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OWNERS MANUAL AIR TRACTOR MODEL AT - 301 AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE Description Operation Me jenance Inspection Lubrication Repairs ‘TABLE OF CONTENTS DESCRIPTION SECTION General Certification Basis Fuselage Wings Ailerons Flaps Empennage Landing Gear and Brakes Engine Fuel System Engine Controls Optional Equipment Propeller and Governors Electrical System Cockpit Wiring Schematic Control System Brake System Dispersal System Page No. @OAHH KR BONEN Foldout Air Tractor, Inc. Description Page 1 GENERAL The Air Tractor AT-301 is an all metal cantilever low wing monoplane designed especially for agricultural operations. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R1340 radial engine having a take-off rating of 600 horsepower. The propeller is a Hamilton Standard two-blade 108" diameter constant ‘speed prop. The hopper is made of fiberglass and has a 320 U. S. gallon capacity. The horizontal stabilizer is all-metal and strut braced for added rigidity. The fuselage features removable skin panels for ease of maintenance and cleaning. The rudder and elevators are fabric covered to prevent chemical entry and provide ease of repair. High-lift flaps are incorporated and are interconnected with the ailerons to provide extremely short take-off and landing distances. CERTIFICATION BASIS The AT-301 is structurally certificated to meet the requirements of FAR 23. The engine installation along with the systems and equipment meet CAM 8 requirements, The AT 301 is certificated by the manufacturer for a gross weight of 5,000 Ibs. However, under the provisions of Part 8 the operator may select his own maximum operating weight, and field experience shows that operating weights of up to 7,000 Ibs. can be carried safely with adequate margins of performance and structural strength. FUSELAGE ‘The fuselage structure is of heli-arc welded 4130N steel tubing. All fittings and bushings are also of 4130N steel. Fuselage repairs may be made in accordance with appropriate FAA repair procedures and gas welding is permissible. There are no heat-treated members in the fuselage. The front section of the fuselage from the rear spar forward and including the engine mount have been ‘oven stress-relieved in order to prevent stress concentrations from the welding operation. For corrosion control oil passage holes are drilled at the intersections of all tubes and clusters. Hot oil is then pumped into the fuselage frame and drained. This oll is Esso Rustban #392 and adheres to the inside walls of the tubing. The exterior of the fuselage frame is then sand-blasted and primed with an ‘epoxy primer and then followed by two coats of activated Copon epoxy paint which is resistant to nearly all chemical action. ‘The fuselage lower and upper skins are attached to the fuselage frame with stainless screws ‘and nuts, The fuselage side panels are of heavy gauge 202473 alclad and are attached with stainless camloc fasteners. This allows the side panels to be removed in minutes, leaving the fuselage frame ‘open for thorough cleaning and inspection. Alll skins are mounted with clearance between the skin and the fuselage tubing so that chemicals will not collect and cause corrosion wINGs ‘The wing structure is full cantilever, with the main spar carrying all of the bending loads. Construction is of 2024TS alclad for skins, spar webs and spar caps. The wing has a constant chord of 72 Inches and a span of 45.1 ft. The wing utilizes a NACA 4415 wing section and has 2 degrees of washout twist which results in very gentle stall characteristics. Description Page 2 Alt Tractor, Ine. The leading edge is extra heavy to minimize denting. Each wing panel has the leading edge divided into five different pieces to allow for easy replacement. Universal head rivets are used to facilitate the removal and replacement of leading edge sections. ‘The fuel tanks are located in the inboard section of the wing and are an integral part of the structure. The closely riveted seams and heavy skins make them practically burst-proof in the event of a crash. Sealing is accomplished by an application of Product Research PRC-1422A2 sealing ‘compound. The inboard end of the wing is sealed against chemical entry and the aileron pushrod has a flexible boot attached to prevent entry of chemical at the pushrod location. A complete wire bundle for night working lights is installed inside the wing during assembly so that lights may be added at a later date. AILERONS The ailerons are of all-metal construction and hinged on ball bearings. The bellcranks and pushrod ends operate on ball bearings, producing smooth operation and low system friction. The stick forces are light and the ailerons are very responsive. ‘The ailerons are interconnected with the wing flaps so that as the flaps move down through 30°, the ailerons droop 10°. The interconnection is non-linear