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  #31  
Old 11-19-2012, 05:44 PM
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SmilingJack SmilingJack is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Hilton Head Island
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Good thought Scott.

I have a VP100 which controls the up, down, neutral. All the values are set within that box for up, down and intermedient limits.

When I was building someone suggested I change ut my switch to momentary up and down since the VP100'controls it all.

Since I had just assembled my Infinity Grips I thought no way am ai going through that! I'll just live with the "inconvenience" of having to always move the switch from up to neutral.

Well, after this event I am glad I can leave the switch "locked" in the up position.

Thanks for the input though....I won't want to burn the motor up.
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  #32  
Old 11-19-2012, 08:21 PM
Bavafa Bavafa is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick6a View Post
...just curious. What is so wonderful about a flap controller? Here's the scenario: You are flying the pattern and slowing to land. Somewhere on downwind or base you find your airpeed about 115 MPH. You would like to slow down to Vfe (100 MPH) as soon as possible to make a normal flap landing. With the momentary flap switch, all you have to do is "tickle" the flap switch to deploy 2-3? of flap and that excess airspeed will quickly bleed down to Vfe. Alternatively, a flap controller gives the pilot no such option. No doubt, a flap controller holds a rightful place in aviation. Some airplanes are better served with one. But we are flying lightweight RV's here. We wear it as much as we fly it. Same scenario only this time the RV is fitted with a flap controller. Activating it, the pilot must accept a minimum of 10? of flap deployment take it or leave it. So again I ask...when it comes to flying RV's, what is so wonderful about a flap controller?
Not all flap controllers made equal, And here is my bragging about FPS

My first notch which I can set it at any angle is only about 5 degrees. I can and have set it at times when my speed is above the Vfe (100-105k) without any issues. I also have a separate and momentary switch which operates like the basic model, the flaps get deployed as long as you are holding the switch down, the best of two world.

Now to the positives, I my elevator trim gets set for each notch of flap and in a touch and go situation, all I need is to hold the button for a second longer and the flaps gets retracted all the way up.
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  #33  
Old 11-20-2012, 07:22 AM
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Ironflight Ironflight is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002 View Post
There are no limit switches to shut off the motor.
If you do this without some type of flap controller in the system (it doesn't sound like you have one) your flap motor will be running any time the flap switch is in this position.
This will likely significantly reduce the life of the motor.
That is true about the motor not having internal limit switches Scott, but almost everyone I have seen that uses the Infinity stick switch for flaps adds an "up" limit switch to the actuator - it is simple, well documented (lots of pictures here and on web sites), and folks were doing it long before I built my -8.

You are right that you really MUST have an up limit switch if you keep the stick switch in the "up" position, and I think you'll find that most folks do. Good warnign for those who haven't thought this through.
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  #34  
Old 11-20-2012, 08:06 AM
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RVbySDI RVbySDI is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002 View Post
There are no limit switches to shut off the motor.
If you do this without some type of flap controller in the system (it doesn't sound like you have one) your flap motor will be running any time the flap switch is in this position.
This will likely significantly reduce the life of the motor.
+1 on this comment. It would not be a wise decision to leave the flap switch in the UP position and have the flap motor running continuously during flight. That would make for a short life on that motor. I have the same setup as described and I will NOT leave the switch in the UP position because the motor will continue to run.

I have recently purchased a limit switch to install for this reason. Plan on getting it installed as soon as I can find a time to stop flying the airplane long enough to pull the panels off of the flap area to do so. In the meantime, I remain very diligent to raise flaps as soon as the plane shows it is exhibiting positive climb out. I then look out the window to verify flaps are fully up, then flip the switch to the middle OFF position.
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  #35  
Old 11-20-2012, 08:18 AM
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dpansier dpansier is offline
 
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Anyone have experience with the flap limit circuit shown below?


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  #36  
Old 11-20-2012, 09:14 AM
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jdeas jdeas is offline
 
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Location: SoCal
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Default Flap sensors

I saw only one post that hinted at possible damage due to HS deployment making it pretty low on my list of concerns but I have seen many comments over the years about dead flap motors.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RVbySDI View Post
I have recently purchased a limit switch to install for this reason. Plan on getting it installed as soon as I can find a time to stop flying the airplane long enough to pull the panels off of the flap area to do so. In the meantime, I remain very diligent to raise flaps as soon as the plane shows it is exhibiting positive climb out. I then look out the window to verify flaps are fully up, then flip the switch to the middle OFF position.
I prefer sealed or non-mechanical contact sensors such as reed switches, magnetic angle sensors and current sensors over micro switches. In my aircraft, electronics can turn off the motor on travel limits or a motor stall covering not only leaving the switch on but also detecting the heavy load of HS deployment.
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  #37  
Old 11-20-2012, 09:36 AM
Sid Lambert Sid Lambert is offline
 
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I have 2 Ray Allen switches side-by-side. One for flaps and 1 for trim. Both have pullable breakers below them. It only took one time of pressing the wrong one before pulling the flap breaker prior to takeoff was part of the pre-takeoff checklist.
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  #38  
Old 11-20-2012, 09:43 AM
aerhed aerhed is offline
 
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I lost 2 friends in a Twin Bee because the flap and gear levers were identical and side by side. There's a reason some knobs are shaped like a flap, some like a gear, and some like a little wheel.
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  #39  
Old 11-20-2012, 11:53 AM
Rupester Rupester is offline
 
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Location: Mahomet, Illinois
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Default Fessin' up ....

Again, some of these posts are so timely they just blow my mind. Just last Friday I was on flight #10 in my fly-off period and was at another airport within my legal area. I was there to do a GPS taxi test to see how close the the GPS direction matched my EFIS ... Which has not been calibrated yet. I got fully distracted with all the directional tasks and departed unknowingly with full flaps. yes, several obvious signs were there, but I was both alarmed and puzzled by the fact I could not get RPMs above 2300 on climb out, nor could I get the A/S to its normal point. Finally realized after quite awhile that the flaps were out. I saw 116kts max during my boneheaded episode. I did a full inspection after landing and can find no damage of any kind .... Everything looks and operates as normal. it appears I have Vans to thank ... Their design Must have boneheads like me in mind.
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  #40  
Old 11-20-2012, 12:36 PM
Pilottonny Pilottonny is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Belgium
Posts: 645
Lightbulb Flap-alarm..................

I have a Dynon EFIS and EMS. I have always wondered why there is no way to set a "flap overspeed alarm"..........
Since the EMS knows the position of the flaps and the EFIS knows the airspeed, it should be very simple to set an alarm at a certain speed for each of the flap settings, to let us know that we are flying to fast. This will work in all directions:
  • Landing to fast with flaps selected.
  • Forgotten flaps on take-off.
  • Unintentionally actuated flaps during flight.
  • Run-away flap motor.
  • Creeping down flaps during flight.
  • I guess you can think of some more...........
Dynon are you reading this ?

Regards, Tonny.
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