zig zag turbulator tape

[CAPT KIRK]

Anyone here have experience using zig zag turbulator tape on GS Aerbatic airplanes to improve high alpha flight characteristics? If so.... what is your prefered placement?

[JeeUm]

Are we talking about the white or black T-Tape? Big difference between the two.

[tommy321]

I think he means the zigzag tape shown on this page:
http://www.wingsandwheels.com/page29.htm

My guess is that the effect the tape has on full scale aircraft wouldn't scale down well for our models.

But it might be worth some experimentation.

[Mithrandir]

It scales down fine as long as we are clear on what we expect it to do... mainly, create vorticity in the boundary layer that pulls higher energy air agains the surface... with a drag penalty.

[gearhead364]

So now the question is where to place it, my thoughts would be to place it just ahead of the flow separation point. This would allow a higher alpha before flow separation and might increase the possibility of boundary layer reattachment. To my knowledge there is no exact location for the placement of these devices, you'll have to find someone who has done this before or just by a bunch and try several different locations.

[N726AC]

Drag is not much of an issue with what we are doing. Go ahead and experiment. Place some tape at the highpoint,,or put at just ahead of the hinge line.

[Troy P]

We have used these in gliders and pylon ships to control separation in hard turns. Placement is a tough thing to figure out but I think you have the basics to experiment.