Tailbeacon on a Waiex

[Bryan Cotton]

So we got tired of waiting for the Echo UAT story to unfold, and bought a tailbeacon. The only problem is we didn't put a tail nav light in the Waiex. Well, we are now.

First problem is wire routing. For the right tail, I put holes down the row of ribs to run the pitot tubing. I installed the tip on both sides with nutplates, but did not put holes in the ribs on the left side.

The tail forward of the spar has only two ribs. The one at the tip, and the one down near the fuselage. The bottom hole is forward of the little bulkhead between the Y tails. Just need a 4' 1/4" drill bit to transfer the two holes to the fuselage. I beveled the edges of a 1/4" rod and a 1/4" drill bit, jigged them up, and welded them together.

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Next I ground down the weld.

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Ran the hole through the fuselage.

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I'm currently pulling some 1/4" OD tubing through the holes. To be continued...

[Bryan Cotton]

Conduit runs

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[MichaelFarley56]

Nice pics Bryan,

I was seriously considering a Tailbeacon X and the AV-20 but was also struggling with where to install the tailbeacon. I was about to modify the rudder and make a new upper cap when I decided to go a different route. I also tried the AV-20 in my panel but it doesn’t like the stock panel tilt so I returned it. Too bad I liked the idea of another artificial horizon!

Good luck on your install. I ended up buying a Sandia STX-165R (controlled by the MGL Xtreme) and an Echo UAT which works well so far

[Bryan Cotton]

Mike,
I really wanted an EchoUAT but I waited too long.

[Bryan Cotton]

One of the challenges we face is that the lock ring that holds the tailbeacon in place is designed for a vertical trailing edge. The Waiex trailing edges of the tips are not vertical. We were going to use the supplied aluminum lock ring and fair it into the tail, but having the mounting screws vertical were making for an ugly interface for the fairing. So, Adam has scanned/redesigned the lock ring to reclock the tabs. Here is the original aluminum part compared to a 3D printed part:

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We are not going to use the 3D printed part, but will CNC out a part from a piece of 1/4" HDPE sheet. This shows how the redesigned part holds the tailbeacon vertical but has the mounting screws aligned with the trailing edge.

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[Bryan Cotton]

I'm curious if other Waiex builders see this as a good ADSB option or not. Should we tool up to make one or a run of them?

[alphapapafoxtrot]

Is Waiex middle small rudder too small for tailbeacon?

[MichaelFarley56]

Is Waiex middle small rudder too small for tailbeacon?

Good question and one I was thinking about as well. Originally I was thinking about a Tailbeacon X as well for simplicity and was contemplating a redesigned upper rudder cap that could keep the Tailbeacon X in a vertical position, with the possible added bonus of increasing the rudder surface area to provide more low speed directional control (i.e., during landing). I ultimately went another route but my three concerns with this setup was, 1. Figuring out how to run wiring to a moving control surface, 2. The added weight put on the rudder hinge, and 3. Drilling a hole in the aft Y tail spar assembly.

I'm guessing the rudder itself would be fine with a few extra ounces on top, but that would be subjecting the rudder hinge to additional forces, and I have no idea that's acceptable or not.

Ultimately I think Bryan's idea of running a tube up the leading edge of a stabilator and mounting the Tailbeacon X on a tail tip would be the safest and simplest solution.

My two cents of course...

[Bryan Cotton]

Is Waiex middle small rudder too small for tailbeacon?

I don't think it is too small. But I skipped the mini-rudder for 2 reasons:
1) You have to get wires across the moving rudder to the non-moving fuselage. Can be done, lots of antique Cessnas etc with this setup.
2) Adding weight on the trailing edge will make flutter characteristics worse. Probably not an issue, but definitely not desirable.

The worse thing about my solution is that it is not symmetric. I think it will look ok though.

[Bryan Cotton]

Adam has made a couple of lock rings out of HDPE on the CNC router. It took him a couple of tries to get the tool path right. He also made a 3D printed tool for drilling the holes for the 2 screws that prevent the beacon from unlocking itself in flight.

That also took a couple of tries to get right. The shape is milled out, with the locking tabs full thickness. Then the part goes in the 3D printed tool, and we use the drill press to drill through the part and all the way through the tabs. Those holes are tapped for an M2 screw, then the tabs are milled to their final shape. It leaves a half hole in the tab, which matches up with a half hole in the beacon tab.

We have some 3/16" 6061-T6 on the way to make an aluminum part, like the one supplied with the tailbeacon but clocked for the Waiex.

Meanwhile I'm working the electrical side of the project. I soldered on a Deans 3-pin connector onto my wire.

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A little WD40 and some determination and I was able to push the wire through my conduit. For now I have just chucked a loose piece of shrink wrap over the connector for safety and tie wrapped it in place. The compression fitting originally had a pipe thread on one end. I hacked that off, drilled the hole inside for the tube to pass through, and am using it as a stop so the tube won't get pulled into the tail.

Next up is the fun part - terminating that wire under the panel somewhere. When this is done, I'll be able to remove the tail tip with the tailbeacon on it, and then remove the tailbeacon from the tail tip.