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Elevator - use only one side for control surface


cirrusRC

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Hi

I was looking at an old plan for 100" glider.    The elevator is only hinged on the one side.    I assume this is a weight saving measure.    It clearly never caught on and I'm kinda curious as to whether it matters for a floater rudder/elevator only glider?

Assuming enough authority is programmed in,  will it create lopsided pitch control?   Or not enough to matter.............curious.

thanks

image.png.1e389c9a0fe12bd373df7dc68cf788aa.png

 

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Since it's a pure X tail with a normal rudder,  the only difference is the elevator is all on one side.  If the model has enough dihedral to fly well R/E, the very slight roll induced by the off-set elevator will be compensated by the dihedral - I doubt you'd notice anything.   If you're worried, you know what to do.  A tiny amount of rudder mix in the elevator control would also 'fix it'

A full span elevator will produced less 'control drag' but this is a small effect.   The control surface produces camber and incidence changes so full span elevators remain the normal choice.

Most models use a single sided fin and rudder - does anyone notice the roll from that and compensate for it?

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John Minchell

That looks like the Sonata tail surfaces anyway - just checked the plan fo a Sonata E, which still had the single sided elevator.

John M

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In a previous life, I flew a Balsa Cabin Sonata, built as per designed and it flew fine. People have the propensity to over think things.

Good question if you are not in the know but there were no vices in its handling.

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6 hours ago, ceebee said:

In a previous life, I flew a Balsa Cabin Sonata, built as per designed and it flew fine. People have the propensity to over think things.

Good question if you are not in the know but there were no vices in its handling.

Still got a Sonata (built as designed) and it still flies fine 🤓 - very therapeutic to fly on a calm, sunny, thermally summer day 👍🏼

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21 hours ago, pete beadle said:

solved the problem completely

LOL

No problem.

I know what you mean though, sometimes what works isn't good enough!

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