[NSRCA-discussion] Wheel Pants Yes or No

[R. LIPRIE]

I use Wheel Pants ( I'm repainting mine after they got scratched alittle from concrete) but the only thing that I don't want to happen to me is landing on a grass strip and sucking the whole gear out of the bottom of the airplane.  I land very soft to. But its not easy to rebuild a airplane that is carbon fiber all around.  And I don't know if its really worth the risk.

Matthew Liprie
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Rcmaster199 at aol.com 
  To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org 
  Sent: Saturday, May 05, 2007 5:09 PM
  Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Wheel Pants Yes or No


  On full size planes they add considerable range to a tankful of gas. There's a small reduction in drag with them on models...BUT...SO WHAT?? We strive to achieve a constant speed model so a bit more drag is a good thing when one considers the powerplants we have available to us. 

  To me, wheels without pants on a model are similar to car's wheels without hubcaps. The look to me is Not aesthetically pleasing. On occasion I have had to resort to tossing the pants off my models also. Sometimes practicality wins. For example the baby Oxalys comes with pants that are just too heavy and large for the size of the model. Didn't feel like designing an appropriate set for mine and making a mold for a new set, SOOOO, the baby Oxalys will go without pants. In a matter of speaking....it will stay in diapers (VBG)

  MattK



  In a message dated 5/5/2007 9:29:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, gene.maurice at sgmservice.com writes:
    Empirical results. A 10lb 14 oz Eclipse flown for a few months with the wheel pants (3 oz.) on. I took them off for a contest to be flown off of grass. NO NOTICABLE TRIM DIFFERENCE. 

     

    Gene Maurice

     


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    From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Fred Huber
    Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 11:17 PM
    To: NSRCA Mailing List
    Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Wheel Pants Yes or No

     

    Wheel pants are an aerodynamic aid, reducing drag of the wheels a suprizing amount.  They also look cool. ;)

     

    The plane would be expected to need slightly different elevator trim if you delete the wheel pants.  because the issue is a difference in coeficient of drag of the wheel, the effect will be speed dependant.

     

    In essence you expect to need more up trim as the plane goes faster due to the landing gear not being retractable.  The wheel pants REDUCE the amount of trim change due to speed, but do not eliminate it.  

     

    Retracts with close fitting doors that completely cover the wheel wells (like a full scale P-51) virtually eliminates the landing gear drag, thus eliminating a source of speed related trim change.

     

    OK... there's the theory...

     

    Practicly speaking, wheel pants have weight (can be a factor in meeting weight limit) and they can be a royal pain to keep on straight.  Some models will trim out fine with or without the wheel pants.  Some the trim difference will be significant.






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