Electric or Lever
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:46 am
Well likewise here is my story in regards to electric flaps. Now I'm not
sure if it was the fact that they were electric or just a worn mechanism
but it was on my FIRST solo out to the practice area near Markham
Ontario. I was flying out of Toronto Island and once I got to the
practice area I tried to decide what to do on my first solo. I decided
to practice slow flight, steep turns etc - all the same things that the
instructor had practiced with me. So I selected 10 degrees (C152 -
electric), 20, 30 and finally 40. Then I tried to retract the flaps - no
go - nothing. Now what? After the initial panic - checked the breakers -
still nothing - cycled the flap control - nothing. So I said to myself,
"well I'm flying and it will take me a while but I'm sure I can make it
back to YTZ. It took forever in my mind but I finally called the tower
over Greenwood (which was the normal reporting area) and explained that
I would be longer than normal and that I would like a straight in
approach on 26. The tower was very helpful and obviously called the CFI
from the school who got on the radio a couple of minutes later and in a
very excited voice started asking me if I had tried the circuits etc.
Now Renzo as I mentioned was a very excitable gentleman, with English
not being his first language, and it took me a little while to figure
out what he was saying - but he wanted me to reach over, open the
passenger window and bang on the underside of the wing with my fist!
(student pilot - first solo out of the circuit). Well after a little
thought I just said "you know Renzo - I'm flying - I'm fine and we'll
look at it when I land." Now I was pretty green and really didn't
realize that if I had to do a missed approach, there wouldn't be much
climbing! Everything was fine and Renzo was called up in front of the
MOT for the way he acted and as well for the fact that this was probably
not the first time that this had happened with this airplane.. I don't
think the tower was very impressed. (except maybe with the landing??)
When I bought a 1958 - 172 with a flap handle - I was always very very
happy to feel that "direct response" to the flaps over the next 10 years
with the 172.
So if I have a choice - it will be a flap handle all the way!
Cheers
Jim
SR083 Moose
Rebflyer@aol.com wrote:
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sure if it was the fact that they were electric or just a worn mechanism
but it was on my FIRST solo out to the practice area near Markham
Ontario. I was flying out of Toronto Island and once I got to the
practice area I tried to decide what to do on my first solo. I decided
to practice slow flight, steep turns etc - all the same things that the
instructor had practiced with me. So I selected 10 degrees (C152 -
electric), 20, 30 and finally 40. Then I tried to retract the flaps - no
go - nothing. Now what? After the initial panic - checked the breakers -
still nothing - cycled the flap control - nothing. So I said to myself,
"well I'm flying and it will take me a while but I'm sure I can make it
back to YTZ. It took forever in my mind but I finally called the tower
over Greenwood (which was the normal reporting area) and explained that
I would be longer than normal and that I would like a straight in
approach on 26. The tower was very helpful and obviously called the CFI
from the school who got on the radio a couple of minutes later and in a
very excited voice started asking me if I had tried the circuits etc.
Now Renzo as I mentioned was a very excitable gentleman, with English
not being his first language, and it took me a little while to figure
out what he was saying - but he wanted me to reach over, open the
passenger window and bang on the underside of the wing with my fist!
(student pilot - first solo out of the circuit). Well after a little
thought I just said "you know Renzo - I'm flying - I'm fine and we'll
look at it when I land." Now I was pretty green and really didn't
realize that if I had to do a missed approach, there wouldn't be much
climbing! Everything was fine and Renzo was called up in front of the
MOT for the way he acted and as well for the fact that this was probably
not the first time that this had happened with this airplane.. I don't
think the tower was very impressed. (except maybe with the landing??)
When I bought a 1958 - 172 with a flap handle - I was always very very
happy to feel that "direct response" to the flaps over the next 10 years
with the 172.
So if I have a choice - it will be a flap handle all the way!
Cheers
Jim
SR083 Moose
Rebflyer@aol.com wrote:
Hi all,
Guess I'll kick in my .02 on the electric flap flap.
Yup, I like mine. I also hve many hrs in johnson bar flap airplanes
including a 15 hr trip in a C-175 from Michigan to Nevada two weeks ago. Tail wind
all the way going west, but that's another story!!
I like those too.
What I was looking for was a positive, LIGHT, system. It does weigh less
than the flap arm, cable and brackets. Ounces. I'd do better to eat a light
meal before going flying.
I am not the lever, bell crank genius that Wayne is. Make no mistake,
this is meant entirely as a compliment. I have seen his setup and I think it is
very clever.
What mine does is give me 23deg. down, 12 deg reflex, and it has a neutral
point so that when coming off the flaps it will not go into reflex. I have
to touch an override button to get it up into reflex.
As for the in between points, I land with all flaps and take off with all
flaps. So the in between flaps from cross wind to down wind down wind to base
and to final are a simple tap on the switch and the final is flown with full
flaps. I havn't looked at my indicator during approach in a long time. The
flap switch is right off the throttle where I don't even have to take my hand
off the throttle to touch the flap switch. Simple ergonomics. I've never
popped a breaker either from early deployment, and the planetary gear motor system
I used cannot over extend or over retract. Now about the service side of
things. With a couple hundred landings now, I am begining to see a little slop
in the drive mechanisim. It will be looked at very close during the next
inspection. I'm sure Waynes system is as tight as the day he put it in, with
just a touch of lube to keep it that way. Along with that his motor will
never quit :)
So again, yes I like mine. Yes I'd do it again. Recomend it? It's your
choise, that's the fun of Experimenting!!! Curt N97MR
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