so that most of 'the ailerons droop ‘occurs with the first half of the flap travel. This provides optimum conditions for short take-off performance. Each aileron has a large balance weight on the outboard end of the aileron just forward of the leading edge. These weights must never be removed as they are necessary for flutter prevention. FLAPS Extra large Fowler-type flaps are incorporated on the Air Tractor. The flaps are electrically operated and may be stopped at any position from 0° to the maximum of 30° travel. The flaps are controlled by a switch conveniently mounted just below the throttle quadrant. The flaps have external markings which may be viewed from the cockpit with each mark being 10° of travel. ‘The flaps are very effective for both take-off and landing. For a short take-off roll, 10° of flap is normally used. The flaps are also useful during turns, although generally less than 10° is used. EMPENNAGE The horizontal stabilizers are all-metal and strut-supported for rigidity. The struts are constructed of streamlined 4130N tubing. The struts have a stainless clevis where the attachment to the stabilizer is made and the clevis is adjustable in order to rig the stabilizers properly with the wing and in a straight line from side to side. ‘The vertical fin is cantilever and is of all-metal construction. It has a relatively short span in order to minimize the hazards of working under telephone lines or other obstructions. A heavy-duty wire deflector cable is attached to the top of the vertical fin and extends to the wire deflector in front of the windshield. The rudder and elevators are constructed of large diameter 4130N tubing. They are fabric Covered to prevent the entry of chemicals and for control surface lightness. This type of construction Air Tractor, Inc. Description Page 3 also provides easy repair. All surfaces are covered with grade A cotton fabric and are coated with butyrate dope. The control surface hinges have a single stainless steel ball with a Teflon lining. Long bearing life can be expected and it is not necessary to lubricate the hinge. The elevator trim tabs act as Servo tabs in addition to providing longitudinal trim for the Air Tractor. Because of the large tab size, the trim tabs provide a considerable amount of trim authority. Removable bronze bushings are provided at each joint so that trim tab free play may be kept to a ‘minimum. LANDING GEAR AND BRAKES A spring type main and tail landing gear is used on the Air Tractor. This type of landing gear provides a minimum of maintenance, low drag and considerable energy absorption for hard landings. In addition, a very smooth ride is provided for operations from rough strips. The main gear axles are made of 4130N steel, heat treated, and cadmium plated for corrosion protection. Tapered aluminum shims are used between the axle and the main gear leg to Provide the proper camber and toe-in. The main gear wheels are Cleveland p/n 40-101 with an 8.50 x 10 8-ply rating tire installed. Brakes are Cleveland 30-89 L/H and 30-89 R/H. Main wheel tire inflation pressure Is 41 Ibs, unloaded or 43 Ibs. loaded. The tall wheel is a Gerdes p/n A-1280. A grease fitting is provided in the side of the wheel in order to grease the bearings. The rim halves are sealed with silicone sealer during assembly of the wheel and tire in order to prevent grease from entering the tube area. If the wheel is dismantled, the rim and valve stem should be resealed. The tail wheel tire is a channel-tread 12% x 4% 10-ply rating. Tire pressure is 35 Ibs. loaded. The tail wheel fork is of welded 4130N tubing construction. Bronze bushings and a brass wear plate are incorporated where the fork enters the tail wheel housing. A tail wheel locking ‘mechanism is provided and the tallwheel may be unlocked by pushing the stick full forward. This lifts the stainless locking pin out of the tail wheel fork and allows the tail wheel assembly to swivel 360°. If during taxi the aircraft tends to steer to the left or to the right with the controls neutral, it is possible to readjust the lock pin position by loosening the 4 screws that attach the lock pin housing to the fork housing plate. The lock pin can then be moved in the desired direction and the screws tightened. ENGINE ‘The AT-301 is powered by either a Pratt & Whitney 1340 AN-1 or R1340 S3H1 radial nine- cylinder engine. The engine is supercharged and normally incorporates a blower having a rotational speed of ten times crankshaft RPM. For operators who work consistently above 5,000 feet MSL a blower turning twelve times crankshaft RPM may be installed. The R1340 has a take-off rating of 600 horsepower (five minutes) at 2250 RPM and 36.0 inches manifold pressure. Maximum continuous rating is 550 HP at 2200 RPM and 34.0 inches ‘manifold pressure. These are sea-level ratings and at §,000 ft. the maximum continuous rating is 550 HP at 2200 RPM and 32.5 inches of