Vortelator Kits,,, do they work????

rv969wf · #1 10-03-2006, 12:13 PM

Has anyone installed a Vortelator Kit on their RV? Does it work??? Any speed increase??? How ugly does it make the airplane look??? Aircraft Spruce has the kits but I've never talked to anyone that has installed the Vortelator Tape. Anyone please fire back. Thanks AJ

gmcjetpilot · #2 10-03-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rv969wf

Has anyone installed a Vortelator Kit on their RV? Does it work??? Any speed increase??? How ugly does it make the airplane look??? Aircraft Spruce has the kits but I've never talked to anyone that has installed the Vortelator Tape. Anyone please fire back. Thanks AJ

Hey AJ, yes they do, they lower the stall about 3 kts but they also lower the top speed the same amount 3 kts. Funny how that works out. There are some threads on this already, so search these forums for something like: VG's, VG, vortex or vortex generators.

Here is a good report by RV-6 builder Terry Jantzis : http://ontariorvators.org/pitot/pitot.htm

Terry Jantzis sells the VG's as well but they are not cheap.

Other manufactures are:

Traditional metal VG's
http://www.pnwaero.com/
http://www.microaero.com/

Plastic
http://www.landshorter.com/index.html

Tape (tape with ribs or "riblets")
http://www.vortelator.com/

Good luck. I found or should say my friend who tried them found it was good for dog fighting. If you ever did some tail chasing you know it usually ends is a tight (descending) spiral, as you both run out of energy near stall. With the flaps up the stall is reduced even more. The VG's do allow a tighter radius turn so you can get an advantage and turn in behind them.

rv969wf · #3 10-03-2006, 08:26 PM

Hi George, I'm not interested in Vortex Generators to put on the wings. I'm talking about VORTELATOR TAPE that keeps the air attached to the wing, gear, tail, fairings, wheel pants etc.....Laminar flow in a since. I have been on the VORTELATOR website and I'm kinda interested in the VORTELATOR TAPE but I have not talked to an RV pilot that has put in on or told me the results. I've done the oil flow tests / tuft work in certain areas on the wing / other areas, etc. etc. and I see problems with keeping the boundry layer of the air attached to certain areas. I'd like to visit with you sometime on the phone ok, you have my number. Anyone else that has installed such I'd like to hear the results. Thanks AJ

N395V · #4 10-03-2006, 08:52 PM

Talked to the vortellator guy a long time ago. He was really short on data and long on promises.

Save your money and use it on pills to grow hair, lose weight, or improve your manhood.

VGs do what they say, vortellators well thats another story.

rv969wf · #5 10-03-2006, 09:11 PM

This Vortelator tape sounds like expensive stuff and I have not seen any proof or documents to see if it does good or bad other than to make the aircraft look all doctored up so that's why I'd like some input from others. Thanks for the reply and info,,, at least someone has responded. Thanks, AJ

4kilo · #6 10-03-2006, 09:39 PM

We use zig-zag vortex tape on sailplanes to control the boundary layer. It definitely DOES NOT keep the flow laminar; in fact the purpose of the tape is to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow to keep it attached. If you have areas of laminar flow where the boundary layer is detaching from the surface, the tape MAY reduce drag, but I personally do not think that the laminar portion of the boundary layer progresses far enough aft in an RV for the tape to do any good.

As a point of reference, my Discus has laminar flow over about 80% of the wing chord. The lower surface of the wing gets a seperation bubble at about 75%, so there is a strip of turbulator tape at the 75% chord line. This reduces the overall drag by a small but measurable amount by eliminating the seperation bubble, even though the turbulent boundary layer has more drag than the laminar boundary layer. Tape on the upper surface of the wing only increases drag. In contrast, you would be very lucky to get laminar flow to 30% chord on an RV wing. The turbulator tape would probably do absolutely nothing if you put it in a section of the boundary layer which is already turbulent.

Pat

rv969wf · #7 10-03-2006, 10:31 PM

Thanks Pat for the information, I'm still learning on this topic as I'm an engine builder/cooling drag reduction goooruuu at this moment. The rest of my RV needs some improvements.... and I'm trying to research any source that there is for drag reduction. Thanks for the reply back ... AJ

rv620mr · #8 10-04-2006, 02:49 PM

I noticed that the Columbia factory aircraft on display at Reno used a vortelator-like product on the leading edge of the wings. But for that, I would be inclined to think "snake oil". Now, I wonder . . .

Monte

rv969wf · #9 10-04-2006, 03:18 PM

I saw the same thing and I even ask a Columbia Rep about it and he had no clue, I guess so people can scratch their heads, look at it and ask dumb questions. My thought was why on the leading edge myself.....