i have looked in the archives but have not found any definitive answer to my question. willl removing the wing tip extensions make the plane easier to land. the plane is so slow now it will almost drop out of the sky. i believe that they where put there to prevent a spin. but not sure if they add lift or not. went flying this am and got to take off and land 3 times. on buddy box. i did a good job (sorta). still in one piece. but i am wondering if removing these extensions will help the planes preformance and landings?

Wouldn’t it be more prudent to get off the buddy box before you start modifying the flight characteristics and the design of the airplane?

Not necessarily. If the plane is easier to fly without the added tips, why not take them off sooner?

MrBass, I can't answer your question, I just wanted to point out that you do indeed have a legitimate question

well my thinking would be that i would rather learn to fly the plane while on the buddy box after making adjustments. rather than soloing and then trying to fly the plane with the mods removed. if removing them does change the flight characteristics wouldent it be better to learn now without them. (while i am still on the buddy box)?

Bills, i am not trying to modify the plane. the plane comes from hobbico with wing tip extentions taped on leading edge for training purposes. they are suppose to be removed at some point.

Try this, http://www.masportaviator.com check on that site there's an initial review and a follow on review on speeds and flying characteristics with the flaps, droops in place and removed. Should give you all the info you need. The thing lands slower with the slats installed and I would think slower = easier but this should give you the info you need.

You want the "On the flight line (kit reviews)" section.

Good luck

I have a nexstar and have had the wing tip extensions on in the past, taking them off makes no real noticable difference at all. other people may/will disagree with me but thats ok.
the nexstar is a floater on landings and even if you take the wing tip extensions off it will still float.

I was not trying to be smart or funny but any change you make will modify the flight characteristics. Changing is OK and a lot of fun after solo. With a few flight hours under your belt changes will begin to be recognizable.

Bill S

bills-no problemo.

barracuda-thanks, ive read that before and forgot about it. it did have some helpfull info in it

I've flown the Nexstar with and without the wing extensions and I really didn't notice any difference in the way it flys or lands. However, there is a big difference when you take off those flap/airbrake things on the bottom of the wing. Lets it come down with a little more speed.

MrBass The extensions you are talking about are more properly called leading edge cuffs and this is what they are referred to with full scale aircraft and yes the are used on many types. The purpose of the cuffs is to change stall characteristics of the wing in the region of the cuffs. The idea is to delay the stall departure of the airflow in the area of the cuff and the ailerons, this to retain some aileron control at the onset of the stall. The cuffs do this by rounding off leading edge of the wing to a less sharp curve in this area of the wing for a less abrupt stall departure and allowing some aileron control deeper into the stall.

So the bottom line is it is an attempt to have the root end of the wing stall before the wingtip end. Cuffs are just one of many techniques that has been used in all sorts of aircraft including models. Some other examples of tricks to accomplish the same thing are: Wingtip washout, upward reflexed ailerons, progressive airfoil change to the tip (more benign at the tip) Fixed or retractable wingtip slots and leading edge root stall strips or trips (these attempt to trip a stall at the roots before the tips).


All the above is just to keep the wingtips and ailerons flying a little deeper into the stall for control.



That is the theory but as far do the cuff are a benefit to you or not, only you can tell and I,am not about to get into suggesting ya or na. But heck experimentation is half the fun so enjoy.

i have one and they are there to prevent a spin taken them off would increase how fast it turns but doing so be fore your ready is not a good
idea

My first time to the field I was told not to put the air brakes on atall. after 4 flights I took the bumps off. The plane still did not want to come down.(its always windy at our field). A old timer sugjested to set it up with both ailerons up one eighth of an inch and it helps on landings a lot.

can I have them ?

I have a nexstar and yes I took off wing droops and never use auto pilot it does make a difference learned better with them off improve flying characteristics IMO

thanks, im taking them off today

Mrbass,
Here is a very nice article on the changes to the flight characteristics of the nexstar by removing each "gadget".

[link=http://www.masportaviator.com/ah.asp?CatID=1&ID=58]http://www.masportaviator.com/ah.asp?CatID=1&ID=58[/link]

Does anyone have comments on installing (these) tip extensions on another type of plane. I have a plane that tip stalls easily, CAP 232 from www.avia-richmodel.com.

Big Air

The CAP tip stalls easily because it was designed to do so. Crisp spins and snaps require the ability to stall abruptly. Result of thin airfoil, relatively sharp leading edge, tapered wings, higher wing loading. Forget about adding things to this plane. If you want to avoid tip stalls:

1. Make it more nose heavy than recomended. This reduces pitch sensativity by increasing pitch stability.
2. Decrease the elevator throw untill it is not enough to cause a stall.

That's all there is too it. If your radio has dual rates, you can set low elevator so the plane can't stall, and the high so it will.

Multiflyer