Storch banks to right when deployin flaps with flaperons.

[nhk750]

The title says it all. I am using a Spektrum DX8G2 with AR610 receiver. The Ft Storch is a scratch build and it flew perfectly on its maiden with actually no trim adjustments needed (that was really amazing and rare!). The problem I am having is when I deploy the flaps, with the flaperon option, it banks to the right. I cant seem to find any adjustments on the Tx for adjusting the servos individually when deploying flaps and if I try to adjust the trim with flaperons down, wont that affect the trim in flight without flaperons deployed? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Bayboos]

When everything is ok, there is no reason for the plane to turn only because flaps are deployed. And definitely my own Storch does not do that - it flies straight in all configurations. Please don't give up; electronics will not solve all of the problems. Here are few things you may want to check.

If the plane flies straight with flaps/flaperons retracted, it should fly straight with all of them deployed. If it doesn't then clearly there is some assymetry in the deflections. Carefully compare the deflections when on the ground. Check if the servo arms are in the same position left-to-right (separately for flaps and flaperons) with no aileron input and in BOTH flaps positions (extended/deployed and retracted/clean). Check if the control horns are in the same positions. Check for any push rod slack, loose hinges, delaminations. And make sure the rudder is not accidentally mixed with flap deflection (I did see one example of that).

Hope you will solve the problem. Good luck, and have fun!

 

[nhk750]

When everything is ok, there is no reason for the plane to turn only because flaps are deployed. And definitely my own Storch does not do that - it flies straight in all configurations. Please don't give up; electronics will not solve all of the problems. Here are few things you may want to check.

If the plane flies straight with flaps/flaperons retracted, it should fly straight with all of them deployed. If it doesn't then clearly there is some assymetry in the deflections. Carefully compare the deflections when on the ground. Check if the servo arms are in the same position left-to-right (separately for flaps and flaperons) with no aileron input and in BOTH flaps positions (extended/deployed and retracted/clean). Check if the control horns are in the same positions. Check for any push rod slack, loose hinges, delaminations. And make sure the rudder is not accidentally mixed with flap deflection (I did see one example of that).

Hope you will solve the problem. Good luck, and have fun!

Thanks, I will check all that first. I honestly haven't had the time to check the simple things yet, been busy with my Sportster build. I was just playing with the Tx last night and could not find a way to set trim individually for the servos when in flap mode, it only lets you adjust them together as one. I set up my Sportster with Flaperons also as I had a six channel Rx and thought it may be cool to have flaperons on the Sportster...

 

[CavRecon]

Maybe a silly suggestion...but make sure the servos are the same, are both centered the same, and that the pushrods are both in the same holes on the servo arm and the control surface horn.

 

[nhk750]

That is not a silly suggestion, but, I was just thinking, the emax servos, when installing on ailerons, are always off by a few degrees when centered (compared to each other because they are mirrored). It is possible that I need to set the endpoints on the servos and mess with the centering. With the DX8G2 there are a lot of adjustments possible and even custom mixes. Even though the plane flys perfectly without flaperons deployed, I may have an adjustment out of whack somewhere. Thanks for the advice everyone, I have some stuff to think about now and the manual to look at again.

 

[Capt_Beavis]

Instead of using the flap setup in the TX you can do a manual setup to a switch. It will take two mixes for each flap position you want to use but will allow you to individually adjust each flap.

 

[nhk750]

I was working on it today and I have not flown it yet, but I think I figured out what was going on. When it maidened, the back of the wing folded a little bit, and since then I have reinforced that section of wing with carbon fiber. See below. I noticed today when I was messing with it that the trims were all messed up from fixing the wing. So, I think last time I flew with the wing flex, it had an affect on the flap deployment, I will see how it works next flight in a few days or weeks from now...

Here is my fix for the rear of wing buckling. I used carbon fiber as the bbq skewers flexed to much.

BEFORE
View attachment 80659

AFTER
View attachment 80660


Start by flexing the bent part straight and actually flex it past straight a small amount, then poke small bbq skewers through the back of wing all the way into the wing spar touching the wood in spar.
View attachment 80661

Then poke the carbon rod into the same hole all the way to the spar and mark it to cut to size.
View attachment 80662
View attachment 80663

Now, with the carbon rods cut, inject a healthy amount of hot glue into the holes and install the rods as straight as possible into the holes making sure their flush to the wing edge and touching the spar. Do one at a time.

View attachment 80664
View attachment 80665

Now finish up with a little hot glue in the spar area where the rods barely poke through touching the wood, you have to drip it in as its hard to access.

Finally have a piece of foam board cut to size, mark where the carbon rods are going to seat on it, make shallow cuts on those lines, take a bbq skewer and go over the cuts so the rods will sit in the fb tightly and apply hot glue to the piece and install. I pre-bent the piece also so it sits better on wing.
View attachment 80666
View attachment 80667

There ya go, it seems to be super strong now! I will report back later with how it holds up over time.