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Platyius

Member
I am wondering if anybody with wheel pants on their RV-12 can comment on any change to handling characteristics after fitting the pants. I am interested in the change to the stall and particularly to the side-slipping abilities as I like to use side-slipping on late final to steepen my approach in some landings.
I feel I need to fit wheel pants as I have had some stone damage to the horizontal stab while operating off a gravel strip which appear to be thrown up from the main wheels and think wheel pants may help.

Tony
 
No real difference in before and after stalls with wheel pants that I noticed. I slip fairly agressively if I need to loose altitud with no ill effects at all. The -12 is a docile RV.

If you are having "long finals" to get rid of altitude you may try adjusting the idle lower so you can pull the throttle back to a lower power settling on final. It may not idle well on the ground (just keep the throttle off idle on the ground) but in the air there is much lower power at idle and the engine still runs smooth. Final approach decent angles are much more "normal" around 500' per min.

Shut downs are much easier (no kick backs) with the idle set lower. Pull the throttle back to idle and as the engine is "falling", turn off one mag, then the other in a nice smooth order.
 
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Ditto! Be prepared to break a few taps trying to get thru the hardened steel of the nose wheel leg.
 
The only difference I noticed is that it takes a bit more diligence to keep the approach speed at 65 kts when descending in the pattern. The pants make it slicker and it doesn't like to slow down. Not a bad thing.
 
3M and probably other companies make a clear film that adheres to items subject to that sort of damage. It's often seen on new cars, and is sometimes available as a new-car option for hoods and fenders.

It ought to be suitable for protecting the stabilator, but you'd need to make sure that the balance was maintained.

Perhaps the common chafe tape would be similar, like 76445A726 at www.McMaster.com. This comes in different thicknesses and widths.
 
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