Husky Sight Gauge

[Greg]

Howdy,

Looking for some feed back. I have designed a LED lit site gauge with dual scales tail down and cruise flight.
The unit fits directly over your existing site tubes no modifications needed. Mounting maybe via power lock strips, or screws. I am not sure what is hidden behind the panel for screws. Power lock (extreme velcro) used to hold windshields in place seems to be a great option.

For you that are concerned about weight. It weighs in at .118 lbs, and you can remove your rear facing light posts. LED is 12 volt direct connection to power and ground. Wires can be run behind the panel and can connect to your removed post lighting.

Don't be shy let it rip, really want your feedback good bad and ugly.

Greg
Husky A1 1994

 

[Ak Kurt]

That is fantastic Greg! I like it!

Kurt

 

[Greg]

That is fantastic Greg! I like it!

Kurt

Kurt,

Are based in Alaska? I here there is a Kurt from San Luis Obispo Ca very near me. And thank you for your comments. The plan is to actually make these via injection molding if I get enough positive response.

Greg

 

[Ak Kurt]

I am from Alaska and grew up there, hope to return when I retire. I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan now. The other Kurt is Kurt Colvin (if I remember correctly) we haven't heard much from him lately, I hope all is well with him.

If you make em I will buy a set!

Kurt Wien

 

[Greg]

I am from Alaska and grew up there, hope to return when I retire. I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan now. The other Kurt is Kurt Colvin (if I remember correctly) we haven't heard much from him lately, I hope all is well with him.

If you make em I will buy a set!

Kurt Wien

Copy, I will try and look him up. And thank you, what model is your Husky? I am a new owner, had it for two months now. Can't tell you how much I love it.

 

[Ak Kurt]

I have a 2012 A1-C, new wing, shock gear. I had a A1-B and I sold it to Robb (Trapper) years ago. I have owned many airplanes over the years and like you, I love the Husky!

Kurt

 

[Ak Kurt]

Where are you located Greg? What airplane do you have?

 

[Greg]

Where are you located Greg? What airplane do you have?

Based in Paso Robles, CA, KPRB Summer time plane will be in Reno NV. 1994 A1

 

[joemcd]

I like what you did. I really like how you can calibrate the markers. Great idea and nicely done.

Joe

 

[Greg]

I like what you did. I really like how you can calibrate the markers. Great idea and nicely done.

Joe

Joe,

Calibrating takes some time but here is how I did it.

Since I was changing out the fuel tubes I sort of killed two birds with one stone.

First off there are lots of posts on changing the fuel tubes look them up if your going to do that. Not needed for calibration.

Step One:
Drain both of your tanks all the way. I used a siphon to drain what I could, got all but one gallon. Pulled the fuel sample plug to get the rest.

Step two:
Setting the tail down level
Fill each side with 1 gallon ( un usable fuel level) then add 5 gallons to each side. Now you must be patient to allow the tanks to equalize, I left them for an hour. Slide the 5 gallon marker into place tighten the screw.

Step three:
Setting the cruise level
Raise the plane until the door is level ( plane should be on a flat surface). To raise the plane I used a Cherry picker with a 6 ft lifting strap and a 24" spreader bar. I put a piece of foam i cut from an old boggie board under the strap. I also down loaded an app on my phone "Clinometer". Very cool app that speaks out the level to you. This made it a one man job, not having to run up and look at the level each time. Just jack until you get there slowly. I found that each pump of the jack raised it two degrees so I never exceeded 90.

Step four:
Repeat step two and three for 10 gallons 15 gallons and 20 gallons.

20 gallons is all you can read on the scale, even though we can hold 25. I have not filled my tanks to the top yet, as soon as our weather clears that will be my next step to see what I can really squeeze in the there.

Greg.

 

[tbienz]

Very cool idea. Nice job! If I didn't have an electronic JPI fuel flow totalizer I would be very interested. In my plane, I check the sight tubes before I go fly to make sure there is nothing out of whack with the electronic system, but it has been 98-99% accurate on flow rate and fuel remaining so for me, that's more accurate than I can be looking at sight tubes.

 

[Ak Kurt]

Very cool idea. Nice job! If I didn't have an electronic JPI fuel flow totalizer I would be very interested. In my plane, I check the sight tubes before I go fly to make sure there is nothing out of whack with the electronic system, but it has been 98-99% accurate on flow rate and fuel remaining so for me, that's more accurate than I can be looking at sight tubes.

Gregs invention and fuel computer, its great to have both.

Kurt

 

[Ak Kurt]

Excellent job Greg, the way you calibrated would be the way I would have done it too.

 

[mritter]

Very cool.

 

[Snowbirdxx]

Very nice.

To make it even more perfect add this behind the sighttube:

A parallel black & white colores stripe of cardboard. Without fuel in the tubes, the stripes appear parallel.
With fuel inside the optical deflection of the fuel is almost 45° as seen in the picture.
Even at night the sight-tubes are immediately readable at a glance..

Plus you need to insert a restrictor to the lower fitting, so there is not more that a 1mm hole.
This acts as a dampening element and gives rocksteady fuel indications, even in turbulence.

And from a safety standpoint in case of a cracked side tube, the fuel will only pee on your head with a 1mm steam instead a 3/8 inch water / fuelfall. I saw this happen more than once.

Cost less than 1 $, weight less than 1/10 oz

 

[Greg]

Very nice.

To make it even more perfect add this behind the sighttube:

A parallel black & white colores stripe of cardboard. Without fuel in the tubes, the stripes appear parallel.
With fuel inside the optical deflection of the fuel is almost 45° as seen in the picture.
Even at night the sight-tubes are immediately readable at a glance..

Plus you need to insert a restrictor to the lower fitting, so there is not more that a 1mm hole.
This acts as a dampening element and gives rocksteady fuel indications, even in turbulence.

And from a safety standpoint in case of a cracked side tube, the fuel will only pee on your head with a 1mm steam instead a 3/8 inch water / fuelfall. I saw this happen more than once.

Cost less than 1 $, weight less than 1/10 oz View attachment 3600

Very good idea, I can make that happen as well. thank you for your input.

Greg

 

[Carolina Husky]

View attachment 3596 Howdy,

Looking for some feed back. I have designed a LED lit site gauge with dual scales tail down and cruise flight.
The unit fits directly over your existing site tubes no modifications needed. Mounting maybe via power lock strips, or screws. I am not sure what is hidden behind the panel for screws. Power lock (extreme velcro) used to hold windshields in place seems to be a great option.

For you that are concerned about weight. It weighs in at .118 lbs, and you can remove your rear facing light posts. LED is 12 volt direct connection to power and ground. Wires can be run behind the panel and can connect to your removed post lighting.

Don't be shy let it rip, really want your feedback good bad and ugly.

Greg
Husky A1 1994

looks pretty sweet Greg, I will take a set if you get that far.

 

[Greg]

looks pretty sweet Greg, I will take a set if you get that far.

Thank you, I will be making them. Several changes to mill through. Stay tunned! Flew 11 hours over the weekend. It was a nice feature, I was mostly at high altitudes at full gross which required fuel management.

 

[jkalus]

I did this same procedure and used a red paint pen for the down position. In flight it is approximate enough that I didn’t need or want markings in addition to the factory markings. (I also have a fuel flow computer)

 

[Greg]

I did this same procedure and used a red paint pen for the down position. In flight it is approximate enough that I didn’t need or want markings in addition to the factory markings. (I also have a fuel flow computer)

Thank you for your input.

Just back from a x cross country flight, with lots of short flights in between. Must say having the ground marks is truly helpful, even more so than in flight readings. No fuel computer on board, just a timer.