Interestingly, the owner of G-KIMM oiled his TP bearings. The excess oil
formed a nice dribble down the outside of the fuselage. After a flight there
were numerous streaks formed aftwards from the dribble. These streaks showed
disturbed flow close to the underside of the fus./TP junction, indicative of
the leakage and disruption that occurs through this gap, as one would
expect. I haven't heard that anyone came up with an effective way of sealing
this, and wouldn't expect to see it approved in the UK. Although merely
infilling the internal rebate on the root of the TP may discourage flow of
air through this gap; perhaps someone in the US could find out!
Duncan McF.
----- Original Message -----
From: <TELEDYNMCS@aol.com>
Subject: Europa-List: Drag Reduction
>
> In a message dated 11/29/2005 2:58:14 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> europa-list-digest@matronics.com writes:
>
>
>> So get rid of much of that drag; it need be only relative to
>> a big, even faired bump on the fuselage bottom, and stowed
>> outriggers but in a place where some wing lift suffers.
>> Like laminar flow wheel pants, if one has a way to trust the
>> fairing mfr's sales literature. With laminer flow, fairing
>> drag goes down something like 60%.
>>
>> I've seen a dozen or so flying Europas now and I've been very surprised
>> that
>> no one I've seen is installing flap gap seals and positive seals on the
>> ailerons, rudder and trim tabs. Stopping the pressure equalization
>> between the
>> upper and lower surfaces of the wings and stab, plus the left and right
>> side of
>> the rudder has been shown to significantly improve sailplane performance.
>> It's puzzling to me that more Europaphiles aren't using these techniques.
>>
>> On another note, my Sensenich hollow carbon prop arrived yesterday. All I
>> can say is "WOW". The quality is excellent! I'll let everybody know what
>> it
>> weighs shortly.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> John Lawton
>> Dunlap, TN
>> A-245 (Installing the prop today....)
>
>
>
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