Making a Sonex Faster (Speed)

[Zack]

Go watch this YouTube video on why the Ar-5 goes so fast. Its a must watch. Its totally worth the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxvoDbZpoY8

Scott

Scott, this was a great watch! Thank you for sharing.

[daleandee]

Dale and others............Google "Dave Anders RV4". Dave is an ex-airpark neighbor of mine and he flies the fastest (most efficient) RV4 in existance. He's written Kitplanes articles describing what he's done to allow his RV4 to fly over 240 mph and achieve other unbelievable accomplishments.

I know it was last year when this was disscussed but the advice here from Art is very good. Here's the two articles from Kitplanes:

https://www.kitplanes.com/so-youd-like-to-go-faster/

https://www.kitplanes.com/so-youd-like-to-go-faster-2/

Thank you sir!

Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel

[Bryan Cotton]

Low-wing planes should not be polished due to risk of melting your canopy.

Ha!

[daleandee]

Low-wing planes should not be polished due to risk of melting your canopy.

Ha!

I read that and wondered what the reasoning was behind that statement. But he also noted that painted planes were faster ... ;~)

Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel

[builderflyer]

Low-wing planes should not be polished due to risk of melting your canopy.

Ha!

I read that and wondered what the reasoning was behind that statement. But he also noted that painted planes were faster ... ;~)

Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel

Are you fellows doubting Dave Ander's assertion that the sun's reflection off of a polished airplane is capable of melting a canopy? If so, Dave told me that it happened on more than one occasion. He went on to say that after learning of the potential of a reflection off of his RV4 to melt his canopy or the canopy of an airplane parked adjacent to his airplane, he purposely parked his airplane at an angle to those parked next to him. That worked until someone else thought his airplane needed to be in line with the adjacent airplanes and they moved it in his absence whereupon it soon melted the canopy of the neighboring airplane.

Dave's RV4 wasn't just "polished". If you read the Kitplane's articles, you'll recognize that Dave doesn't do anything halfway. While I never saw his airplane in its polished form, from his description of the care he and his father took in polishing, the finish must have been absolutely mirror like. He would have been satisfied with nothing less.

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

[daleandee]

Are you fellows doubting Dave Ander's assertion that the sun's reflection off of a polished airplane is capable of melting a canopy?

Hello Art,

To be honest I'm not doubting what was said just wondering about how that could happen as I've owned, and known others that have owned, highly polished planes and this was never a concern. Pardon me for being a skeptic. I did a search (using AI assistant) and found no clear evidence. Of the few references I found most blamed the canopy deformation on the direct sun shining on the canopy of a closed cockpit where the heat inside the plane reached very high temps. There were also references to the tops of panels actually smoking or catching fire because of the refraction of the sun through the canopy.

I was taught to believe nothing I hear and only half of what I see (not as a hard & fast rule but as a guide) and because I've never witnessed it I won't say that it can't happen but that I have my doubts.

Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel

[Bryan Cotton]

Are you fellows doubting Dave Ander's assertion that the sun's reflection off of a polished airplane is capable of melting a canopy?

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

Art,
I've not seen it on the Waiex. I either leave the canopy cracked open (secured with a bungee) or put my canopy cover on. Otherwise it goes thermonuclear from the greenhouse effect.

[flyguy0609]

"Otherwise it goes thermonuclear from the greenhouse effect." I'm beginning to think that something other than black for the glare shield is a good idea. Actually, for the entire interior.

On the other hand, there is a building in London that reflects the sun and ignites parked cars.

Interestingly the YouTube video says the cross-sectional area of the cooling outlets should be slightly larger than the intakes while the Kit plane articles said his cooling outlets are smaller. The Kit plane guy is using exhaust augmentation, so it's not apples to oranges.

[builderflyer]

Are you fellows doubting Dave Ander's assertion that the sun's reflection off of a polished airplane is capable of melting a canopy?

Hello Art,

To be honest I'm not doubting what was said just wondering about how that could happen

I was taught to believe nothing I hear and only half of what I see (not as a hard & fast rule but as a guide) and because I've never witnessed it I won't say that it can't happen but that I have my doubts.

Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel

Hi Dale, I must admit that I've never witnessed a canopy being melted either.......... but then I've never caught Dave Anders exaggerating about anything or in particular regarding the spectacular performance of his RV4 and, in fact, its been independently verified. But, anyone going to KOSH, look for Dave's RV4 (it's usually parked up front with the race airplanes) and ask him about melted canopies for yourself. His response may make you a believer or perhaps serve to disprove my sanity.

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

[Area 51%]

You might want to look up Archimede's Death Ray.