wing tip fairing inversion

[Ultralights]

AS im sure most know on here, i have a sadler vampire.

 

though today i have discovered a small problem with storage, the aircraft is just 2 inches wider than my garage door!

 

 

now i got to thinking, the Vampire has a Symmetrical airfoil shape, and drooped wing tip fairings, as seen here

 

 

my question is..

 

Can the wingtip fairings be swapped sides so that the tips sweep Up instead of down? i am assuming they will look similar to the wingtip of the Cheetah Joey 2 or super diamond.

 

will this create any aerodynamic changes? or improvements?

 

if the tips are reversed then they will point inward creating enough clearance to get through the doors, and also reduce the chances of damage while its on the roads.

 

 

[Guest Teenie2]

You might have legal probs ,depending on the rego 19 = OK 25=

 

 

[Guest TOSGcentral]

Teenie2 is quite right - the aircraft is 95.25 and should not be tampered with except under a CAR35 Engineering Order.

 

The various shaped wing tip designs are primarily there to provide some control to induced drag. But they are DESIGNED for their individual type wings and what works one way may give you a nasty surprise the other way - even if it does fit!

 

On top of that I would VERY much suggest you do not tamper with the Vampire! My experience with them is limited to an extensive airframe inspection and some attempted test flying. That session (which spread over several weeks) was depressing to say the least!

 

I am not knocking your type (I did help out quite a bit on the joint USA/Oz Vampire owners forum) but while the Vampire is an exciting looking aircraft it is very much a styling exercise rather than a real design.

 

The undercarriage design is a bloody disaster (that cripples any sensible test flying procedure); this is not helped by the totally cocked-up tailplane design that requires a massive elevator to work at all (eventually) and they stuffed up the interference drag with the fins and there are possible issues with the longditudinal alignment of the tailplane re the engine prop wash. In addition there were serious question marks on the wing/boom joints on the SV1 that were strengthened on the SV2. One fell to bits in the air in the States (not sure which type) and killed the pilot.

 

Like I said - I am not knocking the type - they apparently work OK if you know you have a workable one - but I repeat, this is NOT a type you mess about with. Leave it as is and take a saw to your garage doors!

 

Tony

 

 

[facthunter]

Getting it in

 

Try some small (ramped at one side) dollies under your wheels angled at about 60 degrees and push it into your shed sideways. (need a concrete floor) N..

 

 

[slartibartfast]

Got to agree. Don't play with it.

 

I knew a guy who thought it would be cool to cut holes in the sail of his hang-glider to put the cross member over the leading edge to create anhedral where there used to be dihedral.

 

Then tested it from a 900' hill.

 

He didn't survive the out of control flight.

 

Here's what we use dolly-wise.

 

Great for getting it in the hangar sideways.

 

[ATTACH]1346[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

[Ultralights]

i know where i stand with the 25 rego, requires engineering authorities. as for the garage, i am currently renting, so cutting the door is not an option, but fortunatly i have some reasonably priced hangarage nearby for 2 week, the BEA systems hangar sharing with a few F18's, till i can finish a few repairs.

 

the only modifications i have done is move the radio mount, and replace Nylock nuts with self locking nuts. on the flight control linkages and prop mounting bolts.

 

as for the design, i have always loved it, but i have to agree, the U/C is a disaster, especially being so far AFT of the CofG, you have to reef it off the runway, and landing, you have to get the stick back as soon as possible once the mains touch to stop the nose thumping down, and doing more damage to the nosewheel assy.

 

as a result of the constant hard landing the nosewheel takes, the only mod i would seriously consider engineering is an access hatch, or a removable nose section of the pod to allow access to the nose gear and rudder assy for inspections and repairs.

 

last week on the second landing the nose wheel /rudder pedal link rod failed, resulting in a sever shimmy that destroyed the nosewheel fairing, and the aircraft ran onto the grass beside the strip, as a result of the lack of steering.

 

during the flyin at wollongong, (i will be flying in if possible if my asic arrives) i will visit the factory and see what wheels have to turn or be greased to get an access mod to the nose wheel assy approved. it is an areai would like to be able to inspect before every flight..

 

 

[Guest Nomad]

Can you modify the trailer so the wings are on the other way around? That way the tips will point inwards, and you don't have to worry about modifying rented property or altering the plane.

 

 

[Guest landman]

I put my 26 ft Savannah adv through a 23ft door. I put a skate under each wheel and push it sideways. The nose on the savannah only weighs a few pounds so I lift by the prop and push the skate under with my foot. The side wheels are pretty heavy and I use a floor jack to lift them the one inch necessary to get on the skate. It works really well. How do you get up on your sled? I would have a hell of a time trying to push my savannah up that high by myself and it only weighs 650#

 

 

[Guest TOSGcentral]

Ultralights is a bit stuck on the points raised above.

 

First the Vamp is a lot longer with it's wings folded than it is wide so a sidewinder trolly is not an optiion. Facthunter's suggestion for angling the aircraft on it's trailer (or making an angled dolly) is probably the only workable one.

 

Secondly - reversing the wings on the trailer is not really a practical option. The Vamp has folding wings that remain attached. Getting them entirely off is a helluva job.

 

Tony

 

 

[Ultralights]

well the problem of storage has almost been solved, i have secured a spot at Cesnock airport, and it will be arriving there tomorrow (friday) afternoon...

 

fortunatly, the aircraft and trailer are just 25MM under the width requiring a wide load sign and permit here in NSW.