If you fly off beaches and soft sand or on skis, the larger tail feathers help a bunch to get that tail up and out of the soft stuff so you can gain speed MUCH quicker. If you are pounding pavement or grass strips then there is no reason to put the larger tail feathers on.Unless you have a 180 hp engine or stretched fuselage on the PA-20 or PA-22 I never saw any need to install larger tail feathers on one. I’ve always had plenty of elevator authority throughout the speed and CG range assuming it is rigged properly. I have seen where the stabilizer rigging was off and you could not get enough nose up trim, but that is a rigging issue, not a square footage issue.
Not questioning the elevator authority. Don't you suppose the larger tail feathers would improve the stability during normal cruise flight in other than smooth air? It's been a long time since I've flown any of the PA-16 or -22 models. I do seem to recall they are not the most stable. Therefor requiring a considerable amount of piloting to maintain a reasonably smooth ride. This having the result of increased pilot fatigue. Larger tail feathers could reduce this fatigue factor. The interconnected controls do contribute to the instability and fatigue. The Colt without the interconnect, was much more pleasant to fly.Unless you have a 180 hp engine or stretched fuselage on the PA-20 or PA-22 I never saw any need to install larger tail feathers on one. I’ve always had plenty of elevator authority throughout the speed and CG range assuming it is rigged properly. I have seen where the stabilizer rigging was off and you could not get enough nose up trim, but that is a rigging issue, not a square footage issue.
Svenn's website sez the stc is for horizontal stabilizers & elevators:I don't think the STC includes the Rudder. I could be wrong.
DENNY
Again, the rudders are the same on both, same part number for the 18 and 22 rudder.Svenn's website sez the stc is for horizontal stabilizers & elevators:
I could be wrong, but I thought the STC for the 180 HP required the 18 tail feathers.I will be in one in August up to Alaska. 180hp but otherwise stock airframe. I had one years ago and as I remember it wasn’t any more effort to fly than my Tcraft
None of the 0-360 STC's require 18 tail feathers. In fact, on our 0-360 STC with constant speed prop combination we purposely installed a set of stock round tip wings for flight testing so that the modified wings would not have to be a "requirement" for the STC.I could be wrong, but I thought the STC for the 180 HP required the 18 tail feathers.
OK so I was wrong on the 180 HP STC's, not the first nor last time I will be wrong I am sure. I had stock tailfeathers with VGs for several years before I went to the 18 tail feathers. Flight wise, you are correct, not much difference in the air. Getting the tail up and out of the sand or snow there is a BIG difference between stock with VGs and 18 tail feathers. When loaded more AFT there is a BIG difference as well.None of the 0-360 STC's require 18 tail feathers. In fact, on our 0-360 STC with constant speed prop combination we purposely installed a set of stock round tip wings for flight testing so that the modified wings would not have to be a "requirement" for the STC.
That said. We ran a set of -18 tail feathers on our PA-22-20 with fixed pitch 0-360 for a few years and they worked well. However, we installed a set of stock tail feathers with VG's and they perform about the same as the -18 without VG'S.
--Brian