Fly4Funn

Fly4Funn

Member
I'm starting to attach flaps and ailerons and noticed that with the flap in the up position and the aileron aligned with the flap at the trailing edge, the top of the flap is about 1/8 to1/4 inch (haven't really measured it) lower than the flap at the front edge on top, and about the same below the flap on the bottom. As well as I can remember, the aileron hinge brackets were pre-drilled as were the end ribs so I don't think I could have messed that up. Anyone else see this and if so what did you do to fix the issue?

flap
 
I'm not sure the aileron hinge brackets are always spot on. When I first flew mine I noticed a heavy wing, particularly at higher speeds. I went through Van's heavy wing analysis and found that one aileron outboard edge was slightly lower than the flap. Slotting the hinge bracket to raise it about 3/32" (and ultimately replacing it) solved the problem.
 
I have never seen the hinge stick out above the skin like that. I would say that the hinge bracket needs to be lowered enough to bring the aileron skin up even with the flap.

How does the outboard hinge look? How does it trail with the top wing skin?
 
Alignment

If I did not know better I would say that bracket is upside down just looking at the picture. Something just does not look right. I will look at mine but do not think it looks like the picture.
 
I thought about just slotting it but wanted to see if anyone else has seen this issue. I'll look at them again over the weekend and check to see how it trails with the top of the wing. I suspect it will be off. I also thought about the hinge being on wrong but because the three bolts that attach it are not in line, I can't flip it. I also thought about swapping sides but I think there is more hing below the aileron than above so that would make it worse. Like I said, it's been a while but I think both the aileron and the hing were pre-drilled so I'm sure I lined up the holes and final drilled them to size which "should" put them in the right place. I also debated about having the flap hinge on upside down (the hinge rings are up) but according to the plans, they are right also............
 
Fly4Funn said:
I also thought about the hinge being on wrong but because the three bolts that attach it are not in line, I can't flip it.
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Could you have put the bracket for the right aileron on upside down on the left aileron or maybe Vans sent you two right aileron brackets?
 
alignment

I went to my hanger and looked at my aileron bracket. It looks like your bracket is too high on the aileron. The top of my bracket sits about @1/16 inch below the top of the aileron. You should have about 1/8" slot between the wing and the aileron top all the way across. If the bracket was lower, then the aileron would be raised upward and match the flap.
 
9??

Looks like the inboard bracket for a 9? Mine (on my 9) sticks up on the aileron just like that. Maybe it was mis-marked from Van's and they sent you one for a 9??
 
Thanks guys. Maybe I'll just order another set and see if they are different. I felt like the gap between the wing and aileron was rather wide myself! Laying a straight edge on the wing and bringing the trailing edge up to it leaves a gap at the front so I know it is low.
 
Allan Stern said:
If I did not know better I would say that bracket is upside down just looking at the picture. Something just does not look right. I will look at mine but do not think it looks like the picture.
Click to expand...

I concur. I believe that if the brackets were switched left to right, this would be the result. The pushrod attachment holes on those brackets are further from the vertical centerline than are the hinge holes.
 
I think I found the problem. :confused: Guess I missed the line in the instructions that said to be sure the tooling holes in the aileron end rib are closer to the bottom of the aileron. Guess where mine are? :rolleyes: Hopefully I can just remove the nose cap and turn it over. Guess I'll start drilling! Might need to coin the phrase "read twice, build once"!:mad:
 
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