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  1. Will Aldridge

    Optimizing fairings for local airflow

    Well just for grins I drew a Helix on my cad model of the path of my prop tip (72" diamter) traveling 100 mph at 2800 rpm. I imagine the relative wind would straighten the airflow out to some degree but still looks like some potential for optimization although looking at that image I would guess...
  2. Will Aldridge

    Optimizing fairings for local airflow

    I guess the FAA has it wrong then since the attached image came from an FAA handbook. The prop slipstream spirals around the fuselage and impacts one side of the vertical tail (1 factor of the left turning tendencies inherent in prop driven aircraft).
  3. Will Aldridge

    Optimizing fairings for local airflow

    I don't see how it's really any different than the way things are already done. The wing and tail incidence are set to be most efficient at a certain airspeed, likewise the AoA of fairings is ideally set to be 0 at cruise speed. It may well be that the performance gains are too small to justify...
  4. Will Aldridge

    Optimizing fairings for local airflow

    In another thread Pops mentioned that he faired the gear legs and cabane on one of his aircraft but did not realize any speed increase. I've been thinking about this for awhile and wondering why that might be. I'm hoping one of you with a flying aircraft might be willing to test my hypothesis...
  5. Will Aldridge

    My foam cutter

    It's been close to 10 years so I might remember wrong but I think I bought the electrical "kit" from ACS, but as you can see the heat control is just a dimmer switch. Not sure what the other electrical doohickey is called.
  6. Will Aldridge

    Full Vinyl wrap?

    Like I said the details are fuzzy. The gentleman who related the story was near retirement and quite experienced, so that lends credibility. Also that particular aircraft if I remember correctly was one he worked on before coming to that company so possibly a small operation with just the one...
  7. Will Aldridge

    Full Vinyl wrap?

    I have a question. Have any of you heard about vinyl wrap causing issues with radios/avionics? About 6 years ago I worked for an air ambulance outfit in Alaska and one day the avionics guy told me how a plane was having issues with either the radio or something to do with the avionics. It's...
  8. Will Aldridge

    Build supplies under the clouds

    I just recently received some 5052 aluminum sheet for the new fuel tanks I'm building. Their automated system quoted shipping at $170 (by truck). I had the sheet cut up into pieces that fit in a 4' x 2' box and shipping ended up being about $50. Just make sure you fill out the special...
  9. Will Aldridge

    Compression member location?

    Funny thing you can ponder a question for a couple weeks, then ask someone else and have the answer occur just as, or very shortly after you ask it. I came to the same conclusion as TFF. That piece of structure has more to do when the wing isn't bolted to the fuselage.
  10. Will Aldridge

    Compression member location?

    I've been comparing Avid/kitfox (tube spar) wings with SuperCub wings (extruded aluminum I-beam) and have a question, hopefully I won't get roasted too bad for asking. I noticed that kitfox wings don't use compression members. My assumption is that is due to the tube spars being strong enough in...
  11. Will Aldridge

    BMW conversion,

    I'm not an electrical engineer so honestly don't know the ins and outs of what this means, but when BMW went from the R1150 to the R1200 they made it a CAN bus control system that makes it unsuitable for aircraft as a single fault is enough to shut everything down. Not what you want in an...
  12. Will Aldridge

    Kitfox fuel system questions

    An Avid owner/ pilot just posted this on Facebook: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yE-2b3Ue8q75Yl-niMERzXNU6nZ6yGRt/view?usp=drivesdk It's good thoughts on how to set up a fuel system with 2 wing tanks and a header tank (highwing aircraft). At minimum good for a debate.
  13. Will Aldridge

    BMW R1150

    In the attached catalog page 12 has the exhaust system. I can't use their muffler with my setup so I would only be interested in the header pipes, but not sure if they would sell them separately. Page 17 I think is the intake/ cooling plenums. I looked up the French word "ecopes" which means...
  14. Will Aldridge

    BMW R1150

    It's an Airtrikes SPG-4 gearbox with about a 3:1 ratio.
  15. Will Aldridge

    BMW R1150

    Thanks I'll look and see if I can find part numbers. I found them last year but will have to find them again.
  16. Will Aldridge

    BMW R1150

    I did purchase the wiring harness from Takeoff. Prop is a Luga 72"
  17. Will Aldridge

    BMW R1150

    I'm working on a BMW R1200 conversion for my kitfox. I sent a email to Ventura asking about buying some components but never got a response. I'm most interested in their intake plenums and exhaust headers. I'm thinking that it would be advantageous to find a French speaker preferably in...
  18. Will Aldridge

    The A-4 Skyhawk

    First thing I would do is superimpose a BD 5J side view over the skyhawk side view and compare. That would at least give you an idea of how the proportions match up.
  19. Will Aldridge

    The AFB (Amazing FleaBike)

    Well this outfit is in America but they cater largely to off road type vehicles so I'm guessing there is a similar company in Oz. But you could get a 12 inch diameter tank of probably whatever length you choose to sit vertically in your fuselage with the cap sticking out the top...
  20. Will Aldridge

    Looking for Carlson spar fittings

    Yeah that's what I'm after.
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