VG installation with STOL kit

[GAHorn]

Yep...it is completely unnecessary to lift the tail. (In fact, those videos of guys attempting the short takeoffs.... take note that they lift their tails early...then accelerate for speed...then lower the tails (rotate) to generate lift for lift-off. This means they remained on the ground longer than necessary. One will lift off earliest from the 3-point attitude (although generally, that is not the speed which will give you the most control...and why most folks unknowingly raise the tail and accelerate to a higher speed than necessary for flight... and then raise the nose/lower the tail for lift-off.)

[n2582d]

Perhaps if I operated in the outback or flew customers out for salmon fishing in Idaho or Alaska I'd feel different....but I'd still go for the horsepower first, before I'd do STOL or VGs. If I were looking to buy serious cushion for survival.... I'd buy a 406 ELT, CO-detector, and survival gear before I did those mods! (Think about THAT...if you're considering spending a little extra cash on VG's.)

An interesting factoid from the National Safety Council's online Defensive Driving Course: "For every 10 miles per hour over 50 mph, the risk of death in a traffic collision is doubled." If that is true it would seem to me that a STOL kit might be a worthwhile safety investment. As far as "bang for your buck" safety-wise I would put shoulder harnesses at the top of the list then the other items you mentioned (406 ELT ... ) and then STOL kit followed by VG's. If money were no object airbags and more horsepower would also be on my list.

[N4005V]

I usually don’t post advice on the forum but I just could not let this one slide. Installing more than one wing mod has the potential to overstress the wing during gust or maneuvering, because it lowers the maneuvering speed below an airspeed that you would be willing to fly in normal cruise. The manufacturer of any individual wing modification will publish in the STC the new maneuvering speed, but once two mods are in place you have now become the test pilot. If you use the formula Va = stallspeed * sqrt(limit positive load limit factor) then you will find that as the stall speed goes down the maneuvering speed is also substantially reduced or the limit load factor must be increased. I don’t think anyone is dong structural modifications so that load factor is fixed by the factory. There was a recent Cessna 337 accident that had two STOL kits installed, the FAA issued an SAIB. The discussion has been about how short the aircraft can get off the ground, the next question is what is the new maneuvering speed and rough air penetration speed.
http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm ... &Dynamic=1

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_i ... 2210&key=1

[krines]

Just a note on the original train of thought. I think shoulder harnesses should be purchased before any VG to increase survival in a crash. Steve