In a message dated 11/24/2004 2:58:49 AM Eastern Standard Time,
europa-list-digest@matronics.com writes:
> Subject: Europa-List: Closing up
For the Tri gear builders, how have you closed the front opening on the
bottom
around the front wheel. I know the opening has to be big enough to
withstand a 2"
in the front gear but how have others closed it out to keep it from
being a "drag".
Al Stills'
N625AZ
Hi Al,
In my case I'm doing part of a little trick that Bob Berube told me about and
part what I've seen on production aircraft with cooling issues. I've put in a
removable bulkhead behind where the nosegear leg exits in the tunnel, angled
forward, negating the need for the stainless sheet on the front of the gear
frame. This will allow for more air to exit the engine compartment through the
hole in the belly where the nosegear leg exits and will hopefully lead to a
cooler engine if extended ground running is necessary, i.e., while waiting for
takeoff clearance, etc. Bob says they've employed this on several Europas that
have passed through Flight Crafters and have all but eliminated overheating
issues they face in sunny Florida.
Building on Bob's suggestion, my plan is to fabricate a cowl flap to cover
the hole where the nosegear leg exits. This will be hinged on the front edge and
controlled by a cable and knob in the cockpit. This way I'll be able to open
the flap on the ground when additional cooling flow is needed and close it in
flight to reduce the drag. I'll probably make an oval shaped hole in the flap
to allow room for the gear leg to move around and for the flap to open and
close without hitting the gear leg. The plan is to use Lycra to close off the
area between the gear leg and the hole in the cowl flap as neatly as possible to
clean it up even further.
I'm about to start on the cowl flap, so I'll let you know how it goes.
Regards,
John Lawton
Dunlap, TN
A-245 (Wet sanding my bottom (fuselage, that is))
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