Pinky Rings??

[bumper]

At the last Root Ranch fly-in (thanks again Paul!!), I handed out a number of free Pinky Rings to dog lovers. If you've tried the ring, please comment on your experience here.

Choose: A, B, C, D

A. My "indicator" is still showing too slow.

B. My "indicator" is now showing too high.

C. I'm a happy dog lover with an almost spot on indicator who can hardly wait to get a PowerFlow exhaust so I can go even faster!

D. Huh? What the heck are you talking about?

thanks,

bumper

 

[Ak Kurt]

Bumper,

I was told those "Pinky Rings" are popular in San Francisco? You did say you were an Oakland cop in a previous life didn't you? Isn't there a bridge between Oakland and San Francisco? Im just trying to figure out how and where you got all those "Pinky Rings"

Kurt

 

[Jack Threadgill]

I am still waiting to see when they might be available. Bring some to the Jim Taylor's Texas Fly-In.

The answers to your questions will be interesting.

Jack

 

[Eric Yould]

Bumper,

I was told those "Pinky Rings" are popular in San Francisco? You did say you were an Oakland cop in a previous life didn't you? Isn't there a bridge between Oakland and San Francisco? Im just trying to figure out how and where you got all those "Pinky Rings"

Kurt

So -- that explains why the one that he sent to me had a little heart on it.

 

[bumper]

I am still waiting to see when they might be available. Bring some to the Jim Taylor's Texas Fly-In.

The answers to your questions will be interesting.

Jack

Jack,

I've got two left (both with the very rare and desirable little "I love my doggie" heart option so popular with Alaskans like Eric ). Price hasn't gone up (still free). Want one? PM me, or contact off list with mailing address.

 

[denningte]

C. with no pinky ring - and we talked about that. On a long trip this summer I carried two OAT gauges, a wiz wheel and a Garmin 496 with XM WX. On every leg of that trip at stabilized cruise I checked IAS against calculated TAS and XM/Garmin winds and GS and found my indications to be within 1-2 mph regularly.

I made and tested four separate rings and found them to only drive off my indications. My AC must have a lucky installation from the factory.

No need for pinky and no intention of visiting SF any time soon.

 

[jkalus]

As TD eludes to, coming up with your calibrated airspeed (CAS), though a straight forward process, is not something that can be derived without some calculation.

The most difficult part is recording an accurate ground speed, which in a no wind situation is your true airspeed. Since our assumption is that the airspeed indicator is in error, we can't determine the winds or true airspeed in the traditional manner.

Thought not perfect, I fly the four cardinal headings (not courses) and record a stabilized groundspeed with the GPS. You must fly the headings and not the courses (use a compass, not the GPS), else your crab will introduce an error into the average.

Also record your indicated airspeed (IAS), indicated altitude, altimeter setting and outside temp.

The attached spreadsheet with take that data and calculate your CAS.

 

[Snowbirdxx]

To get a good average groundspeed do the following procedure:

Set the trip log " average speed " on the GPS to zero.

Start the trip on the GPS when initiating a half standard rate turn or less.

Fly the whole 360 circle atthe ame bank, then stop the trip on the GPS.

Your average GS is now calculated by the GPS in the trip log, which should equal TAS.

TomD

 

[jkalus]

...And set the track sample rate to the minimum value of :01 second.

 

[jkalus]

Oh, wait, I see what you are saying Tom. I doubt that setting the track sample rate would matter...

I thought at first you were talking about downloading the speed data, and taking an average from when the turn was started to finished (based on heading data) which would be best sampled at 1 second intervals.

 

[Snowbirdxx]

Joe,

the Garmin 296 and laters have this trip page. All kind of info is displaied there like top speed ect. I reset average speed there then start it again with the turn. No big equasions necessary, all done by Garmin...

TomD

 

[jonhudson]

Bumper -

I received my pinky ring at the Root (Thank you!). It appears to have had little or no effect, and Option A is applicable. At one time, I had a larger diameter device on the end of the pitot tube (my own manufacture), and it also seemed to have had no effect. Mine was probably too large.

2005 A-1B, new wing.

Jon Hudson

 

[bumper]

Bumper -

I received my pinky ring at the Root (Thank you!). It appears to have had little or no effect, and Option A is applicable. At one time, I had a larger diameter device on the end of the pitot tube (my own manufacture), and it also seemed to have had no effect. Mine was probably too large.

2005 A-1B, new wing.

Jon Hudson

Jon,

How low does your ASI read?

You might check your static system for leaks and check to be sure the cockpit static vent is closed all the way. If the leak is in the cockpit area, this might be determined by flying with the window open, then yaw one way then the other. Does the ASI read higher when yawing to the right?

With Pinky rings, larger diameter at the rear lip will cause a higher differential between pitot and static pressure and a higher reading ASI for a given TAS. BUT, only if the ring is aerodynamic and has a fine leading edge, as any turbulance from the leading edge will tend to destroy the vacuum or low pressure area behind the ring.

bumper

 

[bumper]

I'll be sending a dozen pinky rings to the gathering at Cedar Mills. Jack Threadgill has kindly offered to take them there for me as I won't be able to go this year.

 

[bumper]

Installation instructions for Pinky Rings:

(I posted this elsewhere in this forum, but it'll probably be easier to find here.)

To install Pinky Ring.

Plastic package contains one aluminum Pinky Ring, a small piece of backing paper with one or two small pieces of clear transfer adhesive tape (covered with brown backing paper), and a white plastic packing ring (dispose of this).

