Handley Page automatic slats

[Slick Goodlin]

They’re such a clever little gizmo. Just this funny little auxiliary airfoil on the leading edge that moves on aerodynamic pressures alone (no actuators, no springs, no cables) to pop out all by themselves at high angles of attack to draw more air over the top surface of the wing.

It’s so neat to be setting up for a three point landing and just before it settles on they pop open and plane the edge right off of what would otherwise have been a comparatively sharp stall. I like ‘em.

[Colonel]

They actually were used on quite a few types. I know they pissed
Dear Old Dad off on the Sabre in a dogfight, because they would
pop out and create drag. He preferred the hard wing. Go figure.

Helio Courier had them too, I think.

[Slick Goodlin]

A good bit of Handley Page’s income came from licensing them. IIRC Messerschmitt just went ahead without licensing on the 109 and got sued. Imagine having a lawsuit going when the technology in question is actively being used in wartime attacks against the plaintiff.

I’m kind of surprised the Sabre didn’t have a means of securing the slats. Something simple like latching them shut with the gear retracted or similar.

[Scudrunner]

Was swatting flies waiting for some pax up in the Yukon and a Helio Courier was heading out to the ice cap by Mount Logan with some beakers, the leading edge slat flopped down with pax climbing on.

One freaked out said the front of the wing was falling off and hopped out.

The poor pilot think his name was that of a famous country singer I can't recall then had to give a demonstration how they worked and an explanation to calm the poor kid before he hopped back on board.

Cool plane looked like lots of fun.

[Slick Goodlin]

Couriers look like they would be fun, though I bet with the main wheels pushed so far forward they want to dart around a bit on the ground. One got wrecked up my way nine or ten years ago when the guy flying decided to demonstrate a takeoff across a seventy five foot wide runway... then in his excitement forgot to set flaps accordingly. Oops. Made it up a good fifteen feet but clipped a light pole and came down in the ditch next to the highway adjacent to the airport.

[Scudrunner]

The islander has a nasty habit of eating a lot of runway when loaded and no flaps selected. In fact most of their accidents are attributed to this.

I literally would tape a note to the throttles that said “flaps fuck face” When operating out of tight spots.

When hauling pax I got some strange looks when they saw the note, but they didn’t experience a crash so whatever’s.

[Colonel]

forgot to set flaps .. clipped a light pole and came down in the ditch next to the highway adjacent to the airport

Hard to follow an act like that. Like the time my buddy didn't latch the
canopy on his L39 and drove around the circuit in a 200 knot convertible.

He said it was a bit breezy. The really sad thing was is that he was all
worried about the paperwork. The guy literally just dodged a bullet - most
people eject or die when they lose a canopy on a speedy airplane - and
here he is, sweating the paperwork. Aviation in Canada is so fucked up.

We made an entry in the journey log that the canopy was lost on takeoff,
then we made another one when we installed the new one, so Transport
Canada couldn't bend him over and run an anal creampie gangbang on him.

[Scudrunner]

Colonel

I had a resume come across my desk that the pilot proudly stated CADOR free

Round filed that one on two counts
1) lack of understanding wtf a CADORs is
2) getting a cadors shows your experienced