Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

I can't afford 2 mini servos so I'd rather use 1 standard servo for my ailerons. I've seen someone else do it, but I dunno how to do it myself can someone give me a labeled diagram or a really good description.[&:]

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

Does this help?

Ken

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

Hey Ken,

How would I go about connecting my ailerons to my receiver to set up as flaps?

Cheers
Chris
(newbie)

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

If you are using a single servo, using the ailerons as flaps, I do not believe that this is possible. You would need 2 servos. You can use 1 servo for each aileron or mount 2 servos in the wing center and have the second servo hooked to a flaperon bracket on the aileron servo. Good Luck, Dave

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

With a single aileron servo like this it is impossible to have flaps on the wing.

Ken

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

I actually have dual servos (one for each wing), but nor sure of the receiver setup....one servo per channel? Then configure my radio? Any particular channel? Does it need to be consecutive channels?

Cheers

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

You will need a computer radio that is capable of running flaperons in that case. What type of radio do you have?

Ken

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

I have a Hitec Eclipse 7....still in the box though, cause i didn't realise that it doesn't come with a charger, so still waiting on my charger to be delivered. (I feel like this radio is probably a little overkill for a newbie like me who doesn't know the first thing, but I bought it for the long term...plus the price was great).

Cheers
Chris

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

Kario,
Look at page 26 of the manual for your radio. It describes how to setup flaperon mixing on that radio. Here is a cut and paste from the online version of the manaul ( [link]http://www.hitecrcd.com/product_file/file/111/ECLIPSEQPCMmanual.pdf[/link] )

[quote]
The Flaperon mixing function uses two servos to
individually control two ailerons, combining the aileron
function with the flap function. Both ailerons can be
raised and lowered simultaneously for a flap effect. Of
course, aileron function, where the two controls move in
different directions, is also performed. The down travel of
the left and right ailerons can be adjusted, so you can
also get a differential effect. (Left and right flap travel are
adjusted individually in the EPA menu.)
To take advantage of the flaperon mixing function, you'll
need to connect the right aileron servo to CH1 (AIL) and
the left aileron servo to CH6 (FLP).
CH1 CH6
Aileron Operation
CH1 CH6
Flap Operation
You can combine the flaperon function with the landing
function (LAND), to get steeper descents without building
up airspeed. This is very convenient for making short
approaches on small fields. Note that you cannot have
both flaperon and elevon mixing active at the same time.
Setting up the Flaperon function
1. The right flaperon servo should be plugged into CH1,
and the left flaperon servo should be plugged into CH6.
2. Press one of the Up Down Edit buttons repeatedly
to select the FLPN window. The INH indicator will show.
3. Press the Active/Inhibit
(Clear) key to activate the
flaperon function. This will
show the On indicator.
4. Press the Cursor Right
key once. A small arrow is
displayed over the numeral
1, representing aileron
master channel, and the
percent indicator will blink
on and off. A small arrow is displayed under the numeral
1, which tells us we're setting the right (CH1) flaperon
servo. Move the aileron stick all the way to the right, and
check that both flaperons move the right direction.
If the right (CH1) flaperon moves the wrong way, change
its travel direction by holding the stick to the right,
pressing the Active/Inhibit (Clear) key, then pressing
the Data -Decrease key until you reach -100%.
FLPN - Flaperon Mixing
This will also change the travel for the left stick motion.
5. If the left (CH6) flaperon moves correctly with aileron
stick, go to the next step. Otherwise, change its travel
direction by pressing the Cursor Right key (the little
arrow moves under the 6),
press the Active/Inhibit
(Clear) key (sets 0%), then
press the Data -Decrease
key until you reach -100%.
6. Now you'll input the
amount of flap response on
the flaperons. The flap
motion is commanded by
the VR1 knob to the left of
the antenna, and both flaperons should move the same
direction when you move the knob. Press the Cursor
Right key one time, so the little arrow moves over the 6
indicating flaps are now the master channel. Note the
arrow under the 6 as well, indicating left (CH6) flaperon.
Now you may adjust the amount of left flaperon travel
with the Data +Increase and -Decrease keys. Press
Active/Inhibit (Clear) key if you wish to reset to 0%.
You may need to choose negative values to get the
control to travel the correct direction.
7. Now you'll input the
amount of flap knob
response on the right (CH1)
flaperon by pressing the
Cursor Right key once.
Now the little arrow moves under the 1, and you may
adjust the amount of right flaperon travel with the Data
+Increase and -Decreasekeys.
8. You may wish to set aileron differential. Aileron
differential means that each aileron has more travel in the
'up' direction than the 'down' direction. Normally the
down travel is reduced to about half of the up travel,
especially on slower-flying models. Press the Cursor
Right key two times, so the little arrows move over and
under the 1 indicating aileron stick is again the master
channel. The arrow under the 1 indicates the right (CH1)
flaperon. Move the stick to the LEFT and press the Data
-Decrease key until you get to 50-75%. If you need even
more differential, you can choose as low as 0% down,
and the ailerons will move up only. This is preferred over
reducing the up travel, which reduces the roll rate.
9. You must repeat this procedure for the left flaperon
also. Press the Cursor Right key one time, so the little
arrow moves under the 6 indicating the left (CH6)
flaperon. Move the stick to the Right and as before,
press the Data -Decrease key until you get to 50-75%.

