I recently picked up a partially completed Pica Duelist. The wing has been built with 1 servo driving the ailerons. My question is, could I cut the ailerons in 2/3 and 1/3 and make the inner 1/3 on each side into flaps? Would this cause any problems?

Also, would a standard servo( 43oz torque) be sufficient for controlling the elevator?

Thanks in advance, Mike

I've got one I'm still working on and plan to try using flaperons instead of flaps as long as my radio supports it. I'm hoping that the oversized rudder will be sufficient for sterring on landing approaches.

My two cents. Don' t over do the flapperons. If you do, the loss of aileron control can really be significant. I tried it with a senior telemaster and finally went to standard flaps as proposed above.
Good Luck,
Twinman

Thanks twinman, but what about the elevator servo?

While I have flown the Pica Dualist, I have not built it.
If you intend to use that servo, I would at the very least suggest going to six volts.
Maybe other dualist freaks can help.
Twinman

Mike....Flew 2 Duelists with standard flap set-up and in all honesty....really didn't make much difference.....had to actually put in some down elevator as nose pitched up on flap deployment.....they look nice...but other than that...I wouldn't waste the time installing them......Bill.......

Mike:

Standard servos are fine on the Duellist 2/40. All surfaces.

Regards ailerons/flaperons. Never felt the need, But since the wing is mostly completed you still have the option of using two servos in the middle, linked through the torque rods, and you could program flaperons if you wanted to try them.

If you make split flaps I would strongly recommend using four servos, and mixing the ailerons into the flaps. At low airspeed with high throttle the propwash will hit the inner portion maintaining aileron control, without the mix you will lose roll authority at these same low airspeeds.

Bill.

Mike,

My suggestion is to keep the ailerons full span as per the plans. The Duellist lands at a slow enough airspeed to not warrant the complexity of installing flaps. My Duellist weighs 10 lbs. 4 oz. and lands at a very reasonable speed.
If I were to build another I would install one servo per aileron and throttle, each servo out in the wing panel. This would safely allow for using standard servos on the ailerons/throttles and give you more room in the fuselage. Per plans the throttle servo setup is more complex than needed. I built to plans and used 72 oz./torque servos on the ailerons, rudder, elevator, and throttle. My rudder has a pull/pull system.
If you are going to install retracts do not follow the plans or you will not have enough propeller tip/ground clearance. I installed Spring Air retracts with the modification for more propeller clearance but wish I had allowed for more. It flies fine off pavement but still not enough to safely fly off a turf runway. If you want retracts let me know and I will tell you what modifications to make.

Mike Smith

Mike Buckley,

I have single servo, torque-rod driven flaps inboard (between the nacelles) and separate servo driven ailerons outboard (1 servo per aileron).

Mine is also around 10 lbs and lands at a reasonable speed without using the flaps. A little down elevator gets mixed in to compensate for a nose up pitch when flaps are deployed.

I also have a small amount of flaperon mix in the outboard ailerons. As such my Duellist can land very slowly.

You don't need them, but they're fun to experiment with.

I find that I only use flaps about 50% of the time.

-E

Mike,

I didn't install flaps on my Dualist, but do have flaperons available and haven't used them.

I have 4 flights now and all have been exciting. The first 2 flights were with one engine, good thing the rudder and ailerons were on high rate. I put servos in each wing for the ailerons and in each nacelle for the throttles.

Powered by (2) OS70 four strokes with 10X8.3, 3 blade (groepner?) props just for ground clearance. Used Hobbieco mechanical retracts with 2 servos, one for the mains and one for the nose gear.

You'll enjoy it when finished.

Jim George

I'll chime in here and amplify what others have said. There really is no need for flaps in my opinion. The duellist has enough drag to slow it up fine.