Leading Edge Slats for Avid/KF's

[SuberAvid 617]

Brett,

Hope you read this; this is the next thing to add to your Aidale offering. After listening to the QS2 guys talk and watching their videos, I really think you should look into making these for the Avid/ KF. Build mounting tabs that can be epoxied and riveted to the leading edge spar and fabricate the leading edge slat or slot after the QS2 or Dakota Cub wing but scaled for the Avid/ KF. I seems like these would be pretty similar to the fabrication of the flaperons. The QS2 has slats that open or close automatically depending on the angle of attack and the air flow through the slat opening by pivoting on the bolts that attach them to the tabs. They said these were patterned after the Helio Currier. They also use VG's on the wing just behind the slat opening. I sure would like to see how these would work on the Avid.

[akflyer 1427]

Tom, at Thunder Park Aviation built a set of slotted wings and tested them. He reported that ther was not enough difference between the slotted wings, and the those with VG's to write home about. In the end, he decided to not offer the slotted wing kits as it was just not work the work..

[EDMO 1078]

Brett,

Hope you read this; this is the next thing to add to your Aidale offering. After listening to the QS2 guys talk and watching their videos, I really think you should look into making these for the Avid/ KF. Build mounting tabs that can be epoxied and riveted to the leading edge spar and fabricate the leading edge slat or slot after the QS2 or Dakota Cub wing but scaled for the Avid/ KF. I seems like these would be pretty similar to the fabrication of the flaperons. The QS2 has slats that open or close automatically depending on the angle of attack and the air flow through the slat opening by pivoting on the bolts that attach them to the tabs. They said these were patterned after the Helio Currier. They also use VG's on the wing just behind the slat opening. I sure would like to see how these would work on the Avid.

If you havent kept up with the Zenith 701/801/Savannah, The tests between slats and VGs showed that the VGs performed as well, and maybe a little more cruise speed.

Ed in MO

[6320012s 12]

Might Want to check out the following site http://www.supercub.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=842 Was doing some late night web surfing recently and stumbled across this. Can't for the life of me find where I read a report of the performance characteristics, but if I remember correctly it was +10mph on cruise and 20mph stall. Was interesting in that the guy had to use GPS to figure the stall speed since the airspeed indicator had gone to zero. If you are interested and do a little digging or just call the guy up, could probably get the full scoop. The pictures below came off that site.

[EDMO 1078]

There was a big article recently about the modified Supercub with slats, bigger ailerons, flaps, etc.

It was either in EAA mag or Kitplanes, the only two I read.

He also extended his landing gear a lot, and changed the engine angle.

Forget what his name was, but could look it up. In Alaska, (Land of Great Field Approvals), I think.

Unfortunately, here in MO, Field approvals are reserved for Kings and Presidents!!! Poopy attitudes here!

Ed in MO

[herman pahls 9]

The Kitfox with leading edge slats on supercub.org is owned by Rick Chamberlin who lives near Medford Oregon.

The leading edge slats were built by Brian at Steves aircraft near Medford Oregon whos # is 541 826 9729.

I believe the wings were extended 12-18 inches per side.

Since I live a few hours away I called Rick to see if I could see his Kitfox which turned out that he let me fly it and land it several times.

I have to say that you do not land this Kitfox but you drop it in at very slow speeds.

Dropping it in to land is a non issue because of the tires and gear absorbed the drop well.

This thing approaches at such a slow and steep angle of attack that the tail wheel touches 2 feet or so before the mains.

I never tried wheel landings or checked the cruise speed since I had so much fun flying slow.

It is a Model 4 with a 912 and not sure if 29 or 31 inch bushwheels and not sure if it has extended gear legs which it needs.

Herman

[SuberAvid 617]

The one Ed mentioned in Kitplanes is the QS2; highly modified form of a supercub. It lands at slow speed just the way Herman describes; drops in after the TW touches at a huge angle of attack. It is pretty incredible to watch. I think it has 6" extended gear and 35" bushwheels and it still drops about 3 feet after the TW touches.

[SuberAvid 617]

Might Want to check out the following site http://www.supercub....ery.php?cat=842 Was doing some late night web surfing recently and stumbled across this. Can't for the life of me find where I read a report of the performance characteristics, but if I remember correctly it was +10mph on cruise and 20mph stall. Was interesting in that the guy had to use GPS to figure the stall speed since the airspeed indicator had gone to zero. If you are interested and do a little digging or just call the guy up, could probably get the full scoop. The pictures below came off that site.

Thanks for the pictures and posts you guys. It is neet to see what others have done and especially hear about the first hand flying experience.

[ChrisBolkan 130]

This is a very interesting thread. I have wondered about slats and seen a very impressive video clip of a supercub clone landing at what must have been about 10 MPH in a 10 MPH headwind. It came in so steep the TW touched and the mains dropped 2-3 feet to the ground and it just stopped.

My magnum is a fast landing plane in comparison to a cub. The wing has much less surface area. The Avid wing is like a glider wing in comparison to the cub wing which looks like it belongs on an MX ultralight. While the Avid undercamber wing has tons of lift and climbs like a homesick angle, I cannot land it near as slow as a cub or as slow as I would like.

I became very interested in the slats when that Tom Parker guy said he was experimenting, but for all the talk on the Avid Yahoo board, he never provided a single picture and his participation ceased just when interest developed. I wrote him off as a flake because when I started asking questions he provided nothing. Maybe I am wrong, but for all the talk therewas nothing real or even tangible, no real numbers etc. Anyway....

I bought Airstreaks for my Magnum which significantly changed the angle of attack while the plane sits on the ground. I can still EASILY drag the tailwheel before the mains touch. (I have grove spring gear and I asked Grove about extensions and they said NO WAY!)

While I would like to land much slower, and I know slats can make that happen, I wonder two things:

1) Is my plane up to landing at such high angles of attack? Are the tailwheel, fuse and landing gear up to that kind of long term abuse (for lack of a better term). While the Magnum is a very substantial plane there is a reason it weighs a lot less than the certificated supercub, and I bet a lot of that is ultimate strength of everything.

2) How much am I losing (in terms of slow landing capability) right now by not being able to do real full stall landings? While it doesn't seem destructive right now, feeling the tailwheel drag now and the mains drop is a bit uncomfortable because I am touching down quite a bit faster than a cub and it is a bit creepy when the mains are forced down at what seems to me to be pretty high speeds when compared to a cub, much less a slatted cub.

Thoughts?

Chris Bolkan