I had a plane that developed elevator flutter, and when it happened a second time, it cost me the airplane. The elevator servo gears had stripped. That is how I learned about flutter.

This plane was designed to go fast. Next time, I used a counterbalance, or mass balance, on the elevator. I had no further flutter problems.

I also had an overpowered Ugly Stik that had aileron flutter, and a small mass balance on each aileron tip, outboard, solved the flutter problem.

Sealing the control surfaces will result in a more responsive surface, but I agree - in most cases, that will not affect flutter. A stiffer, heavier control surface will tend to reduce flutter, though.

What I would like to know, is if a control surface is made a bit thinner than the airfoil profile would dictate, will this minimize a flutter potential? Or is the opposite true - a control surface that is slightly thicker, that protrudes into the airstream at the leading edge of the control surface, would that minimize flutter? Put another way, will sanding the forward edge of a control surface, so that it is flat, and a bit thinner than the wing section that it is hinged to, will that minimize flutter?

Next question - will a rough surface on a model, like a rough fiberglass cloth surface (much like the dimples on a golf ball, which allows it to travel farther), permit a model to fly faster? (As one can tell here, I like to fly fassst!).


Jim