How your electric flaps work

SixPapaCharlie

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I had a weird anomaly where I was putting around the pattern and my flaps got stuck 1/2 way out.
Fuse was good, switch was good, but no movement on the flaps.

So I decided to set the plane on fire.

I went out there today with a gas can and some matches and suddenly it was working fine again. Weird.

At any rate here is what your electric flap system looks like (mine anyway).
Little motor, and a Jack Screw. In my plane, i wish it was faster. it feels like forever to deploy the flaps.

Anyway. Your moment of zen.

 
I am.........flapaghasted! :confused:
 
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I had a weird anomaly where I was putting around the pattern and my flaps got stuck 1/2 way out.
Fuse was good, switch was good, but no movement on the flaps.

So I decided to set the plane on fire.

I went out there today with a gas can and some matches and suddenly it was working fine again. Weird.

At any rate here is what your electric flap system looks like (mine anyway).
Little motor, and a Jack Screw. In my plane, i wish it was faster. it feels like forever to deploy the flaps.

Anyway. Your moment of zen.

Replace the alternator, voltage regulator, and battery with 28 volt units. The flap motor will be faster while it lasts...and you might get the fire...
 
I wonder if your plane has limit switches? On my 182 one of my switches was out of adjustment and flaps would not retract.
 
In my plane, i wish it was faster. it feels like forever to deploy the flaps.

How slow is it? On the Grumman I flew, it was 2 Mississippi's on descent from downwind, 2 Mississippi's on base and 2 Mississippi's on final.
 
So that's what it looks like to get screwed.
 
If you had a screw loose, you’d be unflappable.
 
I went out there today with a gas can and some matches and suddenly it was working fine again. Weird.
Not weird at all. Threats of violence often get the job done. I find it is often effective to just walk up to the recalcitrant equipment with a large hammer in hand.
 
You won’t need the matches,if you pour the gas on the motor,and activate the flaps.
 
My '63 172D was the last year Cessna had Johnson Bar actuated manual flaps, and I have no idea why they went electric. Manual flaps are simple, lightweight, relatively maintenance-free, don't require electrical power, and are as fast or slow to deploy and retract as you want.

As far as deployment speed is concerned, on a soft field you can literally make the airplane jump into the air by quickly pulling on the Johnson Bar, then slowly retract as you pick up airspeed.

KISS.
 
That's good info. I always wondered what happened when I pulled up on the flap lever on the floor of my old 182. Mine seem really fast though?
 
I had a weird anomaly where I was putting around the pattern and my flaps got stuck 1/2 way out.
Fuse was good, switch was good, but no movement on the flaps.

So I decided to set the plane on fire.

I went out there today with a gas can and some matches and suddenly it was working fine again. Weird.

At any rate here is what your electric flap system looks like (mine anyway).
Little motor, and a Jack Screw. In my plane, i wish it was faster. it feels like forever to deploy the flaps.

Anyway. Your moment of zen.


Wow! How many different airplane manufacturers use that manufacturer's actuator? Mooney & Piper Comanche gear actuators, and just about all high wing cessna flap actuators? Didn't know they were in some Grummans too.
 
Well then, I believe zucchini is next followed by rutabaga. After that I don’t know. I’ve never had to go beyond that.
All those veggies...don’t they spoil? Or does 6pc make lots of soup?
 
My '63 172D was the last year Cessna had Johnson Bar actuated manual flaps, and I have no idea why they went electric. Manual flaps are simple, lightweight, relatively maintenance-free, don't require electrical power, and are as fast or slow to deploy and retract as you want.

As far as deployment speed is concerned, on a soft field you can literally make the airplane jump into the air by quickly pulling on the Johnson Bar, then slowly retract as you pick up airspeed.

KISS.

Indeed!!!

I love pulling on my Johnson!


...
 
Well then, I believe zucchini is next followed by rutabaga. After that I don’t know. I’ve never had to go beyond that.

All this stuff is grown year round in places like south FL, south TX, and CA is it not?
 
My favorite flap system is the Piper method, simple, little to go wrong.
Indeed, but when I was a primary student, flaps retracted themselves on a 1968 Cherokee once. The slam was loud, and the airplane immediately settled. I was smart enough not to yank the yoke, but I almost had a heart attack - it was so unexpected. Never had electric flaps fail (yet). And I do suspect that I didn't latch the Johnson bar properly. But still, things can happen!
 
Had my flaps fail last summer in my 91 Tiger in the full down position at my home drome right after landing. There are limit switches which in my case all turned out to be good. Ended up have a frozen flap motor. Since you can’t buy a new motor or have one rebuilt (24v), I had to buy a used motor. Still, all in was less than $1AMU. Never had that happen before.

The Tiger maintenance manual has the steps to check the limit switches and the flap switch itself and I would assume the Traveller manual does as well. If you can run a volt/ohm meter, you should be able to get a good idea on what is happening. And if you are a member of AYA, there is a back issue that gives a 2 page procedure with pictures on how to troubleshoot the flap system.
 
Who cares how fast they go? They don't hardly do anything anyway.

Compared to the flaps on the AA1s, they are quite effective. I once took off with the flaps down, neither I nor the instructor noticed until we were at cruise and were a few mph slow. For all they did on that airplane, they could have just installed the switch and indicator, and not bothered with the actual flaps.
 
So what was the purpose in putting electric flaps on light singles? I assume there had to be some advantage to it besides “oooh it’s electric”
 
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