flaps

Hey guys really getting a little frustrated here. Im trying to mount the flaps and airlerons, but there doesnt seem to be enough room to do so. With the airlerons mounted there is not space for the flaps, the flaps are hitting the underside of the fuselage at the curve where the bottom skin and side skin meet. I would appreciate any advise or words of wisdom.

Not sure but I think the skin on the flap has to be trimmed to fit the fuse. Check around on some web sites to be sure.

Dustman,
What plane are you building? Is it a quick build? Pictures would be helpful. There was a post a short time back I believe on a QB RV-7 that had been sent an 8 flap. The ailerons are the same for the 7/8, but the flaps are different. The flaps should only require some small trimming for fit.

RV3

It's posted in the RV3 specific model thread so it's probably an RV3 but no guarantees...

Brantel said:

Not sure but I think the skin on the flap has to be trimmed to fit the fuse. Check around on some web sites to be sure.

Click to expand...

I had to trim the flap a little on my -4 to get it to fit. Set the aileron flush with the outer edge of the wing. Then leave a 1/4 inch gap between the aileron and the flap. Because the fuselage starts to taper back at the hinge point of the flaps, some people cut the flap to match this angle, hence why the skin is longer than the spar. If your most inboard rib, should be pn FL-304, (?) is beyond the side of the fuselage and is well underneath, you've been sent the wrong flap skin. Hope I know what I'm talking about and hope it helps.

Flaps

Thanks for the info I wound up trimming the flap still seems to be a lot of flap left under the plane though. These plans are monsters to understand at times it sure would be nice to have a manula wioth actual pictures of these components.

Yes

Hi Dusty,
The lower flap skin should be under the fuselage.....that's what is intended, so it'll cover the flap pushrod hole and help streamline the airplane when they're retracted. The top skin should be trimmed to match the fuselage shape. We just went through this on my buddy's -4.

Regards,
Pierre

dustman said:

These plans are monsters to understand at times it sure would be nice to have a manula wioth actual pictures of these components.

Click to expand...

I know what you mean, the plans don't show that the inboard side of the flap needs to be trimmed. Wonder if I could make it worth my time to re-write some of the plans and included color pictures instead of sketch drawings. Pierre has the right method, I just cut both top and bottom the same.
Oh well.

My bottom flap skin was also a challenge to blend into the fuse. After rigging the control surface with the appropriate holes in the outboard wing rib and aligning the flaps with the control surface I had a small gap between the bottom skin of the flap and the fuse where the skin overlaps to become a fairing. Vans suggests simply bending the skin slightly to "blend" with the fuse but I could not make that look acceptable. I cut the excess bottom skin off flush with the inboard flap rib, made two double joggle fairings to replace the skin on the workbench, drilled out 3 rib rivets, and bonded/riveted the new fairings in place. Made for a nice transition and took all of 3 hrs to do. Pics attached--click on pic to enlarge.

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Cheers,

db

Alex,

Reference the fairing on top of the flap---did you fabricate this?? Is it fiberglass or aluminum?? Looks great!! Similar to the fairing LoPresti added to the Mooney M20F while converting it to the M20J (201). I believe LoPresti found that without this fairing air was departing the inboard trailing edge of the flap and flowing up the fuse vs aft and creating turbulance--and therefore drag.

Cheers,

db