nttrackpa

Been flying for quite some time, BUT I never used Air Brakes/Flaperons on my plane. Flying at a field with a short landing area and coming in with a plane that is very fast, so i decided to set up air brakes, would like to know what trim set up to use as far as elevator goes with down flaps? Up or down elevator?

Appreciate some feed back information..

shultz

iTrader: (52)

You'll likely need a touch of DOWN elevator to keep the nose from pitching up when the flaps deploy.

How much will depend on 3 thing's... the type of plane, the speed you deploy flaps at and the amount of flaps. Best thing to do it take it up 2-3 mistakes high and deploy the flaps at around you're base leg flying speed and see what happens with the nose.

shultz

iTrader: (52)

Forgot to say... DON'T start off with full Flaperons, set about 15-20 degrees and see how it reacts IN THE AIR! do a mock landing a couple of mistakes high... sometimes flaperons can cause a bit of tip stall. Also you will loose some aileron control when using them as flaperons...keep that in mind.

Once you have a feeling for them try your first landing... if it's still abit fast increase the flaps 10 degrees and start over with testing in the air until your happy with the landing speed.

Having a slightly tail heavy CG will also help slow landing speeds as it's easier to keep the nose up... of course you must be careful unless your use to tail heavy planes.

interplanet

iTrader: (10)

I had a ultamite bipe take a good digger from hitting flaperons to low, if you have a three postion switch set it up to do spoilers as well, I tend to like having the flaps up, like the opposite way for landings if takeoffs are not a problem.

shultz

iTrader: (52)

Yep... Flaperons can cause you ton's of trouble... I personally do not use them for landing or takeoff... flaps yes(REAL FLAPS) I do use Flaperons for some 3d stuff(usuall as spoilers) but when it come time to land they go OFF.

OP, What plane are you trying to slow down the landing speed on? some planes just land HOT... Flaps, Flaperons or not.

nttrackpa

Thanks for all the help, Im flying a 330S, I think i should rebalance the plane it is a bit nose heavy. Instead of worrying about airbrakes to slow down the landing. Thanks so much for the information...

interplanet

iTrader: (10)

its gonna land fast no matter what.

shultz

iTrader: (52)

Glad I asked... as interplanet already said it's going to come in a bit hot no matter what.

BE VERY CAREFUL MOVING BACK THE CG!!!!!!!!!!! extras can get down right nasty tail heavy. Go SLOW, move it back no more than 1/8 of an inch at a time and make sure you have dual rates set up... a nice consertive LOW rate and a still consertive HIGH rate... they can get twitchy when tail heavy... low rates can save you a$$

Tail heavy with a little to much control throw and you have a re-kit

Once again...GO SLOW, leave the CG where it is till you have your Low/High rates set up... then tinker with the CG A LITTLE AT A TIME.

Thier is no real point of flaperons on an Extra UNLESS you use them for some 3D moves(spoilerons are usually better) For take off and landing...flaperons will do more harm than good IMHO. Oh and that pesky tip stall I was talking about with flaperons...GOOD chance you'll get some on an Extra.

Good luck!

interplanet

iTrader: (10)

What shultz said, watch how far you move the CG, I personally would start with mm movements, models tend to be different from one to another, On some I am able to move almost an inch depending if I want to fly 3d or sport, some like my weasel, a couple mm off and it flys like crap.

If you plan on flying it as a sport plane a forward cg is better, 3d, move it back.

shultz

iTrader: (52)

interplanet is right... even though I've been flying smaller electrics for years everytime I answer an air plane question without knowing what plane it is I ALWAYS think of 40-60 size glow... I guess that 20 some odd years of flying glow is burned in permant

At any rate... be it MM or an 1/8 of an inch take it nice and slow moving back the CG!

The Slayer

iTrader: (21)

I just put real flaps on the Parkzone T-28 with a power-10 motor and absolutely love landing with them!! I set the elevator mix around 12% down and can come from WOT to just about stall in 30' or so. (Not that that's how I come in on approach! LOL) I found the flaps keep the plane more stable while coming in on windy days, when its dead calm I don't even need them!