America's Flyways Magazine

February 2005 Cover Story:
Slower is Better
Story by Arv Schultz

Has this ever happened to you? You're on downwind at a busy airport, with slower traffic ahead of you. Your traffic turns base to final. In order to compensate for the speed difference, you extend your downwind just a bit further for the slower landing traffic. Now at the point, in your judgment, where you feel a safe distance has been established, you make your turns to final. Suddenly the aircraft ahead appears to slow even more than you expected. The next words you hear are from the tower: "Cessna 1234A, go around."

The controller ordered a "go-around," because your rapid closing rate left you with less than the necessary separation for landing. If the controller had not ordered the "go-around," you probably would have initiated it on your own.

Below are different ways this situation could have been averted.

The pilot could have extended his/her downwind even further, into the toolies, but this would have disrupted the traffic pattern and chanced having other aircraft turn in behind.
S-turns on final, to create greater separation, was an option; however, doing this may have caused the unintentional encroachment of a parallel runway's airspace.
Go to another airport that isn't so busy. Not good if the landing airport was your destination.
The installation of Micro Aerodynamics Vortex Generators (VGs), which will allow you to slow your aircraft's approach speed to approximately that of the aircraft you are following, thereby not overtaking the slower aircraft and maintaining the proper separation.

The Microsoft dictionary depicts a vortex as a whirling mass of fluid, water or air that draws everything near it toward its center, and a generator as a device that is used to convert mechanical energy. NASA began conducting wind tunnel research and studying the effects of vortex generators as early as the1940s. Manufacturers of large jet-type aircraft subsequently began installing vortex generators on airliners and corporate-type aircraft. This may have resulted in many GA aircraft owners thinking that VGs were only available to the big guys, not so.

In 1989, Charles White, president and founder of Micro Aerodynamics, rediscovered NASA's VG research and was able to utilize and adapt the information he obtained by addressing problems associated with Vmc in light twin-engine airplanes. The installation of VGs has reduced Vmc, providing greater control at lower speeds, a real plus for GA.

Although initially the VG installation was limited to light twins, the owner of a J-3 Cub brought his airplane in and asked if Micro Aerodynamics could install VGs on it. He said that he was entering his airplane in a short field landing contest and thought this would help. Indeed it did help and he won the contest.

When first learning to fly, do you recall being taught that anything protruding from the surface of an airfoil would produce drag? By installing Micro Aerodynamics Vortex Generators above the leading edge of the wing, an area where pressures are significantly lower, the additional lift generated far exceeds drag. The faster moving air remains attached to the upper surface of the wing as the angle of attack is increased. In addition to the wing, the VGs are also installed under the horizontal stabilizer and on both sides of the vertical stabilizer. The normally slower moving air, which is at or near the surface of the airfoil, speeds up with the faster converted high-energy whirling air. Not only does this delay the onset of the stall, it also improves crosswind control, provides a shorter take off distance, offers greater controllability at slow airspeeds and actually reduces the stall speed by as much 8% without giving up cruise airspeed. In fact, some pilots say they even pick up a few knots at cruise.

Micro Aerodynamics Vortex Generators are made from 6063-T6 aircraft grade aluminum, alodined to a Boeing mil-spec, 1.5 inches in length and ready for painting. Each VG, and there are 160 of them on the Cessna 182 series aircraft, is curved on the bottom to fit the contour of the wing.

The installation kit consists of detailed drawings and instructions, templates for positioning VGs, spares, Locktite Depend adhesive, tools and all the materials needed for the installation.

Micro Aerodynamics Vortex Generators are FAA STC approved for installation on Piper J-3, PA-11 and P18 Cubs, PA-12 Family Cruiser, PA-20 and PA-22 Pacers, PA-28 Cherokees (with Hershey Bar wing), PA-23-250 Aztec, PA-23-180 Geronimo Apache, PA-30 and PA-39 Twin Comanche, PA-44-180 and 180T Seminole. Cessnas approved for the system include the 120, 140, 150, 152, 170A/B, 172/175, 180/182/185, 206, 337 and all piston twins with the exception of the 303. Check Micro AeroÕs web site at www.microaero.com for an up-to-date listing of all makes and models that are FAA STC approved.

