It's always been my understanding that the MAM-recommended max 18 deg. down
is as measured on the ground, not in the air. I certainly concur with the
descriptions of others that at that setting, there is not a whole lot of
roll control -- as I'm sure you must know. In fact, IMHO, on 254R it's not
a whole lot better than the limited handling options and response available
in a falling leaf stall.
Although I don't have any good ideas for in flight measurement, and I
recognize that you want to experiment with flap settings beyond the
designers' max allowable, I'd have to agree with the gist of comments by
some others to the effect that you're unlikely to achieve any more flap
effects that are beneficial, but _will_ lose roll control and, as Bob
Palmer suggested, at some point, perhaps flyable control in yaw as well.
Of course, many if not most Rebel pitot systems lose any indication at all,
to say nothing of accuracy, at speeds below 35 MPH. I don't think you're
ever going to get a Rebel to land at say, a certifiable 32 MPH -- under
control -- unless you're using a full airframe parachute, and some would
say that's not control. :-) I should also note that on 254R, even at 35
MPH, the AOA instrument has already given up squawking at me and bailed out
in a panic with its own chute. ;-)
Seriously, it's probably obvious, but still a good time to note there are
inevitable variations between planes and airspeed instruments -- not to
mention the instrument between the ears that interprets them -- such that
one builder's report of performance at X deg. down will not be reliably
comparable to another's report at ostensibly identical settings. Given that
we're talking about pretty high AOA and the limits of the airfoil's
capability to provide adequate lift at all -- even with a lot of thrust, we
hope -- such inevitable differences in precision do matter.
In short, I don't see the point, i.e., any prospect of benefits that are
sufficient to outweigh the risks inherent in the ever increasing loss of
control that clearly occurs beyond 18 deg. down.
Just my three cents.
Ron
On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 9:44 PM, jessejenks72@gmail.com <
jessejenks72@gmail.com> wrote:
Any ideas on how to check in-flight flap angle?
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