Manual flaps degrees

[Fugitive]

My new-to-me rv6 has manual flaps with 3 notches. Vans' Section 15 states 110 statues for 20 degrees and 100 mph statute for 40 degrees. I am not sure how many degrees first and second notch flaps are. Is there a standard or did each builder decide?

To measure for myself does the airframe need to be leveled and measured against 0 degrees (horizontal)? Or some other way?

 

[Mel]

My new-to-me rv6 has manual flaps with 3 notches. Vans' Section 15 states 110 statues for 20 degrees and 100 mph statute for 40 degrees. I am not sure how many degrees first and second notch flaps are. Is there a standard or did each builder decide?
To measure for myself does the airframe need to be leveled and measured against 0 degrees (horizontal)? Or some other way?

The original plans called for 0°, 20°, & 40°. Many people modified these deployment angles. Personally I made mine 0°, 13°, 26° & 38°. I didn't like 40° because the gap seal could easily pop out from under the wing skin if someone leaned ever so slightly on the flap trailing edge.

Also, the optimum L/D is somewhere close 13° and that's what I like for take off.

Easiest way to measure is with a digital level. With the flaps "up" set the level on and use "Alt Zero". From there you can check the other positions.

 

[planenutz]

You don't need to set the airframe up in the level position, just do as Mel says and you'll be fine. I've seen a variety of random angles but really it just depends upon each individual builder as to what they decide to "build" into their machine. Some choose three notches, some choose four.

Your phone will work sufficiently well for you to be able to get an appreciation for the angles available. I use an android phone that comes with a built in APP but you can download a wide variety of these online. Set it at "zero" when the flaps are up and go from there.

 

[Radioflyer]

Yes, just zero your digital protractor (phone) and measure. Btw, can do same to confirm aileron, elevator travels.
Hmmm. My plane has electric flaps, so no notches. I simply count 3 Mississippi’s 3 times to landing.
…And congrats on your new plane.

 

[Sam Buchanan]

Deflect one aileron full down, drop the flaps to get as close as possible to matching it and you will be very close to 20 degrees. It will also be a good setting for short field departures. No need to get more precise than this.

 

[JonJay]

QUOTE=Sam Buchanan;1725019]Deflect one aileron full down, drop the flaps to get as close as possible to matching it and you will be very close to 20 degrees. It will also be a good setting for short field departures. No need to get more precise than this.[/QUOTE]

Help me Sam and Mel.

RV6 Ailerons are set to 15-17 deg. down as measured with a level on the top skin. This is shown in the Manual, along with physical measurements through the chord.
There are no instructions I can find to equate degrees measured on the top of the Flap skin. I was always taught that Flap degrees are set through the chord using the tooling holes. If this is wrong, you are correct Sam. 15-17, close enough. If it isn’t, flaps set to the down aileron would be more like 12 deg., through the chord.

I just measured my Ailerons. I have exactly 15 down and 30 up.

I measured my flaps also, through the tooling holes, and I have 38 down max.

So,….. where are we putting the digital level on the Flaps?
If it’s the top skin, my flaps are 45. with no chance of the upper skin being anywhere close to popping out over the wing.
This doesn’t make sense. I shouldn’t get that much travel, unless, measured through the chord, in which case it’s 38 deg.

 

[Mel]

QUOTE=Sam Buchanan;1725019]Deflect one aileron full down, drop the flaps to get as close as possible to matching it and you will be very close to 20 degrees. It will also be a good setting for short field departures. No need to get more precise than this.

Help me Sam and Mel.
RV6 Ailerons are set to 15-17 deg. down as measured with a level on the top skin. This is shown in the Manual, along with physical measurements through the chord.
There are no instructions I can find to equate degrees measured on the top of the Flap skin. I was always taught that Flap degrees are set through the chord using the tooling holes. If this is wrong, you are correct Sam. 15-17, close enough. If it isn’t, flaps set to the down aileron would be more like 12 deg., through the chord.
I just measured my Ailerons. I have exactly 15 down and 30 up.
I measured my flaps also, through the tooling holes, and I have 38 down max.
So,….. where are we putting the digital level on the Flaps?
If it’s the top skin, my flaps are 45. with no chance of the upper skin being anywhere close to popping out over the wing.
This doesn’t make sense. I shouldn’t get that much travel, unless, measured through the chord, in which case it’s 38 deg.[/QUOTE]

It sounds as if you are not setting the level at 0° with the "alternate 0" when the flaps are up. It doesn't matter where you measure as long as you measure the same place after setting the "alt 0".

 

[JonJay]

It sounds as if you are not setting the level at 0° with the "alternate 0" when the flaps are up. It doesn't matter where you measure as long as you measure the same place after setting the "alt 0".

Just trying to clean up my mess from the copying.

I’ll remeasure some other time and make sure I zero accordingly. I know for sure I zero’d for the ailerons and again for the flaps measuring on the top skin.
We have discussed before the mystery of why some of us can get full flap deflection and more, and some can’t for fear of the skin popping out! Weird.

Thx

 

[JonJay]

Thx Mel -
You are, as usual, correct. I suffered from thinking too much, measuring incorrectly, and several other faults. It doesn’t matter where you put the level as long as you zero it.

Cheers