BTW Van is missing a bet. A sharp rudder strake gives a vast improvement
in directional stability for little or no drag increase over the stock
vertical.
This is because a  powerful vortex  with a low pressure core is generated
on the
down wind side of the vertical greatly increasing its stabilizing lift.
I guess he does not want it to look like a Mustang :-)

Paul Lamar

  I've talked to several RV owners who have strakes on their airplanes. No
noticeable difference from what I've been told.

Mike Wills

How sharp was the strake's edge?
Hard to measure dutch roll without instrumentation and then
you are not sure just how bad the turbulence is. Sure was uncomfortable
for me flying 2000 miles in an RV6. Been many more miles in the C182 and

others and

it is not near as bad. Course I have never been in a V tail Banana.

Paul Lamar

Paul,
I think the strake does very little at low angle of attack, coming on very
strong at high alpha.  Primarily for snappy spin recovery, I believe.  You
need more fixed vertical surface to fix it.   A "Bonana" (V tail) never settles
down.  My brother flew one for years, and I flew it some.  Wingtips describe
little to large elipses forever; must be nasty in the back seat.  Fortunately I
don't get motion sick, but did get "sick" of the motion.   Aftermarket made
a certified "yaw stabilizer"  which was a long U-channel riveted to the bottom
of the rear fuselage.  About 3" tall, about 2" wide and pretty long like 4 feet.
So two surfaces working.  Apparently helped at least some.  I never flew one
with it, but brother reported "he heard" it helped a lot.  Pretty
unobtrusive, too.

Bill

 
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