gschuld
Well-Known Member
April 10, 2008 by Dave Hirschman, Senior Editor
Every now and then, we all stumble across an invention that seems so simple, so obvious, that we wonder why no one (including us) did it before. Such is the case with LoPresti Speed Merchants’ “Speedpants.” They’re regular composite wheel fairings–with one key difference. They have a set of clamshell doors on the bottom designed to totally enclose the wheels when an airplane’s in flight. LoPresti estimates the fairings will add about eight knots to an RV-7’s top speed. (And for those of us who miss raising and lowering landing gear, Speedpants will provide us with another lever to move each time we take off and land.) The clamshell doors are hydraulic. And if the hydraulic system fails, internal springs will open the gear. If we forget to open them on landing (and you know we will), the fiberglass scrapes off and the airplane remains on the wheels. Speedpants are meant to minimize the aerodynamic penalty for fixed gear. And with so many of today’s aircraft manufacturers electing for fixed gear on airplanes that are meant to go fast, LoPresti may be onto something . . .
Me:
It's been nearly 2 years now...haven't seen any planes with them yet. Interesting idea though:lick:.
George
