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Aileron/Flap Trailing Edge Radius Problem

beav

Well Known Member
I starting positioning my flaps tonight to drill the hinge to the wing and noticed that the trailing edge radii of the ailerons and flaps are noticeably different. The flap trailing edge radius is significantly larger than the aileron trailing edge radius. Here are a couple of pictures that illustrate this.

CIMG0697.JPG


CIMG0700.JPG


Larger pictures can be viewed at the bottom of this page: http://www.jasonbeaver.com/rv7/2009/10/aileron-flap-rigging.html (click on the pictures to zoom in).

I don't think I can just squeeze the flap trailing edge, because this would just bend the skins in behind the rear edge of the end ribs like this:

flap_squeezing.png


Is this a common problem? (A forum search didn't reveal anything, so I'm guessing not).

Does anyone have any suggestions for addressing this?
 
Trailing edge Radius OK

Hi Jason,

From memory this is as per plans. The Flap skin trailing edge is larger than the elevator as on the underside of the flap it sits on the outside of the bottom skin. If you check the plans they are drawn to scale and reflect the difference. I discovered this at the time of fabricating my trailing edges.

Cheers, Greg
 
Thanks

I had looked at all of the instructions and plan notes, but didn't see anything. I went out this morning and looked at the scale drawings though, and you're right, the radii are clearly different.

During final rigging, do most people align the top skins of the flaps and ailerons to be coplanar or to most people align the trailing edge apexes to be colinear?

thanks for the help!

jason
 
My (quickbuild) ailerons and flaps were exactly like yours. I didn't mess with them and have no regrets.
 
During final rigging, do most people align the top skins of the flaps and ailerons to be coplanar or to most people align the trailing edge apexes to be colinear?
jason

I can't speak for most people, but I went with choice "A".
 
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