Sealing hinge gaps

[kork]

So I have a question for all of the GSN folk. I decided to seal my horizontal hinge gaps for the first time.
I have read many if not all do this? I understand it is mainly for flutter but is there any other reason or will it be noticeable after doing this. I don't fly anything larger than 30% at this time.
I have only had flutter twice, once on a warbird and once on a 145 mile per hour pattern plane.
I have never witnessed or know of anyone that had a issue with a aerobatic plane.
Do they fly better?
Your thoughts if it is necessary.

 

[Xpress]

Some say it makes the airplane more crisp, flutter is one of the big reasons though.

 

[Terryscustom]

With the servos used today and many people understand servo geometry better, flutter is pretty rare. There is quite a difference as a fair amount of air gets squeezed through those cracks so the plane does actually fly better. I'm hit and miss myself, some planes I seal, others I don't worry about.....bostly because the gain is minimal, and the risk is extremely minimal but it's never a bad idea.

 

[Bunky.F.Knuckle]

The only time I gap seal is when I recover airplanes with surfaces attached. Other than that, I never seal gaps, nor do I get flutter.

Cant seal gaps on composite airframes anyways.

 

[kork]

The only time I gap seal is when I recover airplanes with surfaces attached. Other than that, I never seal gaps, nor do I get flutter.

Cant seal gaps on composite airframes anyways.

Good point!

 

[Bartman]

kork, when the surfaces deflect there's pressure under the control that should stay under there but the gaps let it leak through the hinge line robbing you of control effectiveness. if the gaps are tight to begin with then sealing them won't make as much of a difference. if you've got direct connections to the servos and there's little to no play then flutter shouldn't really be an issue either.

if you've got some play though, that should be fixed first before trying to seal the hinge lines in order to keep from having the surfaces flutter.

if you're really trying to get every last drop of control authority and consistency from one side of the plane to the other then sealing will help with that.

 

[stangflyer]

With the servos used today and many people understand servo geometry better, flutter is pretty rare. There is quite a difference as a fair amount of air gets squeezed through those cracks so the plane does actually fly better. I'm hit and miss myself, some planes I seal, others I don't worry about.....bostly because the gain is minimal, and the risk is extremely minimal but it's never a bad idea.

+1
The only thing I would add to this comment is, it looks really nice when the surfaces are sealed. Kind of like looking at a Chevy station wagon and a Lexus ES.

 

[Wacobipe]

kork, when the surfaces deflect there's pressure under the control that should stay under there but the gaps let it leak through the hinge line robbing you of control effectiveness. if the gaps are tight to begin with then sealing them won't make as much of a difference. if you've got direct connections to the servos and there's little to no play then flutter shouldn't really be an issue either.

if you've got some play though, that should be fixed first before trying to seal the hinge lines in order to keep from having the surfaces flutter.

if you're really trying to get every last drop of control authority and consistency from one side of the plane to the other then sealing will help with that.

What he said.

 

[Bartman]

What he said.

Thanks, kinda just summarized what everyone else said

i sealed the gaps on my Sig Kavalier after flying it a bunch (but before I could solo it) when I was a kid and my instructor pilot freaked out because I didn't tell him and the plane was so much more responsive. he was actually a jerk about it now that I think about it.

 

[kork]

thanks guys! I think ill seal the ailerons then, if nothing else for the looks.