The long-established model aircraft club in St Albans continues to flourish, with about one hundred members flying at their excellent field at Dane End Farm, near St Albans. Originally known for its annual 'All Britain Rally' back in the free flight era, it continues to support a wide range of model flying interests. The club is well known today for it annual Vintage Gala held in June each year. With a club of this size it is possible to provide a programme of 'home grown' winter events, at the twice monthly club meetings. Popular amongst these is the club Forum where members talk about and demonstrate their own special expertise and searching questions are often raised. Two such questions were; 'What does a tailplane actually do'? and 'How can tailplane effectiveness be evaluated? Of course when we buy a kit or an ARTF model the general design and sizing of all the components has been resolved, in other words we buy the technology. Except in the very general sense we are able to fly and operate the model without worrying any further about these matters. It is not surprising therefore that these fundamental questions are not often asked or indeed answered. It was recognised that tailplane sizing is based largely upon experience or simple rules of thumb, but the fundamental questions remained unanswered. More experienced modellers may well have answered questions such as these to their own satisfaction, but it may not have occurred to newer aeromodellers to do so.
展开▼
