Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2000 13:13:10 -0700
From: fmoreno4@postoffice.pacbell.net
Subject: Air inlet screens
To: Lancair List <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Reply-to: fmoreno4@pacbell.net
Reply-to: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Message-id: <39970156.D4D96149@postoffice.pacbell.net>
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I agree that some sort of inlet screen is desirable.  On my
unpressurized LIV, I added small (320 style) NACA ducts and eyeball
vents to the pilot and copilot footwell areas after I saw another plane
so equipped, and the owner said they were great improvements for ground
and low altitude (hot) flying in Southern California and other hot
climates.  However, the thought of inducting a few angry bees while
close to the ground does not attract.

I finally selected 1/16 inch mesh stainless wire mesh cloth cut from a
pair of cheapo 4 inch diameter food strainers and bonded them into place
silicone rubber.  For the rear (vertical stabilizer) inlet, I used 1/8
inch hardware cloth (galvanized) also bonded with silicone rubber prior
to closing the tail.  The silicone was selected because it offers
flexibility and resistance to cracking not available with rigid mounts,
and I made the mesh fairly large in the tail because it is difficult or
impossible to clean if it becomes plugged with fine material.  I put the
screens well back aft of the NACA inlet ramp, and formed them into cups
to provide the maximum feasible filtering area with minimum pressure
drop.

Fred

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