The installation of the Micro Aerodynamics Vortex Generators on my 182RG took one day to complete (not including painting). Although I did not do the job myself, my mechanic had nothing but praise about the ease at which he was able to complete the installation, and the assistance he received when talking to the company.

Subsequent flights in my aircraft have convinced me about how much better the airplane handles in all modes of flight, and everything that Micro Aerodynamics purports to be fact, IS.

The affordable kit price of $1450 plus shipping and handling makes this, among all the other pluses, a product to own.

The following testimonial letters from users of this product offer high praise for the Micro VG:

From: Lisa & Bobby Unser
To: micro@microaero.com
Subject: The C182RG & Micro VGs

Mr. Charles White & Micro AeroDynamics Crew
Airplane: Cessna 182RG with VGs

Wow, Wow, Wow, I flew my little Cessna home yesterday and what a difference a Micro Vortex Generator Kit makes!!!

Now the little airstrip we flew in/out of was 6,600 feet elevation, 87 degrees weather, and had a huge lump in the middle of the runway. (I think there must have been 500 feet elevation difference between the middle and both ends). So my take off was up hill and I was flying before I hit the top of the hump -- going UP HILL!!!

The little plane had been in annual for weeks so flying it again was a blast.

However, landing was amazing! I used a straight in approach (right behind Bobby in the Bonanza -- felt like we were the Flying Unser Airforce) and did all the regular things. Finally, dumped full flaps when I had the runway made, gear down of course, and by the time I touched down I was indicating at least 6 miles per hour slower. With a little adjustment in my flying/landing technique, my little STOL plane is complete.

The Horton Cuff and Robertson have served me well but the MICRO VORTEX GENERATORS have really completed the package.

Thank you, Charles, and the people at Micro AeroDynamics.

Sincerely, Lisa Unser

From: dclarke@rockisland.com
To: micro@microaero.com
Subject: VG Experience C182Q

Hi Charles & Co.

With Micro VGs I have more rudder authority; however, the real benefits are two:

Rate of Climb. It puzzles me why you do not heavily promote them. Higher, sustainable rate of climb particularly at higher altitudes -- 5000 to 8000 feet. The other benefit is:
Better Ride. The biggest plus, however, is the totally new, far smoother, and much more comfortable ride VGs provide under all flight conditions. The fatigue factor, particularly on longer legs, is extremely important to many of us. I would be most interested to know how your other users feel and rate the advantages of their VG installation.
Thanks, Dennis Clarke

C206 with MICRO VGs
"Out of Africa" Nairobi, Kenya

Dear Guys (and Gals?) at Micro Aero:

I can't thank you enough for developing the vortex generators for the 206. I certainly wish it had come sooner, but better late than never. It took us only a day and half to paint AND install the whole kit. We test flew it late on the second day.

I've got a couple of thousand hours of 206 time, all here in Africa under hot and high conditions. This kit of yours is truly astounding, and I already had a R/STOL on my plane. Two other pilots and my mechanic jumped in for the test flight. We could easily turn the plane, and not just with rudder, at 55 mph, and our gross weight was about 3300 pounds. With full flaps and power on we could go steadily on at 45 mph, and still maintain control, though descending slightly, at 35 mph.

The single most amazing thing for all of us was the huge -- and I mean huge -- difference in slow-flight control that we now have. It's going to feel so much better, so much more stable, approaching into these short, hot and high elevation strips of ours now. We shot a number of approaches at 55 mph, always touching down at just above 40 mph. No complaints from here. And more orders to follow soon.

Most gratefully yours,

Mark C. Ross

Yours is truly "The mod worth the money."

With today's fuel prices as high as they are, any go-around is costly and probably could be avoided with the installation of Micro Aerodynamics Vortex Generators. Check it out.

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