Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

I have a DX7 radio.

Can Iprogram the aleirons so that they operate as flaps during landings.
If so, how. (2 servos operate aleirons)
AR7000 reciever.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

You can. But why would you? The flaperons have been kicked around on different threads and the bottom line is if you want a new plane, it's a good choice, because there is a high probablility of crashing yours when you deploy the flaperons. Real flaps are another thing. They work and still let you have functional ailerons. I'll leave it to another to give the aerodynamics of why they are a bad idea.

Don

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

i own futaba so idk if this will help but i will try. go into your flaperon setting and turn it on. then go into the flaps setting and adjust the amount of flaps you want to program in, stars off with 10 degrees and work your way up. prectice up high before you try to land, some planes dont do well with flaperons
if you want the plane to slow down try a different prop (11x5 or 12x4 if its s .40 sized engine)

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

If the aileron type runs out close to the wing tips you could induce a tip stall when you go to flaps mod at low air speed, it's like having "wash in" wing tips. If it "snaps" on you it will be quick and sudden with no warning or chance to recover on approach. Flaperons implemented on inboard ailerons are less likely to have problems.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

The debate that comes up about flaperons is that when used in that manner, you remove the effectiveness of the ailerons when you most need them to be fully operational. If you push in, say, 20 degrees flaps, that's 20 degrees less aileron control you have.

I would suggest that if you want flaps, them build them in, independent of the ailerons.

CGr.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

Well, I have two of my planes setup with Flaperons, I ahve no issues with aileron corrections. You just have to be sure they are set up correctly. I use them for take off and landing. Do I really need them on the planes they are set up on? Probably not, but it's nice to experiment a little. I also have spoilerons set up. Makes for tight loops!! Agree with other though that seperate would be a better way to do.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

SET UP correctly is the key word here;

take a look at the drawing below. The throws in the neutral position are similar in both directions (just a slight differential: 5/8" Up; 1/2" Dn) and I am sure that same throws Up & Dn would also be fine...

however, in the (flaperons) deployed position of 20deg there is a big throws differential:
1" Up and 3/8" Dn

this setup assures maximum aileron control possible, tho it is true you will loose some effectiveness in the deployed position

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

Hi Bill.

Yeah, I agree with all you said. I had flaperons on one of my planes but never used them, maybe for fear, maybe for lack of experience at the time.

I did buy a Goldberg Wildstick 40 that had all of the above.. flaps, spoilers, and separate ailerons. I gotta say this, though, that thing did do some really tight loops and very fast rolls when a combination of the additional controls were used. It was fun to fly... I beat that plane to death.. still have it, and still fly it, in spite of the abuse that I gave it... but this isn't about the Wildstick, it's about flaperons.

My main point is that it can cause some issues if you have a plane setup with sedate control throws, then add flaperons may run the control to it's limit and you may lose that effectiveness. I experimented with it and just didn't see a need, but that's a personal thing.

CGr.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

No one "really" answered your question; they just started commenting about whether you should do it.
Definitely take the comments into consideration, but, the answer to your question is Yes.
The function to research in the owners manual is Flaperon mixing. See pages 44 through 46.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

Agreed, the right aileron gets plugged into the aileron channel and the left aileron gets plugged into the aux channel. At least that is how mine are setup. I test fly mine high at half throttle and throw the flap switch, and see how it responds. You will find out guickly. It should slow down, but should not pitch up or down violently. You should have full control for turns and elevation adjustments. After the first test flight, I will then use them for taking off. You may find that you will have to adjust of course. Same with the spoilerons. Once the Flaperons are set, just throw the falp switch (DX7) in the oposite direction to activate the spoilerons which act like an air brake. I have taken off with flaperons engaged and forgot to switch back to normal for the entire flight. Didn't see any real difference in flight characteristics. I didn't do any loops or rolls for that particular flight, so not sure what would've happeded had I tried .

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

I've heard of people actually using spoilerons instead of flaperons with good success. You don't have the tip stall worries. If your radio can do it, you can slave the mix to throttle so they deploy and retract based on your throttle input. I really need to try this.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

flaperons= 50/50% Crash

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

I use them all of the time with strip ailerons. I like the spoileron effect the most, especially with lightly loaded sticks and trainers. I'm not flying them like aerobatic planes, but rather floating them around for touch and gos. More lift isn't needed to land these type of planes, so flaperons aren't needed. The reduced lift and increased drag of the spoilerons (I use about 25 degrees of deflection) reduces ballooning and makes them a joy to land.

