What does "use as spoiler/flap" options do?

[quantumpion]

What do the "use as spoiler" and "use as flap" options in the tweakables menu for control surfaces do?

[draeath]

Exactly what it says. It enables that control surface as a spoiler and/or as a flap.

[TechnicalK3rbal]

A spoiler is basically an airbrake, the flap angle part of the wing an thus gives you more lift at a slower speed.

[draeath]

A spoiler is basically an airbrake, the flap angle part of the wing an thus gives you more lift at a slower speed.

I just linked to wikipedia on both...

[Javster]

Haven't seen them, I must check and use.

[quantumpion]

I know what a spoiler and flap are but how does the tweakable option affect the control surfaces to work as such? Thanks!

[Markus Reese]

Oh, I can toggle my flaps to be spoilers? Oh happy landings!!!

[Skorpychan]

I just linked to wikipedia on both...

Yes, but for some of us, wikipedia is a mimetic hazard, so we appreciate the explanations without having to go there.

I just lost six hours to fascinated clicking. Did you know that there was a proposal to mount the Space Shuttle on a Saturn lower stage to avoid using SRBs?

Neither did I, until recently.

[I_Killed_Jeb]

which parts give spoiler options?

[Captain Sierra]

Yes, but for some of us, wikipedia is a mimetic hazard, so we appreciate the explanations without having to go there.

I just lost six hours to fascinated clicking. Did you know that there was a proposal to mount the Space Shuttle on a Saturn lower stage to avoid using SRBs?

Neither did I, until recently.

Fascinating. Sounds kinda like how most of us too lazy to do traditional shuttles launch ours. XD

Flaps and spoilers both work the same with one minor difference.

Each one deflects to create a vertical force and/or drag in accordance with the angle of deflection.

Low angles of deflection (10-30 degrees) create less drag and moderate additional lift (or downforce for spoilers), particularly at lower speeds. higher angles of deflection (50-80 degrees) will create lots of drag, often used for fast stops in aircraft.

Technical garble which you probably already knew aside, KSP's aero model is dumb. I have no clue how realistic the effects are modeled in the game or how the aero model reacts to those tweaks. Test thoroughly and use with caution.

[numerobis]

What do the "use as spoiler" and "use as flap" options in the tweakables menu for control surfaces do?

Is this a mod? I only get pitch/yaw/roll controls when I right-click on a part in the SPH.

[draeath]

I think Ferram Aerospace Research adds this, as it also allows you to specify if it's used for pitch, roll, and yaw.

[numerobis]

Sweet! That might be enough to push me over the edge to install FAR.

[jedensuscg]

Throw the flaps on the front of the wing, and what do you get? Slats...they broke the bank when naming those.

We actually had two Air Station cats, one named Slats the other Flaps...never knew what happened to Slats, but the amount of hydraulic fluid Flaps sleeps in and drinks...would not be surprised if he ate Slats.

I digress.

Edited January 11, 2014 by jedensuscg

[MoonMan22]

which parts give spoiler options?

I believe this only works with FAR installed.

[EatVacuum]

Okay I already understood what flaps and spoilers are. Airbrakes and wheel brakes both activate when you use to the brake keys. But what key activates the flaps?

[federally]

I think Ferram Aerospace Research adds this, as it also allows you to specify if it's used for pitch, roll, and yaw.

This option is available in stock. Might not be on all control surfaces but I know I've seen it on the large control surfaces mounted to the back of swept wings.

[Streetwind]

Okay I already understood what flaps and spoilers are. Airbrakes and wheel brakes both activate when you use to the brake keys. But what key activates the flaps?

You need to bring up the FAR in-flight menu for this, by clicking the toolbar button. There you will find flap settings.

[roblamb98]

wow, now that would be a rocket launch worth watching, not like LADEE... it was cool from a few states away lol

[EatVacuum]

You need to bring up the FAR in-flight menu for this, by clicking the toolbar button. There you will find flap settings.

I'll take a look, thanks

[arq]

FAR adds these to control surfaces. Flaps are (by default) bound to actiongroups 9 and 0 (IIRC) while spoilers fire with the brakes, b.

Flaps increase lift, and are used to allow flying at lower speeds than otherwise might be possible. This is useful for takeoff/landing, because lower groundspeeds are much safer.

Spoilers are not strictly intended to stop the plane, but that is a useful side-effect. They are used to reduce lift and increase drag. They are used to bleed energy from the plane while it is in the air. When deployed, they 'spoil' the lifting characteristics of the wing, making it less effective. This can be used to increase a descent rate without entering a dive (which would increase airspeed, a bad thing near the ground), which is important for final approach to landing. On the ground, they do help to slow the plane but are much less effective than the wheelbrakes. The major reason they are deployed on touchdown is to keep the plane from taking off again, which can be exceedingly dangerous because you aren't planning on it.

[Vanamonde]

Since this is a mod function which isn't the basic game, the question has been moved to add-on affairs to avoid confusion.

[Wahgineer]

Since this is a mod function which isn't the basic game, the question has been moved to add-on affairs to avoid confusion.

If you ask me, this should be in the game! B9 has spoilers that work with stock aerodynamics; to make the control surfaces work as spoilers would basically be:

add spoiler code as a tweakable.

If optSpoiler.Value=True Then

objSpoiler.Active=True

Else

objSpoiler.Active=False

End If

[Q-ver KSP]

Spoiler means it moves up which= less lift and more drag

Flaps means it moves down so it= More lift and more drag

 

use flaps to mantain low speed without stalling so you can approach the runway, once you touch down deploy the spoilers to keep yourself on the ground and slow down, if you really need to go down quickly without going super fast, spoilers are your friends, if you are stalling put full thrust, put nose down and deploy flaps to gain more lift, if you need to take off in a short runway, flpas will help you be able to take off at lower speeds.

Hope I helped

[Kennosuke.ken]

On 20/03/2014 at 10:05 AM, EatVacuum said:

Okay I already understood what flaps and spoilers are. Airbrakes and wheel brakes both activate when you use to the brake keys. But what key activates the flaps?

Well.  You can use control surface as a flaps, you know that right? Do u know action groups? Assign the control surface use as the flaps to one of the custom action group and press the action group key in-flight

Edited December 27, 2017 by Kennosuke.ken