When I purchased our Eclipse 500 jet, which is an amazing airplane, I found that there were opportunities to make it easier for operators to take care of their airplanes.  I had always wanted to explore 3-D printing and this was a great chance to create some useful tools.

Working with our son, Tigre Pickett, we embarked on a fun design experience to create useful devices for Eclipse pilots.  It was simple,  I needed the accessories, they weren’t available, so why not create them and improve the tools at the same time!

Our inventory now includes:  Seat Release Tools,  Static Port Covers, Pitot Covers, Engine Pylon covers and our latest –  Jet A Fuel Sampler ! 

Eclipse Seat Release Tool

The Eclipse has an interesting seat design.  The six seats in the Eclipse 500 can removed after first disengaging the locking pawl on each corner of the seat.  This pawl is connected to a short cable that can be lifted from the locking position, when then allows easy removal of the seat…. once you now the tricks!

Eclipse at one point had the tool available, however the manufacturer no longer made the tool.  Tigre and I embarked on our first Eclipse 3D printing project.  I came up with the basic design, which was very close to the tool that was no longer available.   Tigre, using his design experience, generated our first prototype.  After four various versions we arrived at this tool:

Our first version worked perfectly, however when I tried to use one of the tools I found that it needed to be improved.  Underneath the seats, there may be very little light and to see the cable sometimes you need a flashlight.  I thought, why not create a tool with an integrated flashlight!  In this manner you would only need one hand to release the locking cable.  A new product was born!  Integrating a flashlight into a new version of the tool took several iterations to find the perfect combination of light and tool.  Our final lighted Eclipse Seat Release Tool makes it easy to locate the cable and release it, especially in low light conditions.

The test in actual use proved our concept, and the ease of use.

We also designed the tool to have an integrated flashlight storage capability, simply turn the light around!

Ordering your Eclipse Seat Release Tool

Either version of the tool can be ordered in high performance plastic, or stainless steel – both in various colors (white, black, blue, red, yellow, green, orange).  Steel infused with bronze (black, silver, gold) is much more expensive to make, however it is very cool!

Pricing:

• Plastic – non-lighted       $30
• Stainless steel -non-lighted    $60
• Plastic – with light (light included)   $40
• Stainless steel with light (light included)  $95
• Gold plated stainless steel with light (light included) – $120  (very classy)
• Extra flashlight – $2.50

Order your Eclipse Jet Seat Release Tool here

Eclipse Static Port Covers

The Eclipse has a rather unique static port installation, one that can be problematic with it rains.  The location of the port, on the top of the nose, can result in water ingress into the static system with associated issues.  There have been a number of solutions over the years, including the use of tape to cover the ports.  We decided to develop a custom solution that works well for the Eclipse jets.

Our goals were:

• Utilize high quality materials that will provide a long life to the Eclipse pilots.
• Accommodate the high temperature of the static port in situations where it had not completely cooled down to ambient temperature.
• Provide an excellent seal against the elements, namely moisture.
• Be easy to use, and superior visibility to avoid leaving them in place!
• Avoid any dissimilar metal incompatibility issues.
• Have yet another family design project.
• Have fun designing the tool!

Starting with the basic concept of a cover, we designed several configurations and tested them on our Eclipse jet.   After nearly two months of development, we had our current version, the Personal Wings Eclipse Static Port Cover.

It took some time to source all of the materials for the design, from the Remove Before Flying (RBF) tags to the fasteners.  We tried various components, with an eye to provide a lightweight device that would last for some time.  We designed our own RBF tags to reduce weight and potential damage to the aircraft paint.  It takes a lot more time to make them, however we like the result and we can improve it over time.

The Eclipse fuselage is curved, so we wanted to match that curve.  The net result is a static port cover that requires minimum force to secure to the aircraft and provide an excellent seal at the same time.  Our design utilizes high quality nylon fasteners,  to avoid any incompatibility issues with the jet static port and potentially get stuck!  Even if they do get stuck, it is easier to remove a plastic fastener than a metal one.

The seals are a high durometer silicone compound that is highly resistant to heat.    Silicone has a melting point of 330 degrees Celsius, so if a pilot accidentally leaves them on, at ground idle they reduce any potential damage to the airplane.  Nylon has a lower melting point,  220-265 C, which still provides some protection if they are inadvertently left on when starting the engines. All pilots using our covers need to do a careful preflight and remove them before starting the engines. Of course, we can’t control what pilots may do, and are not responsible, however we wanted to expand their options!

They may not help in extreme precipitation events, however our testing so far indicates that virtually no water gets into the static ports

 

 

Pricing:

• $135 for 2 complete static port covers, – add $10 for nose ‘Remove Before Flying’ streamer.
• Optional Red streamers are available – add $5 for a total of $165

Order your Eclipse Jet Static Port Covers here

Eclipse Pitot/AOA Covers

In looking at various options for pitot probe covers for the Eclipse I knew we could come up with a great solution.  After several designs, we settled on a high temperature, fiber reinforced  silicone option.  They incorporate a pressure vent to reduce any undue pressure on the sensors. The material, while not intended for use on operating probes, has an exceptional operating range of -70F to  +400F.  Our design with high temperature plugs provide a very tight seal on the probes, and will stay on even in high winds.

Operating Tips

While the material is heat resistant, we recommend the probes cool to warm-to-the-touch or cooler  before installing.  The covers also seal very tight to prevent water intrusion.  They can be installed on wet probes, however  since it is tight seal, you may want to take them off later and ensure that any  trapped moisture has evaporated.

Pricing:

• $150 for 1 complete pitot probe cover set (three probes with nose streamer)
• Optional Red streamers are available – add $5 for a total of $155

Order your Pitot/AOA Covers here

Eclipse Engine Pylon Covers

The engine pylons on the Eclipse have vents on the top for the pre-coolers.  Beneath the skin are VORE actuators, which move the door that controls the flow of air across the pre-coolers.  These actuators can be damaged by water that enters through the top and may not drain.

We came up with a solution – high quality, highly water repellent covers to protect the entire pylon.  We selected the perfect material, that is also breathable, and mold/mildew resistant.  Easy to install, and remove, they are perfect for the Eclipse and come with a storage bag.

Pricing:

• $300 for 1 complete pylon cover set (both engines) available in blue as shown
• $340 – complete airplane set – optional  special order colors:  in either silver gray, black, burgundy, tan.

Order your Eclipse Jet Pylon Covers here