piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

I think I know the answer to this question, but I thought it would be in interesting discussion and might be valuable for people considering them.

I've got a WM .45 size P-51 that's ready to fly. Since the plane has dual aileron servos and I've got a computer radio, I have a choice of using flaperons or not. I've seen some people say they are ok, others seem neutral, and still more say do not use them on a tapered wing. So, let's vote and give reasons why.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

Really depends on whether the ailerons are full span strip aileron, or barn door style. If they are strip style you can mess around with it since you already have 2 servos. Don't know if they will have much effect or not, depends on size.
If they are barn door style, don't do it. When you put them down you will be creating a tip stall.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

In this case, they are full span style.

b17flyer

My Feedback: (32)

on a p-51...strip flaperons
you may gain some benifit?
your more likely to cause more tip stalling by dropping those ail down.
most modern "sport" p-51 have a lite enough wing loading.
PLUS this ups the posiblity of pluging them in wrong and ending up backwards.
You'll notice that the aerobats don't do flaperons.

now a trainer has more stability. But even then, the benifits of flaperons do do much more.

I wouldn't do it. save flaps for a plane that has them seperate.

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

In every airplane I have had two aileron servos I have set up flaperons. Again, in every application it has always helped and never created a tip stall problem which again I don't think is possible due to the aerodynamics of the situation. When you deploy flaps you change the shape of the airfoil to one that develops more lift (as well as drag). The pressure under the wing becomes greater. What CAN happen though is that the ailerons will be less effective so plan for that and don't deploy them too much.

Right now I have a Venus 40, a somethin' extra and a spacewalker II and they are all set up for this and it works great for all of them.

Have fun - mix the flaps with the elevator for even more fun.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Interesting. So far the poll is leaning toward use them, but the comments are split down the middle. I don't want to create a risk of tip stall, but slowing the plane down would be nice since I will be flying off grass fields and this will reduce the stress on the landing gear.

CafeenMan

If you have the capability to set them up then I would do it and put them on a switch so you can turn them off. Nothing to lose. If you don't like them don't use them any more. You're using two servos anyway.

hookedonrc

I don't use them on every plane, but I do have a 4*60 that came out a little on the heavy side. The flaperons allow me to land a little slower and do provide the additional lift I need. I can land the plane with or without them, but the little extra lift I get makes landing it much smoother. Like CafeenMan said, you can put them on a switch and use them or not.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

That's kind of what I was thinking. I got them for free when I plugged the second servo into channel 6 and setup the aileron mixing. The dial for channel 6 works like a charm for the flaperons, just trying to determine whether I should leave it alone or play. Guess I should just get a few mistakes high and do some testing.

yoxman13

My Feedback: (2)

While I have not experienced instability on the three airplanes I have used flaperons on, I was disappointed in how the plane flew with them "on". The planes seemed to lose aileron effectiveness at low speed- needing almost full stick to make corrections when the flaperons were fully deployed. I used them on a 40 size corsair to help steepen the glide path for landing, and it did help the approach, but the plane felt very unresponsive in roll. Maybe more aileron throw is needed, will have to try it next time.

njl

I use them on a couple of my models. They are very useful when the grass is long and wet causing more drag as it allows you to get off the ground with less speed. Saves having to hand launch the plane. I don't often use them for landing but it's useful to have them there if I need them.

Nick

jdcool4

My Feedback: (3)

i have a ap 232 cap sport an it has flaperons an they help to slow an steady the plane alot on landing

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

If I had a plane with dual servos that was really difficult to land without flaps, I would considering using them.

But I certainly wouldn't consider converting a single aileron set up to a dual setup in order to use them.

What I would do instead would be to cut the ailerons and convert the single aileron torque rods to work flaps and run the servos with either a single servo in the center, or add two more servos for ailerons

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

I have them set-up on all my two-aileron-servo models.

Some models benefit from them; some turn nasty when they are deployed. If you are not accustomed to using your rudder on landing, I would be VERY careful using them on a warbird-type model, due to the afore-mentioned possibility of tip stall. IOW, if you use the ailerons to correct a directional wander instead of the rudder, you may over-control and induce a tip stall.

Having said all of that, all my models are sport/aerobatic types. Most have flaperons enabled; I cannot remember the last time I used that feature on any of them. It is just a non-issue for a normal wing loading. Now, if you're flying one of those 27-ton-per-square-inch scale warbirds, such as are popular at my club, flaps are just about mandatory. REAL flaps, as opposed to flaperons.

I think you're doing it right; set them up, experiment, and decide. You can always inhibit the function.