Kurt

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

What are your radio settings?

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

I have the flaperons slaved to my elevator, just on one plane though, flip a switch and they actavate. This is on a Hots fun fly plane and I only use them for kicking around. On very calm days if I forget the switch is on then try landing, the plane will try to tip stall at slow speed. They can be a lot of fun when the wind kicks up!!

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

A lot depends on what type of plane your going to use 20* flaperons on. A big floaty Ultra stick maybe, but try it on a World Models 40 size P-51 Mustang, throw in a little cross wind for good measure and sooner or later it will snap on you so fast it'll barely register in your mind what just happen to your plane.

The problem I refer to is at low speed landing, not tooling around in the sky at speed.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

Out of curiosity, what plane is it?

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

I am late seeing this post, have you had any luck with the flap thing? I us a dx7 with two planes (a twist and recently a extra 300sp) and have been experimenting with falperons, spoilerons ect for about 6 months and really like the results. Setup is trickey because everything affects everything else. Let me know how you do and I can offer some advice if you need.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

Can I do setup on DX7 and make the Aileron Stick works like Flaps movement with stick input after flip of AUX switch?

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

Not sure I understand what you want to do. Sounds like you currently have a plane with flaps and ailerons, and you are trying to get the flaps to act as ailerons with the flaps retracted? If this is what you want to do, are you're flaps on separate servos? If so, I think they could be mixed. Please provide more info of what you are trying to do.

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

I have micro 4-site plane. It has Aileron with separate servos. It does not have flaps. I want the Aileron to act as Flap (Both moves in the same direction). I know I need to separate the receiver to make each side of the Aileron to separate channels (2 and 5) for each servos. Now I need how to setup the DX7 radio to work both ways. Thanks

RE: Programing Aleirons as Flaps
 

This took me a while to figure out and i'm not sure the way I do it is the best way but it works. First your aileron servos have to be in separate inputs in the receiver; aileron and
Aux 1. Than in the DX7 go in to the setup mode (holding the down and select buttons when turning it on) and under wing type select falperon on. Now under the normal menu (pressing down and select with the transmitter on), go to flap system. You will see norm, mid and land. These correspond to the flap mix switch on the top left. 0 (zero) is norm, 1 is mid and 2 is land. Select 1 on the flap mix switch and than move the carrot (select button) to the mid selection and increase or decrease the % to set the amount of flap for that switch position. than select flap mix 2 and do the same for land. I use 50% and 75%. Now on the right of the display you will see elev. This allows you to trim the elevator with that flap setting. Most planes will pitch up with flaps so I set some nose down, maybe like 15 for flaps one and 20 for flaps two. Make sure the elevator actually goes down when you do this, if something is reversed it might display DN but the elevator goes up. At the bottom you will see AUTO. this will automatically retract the flaps at a set throttle setting. I use between 50 and 75%. This is for a missed approach, if you punch the throttle up, the flaps retract. Last of all (and this took me a while to figure out) if you are all trimmed up in normal flight and you throw out the flaps and she wants to roll, retract the flaps, land and use the Travel Adjust to limit how far the right or left aileron extends with that flap setting. If you use the trim or sub trim, it will affect flight with flaps up. Using travel adjust does not affect the ailerons when they are retracted but limits how far each one extends. In the travel adjust menu their is aileron and flap. If the plane rolls right when flaps are extended, increase the travel of the servo on the right or decrease the travel of the servo on the left. depending on weather its in aileron or aux will determine weather aileron of flap controls it. It takes a while to get it trimmed for pitch and roll but once its done you will slow faster and be able to fly slower. The last thing I do is on the aileron rudder mix menu, set the bottom line to SW: FLAP2 and the RATE to something like 30%. This automatically gives you rudder with the aileron when you are in the flaps 2 setting. It helps turning at slow speeds and coordinate the turning.
The other thing is practice setting this stuff up at a rather slow speed and good height. Be ready to retract the flaps if it pitches or rolls. Good luck and let me know if it works. Its been a while since I've configured this thing, but I think I got everything.

Mark