[rebel-builders] Electric flaperons

[Ken]

Ron -thanks for adding this to the archives. You've probably noticed
that as you move the actuater aft, and the angle gets farther from 90*,
you require less actuater movement and higher actuator forces. The
actuator will also start to pivot or rotate slightly more as it goes in
and out. So a 70* angle will require very slightly less in and out
actuator movement than 90*.

To my surprise I am happy with the teleflex cable on my Rebel. I am set
up so that the mixer arm bottoms out at 18* down and the cable seems to
hold it there fine. That also results in pretty much faired flaperons
when in flight and zero flap selected. I removed my 12* up notch as it
has become apparent that 6* up is all I'll ever use with the Soob
engine. (I suspect I'd use more if I didn't have Angus' STOL leading
edge droop). I am however on my second dog leg handle design as the
first one was difficult for my daughter to pull full flap. The present
handle is horizontal pointing forward with 6* reflex selected. Not sure
if that will be OK for her yet or if I'll have to consider an electric
alternative. The handle is a minor obstruction when scanning for other
aircraft in the circuit but that is the only time that I notice it
sitting up there.

Ken

Ron Shannon wrote:

[Steve W. and I continued some discussions about electric flaperon
control, replacing the teleflex cable, off list. I thought I'd bring the
whole thread (bottom up) back on list as others may be interested.]
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[Ron Shannon]

Ken - Thanks for your comments. The issues that led me to electric are
1) weight, 2) the handle position -- vision, impact safety, etc., and 3)
some folks have squawked about excess play in their cable system. Good
to hear you're happy with yours, which obviously does work very
satisfactorily for most people.

I haven't installed the actuator yet, though am getting close to it.
I've also considered mounting it horizontally, above the mixer arm, and
driving the arm through a slim bell crank to a short perpendicular rod
from 90 deg. above the arm. An advantage there might be relative ease of
adjusting total travel of the arm by changing the bell crank geometry.
However, it would increase complexity, require a pretty strong mount for
the bell crank, add 3 more pivot points, and diminish any weight savings.

I have finished the struts and mounted the wings, but may not make a
mount decision for the actuator until I get the vertical push/pull tubes
done. Due to travel plans, that's probably still a month or two away.

In the prior post, perhaps I should have clarified that the Electrak 1
can be ordered with either internal limit switches (std.) or an internal
position sensing potentiometer, but not both. The Electrak E050 can be
ordered with either or both.

Ron


Ken wrote:

Ron -thanks for adding this to the archives. You've probably noticed
that as you move the actuater aft, and the angle gets farther from 90*,
you require less actuater movement and higher actuator forces. The
actuator will also start to pivot or rotate slightly more as it goes in
and out. So a 70* angle will require very slightly less in and out
actuator movement than 90*.

To my surprise I am happy with the teleflex cable on my Rebel. I am set
up so that the mixer arm bottoms out at 18* down and the cable seems to
hold it there fine. That also results in pretty much faired flaperons
when in flight and zero flap selected. I removed my 12* up notch as it
has become apparent that 6* up is all I'll ever use with the Soob
engine. (I suspect I'd use more if I didn't have Angus' STOL leading
edge droop). I am however on my second dog leg handle design as the
first one was difficult for my daughter to pull full flap. The present
handle is horizontal pointing forward with 6* reflex selected. Not sure
if that will be OK for her yet or if I'll have to consider an electric
alternative. The handle is a minor obstruction when scanning for other
aircraft in the circuit but that is the only time that I notice it
sitting up there.

Ken

Ron Shannon wrote:

[Steve W. and I continued some discussions about electric flaperon
control, replacing the teleflex cable, off list. I thought I'd bring the
whole thread (bottom up) back on list as others may be interested.]
-----
snip

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