Fuel Cap Fairings

[Rooster]

Hello all, from a sunny South Africa.

I hope I am not posting something that has been discussed ad-nausium on this forum (I am a new boy), but I am about to put in an order for a tail wheel leaf spring and wondered about the benefits of the fuel cap fairings and how easy they are to install?
If there is much to gain I will order them at the same time......

Great group of people on this forum by the way.....
Reid Wardle

[Esser]

Hi Reid,

I just tried to order some from Kitfox but they no longer have a supplier for them unfortunately. I still want to get a pair because apparently, the disturbed air moves out like a triangle to a point 3' wide at the trailing edge.

[jiott]

I have them and like the look of them. I really don't know how effective they are in reducing drag. They install easily. After your wing is completely done and the finish paint color is completely dry, just glue on the gas cap fairings with Hysol right on top of the finished wing. Use weights to hold them down while the epoxy cures. I masked around the fairing outline first in order to easily remove the squeezed out Hysol without making a mess.

[desertfox1]

I have the molds and will run some for Debra next week. The fairings
are contoured to the airfoil and are indeed simple to install.

Phil

[DesertFox4]

The fairings do work, are easy to install and look good. The new contoured fairings are the way to go.

[Rooster]

jiott wrote,
"I have them and like the look of them."

Thanks guys and for all the installation tips too!

Anyone have any pictures of the contoured ones fitted?

Much appreciated.
Reid

[Rooster]

I don't mean to be a pain, but a thought just went flashing through my inhibited farming brain......

If the disturbed air is so much (3 inches on the trailing edge), would it not be similar to a set of stall strips on the leading edge in other aeroplanes, and should I install the gas cap fairing, I might end up with harsher wing drop characteristics in the stall? (tip stall with a bigger arm/moment).
I have a fairly docile staller in the plane without the fairings (can keep it sinking using rudder).

Am I splitting hairs??
Trying to be too clever?

Reid

[kmach]

They streamline the air flow behind the fuel caps thats all,

I noticed a smaller V fuel stain behind the fuel caps after than before the fairings.

There has to be a fair amount of turbulent air behind the fuel caps without the fairings.

I was doing some touch up painting at the 2 rib/ fuel tank area , so I decided to put the fairings on.

I scuffed the the area real rough , used structural epoxy, super fill, UV smooth prime,EP420 epoxy primer, then aerothane. Maybe overkill ? I was using most of these things on other areas anyways.