manifold pressure. Description Page 4 Air Tractor, Inc. The engine mount is @ "'Vibro-damp"" mount which incorporates four vibration isolators around the perimeter of the engine mount ring. These isolators are p/n 2034 and are clamped to the engine mount structure. The isolators are very durable and should last the life of the aircraft. The engine mount structure is a series of **X"” braces which result in a very rigid frame, and for this reason, the firewall attachments have to line up perfectly with the fuselage frame. To accomplish this, removeable eccentric bushings are installed in the engine mount at the firewall attachment. In most cases, two or more of the engine mount legs line up with the fuselage frame with ‘concentric bushings in place, and the eccentric bushings are used in only one or two locations. The bushings are available in various amounts of eccentricity and should be ordered whenever the engine mount is replaced with anew one, The oil tank is contructed of aluminum and rests on top of the engine mount structure. The oll tank holds 8.0 gallons of oil and an additional 2% gallons is required to fill the oil lines and engine crankcase. ll lines are 1.0" aluminum tubing from the tank to the "'Y”” drain and from the “"Y" drain to the engine inlet. Connections are with Mil-H-6000 1"” hose. Lines from the engine outlet to the cooler and from the cooler to the return port of the tank are also of Mil-H-6000 1” hose. The firewall-mounted “'Y"’ drain drains the tank and inlet lines. The engine is provided with three drain points. Carburetor heat is ducted from an aluminum muff on the lower segment of the exhaust manifold to the hot air valve. Normal air is drawn through two Fram p/n CA-161PL pleated paper filters. This model filter is also used on certain Piper aircraft and may be cleaned by removing and with an airgun blowing from the inside out any dust or dirt which has accumulated. They may also be washed with water and a good detergent several times until visible deterioration is obvious. The air filter units are mounted on the firewall and for that reason remain clean for long periods of time. ince hot air robs horsepower, be sure that the lever arm on the hot air valve is in the fully closed position and with a slight amount of cable pressure against the stop when the carb heat control on the instrument panel is pushed full in. The exhaust manifold is constructed of stainless steel and is attached to the cylinders with various amounts of spacer washers so that all segments line up with each other before the clamps attaching the segments are put in place. The clamps should not be over-tightened, and it should be Possible to rotate them after the bolts are snug by tapping with a small hammer. FUEL SYSTEM ‘The AT-301 has two fuel tanks with a capacity of 38 gallons each. Both tanks gravity feed into a small header tank which is located behind the chemical hopper and below the rear spar attach tube. The fuel valve handle is located within easy reach of the pilot and is marked “Main” and “Off.”” There can be no tank selection since both tanks are interconnected. The fuel valve placard is marked "70 gallons useable."’ This is due to the fact that the left-hand fuel tank sender has a shorter float arm than the right hand tank and does not allow the last 3 to 4 gallons to be gauged. Aiso a climb with no rudder correction for torque will result in approximately 3 gallons being moved to the outboard wall of the right-hand tank which becomes unuseable. For these reasons only 70 gallons is counted as useable although in straight and level co-ordinated flight, all 76 gallons may be used. The Air Tractor, Inc. Description Page 5 fuel gauge receiver, which is located on the instrument panel, is marked in fractions of 70 gallons. Finger strainers of coarse wire mesh are located in each fuel tank. Fuel flows from the wing tanks into the header tank, through the fuel valve and into the hand wobble pump which is used to fill the lines before starting the engine. The hand wobble pump also serves as an emergency fuel pump and has a fine-mesh filter screen installed which should be cleaned at various intervals. A fuel drain is located on the wobble pump body. A fuel pressure warning light is installed on the instrument panel and is set to activate when fuel pressure falls below 2 psi There are five water traps in the fuel system: one in each wing tank, one in the header tank, one in the wobble pump, and one in the fuel valve. These drains should be activated daily. Each fuel tank has an overboard vent located near the wing tip. With both tanks completely full, it is possible during flight to vent a small amount of fuel overboard by skidding the aircraft or rolling sharply. Fuel type for the AT-301 is aviation grade 80/87 minimum actane gasoline. If this fuel is not available, use the next highest grade aviation gasoline, up to and including 100 octane. Under