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RV4 Flap/Speed Brake

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esmith6(at)satx.rr.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 9:52 am Post subject: RV4 Flap/Speed Brake

Hey gang.............Educate me, and discuss this  situation I would like to do to my RV-4...I would like to fly a normal Fighter  Pilot traffic pattern, but my fixed pitch prop still provides some thrust  even at idle, so I have to be almost out of sight on final to ever get it to  slow down...To install a speed brake somewhere is too much for me, (and  where?) sooooooo how about this:  Modify my flap system to allow the flaps  to go down to 90 degrees so I can get the proper airspeed on final and  still be able to see the airpatch...LET ME HEAR FROM YOU...Be  kind!

  

 CHEERS,

 Gene Smith

 RV-4 flying 13 years

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Lee Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 86

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject: RV4 Flap/Speed Brake

Gene:  Fly your normal "fighter" pattern:  High, tight, and coming down steeply all the way by slipping it in.  Is easily controlled and looks way cool too.  Watch Patty Wagstaff or any of the other Extra/CAP/Edge etc. pilots landing and you'll know just what I mean (they do some  serious slipping).  You can slip an RV-4 big time and it will come down quickly and under complete control.  I turn off the 180 just past my intended touchdown point and slip it all the way to the ground, commonly from 700' - 800' AGL but close aboard, beginning if necessary, right off the 180.  I figure if I ever lose the engine, I just ease off the top rudder, level the wings a bit and enjoy (hopefully) enough leftover energy to readily make the runway engine out...  If I lose it high enough (you might want to experiment on this with a good engine), I plan to raise the flaps slowly giving up altitude at first but ultimately extending my glide ratio.  If too low to take the initial flaps up altitude loss, just fly on with what you have, slow it to right above stall to lower your total energy package and then no matter what, fly it all the way to the ground. 

  

 That's my plan, anyway...Hey!  At least I have one!!

 

 Ciao!

  

 Shiloh...

  [quote][b]

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splitess(at)suscom-maine.
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 6:26 pm Post subject: RV4 Flap/Speed Brake

Gene,

 Wouldn't change a thing except for me--changing my manual  lever for the electric kit---would be an improvement. I HATE that damned manual  flap lever. A speed brake or 90 degrees of flap seems excessive. I would think  that swapping to a constant speed set up would be the preferable solution.  Slowing the RV4 down is certainly a trick.  I start well before the  "standard" a-beam the numbers approach and pull the throttle back to about 1100  rpm (0-360, fixed pitch), dump all the flaps at once at 100 mph and hit a  somewhat shorter turn to base then final. I use a touch of throttle to  adjust descent rate and I am usually successful in crossing the  fence between 65 and 70 without having to fly a long and risky final.  It took me a while to get it right. My goal is a constant speed set up  sometime in the future.    

  

 D. Steven Schlieper

8 Homeplace

Topsham, Maine 04086

  

  

  

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PGLong

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 37

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:49 am Post subject: RV4 Flap/Speed Brake

Hi Gene

  

 Just a thought. I had lots of trouble slowing my RV-4 down also. Found I  had the idle speed too high. Got it idled down real slow and that helps  immensely to get things slowed down and uses much less runway to get  stopped.



 

  

  

 Pat  Long

PGLong(at)aol.com

N120PL

RV4

Bay City, Michigan

3CM



Do  Not Archive



See whatarget="_blank">Make AOL Your Homepage.

  [quote][b]

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_________________
Pat Long
RV-4, N120PL
Bay City, MI

smokyray(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:42 am Post subject: RV4 Flap/Speed Brake

Gene,

   I actually like the manual flap lever better.I modified mine to fit better next to my leg. I have flown my RV4 for 1500 hours and never burned up a flap motor... STOL ops are way improved with "instant" flaps. You can deploy them during the takeoff roll for a hop into ground effect on a very soft field, and retract them instantly on landing to get better brake effectiveness. I also like to extend  them during slow speed dogfighting. 

  Much better turn circle below 100 knots... Your mileage may vary...

   

  Rob Ray



Steve Schlieper <splitess(at)suscom-maine.net> wrote:

  [quote]        Gene,

  Wouldn't change a thing except for me--changing my manual  lever for the electric kit---would be an improvement. I HATE that damned manual flap lever. A speed brake or 90 degrees of flap seems excessive. I would think that swapping to a constant speed set up would be the preferable solution. Slowing the RV4 down is certainly a trick.  I start well before the "standard" a-beam the numbers approach and pull the throttle back to about 1100 rpm (0-360, fixed pitch), dump all the flaps at once at 100 mph and hit a somewhat shorter turn to base then final. I use a touch of throttle to adjust descent rate and I am usually successful in crossing the fence between 65 and 70 without having to fly a long and risky final. It took me a while to get it right. My goal is a constant speed set up sometime in the future.    

   

  D. Steven Schlieper

8 Homeplace

Topsham, Maine 04086

   

    

   

  [quote]  ---

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