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Thread: Single best modification for the Pacer / Tri-Pacer?

  1. #41

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    Default Re: Single best modification for the Pacer / Tri-Pacer?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tailwind_Fan View Post
    A woman never reveals her age or her weight; but, who doesn’t have an extra 10-20 lbs they couldn’t loose....

    -Alana
    Cowboys like fat calves?

  2. #42
    deandayton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Single best modification for the Pacer / Tri-Pacer?

    Like many thinks found on the internet, this started with a true statement and then extrapolated to something very questionable.

    "The down force on the stab eats up speed and fuel." - this is true to a point
    "excessive nose-up trim is necessary to stay level" - not true (unless, as Gilbert said, you have other problems)

    The stabilizer on our planes does generate a downforce for stability. The more downforce it has to create, the more lift the wing has to generate. So if you move your 40lb child from the frontseat to the baggage compartment you might get a measurable speed improvement. You might also notice a decrease in pitch stability. You will definitely get a quieter ride with your child in the baggage compartment;-) You will NOT need "excessive" nose-up trim, but it will change the trim a little.

    I've heard the "put a sandbag in the back" theory. I've never tested it, but my guess is that the addition of 40lb of "useless load", will overcome any benefit of the aft loading.



  3. #43

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    Default Re: Single best modification for the Pacer / Tri-Pacer?

    Increasing the wing loading moves the L/D curve so a faster speed is needed to get the same lift, but there is less drag at that speed. That’s why we use water ballets in racing gliders. We also try and move the CG to the aft limit for the same reason. Of course to downside of going faster in a glider is that you can’t turn as tight, so you may not be able to core a thermal with the water ballast. It’s all a matter of strategy and experience. Oh, yeah, as the CG moves aft, you give up pitch stability.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  4. #44

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    Default Re: Single best modification for the Pacer / Tri-Pacer?

    The best explanation for this is similar to a fast boat getting "on plane". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stick_and_Rudder

  5. #45
    Throttle Pusher's Avatar
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    Default Re: Single best modification for the Pacer / Tri-Pacer?

    I know when I have my self or both front seats occupied, I would put a 35lb set of sockets in the baggage area, this would gave me noticeably more speed at cruse. not a lot but noticeable.

  6. #46
    Subsonic's Avatar
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    Default Re: Single best modification for the Pacer / Tri-Pacer?

    I too have noticed a significant difference in the way my airplane performs when I add weight to the baggage compartment. I just flew solo from Florida to Oshkosh Wisconsin and back and I removed The rear seat to make room for a bunch of camping gear, an electric scooter, tools, Large cooler full of drinks, A case of oil, etc. Normally with just me in it and full gas tanks, I have the trim indicator almost all the way forward when turning 2450 to 2500 RPM in cruise. Also , my landings are pretty flat. With significant weight in the back, cruising at 2500 RPM my trim indicator is back at least 1/3 from the front and my landings are much more like a normal airplane, with main gear in contact with the runway first and for several seconds before allowing the nose wheel to gracefully touchdown.

  7. #47
    sierrasplitter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Single best modification for the Pacer / Tri-Pacer?

    I went over and took CC Pocock's Advanced Flight training. We put 50 lbs in the baggage compartment . Not for speed but for Aft CG for three point atitude for spot landings .

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