swooper

I don't see why aerobatic show planes have wheel pants. They don't need speed or efficiency, they need to drop all unnecessary weight. My new 8 lb. Giles202 came with a nice set of pants, but they weigh 1/4-lb.! Since the plane doesn't need nose ballast, there go my pants. Seems a lot of weight for a little cosmetic appeal, I'll take the cosmetic appeal of better climb.

wgeffon

My Feedback: (4)

I hate flying any scale aerobatic plane without wheelpants.
I think it makes them look naked without them.

To each his own...

aaron2874

I don't have them on any of my planes. I just don't like fooling with something that's not useful.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

I agree 100 percent!

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

I've got them on a Rascal 40. They vibrate loose all the time, they snag on grass and sometimes flip the plane, they fill up with dirt and other crap. That being said, I continue to keep them on the plane because they look good. Whatever floats your boat (oops, wrong forum)

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Can we give serious consideration to an opinion of someone who just bought a Giles?

Live Wire

Wheel pant are designed for a purpose and if installed right they work real well. Look at the way they are made, like an air foil and eliminates some drag and assist lift in some maneuvers like knife edge flight, Like having four wings.
And they get caught on any thing and every thing on the flying feild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spelling?

Silvanskii

My Feedback: (17)

RCOutlaw is right. In fact with airplanes such as the Pitts (specifically the new S2C), the wheel pants provide SUBSTANTIAL amounts of lift and stability.

On our models of course, it's all for looks (like a PAC prop) and annoyance.

*Crash*Johnson*

My Feedback: (7)

Actually he is wrong... it's field. I before E except after c

ps I was fired from work today cause I dropped my pants. Just following orders...

jettstarblue

I take all my pants out of the box, drop them on the floor, and step down hard on them...problem solved.
Streamlining your gear legs lessens drag more than having wheel pants- it's a fact.

jongurley

My Feedback: (29)

Thats like having a car without a hood, it will work but you wouldn't want to be seen with it..[:'(]

Jimmbbo

I am oh so tempted to do a really bad Bill Clinton joke here, but will refrain...

Cheers!

Jim

Bruno Stachel

My Feedback: (4)

I never cared for wheel pants. I always thought planes with wheel pants looked like birds with big ugly feet.[:'(] Although a classic plane, the Boeing P-26 Peashooter is an example. Pictures I've seen of it, with its pants and gear fairings, make me think that the pilot is part of the plane, and suffering from elephantiasis of the legs.

And I totally hate installing them on my models. Of four models I've tried to install them on, I've only succeeded once. PITA to install. Jettstarblue has the right idea. I'll take my birds with bare feet, thank you.

Phil Cole

What I want to know is why they're called "pants".

"Wheel shoes" or maybe "slippers" would be a more logical name.


In any case, there are some planes that just don't look right with bare wheels, just like there are some people who should not be seen wearing shorts in public

Me-109K4

My Feedback: (1)

I'd say it depends on the plane, try to picture a GeeBee with no wheel pants. [:'(]

Mhale71

i wouldnt use wheel panties or a cowl for the first couple of flights untill youve fully learned and are confident of flying it, a nose in the grounds would crack the cowl and retract the landing gear makeing the wheel pants punch straight through the wing [X(].
generally, wheel pants are for aerobatics and looks.

mike

Groucho fan

I prefer to use the wheel pants, makes the plane look much nicer. I'm glad that they include them, you can always leave them off.

Dago Red

My Feedback: (11)

YOu make a rough landing, the landing gear breaks off, the wheel pants go through the wings. Now you have these huge holes in your wings. Thats why we take them off at my field, plus we have a grass field.I wont chance it on my $2000 Edge 540, those wheel pants can stay off. They are broekn anyways.

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

I used to play baseball in my youth and was the catcher when I was not in the pitching rotation. Sometimes while catching, my cup would not stay in place and a foul tip would get my attention. The point to this????? When the foul tip would hit me in the wheel pants it would hurt like he**. But I decided the wheel pants were worth keeping even though they were a pain at times.


David

Cheech

My Feedback: (19)

Send your unused wheel pants to me. I'm a big fan, I like them on everything that should have them.

wiggles

Grass fields and wheel pants go well if done right. And if you retract the gear, me thinks wheel pants poking holes would be the least of your worries.

NeoGenesis

My Feedback: (27)

And what's wrong with the Giles?




Neo

lionheart

Well..... That took longer than I thought it would..... (Not much tho')

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Yes Lion, fishing in this pond hasn't been to good.

Neo, I know you're a good builder but are you really curious why I'd talk trash about the Giles? Isn't the full scale out of production and do you ever see a Giles being flown by any serious competition pilot? Reason being it is an unstable design and there isn't a single model that has been a popular success that I know of.

So are you curious or just testing me and where has Mordbid been lately?

Spaceclam

wheelpants dont really do much for our planes, but some are made really poorly and are quite heavy, while some are very very light and high quality. Most aerobatic planes look better with them, but not all. on that note, most trainers would look all kinds of stupid with wheel pants, but then again, some dont. it depends on the person, the conditions, your preferance and the field you fly on. i fly on asphault so i dont really care. i put them on for looks. mine barely weigh 3/4 ounce!