VG kits for Aeronca's

[EDGEFLY]

Any forum experience with Micro Aero or similar quick install hardware.


Dale

[jepropst]

I installed the Micro VG kit on my Champ. In my opinion they performed as advertised. The kit was well designed and provided all materials and templates required for installing the VG's. The issue that most Champ and Chief owners have to deal with is justification of the $700 cost for reduction of stall speed and improved slow speed handling. I did not notice any reduction in cruise speed.
One item that is not necessarily advertised is that if 5 of the VG's are knocked off or otherwise missing, the aircraft is no longer "airworthy". The kit does come with an emergency repair kit for replacing VG's in the field.

[Red(neck) Barron]

I put them on my Champ last winter. The argument for them can go both ways. Some say that the Champ just doesn't need them because it is such a forgiving airplane with good slow flight characteristics, gentle stall and good short field T/O & landings. I say that if it's already good at something and can be made better still, why not?
The VG's are easy to install, just take your time and be careful to do them by the book; this IS an airframe modification after all. They stick really good; I haven't had one even hint at coming lose yet and I've snagged a couple of them already. Before the VG's the Champ broke gently in a power off stall; now it doesn't break at all, just does a mushy nose bob. All the things that are advertised about them are true but I found that the biggest improvement was the increased aileron control near the stall speed. A real bonus when landing.
For me they make a good airplane even better and I would put them on any other plane I might own.

[Nathan K. Hammond]

I'll put them on my Champ.

Have them on the Cub and love them.

You won't notice much difference at first, but you'll start flying deeper into the envelope as you get comfortable with the VG's.

nkh

[Dennis]

When I was building the Champ, I did not want them. But you guys have changed my mind. I wonder if they will have a "special" at Oshkosh?

Dennis

[jepropst]

I believe that at Oshkosh the last two years they offered free shipping and no sales tax.

[rkittine]

I have the Micro Aero VGs on both my Chief and my 7CCM Champ and believe that it was money well spent. Neither are fast anyway and the slow speed handling did improved and since the Chief was on floats it was a real improvement with handling getting off the water.

[Dennis]

OK, I bit the bullet and ordered the kit. (Can I stii say "bit the bullet"?)

I have the equipment and color to powder coat the VGs. Has anyone tried that.

Dennis

[Red(neck) Barron]

Dennis; don't know why you would need to. They come ready to paint.

'nuther thing; I was impressed with the kit they send along. They've got everything packed in that box but your lunch.

[bwmatz]

Dennis, for an extra $200, MicroAero will paint your VGs whatever color you want. I just put some on my Chief and elected to go that route rather than mess around painting them myself.

[jepropst]

Dennis, when I did mine, I used double stick tape to mount them on a piece of cardboard and then painted them. The glue surface of the VG was not painted. I am not too familiar with power coating but you need to realize that each VG is quite small and a paint sprayer will blow them around if they are not held in place. If you are going to powder coat, you will need to figure out how to hold them in place while coating and baking.

[rkittine]

I would also suggest that before you powder coat them you check with VG to see if there is any reason you should not. I do not know if powder coating changes the size in any appreciable maner, but knowing STCs and the feds, painting may be approved and coating may or may not. I got my latest set three years ago and having them pre-painted was only $150.00 at the time.

Bob

[EDGEFLY]

Lots of interesting, positive and informative scoop in response to my original question. I'm pretty much sold on them appearing on my Chief this summer. A couple of "refiner" questions though for those of you who have already been flying them (VG's). I understand the manufacturer claims and comments from users here about the nominal influence of these devices. But those comments basically apply to straight-ahead flying. Not in the "Wild Dog" sense but, have any of you noticed performance change (better or worse) in the slightly extended envelope ? Spin entry training w/2 aboard, very strong slips into short field landings, accelerated stall performance, high bank turns, any noticeable effect in wheel landings, what about Steep climb angles and what about the proverbial hot summer take off performance ? Thanks

Dale

[Red(neck) Barron]

The only negative that I have found so far was that I ripped the sleeve of my shirt fueling the wing tank once when I caught it on the VG. The VG held in place, my shirt didn't. Probably was time to pitch that shirt anyway.

Everything the Aeronca does, it does better with the VG's. Take off distance is improved so that doesn't matter the temp; as opposed to without them, everything is better. Stalls break less sharply, yeah I know, they weren't sharp to begin with. There is no noticeable difference in the flight envelope at speeds well above the stall. It's at the slow speeds is where these things help out. What they are really doing is keeping the air flowing over the wing, 'stuck' down longer as the speed bleeds off so that the wing is preforming as if it were going a bit faster.

As I mentioned earlier, it's the good slow speed aileron control that I have appreciated the most. When the wind is gusty or not favoring the runway is when I make my most memorable landings (not memorable good; just memorable). With VG's the control is so much better that after I finally get all three planted I can actually taxi it back to the hangar instead of having to tow it.

[jepropst]

My plane reacts differently during slow speed stalls than what has been reported by others. Prior to the VG's my plane would mush around and dip a bit during slow speed stalls. After the VG's were installed the plane would achieve a slower speed prior to stall but would actually break fairly sharply when it did stall. I discussed this a bit with Bill Pancake. One item that may or may not be related is that I have my plane rigged with 2 or 3 inches of washout, primarily to improve aileron control just prior to stall. It may also be related to the C-85-12 mounted with a C-90 motor mount(2" longer than the A65/C85 mount), which keeps my CG farther forward that most other Champs. I tend to slip my plane a lot and have not noticed anything different. I haven't noticed anything much different related to either wheel or three point landings, but I have deliberately been trying to reduce my speeds during landings.