Until the 1930s, almost all aircraft had fixed gear. The dawn of retractable gear—which came as aircraft were prepared for war—had a profound effect on design and performance, but those who appreciated fixed gear desired the same perceived benefit of reduced drag and more speed. It’s a real dogfight among aircraft owners: to add wheel pants or not to add wheel pants. Called pants, fairings, trousers, or spats, these coverings are designed to reduce drag, save fuel, and streamline the airflow around tires, increasing speed performance. They also have the added benefit of guarding against stones, rocks, and mud being thrown up from the ground and dinging or damaging the wings, fuselage and cowling. Some owners say an aircraft with pants looks better, and others say “pants on” for summer flying and “pants off” for winter flights. As to the debate over retractable gear versus fixed gear, speed gain came with weight gain—as the mechanisms to retract the landing gear were initially heavy and cumbersome—and higher maintenance costs, but that’s another story.
Wheel Pants
Put your pants on
If you feel the need for speed
Lockheed Vega
Jack Northrop’s design was a speedster that sported teardrop spats. Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post set speed records in this design.
Cessna Skylane 182
An airplane designed for looks, not speed. Cessna did introduce a retractable-gear 182 in 1978 with a 10- to 15-percent improvement in speed and performance, according to Cessna.
Van’s RV series
Although homebuilders do not have to install wheel pants on any of the series numbers, a Van’s aircraft usually sports distinctive wheel pants.
