The prolonged discussion of speed brakes and flap types is lenghty. Remember the olde runway selection concept of (DON"T LAND THERE IF YOU CAN"T TAKEOFF FROM THERE). The KR is originally a low drag low energy design with a shallow climbout until faster speed is achieved. Landing a low drag KR with all the "POTENTIAL ENERGY" is the object of these various devices being discussed. DRAGSTER RACE CARS use drag chutes quite effectively. DRAG RACING all happens from 0-200+ and back to zero mph within 2,000 ft. Knowing that the drag chute is the major device to slow it down at greater than 1 g force really makes that a desireable feature. Imagine your on final approach wheel landing, trigger the drag chute on your KR and be stopped within 400 ft of touch down on a high density altitude day. Now thats performance!
The 1080 refueling stores on the KC707 wingtip mounted refueling unit uses a drag chute to stabilize the fuel hose coupler and "fly it" at an ideal position beneath vortex flow for the eaze of the refueling AC to connect. I did some design improvements on this drag chute. If a KR had a deployable/retractable tube mounted drag chute mounted beneath the rudder travel region anchored for load path to fuselage longerons. I think that a 3 ft chute with multiple vents could be spring deployed and slow a KR to a turtle trot in a jiffy! The pilot could retract the chute via a small cord in the cockpit even in flight. Any comments would be appreciated! Bryce KR builder/owner __________________________________________________________________ Introducing the New Netscape Internet Service. Only $9.95 a month -- Sign up today at http://isp.netscape.com/register Netscape. Just the Net You Need. New! Netscape Toolbar for Internet Explorer Search from anywhere on the Web and block those annoying pop-ups. Download now at http://channels.netscape.com/ns/search/install.jsp
