Hi Fred
I have been planning on making wing root fairings for quite some time.
An excellent $25 book by Kent Paser shows the fairings he put on his
Mustang II and they are not only simple but look like they could be
nicely done on a Europa. His story is amazing! Over 23 years he made
modification after modification and carefully documented the reasons and
results of them all. He achieved a 64 mph increase in speed and
illustrates what mods made how much of that! His discussion of cooling
drag is why I have added a cowl flap to my cowl.
You can get the book directly from Kent at: Paser Publications, 5672
West Chestnut Avenue, Littleton, CO 80128, USA.
Tom Friedland, Atascadero, CA, A 078, Mono, Jabiru, Airmaster
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Fred R.
Klein
Subject: Europa-List: Additional thoughts on wing root fairings
<fklein@orcasonline.com>
Gentlepeople,
After seeing the recent postings on problems of fitting the wing root
fairings...and after checking the archives for additional and broader
discussion...I would like to inquire as to whether or not anyone has
attempted to deal with the issue of interference drag between the
fuselage
and the wing of our proud bird beyond installation of the kit-supplied
fairings. (?)
Our little fairings...even when massaged to make a clean fit...leave me
envious of the sweeping curves of the wing fillet/fairings which are
showing
up in some of the new glass ships such as the Cirrus 20; to me they are
reminiscent of those on the Staggerwing and the Spitfire, and if memory
serves, the potential for significant drag reduction is there if one
were to
pay attention to the airflow around this critical intersection. Given
that
one of the fundemental rationales behind the design of the Europa is a
low
drag, sooo-smoothe, airframe lifted by a very sophisticated wing, is
this an
aspect of the design which deserves more thought?
Of course, I recognise that these other ships don't like to have their
wings
pulled off everyday, and in setting up production for a kitplane,
compromises are inevitable in the drive for controlling costs, assuring
durability and easy handling. And I understand that such mods would be a
no-no in the UK, and that significant expense would be involved in the
Company getting certification approval for such a mod.
Still, I can't help but believe that cruise speed and fuel economy could
be
significantly enhanced with the proper aerodynamic transition between
fuselage and wing. So I'm thinking about a really big fairing/fillet...I
want to see that trailing edge of the wing sweep aft along the fuselage
in a
quarter of an elipse with a half-major axis of say 30 inches and a
half-minor axis of say 24 inches, with a generous curvature between
fuselage
and wing.
My sense is that the technical problems relating to pulling the wings,
whether such a fairing be fixed to the fuselage or to the wing, and
allowing
for full-span flap extension are all solvable.
And I'm not an aerodynamicist, and probably know just enough to get
myself
in real trouble. I seem to recall that interference drag between
fuselage
and wing primarily builds up aft of the center of lift when there is no
gentle transition, but I may be completely off-base. Perhaps fairing the
leading edge is just as important...I do not know.
What I do know is that I would benefit emmensely if I knew whether or
not
others have looked into this issue and could learn what...if
anything...has
come of their enquiries.
Hopefully,
Fred Klein, A-194
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