AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 91

Instead of flying my usual 75 KIAS on final, slowing to 70 over the numbers, I slowed to 65 KIAS on final and 60 over the runway threshold. The airplane felt solid and stable with none of the discomforting edge-of-the-mine-shaft feeling that being slow on final can bring. Main-wheel and three-point landings were little altered by the VGs, and slower approach speeds meant noticeably shorter rollouts. (The rule of thumb is that increasing the approach speed 10 percent raises ground roll 20 percent.) On the ramp, most tailwheel RVs stand at a 10- to 12-degree deck angle, so full-stall landings with a VG-enabled pitch attitude of 20 degrees or more would be thoroughly graceless affairs. I noticed no new tendencies to float, balloon, or bounce with VGs. MicroAeroDynamics founder Charlie White said his company sends VGs to manufacturers such as Aviat, American Champion, and Maule for installation on new production aircraft. VG kit prices range from $395 for Experimental aircraft to more than $2,500 for some FAA-certified twins. The company has shipped more than 10,000 VG kits since it was founded in 1986. “We’ve done extensive flight testing in a wide range of aircraft,” White said, “and we’ve never failed to get at least some reduction in stall speed.” The VG installation on the RV–4 brought no adverse characteristics or performance reductions at normal cruise speeds. The best attributes are the ability to comfortably and safely fly slower approaches, with greater aerodynamic stall warning, and consistently shorter takeoffs and landings. Touching down with less energy to dissipate will surely pay off in longer lives for tires and brake linings, as well as additional peace of mind when going into short airfields. I had attached the VGs with two-sided tape so that they could be easily removed if they didn’t enhance performance. Returning from that first VG flight, however, I glued them on with industrial-strength epoxy. They make the tops of the RV–4 wings look like a miniature Siegfried Line, but these VGs are staying. AOPA
EMAIL dave.hirschman@aopa.org WEB

www.microaero.com

www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 91



http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/firc http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/firc http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/firc http://www.LetsGoGliding.com http://www.LetsGoGliding.com http://www.microaero.com http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013

AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013
Contents
President’s Position
Visual Approach
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
Strength In Purpose
Watch What You Eat
Milestones
AOPA Foundation
Test Pilot
News
LSA Focus: Light Years Ahead
LSA Focus: Personal Vision
LSA Focus: Buying Into the Dream
Will Fly For Food
Technique
Ownership
Avionics
Efficiency
Never Again
Frugal Flier
State & Local Action
Products and Partners
Products and Services
Air Safety Institute
AOPA Insurance Services-Aviation
AOPA Member Benefits
Fly by Wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Visual Approach
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Strength In Purpose
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Watch What You Eat
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Milestones
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 38
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - AOPA Foundation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Test Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - News
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - LSA Focus: Light Years Ahead
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - LSA Focus: Personal Vision
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - LSA Focus: Buying Into the Dream
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Will Fly For Food
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Technique
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Ownership
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Avionics
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Efficiency
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Frugal Flier
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - State & Local Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - I1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - I2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Products and Partners
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Products and Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Air Safety Institute
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - AOPA Insurance Services-Aviation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - AOPA Member Benefits
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2013 - Cover4
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