no circumstances should aeromatic fuel be used. ENGINE CONTROLS ‘A quadrant on the left-hand side of the cockpit incorporates the throttle, prop and mixture contols. The throttle and mixture levers are attached to steel push rods with Fafnir REBSN bearings attached. The prop control lever is attached to an Arens p/n 824-001-101 flexible control. The throttle quadrant has a friction adjustment knob on the side to provide the desired amount of friction on the levers. There are nylon and steel washers in the quadrant to isolate the movement of one lever from the other. The steel washers have a square hole to prevent movement on the square shaft. The square shaft should always press fit into the square hole of ‘the aluminum housing, and if loose, will cause one lever to cause movement of another. OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT Optional equipment for the Air Tractor include a Narco Nav/Com unit. The Nav unit is a Narco 121 and is positioned in the center of the instrument panel at the top of the oval cut-out. The Nav antenna is mounted on the vertical fin. A Narco MP1 converter is used to reduce voltage for the Nav unit. ‘The Com unit is a Narco Com 120 TSO and is mounted on the R/H cockpit wall within easy reach of the pilot. The Com antenna is mounted on the fuselage top skin just aft of the canopy shell. ‘The Narco MP10 converter is used with the Com unit to reduce voltage. Jacks for the Com unit are located on the R/H cockpit wall. A night lighting system is also optional for the Air Tractor. This system consists of Whelen ‘strobe/ position lights on the wing tips and a Grimes position light mounted on the rudder trailing ‘edge. For cockpit lighting, Grimes eyebrow lights are mounted over the instruments, with post lights for switches. A dome light is located on the upper R/H side of the windshield. All instrument lights and the dome light are connected to a rheostat to control light intensity. A gyro panel is also optional. This panel includes an attitude and a directional gyro which is vacuum driven with a single venturi mounted on the R/H inboard flap bracket. =—1.-Deseription Page 6 Air Tractor, Inc. For international flights an ADF may be conveniently mounted on the lower side of the instrument panel on the L/H side. A highly effective ADF antenna can be installed by removing the wire deflector cable and installing the ADF antenna from the wire deflector in front of the windshield | tothe fitting on the vertical fir PROPELLER AND GOVERNOR The propeller used is a Hamilton Standard 12D40 hub with 6101A-12 blades. The oll seal used in the hub isa ‘Little Giant"” p/n 40-103. The propeller is a constant-speed type and is controlled with a Hamilton Standard p/n 1M12-G governor. This governor is attached to the nose case of the engine and has a p/n 128290 | gasket between nose case and governor mounting face. Governor adjustment should allow 2250 RPM on take-off. | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM : The AT-301 has a 30 amp 28 volt alternator as standard equipment. This alternator is made | by Motorola but converted to fit the 1340 by Fresno Machine Co. The basic alternator is also used on | the John Deere 5010 tractor, and many parts for the alternator can be obtained from a John Deere | dealer. Also, in case of an electrical system break-down, the alternator can be taken to a John Deere {dealer and bench-tested to see if itis functioning properly. j There is a p/n FMIM-229 voltage regulator and p/n FMM-1006 voltage protector mounted ‘on the firewall to contro! the alternator output. A 35 amp Kilixon circuit breaker is located on the instrument panel and should be checked before any trouble shooting gets underway. i The starter solenoid is mounted on the firewall and is a Cutler Hammer p/n 6041H202A. | __ This relay is sealed around the perimeter of the barrel with PRC-1422 A-2 sealer, and three No. 50 drain holes are drilled in the plastic cap before installation. This will protect the relay during engine wash-downs. The master relay is mounted on the battery platform and is also a Cutler Hammer p/n {6041#+1202A, but without the drain holes and sealed only on the top and sides of the barrel. Any relay that is replaced should be sealed and drilled as described above. The battery Is a Teledyne Gill p/n GE-51. The starter Is a Jack & Heintz JH3-L. The wire bundle through the firewall is secured with silicone sealer to prevent vibration from chafing the | wires. ‘Airing schematic is provided. COCKPIT ‘The AT-301 has exceptional visibility on the gtound as well as in the air. A large one-piece | plexiglass windshield is used, and cockpit entry is made through either of two large canopy doors. A cau wlte deflector is installed on the centerline of the aircraft in front of the windshield. se The rudder pedals may be adjusted on the ground by removing the ‘‘T"” pin and sliding the _studder pedals in the aluminum