Jabiru Winglets

[Jabiru Phil]

I was planning to stop and perhaps buy some Jabiru winglets from Mike Sharples ( Avocet) on my way past Hawker in 2 weeks.But he didn't respond to a message and now I'm worried he might have gone. Does anybody know?

Hi Bruce,

 

I spoke to Mike tonight, he hasn't been doing much flying lately.

 

He didn't receive an email but could have been a pm which he missed.

 

PHIL.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Thanks Phil.

 

Pylon, you may be right but not for sure. Aileron fences are small and may just appear as a source of drag in the misaligned airflow.

 

My understanding is that they were put on to satisfy the Europeans, and if aileron fences could have done the job then they would have been cheaper.

 

I still want to see some tuft test pictures. Maybe one day I'll do this myself, but I'm busy with the CHT/EGT business for now.

 

 

[Keenaviator]

Thanks Phil.Pylon, you may be right but not for sure. Aileron fences are small and may just appear as a source of drag in the misaligned airflow.

My understanding is that they were put on to satisfy the Europeans, and if aileron fences could have done the job then they would have been cheaper.

 

I still want to see some tuft test pictures. Maybe one day I'll do this myself, but I'm busy with the CHT/EGT business for now.

I'm pretty sure the winglets are purely for show.

A mate with an SP500T fitted aileron fences by attaching them to the wingtip next to the aileron - says they liven up the aileron response particualarly at low speed.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

This all proves to me just how hard it is to measure things like a 2 knot speed increase or a handling improvement.

 

My Jabiru is so old it has rounded trailing-edges on the struts. There is at least a 1cm wide separation at the rear of these struts. you can see this if they are a dusty and you fly through just a bit of rain.

 

It was claimed that putting a sharp trailing edge on these struts was worth 3 knots, and this might well be true but I can't really see this now I've done the job.

 

That's another way of seeing airflow: you run a tiny tube out near the wingtip and inject some colored liquid out. It will leave a track, and the track will end at any separation. I don't know if water or oil works best.

 

 

[Soleair]

I've also seen very thin grease or thick oil spread over the area before flying. Airflow shows up as patterns on the surface after flight.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

The only problem with the "before flight" thing is that the pattern might change with the different parts of the flight, and you will get a cleaner picture if you just do it at cruise.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

The only problem with the "before flight" thing is that the pattern might change with the different parts of the flight, and you will get a cleaner picture if you just do it at cruise.

...which is why we're better off with wool tufting and a fixed GoPro or similar.

 

 

[facthunter]

It's all interesting but you are not designing the plane, and are unlikely to modify it's original characteristics much, unless you do something pretty radical. Understand what you have and it's limits and don't go too close to them, and push your luck. Nev

 

 

[gandalph]

This is a bit of a worrying development.Performance is nice, but looking good is more important?

Just ask any woman.....

 

 

[facthunter]

Somebody told me they all look good through the bottom of a beer glass. Nev