[NSRCA-discussion] FAT Rudder

[Dave]

Years ago, Dad and I were 1st and 2nd for the D1 Champ in Sportsman (1 step
up from the entry level class at that time) flying 4 servo fixed trike gear
pattern planes w/ side exhaust 60s and pipes mounted on the fuse sides above
the wings.  Very "crude" setups for the time.  The next planes we built had
retracts, not because retracts flew better (they never did, unless you went
through the fuss of full gear doors), but because "they" said we'd never get
taken seriously and scored fairly without "real" pattern planes.

 

So far as strakes, fins, add-ons to an existing design, or developing
design...certainly some of it just might be "it looks cool", or "look what I
have".  Or maybe it actually works, on some designs, with some setups, for
some pilots.  Formula 1 has huge budgets and most teams introduce new
bodywork every season, yet without fail, nearly every car has aerodevices
which multiply and morph during the season..with the $$$ and resources
consumed, and the $$$ and prestige at stake, I doubt many (if any) of these
devices are added without having some real benefit.

 

Regards,

 

Dave

 

  _____  

From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Bob Richards
Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 10:21 PM
To: General pattern discussion
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] FAT Rudder

 


Competition breeds experimentation.

 

Think back when Hanno Prettner showed up with an anhedral stab. Pretty soon
most of the designs had it. I remember hearing people say that pattern
planes would only fly well with anhedral stabs.

 

Retracts. I made the comment at the '95 Nats that it no longer made sense to
have retracts on pattern planes. One fellow NSRCA board member told me in no
uncertain terms that fixed gear would completely screw up the "force
arrangement" of a pattern plane. Looks like one of us was right.

 

Airbrakes (another Hanno Prettner experiment). Next year, lots of planes had
airbrakes.

 

Variable CG. In-flight variable pitch props. In-flight mixture controls.
Slow-roll buttons. Variable sweep wings. Winglets on the top of a fuselage.
Side force generators (yes, tried many years ago in pattern - long before 3D
ever existed).

 

IMHO, simplicity wins most of the time.

 

Bob R.



--- On Sun, 8/23/09, Phil Spelt <chuenkan at comcast.net> wrote:

 

All just further proof that aerobatics competition breeds innovation! :-$

 

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