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Flying Without Nose Wheel Fairing RV7A

Tcheairs

Well Known Member
Having to do some paint work on my nose wheel pant but would like to keep flying until the nose wheel pant lis re installed. I'm assuming that is aerodynamically OK but I'm concerned about the strut fairing. It's securely anchored at the belly bracket and is a snug fit at the turn stop bracket. Has anyone had experience flying without the pant yet not removing the nose strut fairing? I'm planning to keep her down to 140 kias or less.

Thx
 
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Should be fine. Lots fly with wheel pants removed, especially during winter to keep the pant from clogging with snow/ice.
 
Having to do some paint work on my nose wheel pant but would like to keep flying until the nose wheel pant lis re installed. I'm assuming that is aerodynamically OK but I'm concerned about the strut fairing. It's securely anchored at the belly bracket and is a snug fit at the turn stop bracket. Has anyone had experience flying without the pant yet not removing the nose strut fairing? I'm planning to keep her down to 140 kias or less.

Thx

Unlike the mains, the nose pant does not support the nose gear leg fairing. The nose gear leg fairing should have a clamp at the bottom to hold it in place to the gear leg. Flying with the nose pant removed is not a problem.
 
Thanks guys..I had read somewhere in this forum that there could be stability issues with main pants off and nose pant on. But it's good to know the vice versa is not an issue.
 
I have not experienced any adverse effects (mains off/nose on) or vice versa. I never tried but assume there would be a yaw effect if you tried flying with one main pant off.
 
Several years ago I destroyed my nose wheel fairing taxing into unseen hole on a grass taxiway. I removed my fairing and flew the aircraft for two months while I remanufactured a new one and then had it professionally painted to match my main gear fairings.

The airplane flew fine and there were no speed limitation issues.
 
Thanks for the comments Jim...Mine was the victim of a botched xwind (extreme) landing...broke in half. Glassing it back together..will have it painted professionally. Here's a link to a photo...can't figure out how to insert the actual picture..

view
 
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Thanks for the comments Jim...Mine was the victim of a botched xwind (extreme) landing...broke in half. Glassing it back together..will have it painted professionally. Here's a link to a photo...can't figure out how to insert the actual picture..

view

Mine was in a few more pieces. It looked like someone had blown it up. There was no repairing it - only replacement.
 
Do you recall what part number and cost from (I assume Vans) was. I plan to purchase one and paint it since my repaired pant is going to look repaired.
 
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