---------------------------------------------------------- Lightning-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sat 10/28/06: 2 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 07:25 AM - Re: drag curve... (Brian Whittingham) 2. 08:21 AM - Re: drag curve... (Charles Dewey) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 07:25:18 AM PST US From: "Brian Whittingham" Subject: RE: Lightning-List: drag curve... --> Lightning-List message posted by: "Brian Whittingham" Charles, The plane that Nick was talking about is the Lightning. It has been ran out to 270mph True Airspeed during the initial testing in the prototype. Obviously this wasn't in a straight and level flight. As I said, we need at least a 10% above the published Vne for a built in safety margin when testing the airplane. At 240mph indicated, Nick would've been more like 20% over. That's why he said that he feels confident that the plane will do fine even if we find a way to get 10-15 more mph out of it with airframe aerodynamic refinements. Good plane, wide safety margines, good efficiencies, and good speed! I've given the design for the new hinge fairings to Lamont and as soon as he gets some time he's going to make the first set and we're going to trial fit them and make sure we got a tight fit, but good clearance as well. In a couple of weeks I'll begin flying a series of tests to determine what that particular plane in that configuration before modification will give us. Then we'll put on the modifications, probably just the gap seals at first, then the hinge fairings and test and see what the difference is. After converting everything back to the standard day I'll tell you what we get in terms of percent increase or decrease and also give you the numbers. I can tell you that a series of test have been done on an aftermarket gap seal and hinge fairing for a Piper Arrow. The arrow has a 1 inch gap in the flaps whereas the Lightning has a 3 inch gap. I believe that the Arrow also had 6 flap hinges and the Lightning 8. Between that and the fact that the Lightning is operating at a higher speed range and is a sleaker airframe I do believe that we'll get better results. If we got the identical increases as the Arrow we'll gain about 5mph at 75% cruise. That would be bumped up to about 180mph cruise. Max level speed would be raised to about 195mph. Again, I think that we'll get even better results. Other results would be an increase in rate of climb, going by the Arrow example, would give us a rate of climb of about 50 more feet per minute. We'll see what we get, but I'll keep you all informed. Brian W. _________________________________________________________________ Get FREE company branded e-mail accounts and business Web site from Microsoft Office Live http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/mcrssaub0050001411mrt/direct/01/ ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 08:21:45 AM PST US From: Charles Dewey Subject: RE: Lightning-List: drag curve... --> Lightning-List message posted by: Charles Dewey Brian, Thanks for the informative response. I can't wait to see your results! Charles --- Brian Whittingham wrote: > --> Lightning-List message posted by: "Brian > Whittingham" > > Charles, > The plane that Nick was talking about is the > Lightning. It has been ran > out to 270mph True Airspeed during the initial > testing in the prototype. > Obviously this wasn't in a straight and level > flight. As I said, we need at > least a 10% above the published Vne for a built in > safety margin when > testing the airplane. At 240mph indicated, Nick > would've been more like 20% > over. That's why he said that he feels confident > that the plane will do > fine even if we find a way to get 10-15 more mph out > of it with airframe > aerodynamic refinements. > > Good plane, wide safety margines, good efficiencies, > and good speed! I've > given the design for the new hinge fairings to > Lamont and as soon as he gets > some time he's going to make the first set and we're > going to trial fit them > and make sure we got a tight fit, but good clearance > as well. In a couple > of weeks I'll begin flying a series of tests to > determine what that > particular plane in that configuration before > modification will give us. > Then we'll put on the modifications, probably just > the gap seals at first, > then the hinge fairings and test and see what the > difference is. After > converting everything back to the standard day I'll > tell you what we get in > terms of percent increase or decrease and also give > you the numbers. I can > tell you that a series of test have been done on an > aftermarket gap seal and > hinge fairing for a Piper Arrow. The arrow has a 1 > inch gap in the flaps > whereas the Lightning has a 3 inch gap. I believe > that the Arrow also had 6 > flap hinges and the Lightning 8. Between that and > the fact that the > Lightning is operating at a higher speed range and > is a sleaker airframe I > do believe that we'll get better results. If we got > the identical increases > as the Arrow we'll gain about 5mph at 75% cruise. > That would be bumped up > to about 180mph cruise. Max level speed would be > raised to about 195mph. > Again, I think that we'll get even better results. > Other results would be > an increase in rate of climb, going by the Arrow > example, would give us a > rate of climb of about 50 more feet per minute. > We'll see what we get, but > I'll keep you all informed. Brian W. > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get FREE company branded e-mail accounts and > business Web site from > Microsoft Office Live > http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/mcrssaub0050001411mrt/direct/01/ > > > > browse > Subscriptions page, > FAQ, > http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Lightning-List > > Web Forums! > > > Admin. > > > > > (http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta)