Flaps (and slots?) for newbies...
08-11-2003 | 07:22 PM
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From: SAnta Barbara, CA,
Flaps (and slots?) for newbies...
Hi all! I still haven't graduated from the beginner forum (my trainer is on order from Tower Hobbies, should get here this week!) but I was hoping someone might humor the newbie...
Are there any good sites or threads out there describing good ways to build simple flaps? I've tried several searches, and gotten information that confused me... one thread (actually, I think it was an article from the high lift site?) tells me that flaps are supposed to let my plane fly at a lower AOA for a given speed/rate of descent, and another tells me that "barn-door style" flaps (built like ailerons, I'm assuming?) will actually cause a pitch-up when deployed. I've since gathered that you need a slot to prevent the pitch-up, but I'm not entirely certain.
I also just noticed a picture of a simple flap/slot arrangement using hinge points at a funny angle out of the bottom of the wing, but am not entirely sure how to go about setting that up in my own model, if there are better ways to do it, or if there are gotchas that will bite me if I just jump in and don't do it quite right...
FWIW my trainer will be a Kadet LT-25, and I'm considering ordering a second wing-kit (that or just tracing all the ribs and building a second wing with wood from the LHS) so that I can stifle the urge to muck with the wing on the first go 'round
. Eventually, though, i'd like to build fun stuff like flaps and slots into my trainer wing so that I can play around on a forgiving platform.
While I won't be doing any payload lifting for awhile, I like the idea of flying SLOOOW. Ok, so I'm also contemplating wing-mounted bomb drops that I might implement on the same wing as the flaps, so scratch that bit about payload lifting.
Anyhow, advice for the rank novice would be much appreciated!!!!
thanks in advance for your time and patience,
Rick
P.S. While I'm spouting questions, does the size of the model impact how effective flaps are? One of the planes I see in my eventual future is a DTF "Biplane!", a 32" span 1/2A powered bipe, and was already wondering how you'd do flaps on something like that... no ailerons to worry about getting in the way of, so the flaps could be huuuuge! *muahaHAHAHAAHA*
Are there any good sites or threads out there describing good ways to build simple flaps? I've tried several searches, and gotten information that confused me... one thread (actually, I think it was an article from the high lift site?) tells me that flaps are supposed to let my plane fly at a lower AOA for a given speed/rate of descent, and another tells me that "barn-door style" flaps (built like ailerons, I'm assuming?) will actually cause a pitch-up when deployed. I've since gathered that you need a slot to prevent the pitch-up, but I'm not entirely certain.
I also just noticed a picture of a simple flap/slot arrangement using hinge points at a funny angle out of the bottom of the wing, but am not entirely sure how to go about setting that up in my own model, if there are better ways to do it, or if there are gotchas that will bite me if I just jump in and don't do it quite right...
FWIW my trainer will be a Kadet LT-25, and I'm considering ordering a second wing-kit (that or just tracing all the ribs and building a second wing with wood from the LHS) so that I can stifle the urge to muck with the wing on the first go 'round
. Eventually, though, i'd like to build fun stuff like flaps and slots into my trainer wing so that I can play around on a forgiving platform.While I won't be doing any payload lifting for awhile, I like the idea of flying SLOOOW. Ok, so I'm also contemplating wing-mounted bomb drops that I might implement on the same wing as the flaps, so scratch that bit about payload lifting
.Anyhow, advice for the rank novice would be much appreciated!!!!
thanks in advance for your time and patience,
Rick
P.S. While I'm spouting questions, does the size of the model impact how effective flaps are? One of the planes I see in my eventual future is a DTF "Biplane!", a 32" span 1/2A powered bipe, and was already wondering how you'd do flaps on something like that... no ailerons to worry about getting in the way of, so the flaps could be huuuuge! *muahaHAHAHAAHA*
08-12-2003 | 02:22 PM
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From: Jasper,
AL
Flaps (and slots?) for newbies...
The book "Basics of R/C Model Aircraft Design" by Andy Lennon, ISBN 0-911295-40-2, is the definitive sourcebook for information on STOL and high-lift devices. This will gvie you more information on flaps than you'd care to know.
Flaps aren't necessary on small models, especially trainers, but they are useable. Several years ago, on my Sig LT-40 trainer, I modified the full-span ailerons to include flaps. I cut the ailerons and turned the inner 1/3 into simple flaps, operating the "new" flaps from the original single center aileron servo. The outer part of the ailerons were still ailerons and I added two separate aileron servos in the wing. Not a necessity, but I did get experience with setting up and using flaps for later planes.
--Bill
Flaps aren't necessary on small models, especially trainers, but they are useable. Several years ago, on my Sig LT-40 trainer, I modified the full-span ailerons to include flaps. I cut the ailerons and turned the inner 1/3 into simple flaps, operating the "new" flaps from the original single center aileron servo. The outer part of the ailerons were still ailerons and I added two separate aileron servos in the wing. Not a necessity, but I did get experience with setting up and using flaps for later planes.
--Bill
