EAA/Drag Reduction Possibilities By Tony Bingelis

[Badland-F5 Pilot]

This is a really good article on drag reduction. Tony mentions that the techniques he suggest may even benefit ultralights! This is an EAA article from September 1992 but is still very applicable today. You do not need to be an EAA member to read this article.

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/aircraft-buildi ... sibilities

Of course, speed is not what ultralights are after. We are limited to the 55knot/63mph maximum level full power speed required by the FAA. For me, the lowering of drag as much as possible extends my flight time, and that's what I'm after. I'm looking at a Hirth F-23 engine for my ultralight. The issue with the F-23 is that it's known to burn 1.5 ~2 gallons of fuel per hour. That's not a lot of flight time. If I'm going to do some of the larger cross country treks I want to, I'm going to have to work hard at getting that fuel consumption down. This and a few other articles I've found point at ways of doing this.

[Allen Sutphin]

The easiest way to fly cross-country in an ultralight is very simple. Take off with a full tank, fly till you need fuel, land and add fuel, take off and repeat. Not trying to be funny, but that is the simplest way. Cross country in an ultralight is a blast. You can stash a 5 gal container full of gas at approx. 2 hours out, with a friend, at a small field. You may need it or not. To me, cross country is landing at a place you didn't take off from. Regardless of the distance.

[Badland-F5 Pilot]

True, but I'm a tinkerer and like to see what all I can get out of my equipment. The ultralight will be treated the same way. Using the suggestions found in both the articles I posted show promise of improved fuel efficiency. That along with learning how to fly as efficiently as possible may give the results so there is no need for a gas can to be stored someplace to refuel from. As mentioned, I'm after the best possible flight time. Landing often is inevitable in an ultralight. That's just the nature of the limited fuel we can carry. I just want to see what I can do to reduce that as much as possible and have some fun with learning what works and what doesn't at the same time.