On Thu, 23 Nov 2017 21:12:23 -0800 (PST), Bruce Hoult
wrote:


If you're going to leave the flap lever locked (which I emphasise is not a good idea) then I'd suggest locking it in +1. Then the glider will work as designed for takeoff and thermalling. You'll lose performance in cruise of course, but that happens as soon as you ignore the minus settings anyway. Check the manual to see if this will reduce Vne or load factors (it probably won't).

Try that in an, let's say, ASW-20, and you won't even get off the
ground because you won't have any aileron authority at all as long as
the tail is on the ground.


But buying a flapped glider and then not using the flaps is worse in every way that just buying a non-flapped glider. Don't do it.

I still wonder why flaps are demonized that often - they are in no way
hard to operate or need special skills (nor do they separate the boys
from the men).

On the contrary, one might add that the later the ship, the easier and
less prone to error the flaps are to handle.