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Pitot static test adapters: buy the expensive kit or make your own? A $600 difference in my hangar
Last week I needed to do a pitot static check on a Cessna 172 and the shop set was out for calibration. The local guy wanted $1,100 for the full adapter set. I sat there doing math on brass fittings and rubber hose from the hardware store. I built a working set for around 50 bucks in an afternoon. It passed the first leak test and the readings matched the shop unit when I borrowed it later. But I'm not a metrology guy. The certified set has traceable tolerances and the FAA can ask questions during a ramp check. My homemade setup works fine for my own plane, but if you're signing off other people's aircraft, does the paperwork matter more than the numbers? I'm split. Half of me says the price is just for the stamp, the other half says you're an idiot if you don't spend it. Anyone else build their own test gear and live to regret it, or did it save your ass too?
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robertgreen10d ago
Strikes me that half of paying for anything certified is buying peace of mind, not just parts.
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