I've told this story before, but...

When I lived in Texas, I stored my ASW-19 in an open front shed along
with several gliders. One day at takeoff speed, I glanced at the ASI
and saw an odd reading (I don't recall what it was). After liftoff I
noted that my vario was acting strangely as well. I figured there was a
problem with my static system.

Remembering my Air Force training, I thought I'd break the glass in the
mechanical vario thus venting the statics to the cockpit. Then I
thought that I, instead of the tax payers, would have to pay for the
damages, so I reached under the panel and disconnected the static line
from the ASI. Everything then worked pretty well and I had a nice flight.

Not having any compressed air on the ground, I disconnected the static
line at the "T" behind the panel and extended it sufficiently to reach
overboard. Then using a very large syringe filled with water, I pumped
water into one of the static ports with the other one securely covered.
What came out of the line by the cockpit was a load of cut up grass and
a bunch of ants who had decided to make my static system into their home.

I moved the glider to an air source and thoroughly blew out the lines,
reassembled, tested, and called it good. It was. After that I taped
over my static lines when the glider was parked and had big red
streamers hanging from the tape so I wouldn't forget.

On 4/10/2015 5:38 AM, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Friday, April 10, 2015 at 7:35:10 AM UTC-4, Martin Gregorie wrote:
ASI check. My pitot is a fairly large metal tube sticking out of the fin-
about 12mm diam and 120mm long with a hemispherical end and 3-4mm hole in
its centre. I put my thumb over the hole and then close my hand around
the tube. If the ASI doesn't go up to about 20 kts and stay there until I
let go, I know there's a problem. The exact reading depends on the day
temperature because what makes the reading go up is the pressure rise due
to my hand warming the pitot probe.

TE check. With a vario on and volume fully up, I put a flat hand on
either side of the TE probe and blow hard between my hands. If the vario
yelps I know the TE connection is good.
The above checks will not catch water in static,
nor leak in TE connection, nor leak in statics,
nor pitot plugged by bugs, all common problems...

Hope that helps,
Best Regards, Dave

--
Dan Marotta