Aces High Bulletin Board
Help and Support Forums => Help and Training => Topic started by: NitroFish on May 15, 2006, 12:04:39 PM
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I was reading MOSQ's post regarding aircraft turn rates in the Aircraft forum. http://www.flyaceshigh.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=177723 (http://www.flyaceshigh.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=177723)
MOSQ's turn rates are based no flap and full flap configurations. Flaps create more lift and more drag, at some point the increased drag offsets the increase of lift. At what point does that happen in AH? If at all. I realize that this is only an issue with aircraft that have multiple flap settings.
I have been learning in the P-51, is 2 clicks of flaps that point or would I be better off to crank in all the flaps when I get low and slow? Not that I want to be low and slow but it happens.
Thanks
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Trying not to get too technical, but look at it this way. At your best sustained turn rate (meaning you can hold that turn indefinately without departing) in a plane, you are almost using exactly all the power being produced at the prop. If you use more power than is being produced, you eventually stall.
There are two types of drag using up your power, induced drag (drag from maneuvering), and parasitic drag (drag inherent in your airframe). When you deploy flaps, you are adding parasitic drag, but that by itself (by design) should not put you at a power deficet. As long as you're not inducing enough drag to put you at a power deficet, there's no problem
The thing to remember is that when you are not maneuvering, the extra parasitic drag from the flaps, will be robbing you of part of your excess power. Of course you'll always be wanting to be putting your excess power toward either speed or altitude to improve your energy state. So its a good idea to use flaps at any setting only as long as you need to.
If you get your 51 in a situation where it is slow enough to deploy more than 2 notches of flaps, adding more flaps will provide stability and lift. If the sitiation dictates you need the lift and stability, by all means do it. Just remember not to use them any longer than you have to.
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Originally posted by Murdr
Trying not to get too technical, but look at it this way. At your best sustained turn rate (meaning you can hold that turn indefinately without departing) in a plane, you are almost using exactly all the power being produced at the prop. If you use more power than is being produced, you eventually stall.
There are two types of drag using up your power, induced drag (drag from maneuvering), and parasitic drag (drag inherent in your airframe). When you deploy flaps, you are adding parasitic drag, but that by itself (by design) should not put you at a power deficet. As long as you're not inducing enough drag to put you at a power deficet, there's no problem
The thing to remember is that when you are not maneuvering, the extra parasitic drag from the flaps, will be robbing you of part of your excess power. Of course you'll always be wanting to be putting your excess power toward either speed or altitude to improve your energy state. So its a good idea to use flaps at any setting only as long as you need to.
If you get your 51 in a situation where it is slow enough to deploy more than 2 notches of flaps, adding more flaps will provide stability and lift. If the sitiation dictates you need the lift and stability, by all means do it. Just remember not to use them any longer than you have to.
Very well put Murdr!