Let's Talk Giant Scale

Understanding flaps and their setup.

- John Glezellis

Watching a giant-scale pilot properly use flaps throughout a flight is a sight to behold. Seeing the flaps deflect at a scale speed during a touch-and-go or an overshoot, or as an airplane is turning onto final is not only enjoyable for the spectators but also a fun and gratifying experience for the pilot.

Not all models, however, behave the same with flaps. A heavy giant-scale warbird with flaps deployed, for example, can transform how it behaves at slower speeds and will allow the pilot to decrease airspeed while flying a steeper approach angle. On the other hand, for a sport model like the Hangar 9 Ultra Stick 30cc, flaps can be used in a traditional sense or with various mixes to transform the aircraft and add stability, or act as airbrakes to decelerate quickly. Let’s take a closer look.

THE FOUNDATION

While building your model, you need to think, right from the start, about what functions you’ll want and how they will accomplish each task using your computer radio. With my Ultra Stick, there are eight servos, and each one is plugged into a separate receiver port on my 9-channel receiver. I use a single battery to power the receiver and all the servos; the setup is as follows:

Port 1: Throttle

Port 2: RAL (right aileron)

Port 3: REL (right elevator)

Port 4: RUD (rudder)

Port 5: LFL (left flap)

Port 6: LAL (left aileron)

Port 7: RFL (right flap)

Port 9: LEL (left elevator)