Flaps?

[shawn coleman]

Re: Flaps?

I have an F-22 to my knowledge the only aircraft in the Taylorcraft line to have flaps, previous to that I had an F 19 both aircraft had vortex generators, as far as the flaps go there three position to 30° and that 30° they probably give you 4 miles an hour on the bottom end which still puts me at around 39 or 40 with the F-22 but with the f 19 I could still achieve 36 or 37 on the low-end. But I suppose this all equates obviously to aircraft weight you cannot put 40 gallons of gas in a F 19 but you can in an F-22.

I will say that I enjoy the flaps for popping aircraft off the ground I think I probably gained 50 to hundred feet by doing that but it is just mostly a lot of fun I can't say that the drag produced by 30° of flaps is worth having because as stated before all the other models can fall just as fast as or faster without flaps . But it does change the angle of the nose to a more comfortable position. And also it affords you the ability to be a lot more sloppy on your approach since it does tend to help kill the Taylorcraft float effect which again is really nice but not a must have. It will take off with 30° of flaps but under gross weight and a hot day does not do it gracefully.

When the wind is blowing unless right in my face I don't even try to use them since the roll control is so greatly reduced.

Bottom line yes they are a lot of fun are they needed no if you are sloppy about airspeed then you may consider them a great help bottom line I could give up my flaps but I would never give up my vortex generators

[jim cooper]

Re: Flaps?

Try to imagine, since 1939 say, where T Crafts have been flown without benefit of flaps! (successfully.) If you can slip it well, flaps are of no real value in my very humble estimation. Sort of like the monkey and the typewriter. JC

[astjp2]

Re: Flaps?

The VG's only lowered stall about 2 mph, but the low speed control would feel much better, not as sluggish. Tim

[ericvap]

Re: Flaps?

I forgot about the VG's, that would be great. Here is the guys that did the ones on my 340. Says it reduces stall 5mph on a Taylorcraft for $595 plus install.
http://www.microaero.com/index.html Micro Aero in WA.

[Pearson]

Re: Flaps?

I would invest in the Vortex Generators before I bothered with flaps. Sealing up the gaps at each end of the ailerons would also help.

[jack]

Re: Flaps?

When I lived in Homer, Ak one of the pilots had a F-19 that had flaps. It was on floats and the flaps helped it get off in a much shorter run.

[ericvap]

Re: Flaps?

I have a F21 and it weighs 1500lbs and I can land it in about 300 ft? How much shorter do you think the flaps would help that? This is no Learjet..
I have no idea why you would need flaps. If I use the standard rule of thumb for a fixed wing at zero flap landing add 33% I guess I could then do it in 200 ft???
If I want flaps,retract gear,etc I would get another plane, but I do have another plane with all that very expensive stuff it lands in about 1500 ft on a good day..... so I dont know if that helped any but with any wind all the numbers go way down, my shortest in the F21 is about 75 ft in 20 kts wind.

[blue_ridge]

Anyone have experience using a Taylorcraft with flaps for backcountry or off airport flying?

Were the flaps a worthwhile improvement in performance, or landing target consistency?