Shortwing being towed

[Steve Pierce]

One of the partners in the Dakota Cub Slotted Winged Super 20 flipped it in a field on his parents farm. Dakota Cub rebuilt the wings and brought them to me several years ago and we covered them at the annual restoration seminar. They were going on my Pacer till I pulled a dumb dumb and took pout a powerline with it. They went on Cathy's Tri-Pacer where we did a lot of flight testing and took it to Oshkosh. The Super 20 fuselage was repaired and then got recovered here at another seminar. and last I heard has hit a stalemate in the rebuild process. Our Tri-Pacer needs some TLC and has gotten put on the back burner at the moment. Would like to finish a Pacer fuselage rebuild I have and install the wings and go forward with the STC.

[Brian]

Interesting history! I never knew Dakota only built the one set of slotted Super 20 wings.
I remember they were going to cost about 20K per set so the sales market would been slim.
Happy New Year Steve and Kathy.
Thank you for keeping this valuable and informative forum going all these years!
Brian

[Steve Pierce]

They have built 2 or 3 sets that I know of. No STC yet.

[Stephen]

Slotted wings have been around a long time. It seems slats are more popular now days. Both have similar effects of increasing critical AOA. I would think slats are heavier but might have a slightly better cruise speed. It would be nice if the slot STC allowed the owner to build their own wing.

[alaskadrifter]

I don’t care about a slot or slat but I’d love to have a wing with a bigger flap!

[Southern Aero]

I don’t care about a slot or slat but I’d love to have a wing with a bigger flap!

Its in the works! Actually both slats and bigger flaps............ if you are experimental

[Stephen]

I don’t care about a slot or slat but I’d love to have a wing with a bigger flap!

I totally agree. The deck angle required to take advantage of slats or slots is high.

My Super Pacer has 93 inch flaps.

[Steve Pierce]

I think what people miss about slats and slots is what is going on in the air when you are slow. I did some flight testing of the Dakota Cub slotted Pacer wing both on the Pacer and Tri-Pacer. I have also done some flight testing on slatted and slotted Super Cub wings. I was never ballsy enough to point the nose of the Pacer or Tri-Pacer at the sky and bring either in hanging on the prop. I have done that in a couple of Super Cubs and at first it is very un-nerving it was fun as well but not very practical. I want to see my touch down spot. What I noticed about all of the slatted and slotted winged airplanes that I have flown was the feel in slow flight especially in the pattern and when heavy. They all had positive control even when loaded up and I did not get that mushing control feel. Also they would not drop a wing even when abruptly cross controlled. The plus to me would be coming in loaded and having those positive controls. Also when you pull the airplane off the ground it is flying, no settling back down on the edge. It is positive and the wing is flying with full control.

[dgapilot]

I think what people miss about slats and slots is what is going on in the air when you are slow. I did some flight testing of the Dakota Cub slotted Pacer wing both on the Pacer and Tri-Pacer. I have also done some flight testing on slatted and slotted Super Cub wings. I was never ballsy enough to point the nose of the Pacer or Tri-Pacer at the sky and bring either in hanging on the prop. I have done that in a couple of Super Cubs and at first it is very un-nerving it was fun as well but not very practical. I want to see my touch down spot. What I noticed about all of the slatted and slotted winged airplanes that I have flown was the feel in slow flight especially in the pattern and when heavy. They all had positive control even when loaded up and I did not get that mushing control feel. Also they would not drop a wing even when abruptly cross controlled. The plus to me would be coming in loaded and having those positive controls. Also when you pull the airplane off the ground it is flying, no settling back down on the edge. It is positive and the wing is flying with full control.

I would say that the slot or slats allow the wing to get to a much higher AoA before reaching critical angle. Likely provides a higher Coefficient of Lift at that higher AoA with the added benefit of air with more energy flowing over the ailerons. It would be fun to tuft a Supercub or Pacer with slots and see what the airflow is doing!

[Steve Pierce]

I would say that the slot or slats allow the wing to get to a much higher AoA before reaching critical angle. Likely provides a higher Coefficient of Lift at that higher AoA with the added benefit of air with more energy flowing over the ailerons. It would be fun to tuft a Supercub or Pacer with slots and see what the airflow is doing!

It has been done. It is staying attached. Instead of having columns of air attached like you get with VGs all the air is attached. We flew Cathy's Tri-Pacer for years before installing the slotted wings and it was a night and day difference. Cruise speed was not effected at all but I could get it off the ground quicker and with more control than I ever could with the stock wing. It also had better aileron authority in a crosswing when slow. Now part of that could be the squared off wing with the ailerons moved out and the slightly longer flaps but I think the slot helped with at as well.