In thinking about my design, I'm running into a lack of knowledge due to limited flying experience (I only have time in about five types), so I'm hoping a more experienced pilot can comment.
In those planes I've flown that had flaps, flap application caused a slight (CH 701) to moderate (Cessna 172) nose-up pitch. This seems "natural" because it means that flap application automatically trims for a lower speed; on the Cessna in particular the change in trim feels appropriate when turning base to final, reducing workload a tad.
However, I'm aware that pitch change on flap application is highly dependent on total geometry. I'm at the point in my design where I'm finalizing flap sizing. I have a simple trade-off: the more nose-down pitch I permit (anywhere from "negative" (some nose-up) to "lots"), the bigger I can make my flaps, and the lower my stall speed gets. But having not flown such a plane, I'm not terribly sure how difficult it will be to get accustomed to.
As a rough example, by going from no trim change at flap application to needing one degree elevator deflection per 10° flap application, I can reduce stall speed by about one knot.
So, I guess I should have specific questions:
1) Thoughts?
2) Can anyone recommend a somewhat common plane with nose-down pitch on flap application that I can maybe try to find locally and get a flight in?
3) Does anyone familiar with such a plane have feelings about the desirability of this tradeoff?
4) Any other gotchas I'm missing?
In those planes I've flown that had flaps, flap application caused a slight (CH 701) to moderate (Cessna 172) nose-up pitch. This seems "natural" because it means that flap application automatically trims for a lower speed; on the Cessna in particular the change in trim feels appropriate when turning base to final, reducing workload a tad.
However, I'm aware that pitch change on flap application is highly dependent on total geometry. I'm at the point in my design where I'm finalizing flap sizing. I have a simple trade-off: the more nose-down pitch I permit (anywhere from "negative" (some nose-up) to "lots"), the bigger I can make my flaps, and the lower my stall speed gets. But having not flown such a plane, I'm not terribly sure how difficult it will be to get accustomed to.
As a rough example, by going from no trim change at flap application to needing one degree elevator deflection per 10° flap application, I can reduce stall speed by about one knot.
So, I guess I should have specific questions:
1) Thoughts?
2) Can anyone recommend a somewhat common plane with nose-down pitch on flap application that I can maybe try to find locally and get a flight in?
3) Does anyone familiar with such a plane have feelings about the desirability of this tradeoff?
4) Any other gotchas I'm missing?
