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Thread: Speed mods

  1. #11
    wadeg's Avatar
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    Jun 2008
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    Oreegun
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    93

    Default

    This is one cool thread!
    All the things I wanna do with my plane are running through my head.
    At the top of the list right now are:
    1. gas cap fairing
    2. lift strut tip fairings.
    3. 'cleaner' jury struts
    4. horz stab strut 'cleaning'
    5. tailwheel spring root fairing
    6. add 'clip on' fairing to the interior flat-reared portion of the lift struts
    7. 'cleaning' of landing gear.

    Have not gotten myself to the wheelpant idea yet....

    A little update: Flew 3 hours today. This plane is just a kick in the pants! No problems arising. Did some power off stalls and with one notch of flaps it's breaking right about 43mph IAS. Find I enjoy flying it around at 4800rpm. The engine is nice and smooth and I can cruise at 109 IAS. Got some landing practice as I have found that for some reason I roll into a flare much higher in the KF than in my Aeronca 11. Have trained my peripheral vision to 'see' the left wheel's height. Got a few great landings in....the kind on grass when you just kiss the wheels on in a 3 point and the tufts of grass tease the wheels as you hit. Can't say enough about how great this plane flies. The one thing that has presented a challenge is getting it to slow down to about 65 on approach. Feels like I am trying to get a boat onto a particular spot on the 'step' but once there, it settles into the approach/descent rate nicely.

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Cypress, TX
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    56

    Default How does Cessna do the vents?

    Cessna's have flush fuel caps. Anybody know how the vents work?

    There were some RV guys a few years ago who did their vents with a loop of tubing in the wing root, instead of the usual big loop running up and down in the fuse. Seemed to work, though I never could figure out how, since RV's have a lot of dihedral and the root is obviously the low point.

  3. #13
    Administrator RandyL's Avatar
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    Mar 2008
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    Woodinville, WA
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    I almost used that method on my RV-3. It works but does puke a bit more fuel than the standard fuselage high-point design.

    As much as I hate fiberglass work I'll probably try to make some sort of fairing that attaches to the fuel cap and includes the vent. The first thing I'd do it try to lower the vent, any reason it needs to stand up as far as it does? If an enterprising individual wanted to make a mold for such a fairing I'm sure one could sell enough copies to make it worthwhile. Now that Steve has described the way the cap destroys the airflow in a triangle back on the rest of the wing I'll never get that image out of my head and be compelled to do something.
    Randy Lervold
    TeamKitfox.com Admin Emeritus
    Day job: www.dynonavionics.com

  4. #14
    desertfox1's Avatar
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    Sep 2008
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    Gilbert, AZ
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    113

    Default Fuel Cap Fairings

    I'm the guy that designed and formed many, many fairings sold by
    Murle Williams. John McBean just recently designed a new fairing
    that I like better then mine. It also has a better surface for mounting.
    The master is being tooled now, parts available in about a month.
    He is also working on strut to wing fairings, I haven't seen the
    masters yet. I am interested in your comment about the vent
    fairing, I've seen them faired with foam and glass. I just chrome
    mine, everyone knows chrome is fast.

    Papa

  5. #15
    Administrator RandyL's Avatar
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    Mar 2008
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    Woodinville, WA
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    Default

    Papa, glad to hear there are some fairings in the works, I'll check with John. Didn't know you were such a speed merchant, glad to hear it!

    John, if you see this please update is as to what you have in the works!
    Randy Lervold
    TeamKitfox.com Admin Emeritus
    Day job: www.dynonavionics.com

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