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Old May 10th 06, 10:47 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Catheter question

Regarding 'low pressure' area. My six had been rather crudely modified
by the previous owner with a waste tube that exited in front of the gear
door area. Whether or not that particular spot was low pressure or not
didn't seem to matter. My personal plumbing in those years had positive
pressure at the source. The problem was that the gear well, despite
sealing, was a low pressure area and was sucking corrosive urine up into
the entire gear mechanism.

Obviously an exit anywhere in front of the gear well would be ill
advised on that ship.

After a rebuild, we mounted the tube on the bottom of a gear door so I
could open the gear when needed and extend the discharge point 5 inches
or so away from the fuse. Did the aerodynamics work for that?
Probably. That was about as much engineering as I was willing to do to
facilitate a pee.

If 'ol Foureyes cycled his gear while above you in the gaggle, you
weren't one of his favorites.

Robert Hart wrote:
Maule Driver wrote:

I'll second that regarding corrosion. Cost me a gear rebuild and
later, after repositioning the exit to the bottom of the gear door, I
believe that some was being drawn into the rudder hinge area (LS-6)
but can't confirm that.



Careful thought needs to be made in terms of positioning the exit - it
needs to be in a low pressure area and positioned so that it doesn't
then risk contaminating corrodible parts.

Our Nimbus 2c has the exit in centre of the lower starboard quadrant of
the cockpit 'bulge', just aft of the widest point (i.e. low pressure
area). The only potential metal in that flow is the tail wheel assembly.
Not only have we not had any problems there, there is no trace of dried
urine on the skin of the aircraft.

Whilst I have used bags in other aircraft when cross country
instructing, having a plumbed in system makes for much more comfortable
flying.

As for catheters, I (and no pilot I know of here in Aus) uses the
adhesive tape that comes with the external catheters (known locally and
rather politically incorrectly as 'Irish condoms'). They seal perfectly
when rolled far enough down the penis.

The only problems I have experienced in removing them have revolved
around rolling pubic hair into them during the removal. I have decided
that a judicious shave is the answer to that problem!