Geo6

[N95645]

Greetings all,

This is my first posting since joining a year ago after purchasing my '46 BC12D. I have been lucky enough to get 60 hours in her and that included getting snowed in for 3 1/2 months. Would like some advice as to what improvement, if any, would a set of wheel fairings do in reducing drag and improving my cruise speed. Of course this is for non- snow and mud seasons when they will have to be taken off. Thanking you in advance.

geo6

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Geo6

Hey Geo6!
Welcome!
Anyone with 60 hours in a Taylorcraft in one year has a lot to offer. Post more often than once a year

Wheel pants will add 4-5 miles per hour at the sacrifice of not having the tire to stand on when refueling over the wing.

[N95645]

Re: Geo6

Mark,
Thanks for the quick comeback. 4-5 mph seems like a good return as I was thinking that if it were 1-2 mph it wouldn't be worth it. I was checking out the fairings at Aircraft Spruce and they were half of what Wag-Aero wants for a pair. Also Wag has the installation hardware kit (not cheap) for them but Spruce's rep I spoke with on the phone said they didn't carry an installation kit at all. Oh well.
As for my flying- it is my therapy. I am lucky enough to keep the plane a little over a mile from the house from April to November so with even 20 minutes available I can get up. As for an increase in speed, well, even 5 more miles in an hour extends my reach with the time available, not that's why we own a T-craft...
GEO6

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Geo6

Geo6,

The mounts are not difficult to weld up. in the past, drawings have been posted here for these items. If you can't find a drawing, I can probably trace my set of wheel pant mounts for you and you can get them built fairly easily. It is a simple weldment.

This past year I happened to be working on a Taylorcraft which had a set of original metal wheel pants. These were in poor shape, but a local company was able to pull a beautiful set of molds from the originals. Doc had a set of fiberglass wheel pants made from the new molds. These obviously go as an owner produced part. If you are interested, you might PM Doc and see what a pair of wheel pants would run.

I can send photos of any of the parts you need if that helps.

[N95645]

Re: Geo6

Mark,

Again thanks for the comeback and advice. Yeah, I'd love to get what drawings or photos you have for fabricating the wheel fairing mounts. I think the fairings I am looking at are aluminum which should weigh less than fiberglass shouldn't they? I am not a small guy so I'd like to keep the weight down.
Can you pluck my email address up from the site or do I need to give it to you? I am currently website impaired here and learning the ropes.
BTW, from my perusals of the different discussions and threads that abound here, it seems most folks are experienced A&Ps or at least are builders. I am a first time owner and learning the ropes on that too but enjoying it. Even troubleshooting stuff. Even learned how to check ignition issues by spitting on my engine.
v/r and best,

GEO6

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Geo6

Geo6,
I can't get your personal e-mail from your profile. You can use the private message feature to send it if you like. (See in upper right corner of web page)

Hey, we were all new owners with zero experience once. My wife and bought our BC12-D in 1985 and although we were both pilots we had never owned a plane. The maintenance know-how developed over a long time, and it was much harder before the internet and web sites like this.

The fiberglass pants on Doc's workbench weigh less than their metal counterparts. The pants sold by Spruce et al are also fiberglass. I believe Wag Aero is the only company to have the actual T-craft pant shape for sale. Most vendors tout the Aeronca wheel pant as suitable for the Taylorcraft.

I'll try to take some good photos and post them for you.

[N95645]

Re: Geo6

Mark,

Screw it, by the time I figure out how to do that it will be next week. I told you I was website impaired. Here is my home email : [email protected].

I went to Barnstormers and looked at some Taylorcrafts for some ideas of what the fairings would look like and I saw a Black '38 T-Craft with what I think are the same style I was looking at in Aircraft Spruce. One of the reasons I am looking for a little more speed is that I seem to only be getting about 78-80 mph at 2150 rpm in the summer and on a cold day (less than 45F0 about 85 mph. IIRC, I have a Sensenich wood prop 72ck42. I think getting even 4 mph more will be nice.

v/r
Tim

[3Dreaming]

Re: Geo6

With my dads 41 I used to fly we did not see a big difference in speed with or without fairings. The fairings were original style, but made out of fiberglass. With the 42 inch pitch prop we would see between 95-97 mph turning 2300rpm. If you want to go faster push the throttle in a little farther.

[lfries]

Re: Geo6

I lost about 5mph went I went from a Metal Prop to a Wood Prop.

[N95645]

Re: Geo6

The wood prop came with it so I wouldn't know the diff at this point. Geez, you guys are scaring me...

[Robert Lees]

Re: Geo6

Don't be scared, Tim. <G>

Welcome to the tribe...we'll try to help you as best we can.

[N95645]

Re: Geo6

Ok, Mr Ambassador- Be not afraid! At least the vintage-looking wheel fairings will look cool.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Geo6

The local aero fabricator wants $550 per set to make wheel pants, and maybe a discount for a quantity order. This is a very good composite mfgr here, however, Wag Aero and others are asking less than $400 for acceptable wheel pants.

Wag also has a hardware mounting kit for the reasonable price of $119. You can make your own set from my drawings, but it will be tough cutting .090 steel in most of our personal garage-shops.

The yellow pant is a factory original smoothed with Bondo to make the mold. Note the chrome trim piece which covered the weld line. The blue pant is a new fiberglass fabrication. Very fine quality and very light. It will need some reinforcement added to make it stiff enough to suit me, but I will do that when we mount it.

[N95645]

Re: Geo6

Mark,

Thanks much as I saw your email this morning before heading to work but had no time to really respond with substance. I think I will pursue the Aircraft Spruce ones for a buck sixty three and the hardware from Wag. It'll be at least April before I can put 'em on anyway. As it is, the WX around here hasn't been conducive to good T-craft aviating.

v/r and best,

Tim