New RV Owner

[swanburg]

I purchased an RV 4 about one year ago. This forum has been very helpful, I want to thank you all in advance for your patience with my newbie questions.
Here is the latest: when on approach, I lower the flaps to the first notch at 85 kts. indicated airspeed. This requires minimal force. At 75 kts. I extend to the second notch. This requires a fair amount of exertion. I am not comfortable with the effort required, it feels like I am stressing components of the flap actuating system. POH information allows higher IAS for both notches. My GPS confirms IAS within a couple knots. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Jaknjoan]

You are obviously operating a -4 with manual flaps. When I built my first -4, completed in 1988, I did go with manual flaps since the electric option was not yet available. I had a fairly early major incident, and when the aircraft was rebuilt, I retrofitted the aircraft with the electric option, which was then available. I flew my first -4 for 1,400 hours and then sold it, after completing another RV. I am now again back to a -4, with electric flaps.

The nominal cost of a conversion to electric flaps is worth every penny it will cost. I suggest you consider going this way, which will then take away the effort of extending them when you have a large air load at the top of the flap-speed range.

The conversion is not a big deal, since all areas are accessible. You can either convert your current weldment to an electric style, which would cost $425, or go with a replacement weldment and the total cost will be $550, based on current catalog prices.

JT

[Snowflake]

I had only flown RV's with electric flaps until I bought my manual flap equipped -6. I found the same thing you did, on my first few landings. However, after a few flights, I did learn to deploy flaps with less stress... For example, a slight forward push on the stick as the flaps are applied will unload the flaps and reduce the load. I'm not thinking about it anymore, I guess i'm either slowing the plane more before deploying, or i'm subconsciously unloading as I deploy.

[swanburg]

Excellent idea, I will try it as soon as our Minnesota weather dries out. Thank you for your thoughts.