Re: REFLECTOR: Canard Well

["James F. Agnew" <Jim_Agnew@ibm.net>]

Alan Shaw wrote:
> 
> Rene' Dugas wrote:
> 
> > Dear Folks,
> > What is the deal with the canard well?  I'm attaching the elevators
> > now(actually yesterday).  Why would we want a well at all?  Why not a
> > glass shelf to cover the big well constructed to not interfere with the
> > hinges of course?  If not fiberglass the flexible teflon sheating
> > reinforced to prevent air flow into the well.
> 
> You are describing the gap seal again.  I thought I put that to bed when I
> explained that's how we got the test plane to deep stall  TOO EASY.
> 
> >  Do we not aspire to
> > laminar flow here too?
> 
> That's always gone after the widest point anyway.
> 
> >   I do not understand why we want air to go into
> > this well.  HELP me aerodynamically.
> 
> When we slow down and put the elevator down then air goes through the gap
> and over the top of the elevators providing the type of lift and pitch
> control that we need.
> 
> >   I potted my elevators a tad too deep so i'll be
> > sanding off part of my top overlap
> 
> If you cut that any more your gap may become to big at neutral.
> 
> > I'm also planning a fuel cut off valve (on and OFF) near the pilot from
> > the sump to valve to gascolator on firewall.  Any suggestions.
> 
> Yes, don't bother.   Fuel shut off valves are for problems with fires when
> your engine is on the front.  With a rear engine problems associated with
> all that extra plumbing or the valve or the people using the valve (and the
> airplane) are far far more likely to get you hurt than by not having a shut
> of at all.  Planes frequently crash because the fuel valve is in the wrong
> position...if there is not one then it is always in the "right" position.
> 
> This seems to be another thing like the human appendix that airplanes have
> picked up.  It might just get infected some day an need some fast hot cajun
> surgery.   The Velocity has it's own special "appendix".....that is
> something it was born with, that does it no good, but can cause a lot of
> problems especially when your bird first gets kicked out of the nest.
> Any guesses as to what it is?
> 
> Alan Shaw


Alan, I don't know how I can have the valve in the wrong position, its
on or off.  If the valve is off the engine isn't running.  To shut it
off you must first raise the switch protector cover and then throw the
switch which then turns on a red flashing light to let you know that you
just shut off your fuel.  If you have an engine fire there is no was to
stop the windmilling prop from continuing to pump fuel into the engine
compartment.  With the Franklin it is worse since the carb is so low
that the fuel will just run out by gravity.

Jim
-- 
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// James F. Agnew
// Tampa, FL
// Velocity 173 FG Elite ( http://www.VelocityAircraft.com/ ) under
construction