About Flaperons
 

There have been a lot of threads on RCU asking flaperons. I wrote an article for my website at the beginning of this month (Feb 2004) giving an overview of what they are and why you might use them. Today I shot some video of various flaperon modes. The videos were taken in my shop and I'll probably shoot them again outdoors when I get a sunny day so they're a little nicer and have a less cluttered background.

These videos demonstrate a quad-flap setup. I plan to add a couple videos of the more common setup using a pair of strip ailerons soon. I have a plane that can demonstrate it - I just have to do it.

Videos are at the bottom of the page.

Last thing. Please don't ask me how to set up your transmitter to use Flaperons. It should be in the instructions that came with radio. If not, then post a thread in the radio forum here at RCU or contact the manufacturer. I have no clue how your radio works. The only transmitter I've set these up on is my Futaba 8UHP which covers it all in the instructions.

I set it up this plane as a quad-flap sailplane because that mode has a built-in Butterfly (Crow) mix. It was a matter of simply turning the Butterfly mix on, setting the percentages and reversing channels as needed.

Hope this helps folks who have questions about what Flaperons are.

- Paul

http://www.airfieldmodels.com/inform.../flaperons.htm

RE: About Flaperons
 

Well, bless me, and you.

I thought I was going to have to write a long reply about how nobody knows what flapperons are... ;-)

But, I think you got it down remarkable well. Good read.

Thanks

gus

RE: About Flaperons
 

Paul, How can I program my 4 channel Kraft Radio to do that?

:D

RE: About Flaperons
 

Ahh... well this one I do know about. First, you have to gather up a few supplies: Brazing wire, soldering acid, a small hatchet and the ear lobe of an executed convict.

Step 1: blah blah
Step 2: etc.

Hope this helps :D

- Paul

RE: About Flaperons
 

CafeenMan,

Thanks, I was going to setup my first dual aileron this weekend, for flaps.

How about Air Brake, can it be done with two aileron setup with adequte radio and will it be usefull?

Is it something like the Video 3 while both ailerons are up?

Thanks again,

RE: About Flaperons
 

Yes. Flaps up = airbrake. I'm not the guy to ask about why or when to use it. I've only used it on a plane that thermalled too well to help bring it down. I'm not sure what other purpose it would have.

Actually, I take that back. I think Airbrake is flaps up and ailerons down. Flaps up is simply reflex I think. Honestly I'm not sure. Somebody else knows. :)

RE: About Flaperons
 

Crow or Butterfly (whichever you want to call it ;)) is the "airbrake" setup. Large deflection downward flaps, large deflection upward ailerons. tons of drag and you've lost a lot more lift than you have gained. (its going to come down FAST)

You could make functional "real" airbrakes... surfaces that pop out of the sides or top of the fuselage (Or dual surffaces that clamshell open to about 160 deg from each other onthe wing tips, as the A-6 Intruder has... or the similar functiong surfaces at the rear of an F-16...) But the weight gain and mechanical complexity will make it undesireable for most modelers.

Note that an airbrake on the belly is rarely (if ever... I never saw one..) used. Probably has something to do with creating a pitch-down problem on final approach and/or dragging the airbrake n the runway...

RE: About Flaperons
 

Great post and great videos. I have added your site to my favoriates.

Thanks so much for your service to the RC community.

RE: About Flaperons
 

Thanks,

Will give it a try and see what happens.

RE: About Flaperons
 

I have two questions-
Fhhubar
1) You say that with the crow or butterfly it is going to some down fast. I thought the idea of the crow was to slow forward motion and give you the ability to slow down the airplane (and control elevation)? I was thinking corw would help slow down hot landings, or is this what just flaps is for?

2) Paul, How did you get the surfaces to move so slow in your butterfly example? Is this a setting on your radio?

RE: About Flaperons
 

With crow mode fully deployed, you are creating a ton of drag... and have killed the lift at the outer part of the wings. It sure isn't going to hold altitude without adding a bunch of power and pointing the nose up...

I think its a matter of how much you are deflecting the surfaces... I generally think of crow as full deflection for the huge airbrake effect. Very useful to put a floaty glider down for a spot landing. I hadn't really considered thier use on a high speed heavy aircraft to make the landing slower before. (and the gliders don't have power to keep altitude with the things deployed...)

RE: About Flaperons
 

The way it works on my transmitter is that it's hooked to the throttle stick. At full throttle there is no butterfly. As the stick is pulled back there is more butterfly. The butterfly mode can be turned on or off by a switch.

RE: About Flaperons
 

I'm sorry. I meant to respond to this one earlier. Thank you! I appreciate the compliment and it has been my pleasure. :)