Wheel pants

Can anyone advise if is permissible to fly a RV 6A with the wheel pants off as I have heard the wheel pants should be left on.
Fleet

I have flown mine with them off with no problem.

I am flying an RV9A and I am removing them for winter season. Flew without wheel fairings all the way to Alaska and back. Speed penalty vs reducing the risk on unimproved surfaces was worth it.


At Cordova CKU





Dry Bay AK3

Fleet said:

Can anyone advise if is permissible to fly a RV 6A with the wheel pants off as I have heard the wheel pants should be left on.
Fleet

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The factory recommendation is that you not fly without the nose wheel fairing as an extra precaution for protecting the nose gear.
For the main wheels it doesn't matter, but it is 50/50 either way.
Removing them protects them. Leaving them on risks damaging them but helps protect the rest of the airplane (particularly the bottom of the flaps and the Horz. stab. leading edge) from rocks and gravel, etc.

Wheel Pant Removal

I would rather repair my wheel pants than my horizontal stab. YMMV

PROS & cons

Here's my list; I'm no bush pilot, just my $.02

PRO - leave on
speed & flight characterstics unchanged
keeps belly & wing clean & stab protected
nosepant keeps wheel aligned
slight protection from digging in to snow or soft ground
deicer chemicals not slung onto aircraft

CONs - slush can build inside pant...weight and possible wheel lock
- difficult to inspect or add air

PROS - all off
slush has fewer collection spots, (but still a few.)
easy to inspect, add air as temps drop

cons - nose wheel exposed, may not trail as well, may collect snow

rvbuilder2002 said:

The factory recommendation is that you not fly without the nose wheel fairing as an extra precaution for protecting the nose gear.

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What would the nose gear fairing protect the nose gear from?

Bevan

...hmmmmm...

.....direct insect impact?