Please take my comments as those of an engineer who has done some performance work, not of a QFI...
1) Does adding flap increase the rate? It certainly gives more lift, but the drag increase would, I think, nullify or override any gains there, and you wouldn't be able to roll in as far, and not pull as hard.
> Turn rate and radius in a balanced level turn are functions of speed and g, g is a function of bank angle. If the flaps allow you to turn slower or bank more without stalling, they may help. If you turn at the same bank angle and speed - it'll make no difference.
2) Does an increase in power available increase the rate if you are pulling at the stall anyway? As far as I can tell it would have to increase the lift from the wings...
> Best turning performance may be limited by either lift or thrust. If you can't pull any more g anyway, thrust won't help. If there is more g in the envelope, thrust will allow you to keep speed on and use it.
1b) What about effect of flap on radius? I think it would decrease the radius simply because of the resulting slower speed.
> at the same g, yes.
3) I think in the USA you teach min. radius turns, what's the recipe for one of those?
> Do the sums.... Basic O'level physics will do it.
4) How does all this fit into the v-g diagram?
> V-N diagram if you don't mind. At the point of stall, you are somewhere on the curved section at 9 to 12 O'clock on the diagram.
From a "studying too hard" instructor (me). Got too many words in my head at the moment! I could read "Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators" again, but it wouldn't make any more sense even though it is a GOOD book :frown:.
> Never met it, why not try getting hold of Def-Stand 00-123 "Flying", which is the RAF equivalent.
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