Flaps up to takeoff?

[harf4ng]

Hi,

 

I do not own the plane yet but I fly the TF-51 which is basically the same.

I have read in the quickstart guide that the procedure to takeoff is with flaps up.

 

I'm surprised because I'm a pilot student and my instructor taught me we should takeoff with a bit of flaps (and land with all flaps).

 

Thanks

[Rangi]

Yes, flaps up for take off. She is a high performance girl and doesn't need them for take off. I am guessing the plane you are learning in is quite a different beast to the stang.

[Integrals]

Flaps can be used for a (very) short takeoff, but otherwise are not needed.

[harf4ng]

It is indeed (different beast), I fly a Robin DR 400, with a cruise speed of about 200/250 km per hour ;)

A fine plane though.

 

I just started learning the mustang, can't make a good landing yet, have to learn the landing parameters. (Guess I'm landing too fast, I bump on the runway) In VR (HTC Vive) the mustang is wonderful to fly ^^

 

Flying with a X55 throttle, and a real size EC135 cyclic, a real pleasure... sooner or later I'll buy the P51 ^^

 

Though I have no pedals for now, so will have to figure out how to make automatic rudder, I have read this is a dcs option...

 

And so, thanks for the info...

Edited August 28, 2016 by harf4ng

[golani79]

Try touching down at around ~90mph - it's working good for me in the P-51D

 

Not sure though if it's the same for the TF

[gavagai]

In the P-51D trim nose down to avoid the bounces, or at least don't trim nose up so much.

[harf4ng]

I'm flying with a real size helicopter cyclic with no return to center, so trim does not effect me much...

Guess just that was because I was landing too fast.

[escaner]

Hi,

 

I do not own the plane yet but I fly the TF-51 which is basically the same.

I have read in the quickstart guide that the procedure to takeoff is with flaps up.

 

I'm surprised because I'm a pilot student and my instructor taught me we should takeoff with a bit of flaps (and land with all flaps).

 

Thanks

 

It depends on every aircraft and its design. You know (or will learn) that flaps allow you to fly slower and therefore takeoff earlier (thus putting less stress in the landing gear and allowing to operate from shorter fields or with obstacles), but it will put a penalty in your rate of climb.

 

From a few aircraft comparable to your DR 400: Cessna 152, 172N and Reims FR.172J normally take off with flaps up. They can use 10º for rough or short fields. OTOH, Cesna 172R/S can use up or 10º for normal takeoffs, but in this case the manual actually recommends 10º. Tecnam P92-JS uses flaps 15º for takeoff.

 

As you see, the Mustang normally takes off with flaps up, but it can also use up to 20º for short fields. Spitfire has a 2 position flap (up and down) that is only used in landings. In general, as you move to heavier and higher performance the aircraft, they will more likely need flaps for takeoff.

[harf4ng]

btw the mustang has 4 or 5 levels of flaps. Each level of flap is what? 10°?

The robin has 2 levels of flaps, up, 1 and 2, dunno what degree it is, but with the robin we usually takeoff with 1 level of flap, and land with all flaps down. (and we takeoff on a quite large and long runway jets can use ^^)

 

And thanks for the infos