Gap seals are to prevent a jet of air from shooting up through the aileron gap and producing drag. I did the testing on my KR with the gap seals and also found no advantage in climb or speed. I did find that the seals pressed against the bottom of the ailerons creating very heavy ailerons at high speeds. My conclusion was that there was no discernable benefit to aileron gap seals on the RAF 48 airfoil using the stock aileron hinges, and it actually created a mild control problem at higher speeds. This should be documented somewhere in the KRNet archives from many years ago.
It should be noted that the full span piano hinge is a pretty effective seal for the aileron gap. The disparity about gap seals on the RAF 48 vs the AS series airfoil came when Troy tested them on his plane. I never did see any numbers, but Troy was quoted as saying they made a marked improvement on his KR with the AS series airfoil. Others have probably also tested them on their KRs with the AS series airfoils, and I'm not going to disparage their testing; however, I have never seen any before and after numbers listed. Colin is correct in that gap seals are most effective in climb when the pressure differential is the greatest between the top and bottom of the wing. However, as long as there is a pressure differential, which is any time a wing is lifting, without some sort of seal between the wing and aileron, there is a jet of air shooting up between the wing and aileron that will create drag. Jeff Scott On Tue, 29 May 2007 07:54:44 -0700 "Joe Beyer" <fly...@spiretech.com> writes: > I installed gap seals a couple of years ago and found no aerodynamic > benefit > at all. They pre loaded the aileron linkage a little and after a few > flights > I removed them. They were stuck on with silicone and the paint came > off > where they were attached. Several hours of work wasted. > > -Joe > > > > when i installed gap seals yes i woiuld say i say an > > improvement in roll and climb has anyone fitted vortex > > generators phill > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Rich Seifert" <rseif...@socal.rr.com> > > To: "KRnet" <kr...@mylist.net> > > Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2007 1:43 AM > > Subject: Re: KR> gap seals > > > > > > >I installed gap seals, and would have to agree; I saw no > > aerodynamic > > >benifit, but in my case they flutter at stall speed and so > > they are now > > >my stall warning device. You results my vary. :-) > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Larry&Sallie Flesner" <fles...@verizon.net> > > > To: "KRnet" <kr...@mylist.net> > > > Sent: Friday, May 25, 2007 4:59 AM > > > Subject: Re: KR> gap seals > > > > > > > > >> > > >> Larry said: but I recall that there is no aerodynamic gain in > > >> covering the > > >> >opening with the RAF48 airfoil. > > >> > > > >> >It is my understanding that regardless of airfoil, that > > the primary > > > benefit, > > >> >and reason for the wing gap seals for ailerons is for the > > benefit to > > > climb > > >> >rate. > > >> >Colin Rainey > > > _______________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at > http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net > Post photos, introductions, and For Sale items to > http://www.kr2forum.com/phpBB2/index.php > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html > >
