there any other options, that would result in a clean 'signal' for my instruments?

 

bye

Hans

[Wayne Hicks]

I got this from Wayne Lanza years ago. My comments are added in parentheses:

 

The questions regarding the heated pitot on canard aircraft required for IFR flight have been answered long ago by the Velocity drivers. (Some Cozy drivers have done this too.) The practical and proven solution for this requirement is to mount a simple heated pitot on the side of the fuselage about 5" below the canard on the pilot side. (The ;pilot side is recommended only because it shortens the tubing runs to the instruments. The co-pilot side works too.) The pitot will work just fine in this location, it won't be subject to weird turbulence and other anomalies that have been predicted. The unit is designed to mount inside a short length of 4130 steel streamlined tubing which is glued into the side of the fuselage. (see Aircraft Spruce part# AN5812-12) This pitot is the 90 degree mount type and draws just under 10 Amps @13.2VDC, I wouldn't

recommend the heated "Shark Fin" pitot that has the integral static port. OK-now the why not? It's big and ugly, expensive, long & prone to impale-then-get broken, gets really hot and can melt things if not mounted properly, and draws ALOT of current. The per plans static ports seem to work well as does this pitot scheme...

[cozy1bh]

I have two thoughts on this issue.

 

First, if you are concerned that a pitot tube on the nose will be damaged due to others moving your airplane in the hangar, you should be even more concerned about the rest of your airplane getting damaged. Since I completed my Cozy III 8 years ago, I have never had a problem with the nose pitot getting damaged. It is made of a short piece of 1/4 inch stainless tube and sticks out about 1 inch from the tip of the nose. I used stainless because I wanted something durable in case people bump into it. I made a "Remove Before Flight" streamer and cover for it to keep bugs and dirt out of the pitot line while parked. My observation is that the biggest problem with other people handling your airplane is that they don't understand how to balance it and move it by lifting the canard.

 

Second, I do not have a heated pitot because I have a VFR only airplane. I do not believe this is a good airplane in ice. Therefore, I decided that I would fly VFR, leaving the IFR flying to the pilots trained to do so and the aircraft certified for such conditions. Besides, a VFR airplane, with less equipment, is lighter, less expensive to build and maintain, and more reliable. The more I fly my Cozy, the more I appreciate simplicity and reliability. Keep it simple, light, safe and reliable.

 

Cargo....

[Wayne Hicks]

You said: "Besides, a VFR airplane, with less equipment, is lighter, less expensive to build and maintain, and more reliable."

 

--->That's got to be your opinion because I know of no facts that prove VFR airplanes are lighter and more reliable. Less expensive? Perhaps. But the costs of EFIS systems are sometimes equal to if not cheaper than an all-electric gyro and pitot static panel. You don't need a panel mount GPS ($$$) to be basic IFR either.