Electric flaps on AEROPUP

[Guest swede]

Hello all,

 

Anyone played with electric flaps?

 

My pup got the flap fittings on top of the wings - hence my options is to "invert" the original manual system or mount electric motors to do the job - anyone with ideas to what to use?? and.... costs involved......

 

SWEDE:confused:

 

 

[BigPete]

G'day Swede, what you need is a Linear Actuator.

 

See link:

 

Linear Actuators, Linear Motors - Firgelli Automations Australia

 

regards

 

 

[Guest swede]

Thanks Peter - going to check this out, looks promising...

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

sounds like you intend to use two motors. one for each side. if so i think you should reconsider and use one motor and link the two flaps together either by cables or torque tube.

 

reason and i think it is a good one. assymetric flap conditions. they usually end in tears. if one motor dies either retracting or extending flap you may roll inverted before you can corrrect the condition. also the motors may not run at the same speed for a number of reasons and that may cause one flap to move slower than the other giving you trim problems when you need to concentrate on other things.

 

if i have misinterpreted then i retract the above ha ha ha.:hittinghead:

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guest swede]

Hi Ozzie,

 

One motor only is the intention - just for the reasons you posted, I am warped enough without assymetric flap conditions....

 

Any idea regarding required engine torque? - yes I know how long is a piece of string... the action can be reasonable slow - not yet looked into the available options, Peter did send a good link that I need to have a good look at, got a few things to sort out with the pup yet - only took delivery on Wednesday (picked it up from Victoria), still recovering from the 2300 km drive. Order Engine - fix up some scuffed paint work, fix windscreen and another 1000 things - one at a time...

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

oppps missed getting back to this one.

 

the motor used in Cessna flaps is a early Crysler dodge/ valiant windscreen wiper motor. plenty of torque. simple and easy, runs either way

 

possibly a more modern lighter type available today

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guest swede]

Thanks Ozzie,

 

I bit the bullet and purchased the same motor JABIRU is using - cheers

 

 

[facthunter]

Manual.

 

I always preferred the manual flaps on the early Cessna's to the electric. You can do some magic things with a manual flap lever, and have more feel. All this stuff adds weight and complexity to your plane. If your battery goes flat then you have NO flaps . Nev..

 

 

[Greg Tucker]

I have purchased a half completed Aeropup and very much enjoying working on this project.

 

David Holgate from Cooma NSW had done all top quality work to about half completion before I purchased it.

 

I am finding the plans and instruction mannual lacking at times and the kit must have been a friday kit as it is missing several lugs and others lugs and webs in the wrong places.

 

What I'm currently finding most puzzling is the flaps controls. David had half built a lever but I cannot work out what he had in mind.

 

Has anyone got a good solution for the flaps be it mechanical or electrical?

 

Greg Tucker Bathurst NSW

 

 

[facthunter]

I prefer mechanical as you can "feel" them . Not a lot is said about it but flap assymetry is a factor to be considered as one side may fail and you will get an uncommanded roll, that only quick retraction of the active flap will fix. Is there an option to run without any flap? If there is consider that as a possibility. Nev

 

 

[Brett]

G'day Greg ,,yes I too had lugs missing and so on ,,,pained me to do it but I had to grind the powder coating back and have some mounts welded in from a local guy in the tig welding game .( mounts for the right hand front kick panels) I wasn't to keen on drilling into the fuse frame to rivit on the panels and especially up near the front.

 

As for the flap lever ,,I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do for it however Steve fortunately sent me some pics of his set up and basically I just copied it. I haven't flown my plane yet but it seems to work really well.

 

Hopefully very soon I will fly it after the paper work is all sorted. Just finished the weight and balance on wed and checking over paper work and so on now for submission to RAA.

 

 

 

 

[Greg Tucker]

A big thankyou Brett. That has given me the ideas I need. My lugs for both kick panels are wrong, drilling the frame does worry me, but I've resorted to just that. Other areas I have been able to use ss hose clamps like I see in one of your photoes. I see you have the fuel sight glass set up inside the cabin, I have not yet worked out how to do this with the wing folding. It must be a very exciting time for you. Hope it all goes well for you. Love to see some photoes and hear about your first flights. Where abouts are you located? I still have not seen a Pup in real life. Thanks again.

 

 

[Brett]

No problem Greg ,,glad to help. I haven't still managed to fly it yet. I have been away at work and just got back yesterday . Will see how I go this week. Btw I'm located in Geraldton W.A.

 

For the site glass I have just used some brass fittings from the local AG store, the barb size was 1/4 and I have just used some blue tinted fuel line from aircraft spruce . It has had fuel in it for quite a while now and seems to be holding up . The blue tint sux however with the blue avgas but it is still quite readable. When I have a bit more spare time I will try and source some clear fuel resistant tubing. Let me know if you need any other photo's ,, they tended to help me a huge amount when building mine.

 

 

[Greg Tucker]

Hi Brett,

 

I've been away overseas and this is very much interfering with the progress of my Aeropup. Hope you have got off the ground with your by now and that all is good.

 

Question with your sight glass; "how did you plumb the top of the sight glass back into the tank so that you can still fold the wings?"

 

I'm looking forward to going to Natfly on Saturday and hopefully I'll find a flying Aeropup.

 

Cheers Greg.

 

 

[Brett]

G'day Greg sorry for the late reply,, I have just got back from work up north W.A. and basically going back again in the next few days. I'm not exactly sure what you mean with the folding of the wings and the site tube. For the fuel site tube I just fitted a 90 degree 1/4" barb into the fuel tank. If you want to have a yarn about it just give me a call ,,I'm here till Friday then back at work :( I'll leave my number in your PM inbox

 

 

[Greg Tucker]

Thanks Brett, I think I've worked how to do the fuel sight glass. Your photo looked as if you had your sight glass very neatly inside your cabin but, other photoes I've seen have the sight glass on the end wing rib with a slot cut into the fiberglass so that you can see the sight glass.

 

Have you got your plane flying yet.

 

Cheers Greg.

 

 

[eightyknots]

Hopefully very soon I will fly it after the paper work is all sorted. Just finished the weight and balance on wed and checking over paper work and so on now for submission to RAA.

We'll be looking forward to some photos of your completed plane ....and your first taxi testing .....and the first flight, etc. etc.

 

 

[Brett]

Will do ,,unfortunately work keeps getting in the way :( Hopefully next time I'm home I will fly it ...