>>would it be a good idea to have an aileron taper from root to >> tip, ending at a point right before the tip of the wing?
This is interesting however: -Mechanical concerns would be intriguing. -The width of an aileron is expressed as percentage of the local wing chord. The best percentage is an argument I won't begin here but whatever value you choose should, generally speaking, be constant over the length of the aileron. Changing the percentage along the wingspan is a complex topic that few could discuss well, especially me. -Thinning the aileron at the tip would reduce it's effectiveness. Necessitating large and less efficient aileron throws that would be counter productive. Mechanical/construction concerns and effectiveness are usually the limiting factors that within a certain range make the decision for you. A typical value for aileron width is 25-30%. Less is fine for everything *except* effectiveness. More can be fun up to a point but are a pain to make and often have flutter problems. Ideally, it'd be great to taper your aileron to achieve a constant percentage along the span but it's difficult to do. Most guys opt for the much simpler constant chord and just eyeball the width. Savvier guys will try to choose a width which is about 15% at the root and 25% at the chord. BUT! Once your choice is made you'll always have to fly it to know for sure if you going to like it. Bill Swingle Janesville, CA [EMAIL PROTECTED] RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
