Wheel fairings
 

I've owned my 150M for 29 years now, and all that time the wheel fairings have been collecting dust up in the mezzanine of my hangar. In truth, they were not the right colour, as they were retained from my previous 150. I'd never really fallen in love with the look of the fairings, and I used to do enough rough and mud runway operations that they would have been a less good choice. But now, the 150 is more of my airport to airport commuter, so the fairings were worth a reconsider.

So I had them painted, and put them on for the first time. Knowing that I anticipated this, I took a note of cruise speed with bare wheels over a couple of recent flights. 2500 RPM at 3000 feet 10C got me 98 MPH IAS.

So last evening, same power, altitude and temperature, I was happily startled to see 107 MPH IAS! The performance chart does not specify wheel fairings, but as all the pictures of the aircraft in the POH show the fairings installed, I presume that's the way Cessna thinks of the plane. And, the POH value of 108 MPH TAS corresponds nicely with what I have observed. That was sure worth the effort, I wish I'd done that years ago!

So It'll be a bit of a faster summer and fall, until winter snow demands their removal for that season.

They're fine now but in time they'll fill up with mud, adding weight and rubbing on the tyre causing drag on T/O.

Unless you keep them internally clean, not worth it.

The difference in performance is about what I've seen on PA28s and AA5s also.

But, I also agree with SSD - keep 'em clean inside, or they'll become a liability.

G

Yeah, I'm imagining a right angled spray nozzle for may pressure washer. It was accumulation of mud and snow which put me off the fairings in the early days. But, for 9 free MPH... I'm interested, and will clean out mud!

We have them fitted to our wooden Robin aircraft, which we operate from grass.
Yes, keeping them clean is important, but no big deal. (Disagreeing with SSD)
Yes, you have to want to positively check the tyre pressures. (Taxying is so much easier with air in the tyres).
But as you have found, they do make a significant difference to speed and economy. That means Dollar to you.

Yep, got 7 kts on the AG-5B, well worth having, looks better and not an issue if operating off tarmac

Another Angle
 

Step

I too am impressed to see that much of a speed increase. It seems to me that Cessna POHs used to give a reduction in the cruise in the order of 3 mph or so for the removal of the wheel fairings.

Because I operate out of a 3600' elevation, the rate of climb of the mighty 150 is more of a concern. My question is, since excess thrust/reduced drag is such a deal in rate of climb, has there been any quantifiable increase jamesel

300hr, I have been given to understand that on some lower power versions of the Robins (DR120s?) that it was not legal to remove the wheel fairings due to the reduction in climb performance. Was there any noticeable difference in your operation?
Regards
jamesel

Jamesel.
I can't actually remember if we have left them off for any period of time longer than a week. It's a bit tedious to do. However, ours is a DR250 with 160hp and a fine pitch prop. She positively leaps into the sky. Given a 20kt breeze I can be at 1000 ft by the field boundary. On medium sized, busier airfields with an active overhead join pattern I will moderate the climb because it's too good.

Anyway, I'm sure I've seen as many DR120s without spats as with them. Permit types, you know.