Flap System Setup

[Pilotguy]

Just curious about why my Eflite P-47 manual has these numbers for setting up flaps. Why would position 0 and position 1 be negative while position 2 is a positive # (+80).
Am I correct in assuming that the numbers are degrees of travel?

Thanks ...

[fhhuber]

% of servo throw from center. Half of the travel is negative in Spektrum and some other programming.

When setting up elevator, 0% is centered and aligned with the fixed surface. +/- 100% are full up and full down.

On flaps, 0% is half travel. -100% is up and aligned with the wing. 100% is down as far as they can go. (+/-- can be reversed based on preference for the switch/knob/slider direction for flaps up)

[Pilotguy]

I see. On my P-51 that I bought from Horizons black friday sale (I'm just setting it up now), I set flaps as follows: (the manual says nothing about setting up flaps).

POS 0 = +100% (up position on 3 position switch)
(this is no flap deflection. Flush with wing root)

POS 1 = +15% (middle position on 3 position switch)
(this is takeoff flaps)

POS 2 = -65% (down position on 3 position switch)
(this is landing flaps

I havent flown the P-51 yet but the flaps positions look good for the 3 position switch.

I am assuming these will work out ok and I can fine tune after seeing how she flies?

thanks ...

[Rebel]

It is now the end of July 2019 and I was just wondering how your flap settings worked out. Did you also put in some down elevator in POS 1 & 2?

[AirHead]

From my own flight perspective; foam planes have fairly light wing loading. They don't really need a lot of flap. In some cases, flaps make things even more twitchy and unsettling. Dynam didn't offer flaps on most of their planes until lately, mostly to keep prices down, but people were asking for them. I flew most of my Dynams without flaps. The Corsair actually landed better without them. Obviously, they help slow planes down, but the "touchdown" can be a "speed wobble" with small planes. Flaps can actually "spoil" your landing. I do use 13 - 15% down elevator on my Beavers when landing on water. I've been watching the geese land and they use down elevator for sure....