Originally posted by Shane
what was their purpose? the leading edge slats? that's something pretty new to my conceptions of planes. trailing edge i see see.... leading edge and the way they're deployed as you showed... ??
The purpose is to enable an increased AoA at slow air speeds and so lower the natural stall point of that part of the wing...
I believe the above graph shows this to some extent.
They (the slats) are balanced and sucked into position by the negative pressure that occurrs at this part of the wing at slow speeds with increased AoA. On an La7 this was at 200 > 220 kph..optimum climb figures are given at 260kph descending to 180 kph above 9000 metres the slats deploying at about 7000>8000 metres.
They are in fact auto slots which allow high pressure air from under the wing to "clean up" dirty air (due to a high AoA) ontop of the wing .
They carry some disadvantages with their advantages
a) the proper landing speed of an La7 should be nearer 80 mph than the 100+ we use now........ 80 mph is impossible in AH now (or at least very very difficult) At 100 + the infamous gear bounce would have catapulted the la7 back into the air...........at 80 with slots modelled you will be very nose up and totally blind.
b)they reduce drag at high AoA and when landing you want drag.
c)when one is damaged you have two wings which exhibit different lift during landing.
d) the onset of subsequent stall is very sudden.
How may they effect AH's La7?
well HT will decide but some speculation would be interesting
They should not change climb rate or top speed.
Optimum climb rate figures upto approx 7500 metres are at IAS above 220kph so slats are not deployed.
Obviously at top speed they are not deployed.
They may lower the stall speed both flat stall and wing dipped high speed stall.
Slow high yo yo's may require a Js correction as the lower wing slot deploys trying to lift it against the attitude you have set.
They give AH the option of usuing the la slats as the only source of stall onset warning. There is no stall buzzer in an La and the wing is not twisted like a spit to give stall flutter over the wing root.
With the stall speed lowered we may find minimum turn radius also lowered.......but not turn rate.
Add this to no independent wheel brakes, horrendous gear bounce, true castor tail wheel charcturistics, rapid stall recovery and modified torque effects in such a short high powered (low drag) AC and I think we will approach exactly what the La 7 was.
