Rebuilding pitot/static system

saddletramp

Line Up and Wait
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Walla Walla. WA
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saddletramp
The pitot/static system in my 182A is old & leaky. When I took it in to get it certified last fall the shop told me the hoses needed to be replaced. They quoted me 2.5 AMU to redo the system. I passed & stayed VFR.

It seems to me other than being a pain in the *ss to access all the hoses & instruments it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to replace.

Anybody attempted this?
 
Just me, but I wouldn't fly in any conditions with a pitot static system in the condition described above. The estimate sounds like 20 hours labor plus parts and pitot/static testing. It's a lot of work and probably worth the investment. If there is ever an accident and the NTSB finds incorrect airspeed or altitude due to defective pitot/static system, ouch.

It's the kind of thing a quality log entry is advised. But I tend to be overly cautious.

Next 3 posts are guys who bought plastic tubing and barbed fittings at Ace hardware.
 
I get your point NordicDave. That's why I've restricted myself to vfr only. I had my transponder certified & it seems to be right with ATC.
 
Yikes! It took me about 1 hour and $50 to install the entire pitot / static system in my plane....

I could never afford to own a certificated aircraft.
 
$2.5amu? I hope that included overhaul of all the pitot/static instruments at that price. all new lines and fittings are less than a $100 and I have yet to replace the 1 line that runs to the pitot tube itself. Those idiotic plastic "sump" bottles that Cessna used break if you look at them wrong.
 
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The pitot/static system in my 182A is old & leaky. When I took it in to get it certified last fall the shop told me the hoses needed to be replaced. They quoted me 2.5 AMU to redo the system. I passed & stayed VFR.

It seems to me other than being a pain in the *ss to access all the hoses & instruments it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to replace.

Anybody attempted this?
AN old airplane like that will have plenty of leaky old hoses. Later models used nylon tubing, and Cessna now has a 10-year (recommended) limit on the lines. I've replaced several systems; not a big deal at all, but you'd need to buy a bunch of nylon fittings and line.
 
You need to invest the time and money to up date every hose with a hard line and A-N Fittings, and never worry about it again.
 
Nylo-seal fittings run from $2-$5 each, then add the 259-N inserts where the tubing meets the fittings (about $1 each). Tees usually need more than one insert! 1/4" Nyla-flow tubing is about fifty cents a foot. I have yet to own a plane where I didn't replace all of the tubing within the first couple years of ownership... ASC will be happy to supply whatever you need, and it's not difficult! Teflon tape should not be used on anything other than the pipe thread fittings, and then the first thread should always be exposed to prevent the tape from shredding off and getting inside the system. I'm expecting spears/flames and other opinions...
 
What the heck is AMU's, are some of you guys on a different money system, did they change from dollars and cents and I missed it, you talking Euro's or something?
 
What the heck is AMU's, are some of you guys on a different money system, did they change from dollars and cents and I missed it, you talking Euro's or something?

Aviation Monetary Units...worth one thousand each..Generally used as a code to keep wife from finding out how much you're really spending on the plane.
 
Aluminum duct tape around the hoses, medium CA on all the threads, and you’re ready for family fun night. Just remember to toss the cans out the window and not by the rudder pedals...
 
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