When I am setting the ailerons on a symmetrical wing, how do I know when it is level. On a flat bottom I can put a ruler and set them that way.

I usually just set them so they are centered with an imaginary line drawn through the wing from Leading edge to trailing edge.

Use the old eyeballs Gene

If it looks good "NAIL IT" my kind of carpenter.

You could use a String.

Like a horizontal Plumb bob.

Bob

On a really thick fun fly wing, I have put a rubber band around the wing tip. Then just made the distance between the rubber band and the hinge line the same on both sides. This will get it really close.

david

I put my EVIL EYE on that sucker and I am probably no more the 8 or 9 clicks off
Looks pretty close, the flight will tell

Mark one eyeball most the time but if I want to get it dead on I have my degree meters and just make sure they come out the same from top to bottom. If the inside center section of the wing comes out to join the ailerons then I level up to them. Does that make any sense at all???

Dave, that's a great idea!

I give it a good look and when it looks right, I draw an "X" on my eye with a felt-tip pen.

Disclaimer: This is only a joke, if you're stupid enough to believe it and actually draw on your eyeball with a felt-tip pen, please look up the "Darwin Awards" and enter as many times as you like.

Gene, one method that I use is to put a piece of soft wood, thin pine for instance, a slat about 2 x 10 x 1/8 thick, such as a paint stick, so that it bends. Then, I softly clamp it on both sides so that it conforms with the wing shape, then the aileron is sandwiched between them and should give you a pretty good starting point to set them up equally.

The point is to get them equal, meaning one side does not have more deflection than the other side. Once you fly the maiden, and get it trimmed out, you can see how much deflection is needed for straight and level and mechanically dial out what one side has over the other side.

CGr.

Mike.. I'd use a Sharpie. It makes the X permanant enough so it doesn't disappear befor the eye doctor can see it..... [X(]

CGr

Your elevator trim might reveal ailerons that are set either too high or too low.
It gets confusing if the proper CG has not been established first.
Checking the plane in inverted flight will also reveal any unwanted bias.
Knife edge flight trim is also affected by aileron positioning and the CG.

If the edge of the wing is flat, I do the following.

I put a small mark on the LE point at center.
I put a small mark on the trailing edge point at center.

I then put a small mark on the Leading Edge of the aileron at center and another on the trailing edge of the aileron.

Then just line them up using a straight edge and the ailerons are centered ( assuming no washout or wing warp! ).

Otherwise I use CGRetired's method, and at the field I'll put the plane's nose into the ground and sight along the fuselage, making sure that the ailerons are centered and level.

It also pays to move the stick to an extreme, and hold it there while checking control surface travel in each direction.

Sometimes you may have the ailerons centered properly but find that at extremes you have different amount of travel!

You should eliminate this problem.

Hey all,,,,maiden the thing today and only had to add 1 or 2 clicks right. Yahooooooo\
Told ya MinnFlyer I put the evil eye on that sucker.

Mike, Brian Winch had to put in a disclaimer on his columns in RCUs ending joke because people were stupid enough to be trying to do the silly things he was joking about. Better safe then sorry!!!!

You got to fly, we got all of your Snow

Bob

Ya, we are finally getting rid of some of our snow. If you need any more let me know, be happy to send some your way.[:'(][:'(]

Mornin, Irish.

We're getting rain today, and a lot of it. If it was snow, which I am glad it is not, we would get another 10+ inches. Did you decide on how to do the aileron alignment?

Breakfast coming up, probably some oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar, and an english muffin. I already have my Dunky-Do Decaf right here at my desk.

Morning CG.
Eyeballed it like MinnFlyer said. Was off about 1 or 2 clicks, needed some right. Setting down to breakfast now. eggs basted soft, oatnut bread and chock-full-nuts coffee. Are you really planning on going to Toledo this year?

Hi Irish.

I am gonna try. I've been checking on air-fares to Detroit. As normal, the usual issue is the work schedule. This year, we're getting geared up for Juneau, AK. The problem with that is usually the weather - fog and rain - that will hurt our schedule. We're going out this month, and again in April, then again in June. I won't know for sure until the flight/test schedule is more solidified.

I am going north to Massachusetts to spend some time with my family on April 1st for a few days, which is Easter weekend, then after that, well, I'll have to wait for the schedule to come out.

Regarding the subject of this thread, eye-balling it works. Two clicks is pretty much right on. Heck, you'll routinely do that on a typical flight day.

Later.

CGr.

SOB! (sniffle!) what..you mean my artificial horizon is just that??

Ha,Ha, MinnFlyer I fooled you. I didn't use the permanent felt marker. I used kinda a orange color, now I don't have to wear sunglasses Gee, maybe I should have used the rose colored marker. then everything would be coming up roses. [&o]
Brother, and all those comedians out of work.