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NLF 0414(f) on a lancair

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gschuld

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 9, 2007
Messages
438
Location
Toms River, New Jersey
So lets say that someone aquired an early untouched Lancair 200/235 kit. And he wanted to gear the plane from the get go for competition but preferably without completely destroying it's real world capabilities. By competition I mean some sport air racing events, Airventure, possibly some attempts at some mid distance records in the C1-A weight class.
Miked.jpg


Klaus Savier currently has arguably the fastest 0-200 powered two place around. He has flown his highly modified Vari EZE to an over 250mph average at the AirVenture race. His Vari EZE turns a (LSE composite) 64x68 two blade prop. That's a lot of prop for an 0-200. According to what I have read, his motor has not been substancially altered internally(he does not turn high rpms) but he certainly has done a lot ignition wise to help with efficiency.


Anyway, lets assume that an 0-200 engine with roughly identical specs and power output was to be put into a to be built Lancair 200 kit. Reportedly, the Lancair 200 was capable of 193mph in cruise and believe around 215mph flat out with a dead stock 0-200 and stock 0-200 powered unmodified Vari EZE canards have been reported to be capable of 180mph cruise, 205 flat out.
Note: These performance specs appear to vary quite a bit depending on who's plane is being discussed.

The stock wings on the Lancair are of the NLF -0215(f) variety. This airfoil has found its way into a number of successful kit aircraft, including nearly all the other Lancairs. If searching for uncompromizing speed though, the NFL -0414(f) with it's 70% laminar flow would seem to present a good opportunity for improvement. Even though the airfoil has been around for quite a while, even the Nemesis NXT planes use only a (reportedly)sightly modified (decambered) 0414(f). Though Bruce Carmichael has written more than once that the 0414(f) could be viable airfoil for an everyday use type of fast glass plane, in practice it is almost never seen on a plane other that a pure racer. The Cirrus VK-30 used the airfoil, but it also used a complicated fowler flap/cruise flap combination along with it. According to the published articles on the Cirrus VK-30, with the cruise flaps reflexed about 5 degrees or so in cruise, the overall drag reduction was significant. Coincidently, the modification of the 0414(f) for the NXT planes included a slight decambering of the airfoil. Which sounds a whole lot like effectively building a slight "reflexed cruise flap" into it from the beginning.

So I guess what I am getting at is what the likely performance difference would be if one switched from a 0215(f) to a 0414(f) on a 0-200 powered Lancair racer. I'm not talking about complexity of construction or issues related to such a drastically different airfoil building wise. Obviously not a stitch of the original wings could be used. Not talking about the engineering issues either, this is strictly for THOERY between the airfoil shapes.

Could a 0414(f) winged Lancair be tamed to a reasonable degree in the stall, landing speed area? Bruce Carmichael's articles suggest that a 0414(f) equipped with a cruise flap can substancially improve the lift characteristics at low speed while their drooped, and really reduce drag at cruising speed with them reflexed up a bit as the setup on the VK-30 incorporated.

Any thoughts?
 
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