channel to the desired position and reinserting the ‘'T”" pin. The seat Ti8.fixed In one position at the factory. However, the operator may lower the seat if desired by NOTE A Seo eseen eens ‘ g Us) SYMBOLS £ —ie- P Positive «239 Re eae | ~ WIRE SIZE in fe Twausrioce 4 r 24 VOLT 30aMP = — eee S . A vouIMeren stag (2499) 48 Fcc iy WIRING FOR BENDIX ORM — STARTER SWITCH sees, er ‘sone nore ae no 301 ($4) fea) 7389 REGULATOR | F 2G ‘if-—28 8 ||| 3s FMM-1003 t x BATTERY. eaneeal ; fvay - tseetaeon aon . Ui ‘eens se sesisron ‘SOI (NOTE 7) (50077) 2) RECEIVER en] lr-320 (eoe1s) Te7etaog) 1732) 9) £10) jet» , wo. F h FUEL h Ligut (50077) RELAYS. FOR A/C WITH RELAYS ALTERNATOR WIRING suite ear Reace &t J-42) ©0077 i420 ein (T0031) SERIAL 166 € SUBS. VAN pressure SWITCH INC) fre woe} (2? Tenoso— Hae DUST T165005 1300) a — is [ers f ‘mow anarnanmie 00. NONE a PP seoor oon oC oo WIRING 60001 = SCHEMATIC Air Tractor, Inc. Description Page7 removing the two pins and drilling new holes through the seat rail. The seat structure is of welded 4130N tubing, oiled internally, sand blasted, primed and painted, The covers are removable and may be changed as required. The covers are of a coarse mesh nylon material for comfort during hot weather. At the bottom extreme of the seat a tube structure supports a thick Ensonite pad to protect the pilot should the nylon covering fail in a severe crash, A three-inch wide nylon safety belt is attached to the seat structure. The shoulder harness is attached to the primary fuselage structure behind the cockpit. A contro! lock is located under the Panel and hinges up to secure the control stick. ‘The instrument panel is slanted forward for better visibility. Instruments provided with the basic AT-301 include a sensitive altimeter, airpeed indicator, oil temperature, oil pressure, fuel pressure gauge, tachometer, manifold pressure gauge, compass, boom pressure gauge, fuel gauge, and voltmeter. A stall warning horn is provided and the lift detector on the wing is set to activate the horn at approximately § to 8 miles per hour above stall. A hopper quantity gauge is installed above the panel on the right-hand side. This gauge is marked to read in U. S. gallons with the aircraft in the ground attitude. In addition, the back of the hopper is marked in 25 gallon’increments. The hopper gauge is accurate for the first 200 gallons of material but sometimes varies slightly from the hopper markings above that point. If this is the case, rely on the hopper markings as being the more accurate, A large window is installed on the rear hopper wall so that the pilot can see the last bit of chemical as it leaves the hopper. The hopper window is supported with an aluminum frame and is sealed with silicone sealer which is impervious to most chemicals and readily available at most industrial stores. The cockpit has aluminum enclosure skins and control push-rod boots which isolate the cockpit from the rest of the aircraft and prevent the entry of most chemicals. If the aircraft is used for dusting however, the operator should install boots around the rudder cables where they pass through the cockpit wall and re-seal small cracks and seams with silicone sealer. In addition an airscoop of at least 15 square inches should be mounted in the upper area of the left-hand main side skin just aft of the cockpit. This will tend to pressurize the aft section of the fuselage to prevent entry of dust. The cockpit vent should be open during dusting in order to provide a positive pressure inside the cockpit. CONTROL SYSTEM Push-pull tubes are used in both the aileron and elevator control system. Rod-end bearings are installed in each push-rod to minimize control system friction. The torque tube which is mounted on the cockpit floor is supported at each end with bronze bushings. These bushings have a grease fitting installed so that grease may be applied as necessary. As these bronze bushings wear, fore and aft slack may develop which can be removed by the addition of shims made of .010 thick steel These shims are added on the forward end of the torque tube. The stops for the elevator control system are located on each side of the elevator horn. The aileron control stops are welded to the floor structure at the forward of the torque tube. Both the aileron stops and the elevator down stop employ Neoprene washers which act as shock absorders for the system. The rudder stops are located at the rudder horn. The rudder controls consist of large stainless cables. There Is a spring interconnect between the rudder and the aileron system which allows banking the aircraft with rudder application alone. Description Page 8 Air Tractor, Inc. BRAKE SYSTEM ‘The brake master cylinders are Cleveland p/n 10-17A. Brake fluid is the conventional red petroleum-base Mil-H-5606A fluid. The brake fluid reservoir is a Volkswagen p/n 113611301H and is mounted beneath the instrument panel with