Wing Tips

DiscoStu · #1 03-30-2008, 09:01 AM

Howdy,

I just ordered my -4 wings, and I'm a bit unsure what tips to go with. Vans has 3 models to choose from and LoPresti among others make tips as well. I'm looking for opinions specifically regarding net speed increase/decrease, roll rates/aileron feel, and build quality. Also, which ones can you get away with putting a useful landing light in (don't want to cut my wing open if I can help it). If anyone has flown their own airplane with different tips, please chime in!

Thanks!

Mel · #2 03-30-2008, 09:05 AM

I've flown pretty much all wing-tip styles and can't see any difference in flight characteristics or speed. Use whichever you like best. I personally like the original Hoerner style.

az_gila · #3 03-30-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel

I've flown pretty much all wing-tip styles and can't see any difference in flight characteristics or speed. Use whichever you like best. I personally like the original Hoerner style.

...and they might be cheaper to get "unused - second hand" from folks that went to the flashier later styles...

Ask around locally and perhaps order your -4 wing with no tips....

gil A

Bob Axsom · #4 03-30-2008, 12:28 PM

I built my RV-6A with the stock wing tips Mel describes (Hoerner) outboard of 9" wide tip tanks for normal travel. Landing lights, strobes and nav lights are contained in the space behind a lens in the tip. For racing I developed my own tips last year which is fairly easy to do. I made male molds out of wood using airfoil conforming plywood as the base for each mold. Then I used the lower curvature of the airfoil as the spanwise shape of the tips as seen from above (plan view). I sawed these out of 2X4s I bought from Lowe's and glued them to the plywood bases. I planed and sanded these to shape and layed up three layers of fiberglass on the molds (which were painted with polyurethane and coated with mold release wax). For racing I install these and have a wing span of 21.5 feet as apposed to my cruise span of 24.5 feet. The speed is 3 kts faster and the roll response difference is MUCH faster with my home grown tips.

[IMG][img=http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/5154/dvc00011cl5.th.jpg][/IMG]

Bob Axsom