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----- Original Message -----
From: <beecho@beecho.org>
Subject: RE: Europa-List: Additional thoughts on wing root fairings
>
> 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
> To: europa-list@matronics.com
> 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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