the cap protruding through the top of the panel for easy access. The parking brake valve is a Gerdes p/n A-850-5. Stratoflex hoses are used from the pressure side of the master cylinder to the parking brake valve and stainless steel lines are routed from the valve to the bulkhead fitting next to the main landing gear. A high-pressure Stratoflex hose connects the bulkhead fitting to the wheel cylinders. DISPERSAL SYSTEM The standard spray system includes two-inch stainless plumbing and streamlined extruded aluminum booms. Thirty-six nozzles are incorporated although the boom is drilled and tapped for an additional 32 nozzles if desired. Quick-couplers are used in order to remove the booms and pump from the aircraft in minutes. The spray pump is a Root model 67 two-inch capacity pump. The fan is a Transland p/n 60010 two-blade fan. The control valve is an Agrinautics p/n 75497 and the strainer is, an Agrinautics p/n 4164H30. The bottom-load valve is a Transland two-inch p/n 20391. Al hoses used in the spray system have a special lining which is impervious to nearly all chemicals. The hoses are double clamped at all connections with stainless worm-drive clamps. All plumbing parts have beaded ends to provide secure hose attachments. However, high line pressures and water-hammer effects can blow fittings loose and is a good practice to wire all Quick-couplers together with a loop or two of safety wire. In addition, stainless wire is used to safety the plumbing on the discharge side of the pump to the top of the pump. Spray nozzles used are Spraying Systems Inc. p/n 4666 diaphram check valve, pin CP1061-10 body, and p/n CP1071-3 cap. The aircraft is equipped with -3 caps which is for medium volume applications. For high volume spraying -10 caps should be installed and if necessary an additional 32 nozzles should be installed. If this still does not provide the required flow rates the fan should be changed to an Agrinautics p/n 66450 six-blade adjustable-pitch fan with p/n 6662-1 Adapter. With this fan set in low pitch and with 68 nozzles installed with #10 caps, flow rates on the order of 185 gallons per minute are possible at pressures of approximately 40 psi The boom pressure gauge is glycerin-filled for long gauge life and to prevent needle fluctuations. Copper tubing is used to connect the boom pressure gauge to a bulkhead fitting in the lower fuselage skin. From the bulkhead fitting to the center boom assembly a Stratoflex hose is used. ‘The fan brake lever in an industrial over-center type lever which has considerable leverage 0 that the fan can be stopped instantly. The brake cable tension can be adjusted in the cockpit by rotating the brake lever handle. Micronair rotary atomisers may be installed if desired. The factory supplies a special boom for 6 atomisers and welded steel brackets for atomiser attachments to the boom. For dry materials a Transland p/n 20181 high-volume spreader is used. When the spreader Js installed the strainer should be rotated 90° for clearance. For rapid change-over from spray to dry materials remove only the pump and booms and place a rubber ball in the bottom-load opening in the gate box. For extended fertilizer application it is suggested that the center boom assembly and Air Tractor, Inc. Description Page 9 control valve be removed to prevent fertilizer from getting into the valve assembly. This can be accomplished in only a few minutes by removing the stainless ““T"” pins which support the center boom assembly and removing the two bolts that attach the valve to the stainless bracket. The Air Tractor features a leak-proof hopper lid which allows full 320 gallon loads to be carried. The leak-proof feature is made possible by a sturdy over-center latch assembly and a curved hopper top which allows the hopper lid to be pulled solidly into place. Medium density commercial weather-stripping 7/16 x 1"" wide is used for a hopper lid gasket. This material will not withstand chemical action for a prolonged period, but is very inexpensive and can be changed several times during the spraying season. The hopper vent tube is of welded 3" diameter stainless tubing inside the hopper. A 3” stainless ball is used to seal off the overboard vent when the liquid level reaches the top of the hopper. The vent tube protruding from the lower fuselage skin is made of aluminum and is cut on a 45° angle. When this bevel Is pointed aft, a slight negative pressure is created inside the hopper which prevents any fumes from escaping around the hopper lid gasket. When dry materials are applied the bevel should point forward so that the hopper is slightly pressurized. This requires a little less gate opening for a given poundage which reduces the blockage effects of the door opening into the slip-stream. The beveled vent tube can be easily rotated by loosening the hose clamp just above the bevel.

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