What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Micro VG installation

I put them on my 7A and saw very little difference in stall speed. I would not do it again.
They were not a negative, only money spent that was a waste.
Dave
 
I dont know what the bugs are like down in FLA but I would not want to clean around VG?s up here. A wipe down of the wings is a standard post flight routine here in the summer months. From the research i?ve Done I have not found them to be real noticeable, like on a skywagon, Maule or supercub...
 
The builder of my RV-8 installed VGs, tested, and decided to remove them. He then installed the wing root strakes (which are still installed).
 
You can make your own vortex generators and install them with double sticky carpet tape. I made 4 "Hall" type V-Gs and put them in front of the ailerons (2 ea) on my T-18. It had a profound effect on aileron control in stalls. They did not effect stall speed or top speed (that I could tell) but I didn't expect them to.
My RV-8 does not have V-Gs nor strakes. I did compete one season in IAC aerobatics, Sportsman Class. I don't see a need for them on the -8.
I don't see a down side, except washing the wing or snagging a finger.
VG's are fun to play with, then you can take them off and say "Been There Done That".
Might be a different story on a different aircraft type.
http://aircraftproducts.wicksaircra...ors-vortelators/hall-vortex-generator-kit/vtx
http://www.hallwindmeter.com/vortex.php
 
Last edited:
Rocket VG's

I have them on my Harmon Rocket, and like them. I bought the plane that way, so I can't tell you what a difference they made in that plane, but I can tell you that I can easily land the heavier shorter wing rocket shorter than the RV-4 I owned before it that didn't have the VG's.

The builder says that the VG's also dampen out the tail waggle that happens in turbulence, and the Rocket is more stable in yaw than the RV-4. Is it because of the VG's? Don't know, but I'm not taking them off.
 
Results seem to vary with aircraft, and especially installation location.
MicroAero does rather extensive testing for certified aircraft applications, here in the experimental world, it might take several positioning iterations to achieve meaningful results. I've got them on my Luscombe, where they reduced my indicated stall speed about 10%; reduced my approach speed accordingly.
Very popular on twins, where they reduce Vmc, and often allow a gross weight increase. Standard equipment, I believe, on the Piper M-series (Meridian/Mirage/Malibu).
I plan to install them on my RV-4 project.

Doug
Seattle area
 
Our 7 is fitted with the Dynon AoA and we took care in its calibration.

With that as reference, I defy anyone to get the 7 to lower controllable speeds with VG's. It is rock solid down to around 55kts and am still able to input momentary full deflection roll and yaw with no departure at weights up to aerobatic limit.

Why spend the money and as guys say - make the cleanup so much more difficult.
 
Aerodynamic properties are not a fixed standard on every machine that fly's by producing lift by moving a wing through the air.

There are lots (many hundreds) of different airfoils, surface conditions of those airfoils, speeds they are operated at, etc. (meaning there are a lot of variables).

Because of that, a beneficial aerodynamic influence seen with a VG installation on one airplane does not mean that VG's will be beneficial on all airplanes.

It has been many years now so I don't remember many of the details, but one of the VG STC holders took a try at installing them on Van's RV-7A prototype/demonstrator.
Detailed flight testing was done before, and after two different installation patterns were done. After trying two, there seemed like no point in trying anymore because the only detectable change in performance was a slight reduction in cruise and top speed, and possibly a slightly more effective aileron at low speed (small enough change that it was subjective). The speed reduction was considered a negative (obviously) and the more effective aileron was not considered beneficial since everyone knows that RV's have very effective ailerons even in a stall condition. More effective in a stall could be higher risk of inappropriate control input during a stall... raising the risk of an inadvertent spin.
 
I have them on my Harmon Rocket, and like them. I bought the plane that way, so I can't tell you what a difference they made in that plane, but I can tell you that I can easily land the heavier shorter wing rocket shorter than the RV-4 I owned before it that didn't have the VG's.

The builder says that the VG's also dampen out the tail waggle that happens in turbulence, and the Rocket is more stable in yaw than the RV-4. Is it because of the VG's? Don't know, but I'm not taking them off.

Isn't a rocket a stretched RV4? The stretch would make it significantly more directionally stable than a 4. Highly doubtful that the VGs would do anything in the yaw axis. They do very little except cause drag until almost stall AOA. A Rocket is so much different of an airplane than the 4 to begin with that it is a bit comical to attribute any differences to VGs. Shorter landing could be because of a big CS prop, higher induced drag with the shorter wing or any number of other factors, or it could be the VGs, who the heck knows?
 
Back
Top