I'm wondering about your sample sizes for the MPG data.....was that 1 MPG jump based on one trip of 1,000 miles, or multiple trips on the same route
I mean, the 7 MPG was based on multiple runs....I'd assume in both directions round-trip, over several different days right?
Was the 8 MPG based on one trip one way, one round-trip, one day or multiple days?
The reason I ask is to better understand the value in the data. Weather, relative wind, traffic conditions, and on an on all could affect 1 MPG average over a 1 direction a day drive. Cruise control does dampen out much of the traffic condition variable, but not all of it. 1,000 miles is what, maybe 2 tanks of gas... could even be a little bit of filling error in that.
I think to really know for sure, you would need many trips of that length over several different days, and they would need to be round trips, some North and some South, all with very careful attention to that cruise control setting.... my gut tells me I wouldn't be convinced fully with fewer than maybe 6-12 trips each with and without the airtabs.... there are just so many variables to dampen out and the 1 MPG difference is a lot, but not so much that couldn't be caused by a combination of many of these other variables, or even just one of them
Please don't take this wrong..... I'm not intending to poo-poo your report. On the contrary I'm extremely interested in it. I appreciate your post. I remember reading one other report that anecdotally indicated a similar result with these things. I've had it in the back of my mind for a while now....
As a side note... I'm an aviation buff and private pilot.... and a mechanical engineer by schooling. Back in college I did a research paper on vortex generators used in general aviation. Specifically micro VG's (
https://microaero.com/). definitely an interest of mine.....
Thor Forums