Be careful handling the aluminum PR, as its leading edge is very thin and delicate.

Test fit the PR by sliding it onto the end of your "Shaft", thicker end first, thin end forward. It should slide on fairly easily, but if not, you may use a strip of leather, rubber diaphragm material etc wrapped around PR and an adjustable wrench (Crescent wrench) to help push PR into place. Adjust wrench jaws so they put pressure on PR half way up taper and NOT on thin leading edge. It may be helpful to put a bit of WD-40 or oil on surface to smooth things along - - you will be stretching the ring to fit your overly large shaft -- not all shafts, it seems, were created equal.

Once you are sure you can get it on, so to speak, you should clean all surfaces with denatured or rubbing alcohol. Next remove a bit of brown backing paper while insuring the clear sticky tape comes off with it. Apply the sticky tape to the end of the shaft and just even with the larger lip that is located ahead of the static holes. Note that Loctite retaining compound or such products as PlioBond contact cement may also be used to fix PR in place.

Now install PR, thick end first, onto shaft, rotating it perhaps a 1/4 to 1/2 turn as it comes to the adhesive. Note that some or even most of the adhesive will be displaced to the rear - - we'll take care of that in a moment. Continue pushing/turning the PR until the thick edge comes even with the rear lip of the shaft head (i.e. just ahead of the holes). Use your finger nail to scrape off any excess adhesive at the lip.

Note the object here is to "increase" the size of the lip that is located just ahead of the static holes. Doing so decreases the dynamic pressure seen at this point to offset the increase in pressure caused by the "bow wave" from the, ahem, vehicle structure.

Be sure to test vehicle behavior at suitable height and in lowest possible speeds in all configurations.

Also do TomD's high speed low altitude static test procedure. In the excitement of the moment it may be too much to ask, but please remember to do this test both before and after installation and report results back here.

Enjoy your new and improved relationship with your dog.

bumper

 

[DStewart]

Bumper, I tried the pr you so graciously offered me at root ranch. First I ran Tom's low altitude static test down rwy 22, and got a drop of 120' through 110mph IAS. That seemed huge compared to other reports so I taxied to rwy 04 where I found I was 50' lower at the hold short line. With a net 70' drop I installed the pr and tried again. As best I can tell it corrected the error to 0 or near 0. I didn't have time to run some stall tests to see the difference in those and my approach speeds, but look forward to doing so. Thanks.

Dale

 

[bumper]

Dale,

Thank you much for the report!

The PR you have, like most all previous PR's up until a few weeks ago, have an OD within a few thousandths of .672". I believe you will find this provides acceptably close to the right amount of correction as you observed in your test. This size PR showed a hair under correcting (15 to 20 feet on TomD's static test on my ship*).

New PR's, starting with the batch being delivered to Cedar Mills, are .690", as this shows zero error on TomD's test*.

Worth replacing the version one (MKI) PR's? I wouldn't bother unless you find any remaining error to be unacceptable . . . I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to such minutia, so can easily relate to this obvious failing in my fellow man.

*This little "ass to risk" is a reminder that this issue is probably not a one size fits all deal. At least this is what a ran into during initial PR beta testing. So, just 'cause I'm saying the MKI PR (.672") under-corrects a whole RCH, does not mean that is what you'll see on your ship. It may well be that the .690" MKII PR's over correct on some ships. So, I'm looking forward to more feedback.

 

[DStewart]

Bumper, i got a pr from you a couple years ago that I put on the white husky. Is it the same size as the one I got last month? I haven't had the chance to run Toms test on the white husky but prior to installing the pr on the yellow husky they matched up quite closely at cruise speeds.

Dale

 

[bumper]

Dale,

They are the same. The OD size of the first generation (MKI) PR was arrived at through much flight testing comparing calculated TAS to GPS ground speed. Correction provided by the MKI may be slightly to little, right on the money, or slightly too much - - depending on the static system error in any given dog.

After running TomD's suggested static test, I found the MKI slightly <20' under corrects on *my dog* . . . thus the MKII which is .018" larger OD than the MKI. The MKII brought my static error to zero.

Since the PR is easy to install or remove, I suggest you run TomD's test without PR (i.e. set altimeter, note setting, take off no flaps and stay 5 feet above runway to 100 mph while noting altimeter setting). Install PR, repeat test - - and please report back.

 

[Jack Threadgill]

Well due to some nasty weather moving into Cedar Mills this afternoon, a number of folks headed for home today. I left about 1 pm and arrived back in Bryan, TX at 3:30. Looks like the weather will be setting on top of Cedar Mills tonight and in the morning.

Bumper I delivered all the Pinky Rings as directed. I made copies of your installation instructions and handed them out as well.

We had a great group at Cedar Mills and did lots of flying, eating and talking. There may have even been some drinking going on, but of course I never saw it.

We had our program this morning so most everyone got to see and hear it. We were blessed by two great programs. First, John Kounis, Editor in Chief of Pilot Getaways Magazine, gave a video presentation about an Africa trip he made in a Cessna 172RG from the northern tip to the southern tip.

After that, Tom Dietrich, from Germany did a video presentation about his flying in the Alps. Along with many facts about Huskys and how to get more out of them and have more fun flying them.

Put Oct 12-14, 2012 on your calendars. This is the date for the next Jim Taylor Husky fly-In at Cedar Mills. Call Shannon at the Marina to make your reservations. 903-523-4222