Sangoma_pilot

I have a South African aircraft called a sangoma most people i compete against have spoilers but a few of us have flaps my personal opinion is that flaps are better because we have two flap settings Launch and landing flaps create more lift and cause drag spoilers just cause drag whats your opinion on this




here are some links for pics of my plane

http://www.freewebs.com/mataviaaviation/sangoma1.jpg
http://www.freewebs.com/mataviaaviation/sangoma2.jpg

id like your advice

rogerflies

My Feedback: (3)

Flaps that go down 90 degrees and ailerons with crow are hard to beat. The only reason to use spoilers is if they are required for nostalgia events.

Roger

FHHuber

Sometimes its LIGHTER to put in the spoiler... and that might be your deciding factor. In a plane such as a Gentle Lady... if you want the 3rd function (it doesn't need it...) the spoilers are just easier and lighter to rig. Spoilers work... and if they do what you want. Use them.

I consider it bad to ever use flaperons on a sailplane... always spoileron. (I never want the tip to stall first.)

Tall Paul

Spoilers are my preferred method of speed control for simple gliders. The pitch change with spoilers when they're retracted is nose-up, while the nose-down trim usually put in with flaps creates a nose-down, something unappreciated when close to the ground.
The crow mode mentioned is the best of both worlds, if you want a 4 servo airplane.

BMatthews

Sangoma_pilot, check your picture links. When I try to click on them it starts to open something at freewebs but then redirects and I just end up opening a second copy of this thread.

.. or am I the only one with this problem?

As for your flaps and spoilers question there is no doubt that flaps are more versitile but in the "good ol' days" where all gliders were slow flying gasbags the idea of extra lift wasn't really a big requirement. So just adding drag for landing was fine. These days the models are designed for a much wider speed range and flaps is the obvious and most effective way to gain more capability with the model.

Are flaps harder to build in? It depends. Frankly I think flaps can be easier to build into a new construction model. Building a wing and then dealing with the spoiler box, controls and ensuring the spoiler sits down flush during normal flight is a pain. Simple flaps are a piece of cake to build by comparison IMHO.

Tall Paul

The big TD and electric competition planes go for flaps and ailerons, I presume for the "crow" capability and camber change.
My GP Spirit uses spoilers, while the GP Spirit Elite goes the flap-aileron route... if built per plan. I left both those off. If I get another Elite it will have spoilers, but still no ailerons.
Getting the plane back -at all- is more important than plunking on the 100 point spot.

rogerflies

My Feedback: (3)

"The crow mode mentioned is the best of both worlds, if you want a 4 servo airplane."

If you can find the plans for a Lovesong, you can have rudder linked to the ailerons, flaps, crow, reflex, and elevator with three standard servos mounted forward in the fuselage. One more servo gives you independent rudder. And, you don't even have to use a computer radio.

Roger

Sangoma_pilot

guys sorry about the links here the pics

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

I am about to launch my first plane with flaps so I will soon have a better prospective. This plane is an Airtronics Legend with flaps. It is a three meter plane at about 80 ounces. A lead sled, as they say.

I also fly a GP Spirit with spoilers. A real floater.

Then there is my Sagitta 600 which is heavier and faster than the Spirit but still toward the floater end of the spectrum. It has spoilers as well.

Thermal Escape

For the floaters, the lift killing character of spoilers could be very helpful in getting out of a booming thermal. I have heard that flaps down and elevator down is likewise a useful method for getting out of boomers, but have not tried it.

Landing Help

I would think that a light weight, light wing loading, floater would benefit more from spoilers since it already has the ability to come in slowly but wants to float along forever. Spoilers help shorten the landing.

A heavy, high wing load, fast plane would probably benefit more from flaps. The extra lift and drag at landing would help slow the plane down while keeping it flying at slow speeds.

That would be my expectation and my first criteria for considering which to use.

Here is another resource. This is an article on spoilers that may be of interest.
http://www.skybench.com/report/spoilers.html

MDM

My Feedback: (2)

Flaps

MDM

My Feedback: (2)

Bad picture, but here is using crow

aeajr

My Feedback: (2)

That first picture, as great a picture as it is, displays flaps, not spoilers.

MDM

My Feedback: (2)

Yes, thank you. I typed w/o thinking