i had a question for some people that make experimental generators heres how it turned out ive never flown a plane with them and have had no experience with them so before i spend the money just need some ideasDo you guys make a full generator like the one in the picture but without the taper cut off for our slower
stalling airplanes then I would be interested.
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You have been given incorrect information. What you are requesting is that we take a superior product and
reduce to something inferior. We have been manufacturing Vortex Generators since 1985.
The Vortex Generators we manufacture were developed in the wind tunnel at Ohio State Univertsity by Aero-
Space researchers working closely with John Rontz. Mr Rontz is the same a Rontz who designed so many
airfoils for use by Burt Rutan. Both Rontz and Rutran are recognized authorities in the field of aerodynamics.
The Delta shape generaters as much boundary layer activity as the flat plate. The flat plate, however,
generates three times the drag coefficient and results in lower speeds when installed. Furthermore, the Delta
design generates lift vectors that result in a boundary layer helix. That is what you want. That is ALL you
want.
Flat plates generate turbulence and while this too energizes the boundary layer, the unnecessary disruption of
the streamline above the boundary layer is what is costing you drag.
The reason the flat plate has become popular is simply because of economy of production: it's cut from
analuminum "T" or "L" sectioned extrusion. It's simply too costly to replicate the Delta shape using extruded
material. Each would require expensive machining. So, they simply cut off a section of it and leave it at that.
There's also no camber to the bottom of their device so it really doesn't fit the contour of the airfoil at all. This
raises the profile further. Ours are injection molded and can be attached with conventional adhesvies to fabric
covered airplanes. Aluminum can not.
Whomever suggested that Vortex Generators were speed, airfoil or aircraft specific also gave you missleading
information. Vortex generators are generic devices and work exactly the same way regardless of the speed of
the machine and regardless of the airfoil or aircraft on which they are used.
Our VG's are used on thousands of aircraft around the world at speeds from 35 mph on up. Bush pilots in
Alaska, cattle herders in the Australian Outback. Doctors flying medical care in remote parts of Africa. What
are you flying that flies slower than that?
We urge you to visit our website at:
http://www.computer-certainty.com
Thanks for writing CCI.