The enclosed pictures aren't. Please try again, I'd like to see them.
Best regards,
Rob
----- Original Message -----
From: <Jamesmcdia@aol.com>
Subject: ventilator locations
> Dear Christine & Peter,
>
> I think you might be interested in the ventilator locations we have
> installed in G-BWRO europa #196. We have been flying since 1997 and have
over
> 300 hours and although we are from the UK are temporarily based stateside
> until the end of July 2000.
>
> The 2 naca vents are adequate if you will only be operating in
relatively
> cooler temperatures - but if you plan to fly in heat and sunshine (my
> favourite flying conditions) the cockpit turns into a small hothouse and
the
> standard vents are totally inadequate. After experiencing stifling heat on
> numerous hot summers days we decided to rethink the ventilation system in
our
> aircraft.
>
> We elected to place 3 extra vents and to clad the engine side of the
> firewall with heat and sound insulating material. Cladding the firewall
has
> made a great difference in reducing the amount of radiated heat from the
> engine entering the footwells (at a cost of $50 US and 2 lb weight).
>
> We first placed 2 small "hinge" vents under the windscreen on pilot
and
> passenger side. These are opened with a small knob on the top edge of the
> panel and provide a cold blast of air to the face.
> Next we added an "extractor" vent in the middle of the cockpit roof as
> far back as possible - this is just a reversed naca vent. We reasoned that
> simply providing more input vents would not solve the problem which is
akin
> to holding an empty bottle with its neck pointing forwards out of a car
> window while driving at speed - as you accelerate very little extra air
gets
> in until you provide it an escape route.
>
> We now have 5 cockpit vents which can be opened in any combination
> permitting comfortable cockpit conditions through a wide range of ambient
> temperatures. The drag penalty is inconsequential - at 5000ft we cruise at
> 130 kts at 4600 rpm with our rotax 912ul sipping a mere 13 L/hr. The
downside
> is that they leak slightly in heavy rain - I carry a small roll of tape
with
> me just in case I have to park somewhere to sit out a storm.
>
> I enclose a couple of pics,
>
> Happy building,
>
> James McDiarmid
>
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