Stock flaps concept [A KSP FIRST!]

[ibrahimhamza48]

Using small hardpoints, landing gear, and fuel lines, I made a stock solution for aircraft flaps. These help you change a plane's aerodynamics in midair. When flaps are deployed, they extend the width of a plane's wings, generating more lift and drag.

Flaps raised:

Flaps deployed:

Flight testing showed that deploying flaps helps on takeoff and landing. This design is still in testing.

The design itself is simple. Landing legs push a wing up. A hardpoint is used as a hinge. Fuel lines are act as bungees, letting the flap move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAla14os-yA

Edited March 4, 2015 by ibrahimhamza48

[godefroi]

Would love to see them, but we can't see screenshots saved on your harddrive.

[Bill Phil]

Upload the screenshots to imgur. Then put the URL from that in the IMG tags...

[problemecium]

This would be so useful, except I'm pretty sure KSP applies drag regardless of the configuration of parts on the craft. So they sure do make it look like more drag has been added, but unless you're running FAR or NEAR, they won't actually do anything productive.

[zarakon]

This would be so useful, except I'm pretty sure KSP applies drag regardless of the configuration of parts on the craft. So they sure do make it look like more drag has been added, but unless you're running FAR or NEAR, they won't actually do anything productive.

From the pictures it looks like it changes the angle of the flaps, not just the position, so I would expect it to work in stock too

[ibrahimhamza48]

Deploying the flaps only affected the plane a little bit. However, I could also make airbrakes and spoilers with the same design. Those could be more useful, especially with landing on short runways.

[numerobis]

This would be so useful, except I'm pretty sure KSP applies drag regardless of the configuration of parts on the craft. So they sure do make it look like more drag has been added, but unless you're running FAR or NEAR, they won't actually do anything productive.

No, drag of lifting surfaces definitely depends on their angle of attack.

However, drag still depends on mass. And the mass of wings and control surfaces is very low -- so this isn't going to be adding much drag. It will add a lot of lift though.

IRL you use flaps to increase lift (and drag) during takeoff and landing, but you retract them to reduce the drag (and lift) during flight. In KSP, the extra drag of the flap mechanism is way, way more than the extra drag of that wing, so you'd be better off just having your flap extended all the time.

Still, I love the ingenuity.

Edited January 5, 2015 by numerobis

[problemecium]

From the pictures it looks like it changes the angle of the flaps, not just the position, so I would expect it to work in stock too

Ah yes, that. I feel dumb. In that case it would work xD

[worir4]

Can we have the craft file please?

[HafCoJoe]

Fuel lines are act as bungees, letting the flap move.

Are fuel lines elastic? I thought they just created a line between two points. I've used this same type of hinge for the doors of one of my planes. Never with wings though. Very cool!

[ibrahimhamza48]

K-24 Craft file: http://app.box.com/s/jw6lajqnh8byhw0fossn

Press 1 to toggle flaps.

Flaps are deployed by default.

Also, yes, fuel lines are elastic.

Edited January 7, 2015 by ibrahimhamza48

[cantab]

An ingenious solution. It will though have its limits. When deployed the flaps are operating at a higher angle of attack than the wing, and unlike IRL their lift is independent to the main wing. As long as the flaps are still below their maximum lift AoA you'll be fine, but once they pass that and begin stalling you'll start losing their benefit. The flaps will stall before the main wing which may give you bad handling characteristics - it's better if the forward lift surfaces stall before the aft ones.

You might be better using control surfaces than wing sections, since control surfaces generate maximum lift at 90 degree AoA (a factor in the "infiniglide" bug) so control surface flaps will basically never stall.

[ibrahimhamza48]

An ingenious solution. It will though have its limits. When deployed the flaps are operating at a higher angle of attack than the wing, and unlike IRL their lift is independent to the main wing. As long as the flaps are still below their maximum lift AoA you'll be fine, but once they pass that and begin stalling you'll start losing their benefit. The flaps will stall before the main wing which may give you bad handling characteristics - it's better if the forward lift surfaces stall before the aft ones.

You might be better using control surfaces than wing sections, since control surfaces generate maximum lift at 90 degree AoA (a factor in the "infiniglide" bug) so control surface flaps will basically never stall.

Plain english please? I didn't get all of that. I think you mean that when the flaps are deployed, they can stall out and cause the plane to handle worse, but the flaps are retracted when cruising, so I don't think it would be an issue. Correct me if I am wrong.