Best AMU Spent, VGs

Huckster79

Huckster79

Pattern Altitude
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Huckster79
I just had VG's installed on my 1947 Cessna 140. I had them completely installed and helped none, came to just around 1 AMU... For 1 AMU its a completely new airplane! Maybe other models its not as dramatic, idk... BUT for my old bird it was worth more than it cost...

I was off the ground into ground effect I would estimate all of 25% faster, I was caught off guard when right wing pulled the gear off the ground, a little touch of opposite aileron and the left was in the air. I'm not sure at what airspeed, at that phase of flight my eyes are 110% outside, but it was much sooner than it used to be based off landmarks so to speak... I can't imagine how much more I can cut that even further popping flaps in.

She seemed to just hold to the air better in general, she felt more "confident" in herself and needed less input from me to stay straight and on speed...

Landing is a whole new animal, and I must re-learn some muscle memory and new airspeeds. I used to use 70mph on final. I knew she would need less, I tried 65- floated forever! I backed down to 60 and floated almost to forever... So still some tweaking to do there, and to re-train the muscle memory for smaller inputs. My landings were not as pretty as I would like, but i could identify it as I was moving the controls as I used to, and they simply need less dramatic input now. So in effect I was over-controlling her. But I can definitely see how this will be handy if one must fight a crosswind as the aileron has authority darn near until you are taxi speed.

I would definitely encourage others to at least explore VGs for your make or model... Mine was money well well spent...
 
How are the VGs affixed on the fabric? Is it to the spar?
 
this is great feedback! anyone have any negative feedback on them? Any reason not to install them (besides the $1,000 cost and the additional work to wax the plane)
 
MIFlyer said:
this is great feedback! anyone have any negative feedback on them? Any reason not to install them (besides the $1,000 cost and the additional work to wax the plane)
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clearing snow off the wing is awful with VGs and so are wing covers. If applicable. Also probably slow you down a hair in cruise.
 
Lachlan said:
I didn’t know you can VG a fabric wing. Cool.
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Yea my buddie had them on his KitFox too on the fabric...

skier said:
How are the VGs affixed on the fabric? Is it to the spar?
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Glued right to the wing fabric... Oh and also to the underside of my aluminum horizontal stabilizer...

Mtns2Skies said:
clearing snow off the wing is awful with VGs and so are wing covers. If applicable. Also probably slow you down a hair in cruise.
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Valid point to factor in for some folks most definitely...
 
Mtns2Skies said:
clearing snow off the wing is awful with VGs and so are wing covers.
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My experience is in Alaska, but the push broom took off the snow from around the VGs without a problem. And when we had wing covers I never saw any problem, unless the wing covers were frozen to the wing then it didn't matter if the wing had VGs or not....:lol::lol:
 
I bought my 150hp Cardinal with VG's. My instructor said he flew the plane without them and really likes what they have done for it.

I waxed the plane this morning and yes I have to wax around each one and there are lots of them. Also, it is a major alteration and loosing a few will render it un-airworthy.
 
cgrab said:
I waxed the plane this morning and yes I have to wax around each one and there are lots of them. Also, it is a major alteration and loosing a few will render it un-airworthy.
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You use real wax, not spray wax?
 
I put them on my Commander with similar positive results, including increased rudder control (the Commander VGs are also used for the rudder). No noted change in cruise speed. Having them on the plane bailed by sorry a$$ out one time by avoiding a stall. They significanltly lowered stall speed.

Well worth it for me.
 
cgrab said:
I bought my 150hp Cardinal with VG's. My instructor said he flew the plane without them and really likes what they have done for it.

I waxed the plane this morning and yes I have to wax around each one and there are lots of them. Also, it is a major alteration and loosing a few will render it un-airworthy.
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I can be missing up to 5 of them and still be compliant with the STC...It came with spares and extra glue. So yea its one more thing to inspect but for the gains I realized I'm happy to do that...
 
I think they’re ugly, but not really an issue for a high wing. For a STOL I can see it, otherwise...


Tom
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
I think they’re ugly, but not really an issue for a high wing. For a STOL I can see it, otherwise...


Tom
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Though it’s still a Cessna 140, they do make it a STOL plane as long as you modify “short” to “shorter”...

The crispness of controls for a TW is really nice, last night was no wind but I can see them really helping in a crosswind, especially a bit of a gusty one... having that crisp aileron control will be nice, and anytime I can get the rubber out of wet grass and in ground effect I’m a happy boy... all depends on mission...
 
Mtns2Skies said:
clearing snow off the wing is awful with VGs and so are wing covers. If applicable. Also probably slow you down a hair in cruise.
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I’ve always just sprayed the plane down with a hose when it’s covers in snow......:popcorn:
 
GRG55 said:
Would you actually notice on a Cessna 140? :)
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Lol, yup I didn’t buy her for being a rocket :). But I will say 73 years old, 105-110mph cruise usually less that 5gal/hour ain’t to shabby... :). But yea greased lightening she is not!

flhrci said:
You make a good point. Since the 140 is a lower model than the 150, it must go slower, right?
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Hey now at least the 140 knows the difference between her nose and tail in terms of where the third wheelie thing goes ;)
 
flhrci said:
You make a good point. Since the 140 is a lower model than the 150, it must go slower, right?
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Yup, that makes good sense. And the 177 is just hair faster than a 172, but not quite up to a 182.
And the 206? Well that's damn near supersonic in Cessna terms, no?
 
I keep debating getting them for my 150f. I had a single hair-raising-too-slow-go-around-behind-the-power-curve-just-above-the-trees event that makes me want them just to help with situations like that. Anything to prevent the deadly stall spin.
 
Candy has VG's. The stall speed is slower. My CFI made the comment, the only negative is the time to keep your plane clean. There's some truth to that.

But she is the only RV-6A I've ever flown, and they were there before I got in the left seat.
 
Matthew Rogers said:
I keep debating getting them for my 150f. I had a single hair-raising-too-slow-go-around-behind-the-power-curve-just-above-the-trees event that makes me want them just to help with situations like that. Anything to prevent the deadly stall spin.
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They woulda helped in that you would have been further from stall no doubt. I couldn’t get out tonight though I’m going tomorrow I’m anxious to go stall her, I hear power off it’s not much more than a mush...

That could be handy if the fan quits next week over the wilderness we will be flying
 
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