> effect on cooling drag as "wasted" air is going through the engine
> compartment instead of around it.

what is a larger component of "cooling drag"?

1) the front cross section (large dolly parton air exit holes) or

2) the slowing of air going across the engine

> The cowl opening on most airplanes, as it turns out,
> are larger than they should be!

the front holes is free, but to get deltaP one must get rid of
the air, and without a dolly parton fixed cowl flap the air
won't get out of the cowl... ever walk through an air curtain?

won't the air dam up infront of the larger then necessary front
air holes as deltaP is reached and zip around the cowl not
contributing to #2?

Rob