John Voda wrote:

In the last stages of building a  IV-P and would like some information on static port location.  I plan to put a port on each side back by the luggage door.  I also have the luggage compartment floor even with the split line. So thinking below that and aft of the baggage door.  I also plan on putting in a drai line before routing back to the panel.  Pictures and comments welcome because I have heard that this is somewhat critical to speed calibrations.

John,

I installed static ports on each side of my IV-P fuselage just below the split line and in the aft part of the wheel well. I placed them very close to the build manual recommendation, but adjusted slightly to put them in an accessible, convenient location inside the wheel well (and clear of the retracted wheel!), for later service/testing as might be required. My method was to drill a 1” square block of ¼” thick  phenolic and thread with a 1/8” pipe thread for a 90 degree elbow, 1/8” pipe thread on one side and plastic pipe union connector on the other side. You can now get these as “push on” connectors to the plastic pipe from ACS that are very nice. Core and epoxy these blocks to the inside of the fuselage at the desired location (with the elbows doped and threaded in the blocks), but don’t drill through to the outside of the fuselage (you’ll need enough space around the blocks to remove and re-thread the elbow on after exterior painting). Install plastic tubing angling upward from the elbow and run each side to the top of the fuselage. I imbedded my tubing inside the pressure bulkhead mounting flange, but you could put it behind the bulkhead. The idea is to take it to a “T” at the top, and run the T leg forward into the cabin and then to the instrument panel. This provides self-draining and doesn’t need a moisture collector.

After exterior painting, remove the elbows and drill a 3/16” hole through the side of the airplane in the center of each threaded epoxy block. Then carefully center-drill two short, round head 3/16” aluminum rivets with a small drill (1/16” is good). Cut the rivet shanks to just a bit longer than the thickness of the fuselage skin  and bond them, rivet head to the outside, to the fuselage, over the paint. Carefully dope the threaded elbows and re-install after the “ports” are firmly set in place. This system has worked well for me, uses minimal materials and complexity, and looks good/cleans and waxes nicely.

Hope this helps!

Bob