Aircraft High lift devices: Increasing Lift at will

[Jappards]

Currently we can make our wings as big as we want in the SPH, but not in flight. Bigger wings have a higher lift rating and more drag, smaller wings a smaller lift rating and less drag, but lift induces drag, so having excess drag decreases the performance of an aircraft. Aircrafts with smaller wings need a bigger runway, which is less than ideal in some situations. My solution: being able to change the lift of an airplane wing in flight.

High lift devices

High lift devices increase lift when you want them to. There are 2 settings, one when the lift is higher and one where the lift is lower. Here are my suggestions for high lift devices:

Flaps: Placed behind the wing, expands to increase lift;

Slats: placed in front of the wings, expands;

Flaps and Sats expand and increase drag enough to use as brakes.

Telescopic wings: This gives you the option to increase your small wings to big wings at wil.

Edited May 10, 2015 by Jappards

[pincushionman]

Are flaps not already present in 1.X?

[Hobbes Novakoff]

Yup. I believe you are looking for a flap. And those are stock already.

[Jappards]

There is a difference between a flap and an aileron. Flaps extend outward to increase lift, but they can't steer. Ailerons are control surfaces while flaps aren't.

[CaptainTurbomuffin]

• Use a plane with a small wing, and assist with SRB-s while taking off
  
• (Kerbal solution): Build planes with big wings, and blast off their edge when you want less drag
  

[thereaverofdarkness]

I'd love to see folding wings like on fighters, which can be held outward for maximum lift, or swept backward to allow the plane to go fast.

[pincushionman]

There is a difference between a flap and an aileron. Flaps extend outward to increase lift, but they can't steer. Ailerons are control surfaces while flaps aren't.

"Control surfaces" in the game can be set to be real control surfaces, flaps, or spoilers independently.

And Fowler flaps extend backward from the wing; simple flaps on a hinge certainly exist.

[Sky_walker]

"Control surfaces" in the game can be set to be real control surfaces, flaps, or spoilers independently.

You forgot about slats. They work for that too.