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tailwheel fairing - worth it?

Redwagon

Active Member
I havent seen any data tied to a speed increase by installing a tailwheel fairing. The air is definitely 'dirty' down there, so not sure what it would yield in speed. I see plenty of them out there, so either they are providing a benefit or people just think they look cool....... :)

If there is a benefit....Assuming that I'd lose the ability to castor, I'd like to make one that I can take off and on without too much hassle and would love any references/ideas so I'm not reinventing the wheel.....err fairing.

Tim
 
Tim,

A couple of suggestions:

1. You probably will want to be able to remove the fairing for grass fields, etc.

2. The Vince Frazier tailwheel is the best setup for adapting the fairing.

Here's what I did and it works great. I had a fairing lying on the shelf since my construction days and recently I finally got around to installing it. I had heard that the Frazier tailwheel easily allows for the installation with full castering capability. I now can confirm that.

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The best system for removing the fairing is to have two tailwheels! You pretty much have to permanently glass the fairing to the tailwheel (or if you do build it such that you can remove the fairing, the paint will get scuffed each time you remove it). So, for me, the solution was to get another tailwheel so that I can easily choose with or without the fairing.

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Removing the fairing is very siimple. Just lift the tailwheel (I use a small padded bench under the tail spring area). Unscrew a couple of nuts (be careful not to lose your spring loaded centering cam!). Pull one shaft out, grease, put the other shaft in, reinstall a couple of nuts, you're done.

While I'm at it, I'll put a plug in for the Vince Frazier tailwheel; it is absolutely the best one out there (in my opinion), especially if you want to use the fairing.

Oh, and by the way, I got zero increase in my TAS runs, so just think aesthetics! OK, maybe half a knot, but not a measurable increase, for sure. :)
 
good input & nice matching paint!

I already have the Frazier style tailwheel (and I'm very happy with it) and very funny you should mention having two forks- one with and one without...I was already thinking that woul dbe a smart way to go.

Disappointing to hear no measurable speed/drag benefit.

Tim
 
Hey Pat,

that is a freakin sweet photo, is that in HDR?

You wouldn't happen to have a high res version of that available, my desktop could use a new wallpaper!
 
Rick,

Would you believe this is my wallpaper too? :)

Just tell me where I can send it or you can download it off my website below, whichever you prefer.

And, yes, it is HDR, glad you like it!
 
I already have the Frazier style tailwheel (and I'm very happy with it) and very funny you should mention having two forks- one with and one without...I was already thinking that woul dbe a smart way to go.

Disappointing to hear no measurable speed/drag benefit.

Tim

Tim,

We're really going to give Vince the business! There is a photo on his website which shows the inside of the fairing with the fork glassed in. I used this as a model for what I did. However, I mod'ed mine thinking I was going to reduce a little drag: the opening forward of the wheel is quite large, too large, so I glassed that area in all the way back nearly to where the forward edge of the tire is. This also makes the fairing much more visually appealing, although you really don't see it too well in the photo. One other thing, when you cut the hole for the fork shaft, be very carerul where you position the hole. You want to make sure that when the tailwheel casters, the tail doesn't rub on the ground. I have about 3/8" clearance on mine fully castered. Does this make sense?
 
thanks Pat

I found the photo on Vince's website, that looks like a great way to do it, if one has decided to have a fairing. I'm still looking for test data to justify the effort, but heck..........
Tim
 
Tim,

I'm certainly glad I did it now that it's done. Like you, my concern was about the castering ability, but here's a picture that shows the clearance with the tailwheel turned around backwards. It's real easy to misjudge the rake angle such that the tail will drag when turned around backwards. But not a big deal if you know about the issue beforehand.

Normal:

022pp.jpg


Backwards:

019pp.jpg


Clearance backwards is about a half inch. You can also see where I glassed the bottom front to close up the opening quite a bit.
 
Guys,

Thanks very much for the kind words. Sounds like I'd better get the next batch finished up!

Funny story... I've got a tailwheel fairing sitting on my bench, right in my way where I see it ALL the time, and I can't seem to find enough free time between flying and making tailwheels to put the darned thing on my plane. Oh well... someday....

BTW, those are great photos, and a nice paint scheme too!
 
Disappointing to hear no measurable speed/drag benefit.

My response when asked the same question is, that between the checkerboard paint scheme and the tailwheel fairing, the speed increase works out to about 8 KTS. :rolleyes:

That usually gets a chuckle out of 'em...:)
 
8 knots -no way!!!

My response when asked the same question is, that between the checkerboard paint scheme and the tailwheel fairing, the speed increase works out to about 8 KTS. :rolleyes:

That usually gets a chuckle out of 'em...:)


You told me 6, now that you've changed your story, I want to put one on mine:p.
 
I guess I will chime in on the Screaming Eagle tailwheel fork and the Vans fairing. First of all the Screaming Eagle tailwheel fork is top notch. The vans fairing does not come with directions. There was no noticeable speed gain, but it looks cool and is a good conversation piece. I fly regularly off a grass strip with the tail fairing. I get a lot of questions on how I installed the fairing. I didn't want the bolt or nut to come into contact with the fiberglass and I also wanted to use my towbar without marring the fiberglass. I riveted a 22ga (0.30") mild steel sheet to the inside of the fairing. I bought the 22ga steel from Home Depot aviation. AN4264 rivets were used to rivet the steel sheet to the inside of the fairing, placing the rivets to avoid the fork. A layer of fiberglass cloth was epoxied over the top of the flush head rivets. A 3/8 hole was drilled in the steel sheet for the bolt and the hole in the fiberglass fairing is 9/16 to clear the nut, bolt and towbar. I also had to fiberglass closed the forward part of the wheel opening
tailwheelfairing001.jpg

tailwheelfairing002.jpg

Approx size and location of the 22ga steel sheet. inside the fairing.
tailwheelfairing003.jpg

Cessna type towbar attached, doesn't contact fiberglass.
 
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Guys,

Thanks very much for the kind words. Sounds like I'd better get the next batch finished up!

Funny story... I've got a tailwheel fairing sitting on my bench, right in my way where I see it ALL the time, and I can't seem to find enough free time between flying and making tailwheels to put the darned thing on my plane. Oh well... someday....

BTW, those are great photos, and a nice paint scheme too!

G'day Vince,

Are these still available?

Regards,

Quentin
 
Yes, It is important to have a tailwheel fairing. Why? The wife wanted it! 😀. The fairing is a Vans part and the tailwheel fork that is mentioned is a Vince part.

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Brad,

Vans has the fairings and we have the rest.

Someday my glass guy will get the fairings done too. Just not enough hours in the day!

Vince
 
I think it's definitely worth it. I took the Vans fairing and modified it so that it would fully swivel. It was worth about 4 kts.

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I think it's definitely worth it. I took the Vans fairing and modified it so that it would fully swivel. It was worth about 4 kts.

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4 knots increase sounds massive for a tail wheel fairing. Almost to good to be true. Anybody able to second that?
I have an parts order at Van's ongoing anyway and thinking to add the tail wheel fairing to the list.

Kay
 
I'd be very surprised if 4 kts was the gain? I'd put one on my 8 in a flash if I knew it would make that much diff! Looks good though:)
 
dragging big springs and chains through the air. put a fairing on those too.
 
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it may be to good to be true

it may be too good to be true, but that's what I observed with the installation. Granted I didn't go out and put the airplane through a full series of speed runs to verify it. frankly I did the installation because I was given the part for free and I think it looks good. With that, the larger spinner, and hiding the exhaust stacks my cruise speed is around 146-150KIAS. I started at 135KTS.
 
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