Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Looking for ideas and recommendations on Pitot system. What systems have you used and how are they mounted?

Assuming you plan to only fly day VFR, you don’t need much. 1/4 inch aluminum or stainless tubing is all you need. Connect that to some flexible 1/4 tubing and run that to the airspeed. That’s about all there is to it.

I overthought this alot on my build, but it seems to have worked out well. I drilled a 3/8 hole in the leading edge, and epoxied in a 3/8 aluminum tube that is bent to go over the spar. I then threaded a piece of 1/4" brass tubing to thread in both ends. The aluminum tube is cut off flush with the leading edge, which makes covering a breeze. The plastic tubing that runs to the cockpit is fastened behind the front spar, which makes access through one of the inspection holes possible. And I figure if the pitot tube ever gets bent, I simply unscrew it and screw a new one in. Oh, and I used one of those wind operated flappers to keep the bugs out when it's parked in the hangar. Somehow I don't have pictures of it, but maybe my sketch will help.

I did mine similarly. But, I poked it out at about the jury strut location. That is too close inboard though I think. Whenever I do my run up I register 20 knots on my airspeed indicator.

Does an airspeed system HAVE to be pitot based to be accepted for airworthiness? I'm not being rhetorical, honest question. Why put all the weight and plumbing in of a pitot tube back to a gauge when you could have a Johnson type out on the strut that can be just as effective?

14 CFR 91.205 covers day VFR flight for U.S. aircraft with standard category airworthiness certification and all it says is that an airspeed indicator is required, period. So if it's good enough for standard category, it should certainly be good enough for experimentals. I suppose you could use a knotted line trailed overboard and count the knots that run through your fingers in a given increment of time. Calibrated knots, of course.

Oscar Zuniga
Medford, OR

Thank you everybody for the responses and the great ideas. I have been over thinking this a little bit.

Yes, a Johnson-type ASI or a hall-type is perfectly acceptable for experimental category. I've flown with a johnson on Re-PIET since 2012.