RE: Reaction 54 Jet Kit
The flaps are the main drag-producing features of this design, along with the extended landing gear. On the prototype, I did try programming the ailerons to pop up about ten or fifteen degrees, not for the drag but to kill some lift. It didn't seem to have much effect, but I only tried it a few times. Popping up the ailerons rubs me the wrong way because I want the lift, as long as there is enough drag to slow down to landing speed.
When I think of "crow", I envision the ailerons deflecting upward as much as the flaps deflect downward, for a massive drag effect. Sounds good, but you run into some linkage/servo movement difficulties when applying aileron, at least as it's designed. If a guy planned on using crow from the outset, he could increase the bevels around the aileron hinge line (ugly) while building and hook up the linkage with crow in mind.
Both the flaps and ailerons are larger in the kit version than those on the prototype. So far, the input has been pretty good on the effectiveness of the flaps. The one thing that I have found that makes a huge difference in the way the R54 lands is a five or ten mph headwind. Makes spot landings a "breeze", if you will. If it's dead calm, my model had a tendency to float, but it just required patience to allow it to settle in on its own. Again, the kit version has bigger flaps so there should be much less tendency to float.