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are nutplates worth it for antennae?

IowaRV9Dreamer

IowaRV9Dreamer

Well Known Member
I'm ready to attach antennae to the fuselage. GPS on top, COMs & others on bottom.

I was wondering if it is worth it to use nutplates for the bottom mounted COM antennae? I don't want to go through the effort of adding nutplates to the fuselage, but I might be willing to make a piece of scrap nutplates on it. The idea would be to then sandwich the skin between the antenna and nutplate ring.

I guess it would be worth it if the antennas come off often. I've looked around but hard to find small details like this. What have others done?
 
What you propose is what I plan to do. It also helps strengthen the area as a doubler.
 
It'll make it easier if the antenna ever needs to come off, but in my limited experience (35 years of maintenance on certified VFR aircraft with limited avionics) that's not often and when it happens, the new antenna often seems to have a different hole pattern.

Also, when an antenna is no longer needed, that's extra weight.

But still, I sure can appreciate the convenience there. And the inconvenience of installing them late in the game.

Dave
 
The effect of the skin doubler (nut plate ring) should not be under-estimated. I would highly recommend installing a doubler. Whether you choose to install nut plates is up to you, but just remember how hard it is to find a 'friend' that one time when you have to change an antenna and can't be both inside and outside the airplane at the same time! :)
 
Raymo said:
What you propose is what I plan to do. It also helps strengthen the area as a doubler.
Click to expand...

It only helps if you also rivet the doubler to the skin using a rivet pattern and spacing that you might find in AC43.13. If the doubler is only being held on by the antenna mounting screws, the doubler will just rock against the skin. Just saw someone do that and he couldn't understand why the thin skin was still oil canning with the doubler "installed".
 
Ironflight said:
It only helps if you also rivet the doubler to the skin using a rivet pattern and spacing that you might find in AC43.13. If the doubler is only being held on by the antenna mounting screws, the doubler will just rock against the skin. Just saw someone do that and he couldn't understand why the thin skin was still oil canning with the doubler "installed".
Click to expand...

Good to know. Might as well plan to rivet the doubler in permanently. Thanks.
 
Ironflight said:
It only helps if you also rivet the doubler to the skin using a rivet pattern and spacing that you might find in AC43.13. If the doubler is only being held on by the antenna mounting screws, the doubler will just rock against the skin. Just saw someone do that and he couldn't understand why the thin skin was still oil canning with the doubler "installed".
Click to expand...

Would it work to use some adhesive (pro-seal) on the doubler plate instead of rivets, then screw the antenna down tight (with the nutplates on the doubler) and let the pro-seal setup making a permanent doubler.

Bevan
 
IowaRV9Dreamer said:
I'm ready to attach antennae to the fuselage. GPS on top, COMs & others on bottom.

I was wondering if it is worth it to use nutplates for the bottom mounted COM antennae? I don't want to go through the effort of adding nutplates to the fuselage, but I might be willing to make a piece of scrap nutplates on it. The idea would be to then sandwich the skin between the antenna and nutplate ring.

I guess it would be worth it if the antennas come off often. I've looked around but hard to find small details like this. What have others done?
Click to expand...

ALWAY! If you do not use nutplates, you will need a helper to install and remove the antennae.

Install the doubler and nutplates in accordance with AC 43.13 or the recommendations that the antenna manufacturer provides.
 
Bevan said:
Would it work to use some adhesive (pro-seal) on the doubler plate instead of rivets, then screw the antenna down tight (with the nutplates on the doubler) and let the pro-seal setup making a permanent doubler.

Bevan
Click to expand...

Some antennas may use their mounting screws to connect them to the aircraft skin (standard quarter wave com antennas, for example, use the conducting skin as part of the antenna system). If so you'd need to be sure of a good electrical connection between the coax shield and the skin if you use proseal. The mounting screw holes are slightly oversize, so they may prove to be intermittant. I'd rivet.
 
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