Vortex Generators
 

Does anyone have any experience with Microaero vortex generators?

Do they diminish cruise performance?

Do they collect ice?

Are they knocked off the wing when line personnel are refueling the aircraft?

I've just purchased N3CU, a '73 American-intercooled P337.

The Microaero Vortex Generators are AWESOME!

I have flown eight different aircraft with them and generally find the following:
1. Increased climb performance (Rotate @ 29 kias, climb out at 45 kias in 1957 C182.
2. Docile stall character (stalls straight ahead, noses down, dances around without ever really stalling -- hanging on the prop)
3. Cruise performance within a knot of unmodified cruise.
4. No adverse effects in icing conditions (P210 certified in known ice encountering light mixed.... not gonna find out what moderate ice is until I'm in a BIG Boeing)
5. Line guys haven't broken any off, yet. There are spares included in the kit in case they do.
6. Vanes stay on, even when wet or being washed.
7. Put vanes on AFTER the new paint job cures.
8. Scrawny folks with little muscle strength can now land nose-heavy P210s and C182.
9. Stops the 'fall out of the sky' character of certain hershy-bar winged aircraft. Not yet sure what it will do to the C336 (and I can't wait to find out!).

and the biggest problem:

Do NOT put you hand on the vanes to pull yourself up to check fuel or get the fuel cap off. OUCH!!!!!

The red mark does go away after a week. . .

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

THEY MAKE THEM FOR P337, HOWEVER I E-MAILED THEM AND ASKED FOR SPECIFIC QUANITATIVE PREFORMANCES NUMBERS AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO SUPPLY THE NUMBERS. THEY MAY BE WORTH IT; HOWEVER SPECIFICE NUMBER IMPROVEMENTS IS ONLY THE REAL WAY TO QUANITFY IT. BETTER FEELING DOES NOT QUITE GET IT (TOO BAD AS I WOULD BE INTERESTED)

GJ
 

Congrats on your purchase. Our aircraft must be a few s/n's apart as my tail number is N3CP, a '73 P337. Hope you enjoy flying the aircraft as much as I do. Performance for me is great, but then I travel by myself 99% of the time and with just one person it is a screamer. I am looking into the vortex generators myself because I have numerous friends with the VG's on different aircraft and they say it makes a huge difference in handling (especially at slower speeds). SO, if I go ahead and do it I will let you know what I find

Bob

Ok, guys. SOMEBODY bit the bullet and install these things! I've been thinking about it, too, as I frequently fly in and out of a 2,000' sand strip and would really like a slower approach speed. If no one does it before my next annual (March), I'm going to tell my mechanic to go ahead and I'll be the guinea pig.

I'm one of the guinea pigs, it seems. I'm having MicroAero vortex generators installed this week. VGs seem like a good way to improve lower- speed performance, and they're a lot less expensive than traditional STOL mods.

Guys - I installed VG's two weeks and about 8 hours of airtime ago on my '67 model. Stall speeds decreased 4 to 7 mph depending on configuration. It hangs on forever before a full break, drops left wing and nose in the break, and recovers quickly (200 ft or less) with reduced back pressure and uphill rudder. I can see no appreciable impact on cruise speeds. Rate of climb has definitely improved at least 10 to 20 % !! Slow speed handling has improved dramatically with considerably less control effort required.

During the test flight I worked to quantify the above numbers to see if I really made the right decision to install these VG's and my answer was yes. More important in the "smiles" department is the change in overall handling of the airplane which I have owned since 1978. It now feels and flys very differently...much quicker and smoother in response. I told a friend that it was like installing power steering and air shocks on an old truck! My only negative is that I am having to learn not to overcontrol the aircraft in IMC now that less control input is needed!

I haven't seen ice yet and the limited time in service gives no good history to respond to your fueling or other type damage concerns. So far none have come off since installed. There is a spares kit which should stay in the airplane...the STC requires that no more than 5 be missing.

I did the installation with the help and sign off of my mechanic. Start to finish required 16 hours including set up and clean up in my hangar and could be done in a couple of hours less next time around....just a lot of tedious work to get the airplane prepped and them glued on properly. Otherwise a well designed and complete package from Micro-Aero which was simple to install.

Hope this helps in your decision process....try it you'll like it.

Happy Holidays

The Deal
 

The VGs are truly the deal!

Peyton was kind enough to take me up yesterday afternoon and let me fly his 2PM. All the raves are true. I can't really comment on added climb, because I had never really spent that much time in Peyton's bird to know what was normal for it.

However . . . the handling is much smoother, softer, and requires less strength than the full truck-like handling needed on my plane. Mind you that not all of the heavy feel is gone, just the amount of effort needed to wrestle it around. And let's talk about moving the plane around . . . . It's like a video game doing 60 degree banks -- effortless. 45 degrees feels like 30 degrees in my plane. 60 degrees feels like about 45 degrees in mine. The wings just don't want to stall.

And speaking of stalls, I bumped it into stalls a few times -- kinda. Although the stall horn may be yelling at you, it sure doesn't feel anywhere near a stall. And the plane is actually fighting you to nose back over by itself. It takes a concentrated and continued effort to keep it in a stall.

So, yes, these little sharp pieces of aluminum seem to be all that they are claimed to be. They are now on my wish list for N5409S. I just wonder how they will interact with my Horton STOL kit, or if they are even allowed to be installed on a plane that has a Horton on it.

FWIW,

Keven
________
FIX PS3

I have the Horton also
 

I have the same question, can I get them on approved with the Horton.
let me know if you find anything else.

Rick

OK - I now have about 20 hours on the vortex generator installation so here is the new poop:

1. I have now seen ICE....light to moderate rime and building like crazy ( don't ask)....but handling was better than before.

2. I have seen CROSS WINDS.... 18 gusting to 26 at 35 degrees. Just can't explain how much easier this was to handle.

3. I have had my wife try her "pinch hitter" skills and she says it now "flys almost like the 150 instead of a truck" and she has about 10 solo hours in the 150.

4. I have seen "light to moderate turbulance" and recovery is smooth and silky.

5. Still no problem with generators coming off, so I now assume there will be no problem with them shedding.

In short, the more I fly them the more I like them!!

Free advice is worth exactly what you pay for it . I won't give advise, free or otherwise....but I continue to be EXTREMELY pleased with the vortex generator installation.

Peyton

Can you install these with deice boots?

Kevin - contact Micro AeroDynamics and ask this question. They are at 1-800-677-2370 or www.microaero.com

I wonder if you could use them with a Horton Kit? They look like a great idea if they weren't so EXPENSIVE!!!


Richard

Thanks I'll call them
Kevin B

Kevin:

Do you have a phone number for Horton? I am trying to find a replacement decal for my wingtip, and they have not responded to my email request.

Thanks

Mark