crabandy

Well Known Member
I'm planning on remaking my intersection fairings and would like to tweak the shape/mounting slightly. I've got the mounting figured out but would like some pointers on shape.
I had quite a bit of oil running everywhere during the 0 G testing, looked like the airflow was good except for the trailing edge of my upper intersection fairings. I'm thinking I need to enlarge the trailing edge radius but not sure how much. Also I'm thinking about trying to shrink the front radius. Ideas?
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Hey Andy,
I may not be much help as your fairing looks like a good start. The only thing I might add is that I learned from sailing that a keel needed to have a fairly sharp flat trailing edge. Not blunt or rounded. Kinda goes against logic as my first new set of Hobie rudders I spent time making them sharp until I found out this was a no-no. Instead used a file to file the back flat. Seems like that would be hard to carry up into the larger part of the fairing.
 
Hey Andy,
I may not be much help as your fairing looks like a good start. The only thing I might add is that I learned from sailing that a keel needed to have a fairly sharp flat trailing edge. Not blunt or rounded. Kinda goes against logic as my first new set of Hobie rudders I spent time making them sharp until I found out this was a no-no. Instead used a file to file the back flat. Seems like that would be hard to carry up into the larger part of the fairing.

Yeah, first set was a good start but I think I can do better. As for the trailing edge, you think the curved radius trailing edge of the fairing is fine but to "flatten" the trailing edge with a file to about 1/8 inch?
 
When I made these I basically tried to mimic what I've seen on other RV's.

I cut a shape for the trailing edge out of .063 aluminum and taped it into position behind the trailing edge of the leg fairing.
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Smushed clay around it and rolled a shape into it with various round objects.
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I originally split the upper intersection fairings along the trailing edge, but on the next set I would like to split them parallel with the gear leg fairing on the underneath side. Kinda like I did with the lower intersection fairings.
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Any tips/ideas on making my second set are appreciated, hoping to have a better plan besides "Here Goes Nothing!"