Grooved ailerons and flaps

[blueskyMD]

Anyone knows why some planes like my Lance and Cessnas have corrugated skin on flaps and ailerons while others like Mooneys dont ?

 

[Sundancer]

I think it's for rigidity and stength, as in corrugated metal on other kinds of structures.

 

[GRG55]

I've always believed its an economical way to stiffen thin skins while keeping the airframe light. The smooth skins of a Mooney are perhaps attached to ribs and structure that are more closely spaced, or perhaps these skins are also thicker aluminum?

 

[asicer]

Cheaper too, no? With corrugated skin you don't need to build the internals up with ribs/etc as much.

Edit: Dang it, @GRG55 beat me by such a narrow margin that the "new messages" alert didn't even pop up when I hit the "post" button.

 

[Stewartb]

Brand recognition. It leaves a trademark on your forehead when you walk into them.

 

[jsstevens]

Brand recognition. It leaves a trademark on your forehead when you walk into them.

If you’re walking into ailerons on a lance or Mooney you must be a little person. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

 

[Stewartb]

I have no experience with low wingers. I prefer real airplanes.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Those corrugations can be taken to extremes...

Ju-52

 

[Spring Ford]

I'll see your wrinkly flaps and ...
Now here's a real wrinkly -



Ju-52

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

That just was a thing at one time.

 

[Pilawt]

Comes in handy on wash day, too.

 

[Glen R]

Those corrugations can be taken to extremes...

Ju-52

I think the weight of all those rivets offsets any weight savings in rib structure.

 

[Dan Thomas]

I think the weight of all those rivets offsets any weight savings in rib structure.

Worse: the corrugations cause turbulence and drag. The airflow over a wing that is lifting is not straight front-to-back. In flows inward some on the top, and outward on the bottom, due to the pressure differentials. That spanwise flow is the source of the wingtip vortices, too.

Fabric-covered wings that have not had the fabric properly tensioned let the fabric balloon up between the ribs, causing drag and reduced speed.

 

[Jeff Oslick]

Brand recognition. It leaves a trademark on your forehead when you walk into them.

But if that was really the case, then Diamond would use corrugated flaps too...

 

[lancie00]

I'll see your wrinkly flaps and ...
Now here's a real wrinkly -

View attachment 71439

Ju-52

I wonder if they made that out of an old shed?

 

[jsstevens]

But if that was really the case, then Diamond would use corrugated flaps too...

Hey! Each could have their own pattern so as to "brand" the pilots...

 

[asicer]

That spanwise flow is the source of the wingtip vortices, too.

So those corrugations aren't winglets every 4 inches? If two winglets are good then several are not awesome?