REFLECTOR: NO DOORS

[Ron Brown]

I flew my 40 hours off without the main gear doors being installed.  When I 
installed them I could not tell any difference in noise level, drag, or 
cruise speeds.

But I like em!!!!

Ronnie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Derrick" <scott at tnstaafl.net>
To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 11:03 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: NO DOORS


> How are you sealing out the wind and noise, sans main gear doors?
>
> Mine makes a roar when I let the gear down.  Not to mention the 
> accompanying breeze from the open main wheel wells.
>
>
> Scott
>
> Tom Martino wrote:
>
>> In my flight testing ... I have found absolutely no significant 
>> difference in speeds with my main gear doors on or off.  They may look 
>> nice while flying (but who the hell sees them?) ... and we might be sold 
>> on the idea that we need to be cleaner to increase speed ... but it 
>> simply did not happen with me!  I have hard and fast testing to prove it. 
>> The most difference I've seen is one knot!  I'd rather have higher gear 
>> extension speeds that an extra knot!
>>  So I have another CRAZY idea.  Please hear me out before sending the 
>> mental health authorities to my rescue.
>>  My nose gear doors have been an absolute pain in the ass.  I have 
>> converted to the "mechanical door closer" with much success ... but they 
>> are still a potential problem area -- especially with "free falling" the 
>> gear in a hydraulic dump situation.  Without going into much detail ... 
>> spring tension and door "arms" have to be in perfect harmony for the 
>> system to consistently work well -- no matter what door closing system 
>> you use.
>>  So my radical thought it this:  In the ultimate quest to keep things 
>> simple ... why not do away with nose doors completely?  Mold some farings 
>> in front ("V" shape) and along the sides (fins) of the nose gear opening 
>> to direct air flow around the opening (like some pick up trucks are now 
>> doing to cut down drag in pickup beds, and what some "funny cars" do in 
>> order to have unusual body styles, yet be aerodynamic).
>>  You could also place a rubberized plastic "slotted" cover just inside 
>> the opening that the gear could easily pass through. Please think it 
>> through, a buddy of mine who has computer simulations of drag 
>> coefficients ran a mockup and believes you could cut down 90% of the drag 
>> with this configuration.
>>  OK, call me nuts ... but please give me other feedback as well!
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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