Question about Flaps

[Richdre 0]

This is probably a dumb question but you never know unless you ask. I have noticed that lowering the flaps in the RV does not seem to reduce the speed at all. I have always lowered the flaps to slow down for landings and that doesn't seem to work in flight. I need to reduce power and pull the nose up to lower the speed and I have been doing that but I don't see where the flaps do anything. I checked and the flaps are down so I know the joystick buttons are working. Thanks

[OHN 1]

In the RV you have to hold down the F6 button and set the flaps to what you want, theres no fixed positions.

[g_precentralis 191]

Flaps are not there to slow aircraft down. Yes flaps produce drag, but main purpose is to increase lift. So, slow down first to Vfe (fortunately, MS provided reference speeds for all airplanes... :LMAO: ) and then deploy flaps.

Edited March 4, 2012 by g_precentralis

[Tom Wright 438]

The flaps do work. You'll notice there's a very definite nose-down tendency when you lower the flaps.The RV-6 is a slippery aircraft. Make it easier by giving yourself a wide berth with a nice long final approach. Bleed the speed off first, then start the descent down the glideslope.

[Richdre 0]

Thanks. The 172 that I used to fly in another sim really slowed down when I lowered the flaps. I used the flaps like speed breaks. Sounds like Flight does a much better job of modeling the real thing. An I correct in saying that the flaps will result in a lower stall speed when they are down?

[Tom Wright 438]

All aircraft are different. The C172 does have very big flaps which when fully out create a lot of drag, so they can help to slow you down. The RV-6 is a sport aircraft with a very streamlined airframe. The flaps produce more lift than they do drag, making it much more difficult to slow down.Flaps work to increase the surface area of the wing to help it generate more lift at slower speeds.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Tom Wright

[Richdre 0]

Thanks for the reply. I'm glad I asked the question because I learned something.

[KevQA 0]

Also, if you have or get the Maule, use the checklists the first few times becuase the Maule has a -7 degree flap position that is used (in addition to others).

[Guest]

Thanks. The 172 that I used to fly in another sim really slowed down when I lowered the flaps. I used the flaps like speed breaks.

Speed breaks! Bad habit! Flaps may not be used above a certain speed, indicated as Vfe (maximum flap extended speed). Usually various settings have various allowed speeds. Check out the meaning of Vfe and other interesting abbreviations for instance here:http://www.learntofly.ca/airspeeds-v-speeds-vx-vy-vs-vs1-va-vno-vne-vfe/

[cjp 0]

Since the RV6A doesn't come with reference speeds and the airspeed indicator doesn't show the white band for flap speed range, i went searching for V speed values from real life. Here is what I found at http://www.vansairforce.org/POH/RV-6_2/RV-6_2.pdf. This is specific to a particular aircraft, but I hope it is close enough to be helpful, it's certainly closer that the nothing that MS gives us.V_s0 (stall speed in landing configuration) 42 ktsV_s1 (stall speed, no flaps) 47 ktsV_ref (approach) 60-65 ktsTouchdown 55 kts Vr (rotation) 55 ktsV_fe (max full flap speed) 87 ktsV_max (max cruise) 175 ktsV_ne (never exceed) 183 ktsV_x (best climb angle) 65 ktsV_y (best climb rate) 75 kts

[enamel 4]

Since the RV6A doesn't come with reference speeds and the airspeed indicator doesn't show the white band for flap speed range, i went searching for V speed values from real life. Here is what I found at http://www.vansairfo...-6_2/RV-6_2.pdf. This is specific to a particular aircraft, but I hope it is close enough to be helpful, it's certainly closer that the nothing that MS gives us.V_s0 (stall speed in landing configuration) 42 ktsV_s1 (stall speed, no flaps) 47 ktsV_ref (approach) 60-65 ktsTouchdown 55 ktsVr (rotation) 55 ktsV_fe (max full flap speed) 87 ktsV_max (max cruise) 175 ktsV_ne (never exceed) 183 ktsV_x (best climb angle) 65 ktsV_y (best climb rate) 75 kts

Thanks for this, this is really handy.

[Poncho 19]

I'm not disputing the flaps work, but are they working correctly? For example, when I extend the flaps on all my payware FSX GA aircraft the nose comes up. When I extend the flaps in MS Flight the nose drops which I can only assume is the opposite of what it is supposed to do. I can't think they would get this wrong, but then I can't believe all the FSX payware aircraft companies are getting it wrong either?

[Oracle427 45]

The answer is that it depends. Among various aircraft the behavior ranges from pitching up to neutral to pitching down.That is mostly a function of where the center of gravity is located at that moment in time and where the center is lift is shifted to once the flaps are deployed.If the center of lift moves forward, it might move forward of the center of gravity and pitch the nose up. In the opposite case it will pitch the nose down.As the position of the center of gravity typically shifts as you consume fuel, I will venture a guess to say that some of the larger aircraft may actually exhibit both behaviors depending on what of the flight they are in.

[Chock 17,769]

Just as a point of interest more than anything: One of the chief reasons that flaps affect pitch, is because what they tend to do when they are deployed, is push the airflow that is going over the top of the wing downwards more off the back of the trailing edge as it droops. Flaps also alter how far back from the nose that downward-going air is too, since they also alter the centre of pressure. This can have the effect of increasing the angle of attack on the air hitting the rear stabiliser and elevators, making them either more or less effective depending on the type of aircraft it is, since the rear stabiliser is effectively an upside down wing whose function is to force the tail down in order to counter the tendency for the main wing to pitch the nose down as it generates lift under normal flight conditions.An extreme version of the phenomena where flaps alter the tailplane's behaviour, can be seen when you get a violent pitch down if the tail is iced up (the ice accretion alters its aerofoil shape); if you then drop the flaps when iced up like that, the increased angle of attack on the tailplane airflow more easily stalls the tailplane, making the elevator snap down into the reduced pressure area under the elevator, which then pitches the nose down. Failure to understand this has caused crashes of regional turboprop airliners on numerous occasions, because pilots think they are experiencing a normal stall when the nose drops with the stick forced forwards, so they don't consider raising the flaps, which is in fact what should be done in those circumstances in order to unstall the tailplane. It is unlikely that MS Flight will simulate this dangerous occurrence, but it is interesting to know about it, as it helps one to understand how flaps do indeed affect the tail surface's behaviour.Al

[Great Ozzie 101]

Flaps are not there to slow aircraft down.

Sure they are...If you have to maintain a relatively high approach speed on approach to fit in with traffic... full application of flaps (once below Vfe) is a great way to get the plane slowed up for your "over the fence" speed. You have to know your plane... what it can and can't do.And let's just take the example of a normal pattern in a Warrior II (since I am familiar with those). Abeam the numbers, set your approach power, one notch flaps and trim for 80kts. Turn to base and 2nd notch (25°) and 70kts. Turn to final, third notch (40°) and 63kts. Each notch of flaps slows the plane w/o a power change and sets you up for your final approach speed.

I'm not disputing the flaps work, but are they working correctly?

The man to ask (here) is Larry Adamson.Check out this thread:http://www.pprune.or...0-cherokee.htmlThe bottom line is, it is going to depend on (the design of) the specific aircraft.