[quote]

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

I think that 1 servo for even an aeleron pozes a severe ballence issue when it comes time to roll the plane, I can see how the plane (when rolling on the side with the servo) would lean much more than the side with out the servo. That could prove prety bad especially when it comes time to land... I could see how if you were going to use them only for rolling how RCKen had a good money saving idea. Other than that, I think the other designs are the way to go. Mini T

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

One servo for both ailerons doesn't necessarily mean an unbalanced aircraft.

If the servo is centered (left-to-right) in the wing, then there is no balance penalty.

If the servo is off centered, in theory, the builder should balance the plane laterally during the build process. Depending where the counter-balances go, there could be some effect on roll rates, (inertia, mass, etcetera.) But considering how little a servo weighs, and how little it's counter-balancing weight would also weigh.. chances are nobody would even notice.

If one wants to pick nits against lateral balancing, consider all things... Like the muffler, if the engine is vertical the muffler is off to one side. Not only a balance issue, but also an aerodynamic issue as well, unbalanced drag. Even the throttle linkage could be on one side of the plane or the other (depending on engine orientation). That is weight that might, technically, effect roll rates.

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

Ok guys, I'm not quite sure where you all got off track here. When a plane has a single servo controlling both ailerons that servo is CENTERED on the wing (and is usually concealed by being inside of then fuselage). There are no issues with lateral balance because of only having one servo since it is centered on the wing. This servo is then connected to both ailerons in the fashion shown in the diagram I posted above. This setup isn't something new. In fact, most planes for the last 30 or so years only had one single aileron servo. In fact, most of the trainers on the market today only have one aileron servo.

Ken

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

I have to echo Ken's words. Most trainers of today have a single servo to control both ailerons, and it is centered in the wing.

I did see a Telemaster where the servo wasn't centered. (see picture below) It was in the rib bay just off center. So technically, a person could find examples of airplanes that use 1 servo to control both ailerons, but that servo isn't centered. In that instance, I'd be more concerned that the servo wouldn't move the aelerons symmetrically. The angle of deflection between the servo arm and the torque rod would be different. I'd think the servo would move one aileron faster, and to a different throw than the other. This would effect the roll rate far more than balance issues would.


But in either case, as Ken will expouse (sp?), the builder/assembler needs to balance their aircraft laterally.

RE: Single Servo Aileron Setup???
 

Back in the days before computerized radios, flaperon mixing was done mechanically with 2 servos. The first one controlled the ailerons, but it was mounted onto a sliding track or parallel rails. The second servo would push the first servo up / down the track to affect the distance from the entire first servo to the wing surfaces.