An Overview of Modifications

Maple Leaf Aviation Limited has been manufacturing aircraft speed modifications and replacement aircraft fairings for 22 years. We provide technical support when required and help you decide which fairings are best for you and your airplane to provide the best efficiency.

Owners are now becoming more aware of improving the efficiency of their aircraft. Improvements are usually measured in the increased efficiency and speed of their aircraft. But before an owner considers investing in a particular modification or package of mods, he should analyze to see if his own aircraft is performing as it should.

When an owner looks at his aircraft, he should first make sure his aircraft is exceptionally clean, then in a walk around look for clues of unrequired drag, namely: are fairings cracked and broken, screws missing or sticking out, wing to fuselage gap seals out of place, doors out of adjustment, etc. This list can grow to a multitude of small things and create many problems in the drag department.

Next how does your aircraft fly? Make sure it really does fly hands off in most loading configurations and the ball does stay in the center. Discuss with your A.M.E. or A & P mechanical rigging issue’s and how to go about resolving them. As seen in the past, an "out of rig" aircraft can loose up to 5 - 6 mph in T.A.S. Rigging will help extend your efficiency and speed, lesson the strain on aircraft systems such as auto pilots, etc., and make the pilot's workload easier.

Now that you have analyzed the efficiency of you aircraft, it is time to look at our modifications. Aircraft Speed Mods and R.S. Designs have addressed areas of clean-up on Cessna aircraft in the single engine line..

The first area dealt with is the nose gear structure on Cessna Skylanes and Cardinals. The product called "Fancy Pants" is a 2 piece telescopic fairing which closes in the shock strut assembly. In doing so the product offers a drag clean-up of the strut and offers total protection against stone and weather abrasions.

Also available for Skyhawks, Cardinals, Skylanes and Skywagons is an Exhaust Pipe Fairing. This fairing is constructed of heat resistant resins, improves stream lining in the cowl exhaust pipe area and provides a decrease in engine temperatures.

Exclusively for Cardinals is a Tailcone fairing extension kit. This fairing extends the tailcone to lesson drag
around stabilator trim rod. As the stabilator cups air in this area in cruise flight, the extension fairs in the area and decreases drag.

It must be noted that when modifying aircraft that mods do not always become cumulative. That is to say you can't take kit improvement speeds and add them together to find a new total T.A.S. The mods are tested individually and then as a group. When grouped together they will probably have a yield of 60 - 80 percent of their total values.

Also when working with fixed pitch prop aircraft, owners must consider the manufacturer designed the blade pitch angle for performance through a wide range of speeds. Once you have reached your maximum engine and aircraft performance speed your increase will be shown in drag decrease and fuel economy increase instead of increased T.A.S.

All products discussed are manufactured of fibreglass matt and cloth bonded with epoxy resins. They are comparable in quality of A.B.S. plastic and superior in strength. Tests currently done show fiberglass a minimum of 4 times stronger then A.B.S. plastic. Fibreglass products are also fully repairable.

We currently have a number of products under development and we take our customers suggestions into consideration during the process. If you have an idea or suggestion we would be more than happy to discuss your needs.

The future looks bright for current owners with more and more improvements being tried and proven. With your support and suggestions manufacturers will continue to improve the efficiency of general aviation aircraft.