Fred
There were (TWO) tri- gears that day. One mono wheel, one mono wheel with
the glider wings. All I was saying was all four a/c were in same airspace
at same time, same speed. When tanks were topped off each tri- gear
took approx. 2 gal more that the mono wheel.
We were using a 172 as the camera ship. We were all flying about 120 mph.
Jim Brown
Fred Fillinger wrote:
>
> <acrojim@cfl.rr.com>
> > ...
> > We were in the air over two hours with all four planes and
> the camera ship.
> >
> > After landing all four planes were refueled. The two
> tri-gear's took
> > over two gallons each, more fuel than my mono wheel.
>
> > The tri-geared just simply burned more fuel.
>
> I believe all we demonstrated here was a drag penalty for
> that particular tri-gear. If such speed penalty is say 7%,
> then that will take about 20% more fuel to keep up with the
> faster aircraft. IOW, a mono at 75% power flying abreast a
> trigear at 95% power. There may have also been aerodynamic
> build variations between the two planes having nothing to do
> with the gear legs, one of which is further fighting the
> prop.
>
> Reg,
> Fred F.
>
|