It's that time of year when those little bastards start making a mess of everything. I'm curious to see some of your best 'bug' photos.
This is from a short flight this AM by Tustumena Lake. I know it's nothing compared to interior Alaska, but still worthy of entry into the mix.

From about 45 minutes around anchorage last night with the wife!




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From the inside, it resembles a swarm of locust.

I have found that if you allow them to accumulate on the leading edges of the wings and prop it has a real effect on performance (sort of like the effect that frost has on wings). Any one else experience this?

Darn, I forgot all about this thread! As I taxied in this morning, I thought, "I gotta clean this windshield!" So I did, without taking a picture. But it was grubby!

That reminds me of a sign on the wall of a Junior High civics class where I was a guest lecturer years ago: "As you go through life, which would you rather be, the bug or the windshield?"

Cary

DeltaRomeo wrote:I have found that if you allow them to accumulate on the leading edges of the wings and prop it has a real effect on performance (sort of like the effect that frost has on wings). Any one else experience this?

Yes. Small bumps, specifically on the leading edge can have a significant negative impact on performance (namely, more drag less lift). Interestingly, bumps from bugs or any imperfection have a more negative impact on wing performance over the same geometry imperfection if it is a divot into the wing instead of a bump above the wing surface.

In fact, in the NACA foil testing documented in the book "Theory of Wing Sections" they show the negative performance impact due to increased parasitic drag, when a matte camouflage paint is used in comparison to smoother surfaces. I don't have the data in front of me, but could dig it up if you're interested.

These problems are less significant for turbulent airfoils (pretty much every foil used on the aircraft people on this forum fly) in comparison to the effect on laminar flow foils which are particularly sensitive to surface roughness.

Ha, Bugs!!! Amateur hour. Go fly a seven stop day on the Yukon Flats. Entertainment is seeing if you can kill most of the bugs that climbed aboard during your last stop before you get to your next stop. They get kinda stunned by the vibration when you take off.

It isn't the bugs on the outside that matters.....those wash off in the nearest rain shower.

MTV

mtv wrote:Ha, Bugs!!! Amateur hour. Go fly a seven stop day on the Yukon Flats. Entertainment is seeing if you can kill most of the bugs that climbed aboard during your last stop before you get to your next stop. They get kinda stunned by the vibration when you take off.

It isn't the bugs on the outside that matters.....those wash off in the nearest rain shower.

MTV

Ha!

My last flight we watched in horror as a wasp flew out from under the panel and landed on the top of my trim pulley. This was on extended final after a 1.4 hr flight. Perfect timing!

Sure made for a greaser of a landing, trying not to upset that wasp.

The #1 one best thing about ski flying, a spotless windshield, months at a time! But this is balanced out by having no brakes.

Warm water over an old soft towel laid on the 'glass for 15 minutes or so while fueling or pre flighting, and then lots of flowing water and a dish soap micro fiber wipe and/or my bare hand is how I do it in my hangar. Then a final douche with distilled water (my home well water leaves spots), then a old soft quilt keeps the dust off while it dries, then I hit it with Pledge. That seems to slick it up pretty good, and makes the hangar smell clean.

The little Sun Shower hot water bags (from another on going thread.....) are handy when on the road, I just lay it on the skylight and let it dribble warm water and get the worst of the critters off.