Flaperon balance

[skyguy04]

For those of you who built your airplanes, does the manual say that the flaperons should be balanced when the control linkage is disconnected? Mine are not. They are trailing edge heavy. I'm installing the iLevil AP trim tab auto pilot and they recommend that the control surface be balanced. Seemed straight forward to me, but when i went to check mine, i noticed they aren't currently balanced. I'm a little worried about balancing them if they aren't suppose to be.

Another thing i just thought about as i'm writing this. I checked the balance with the tail low. I wonder if they do balance with tail in normal level attitude.

[Av8r_Sed]

I don't believe there's ever been a requirement to statically balance the flaperons. We just need to make sure the appropriate counterweights are installed for the particular model.

[PapuaPilot]

The counterweights are indeed for balancing the flaperons, but I don't recall any data that gives us the actual specifications of what constitutes "balance" for a Kitfox.

With certified aircraft there is almost always data in the maintenance manual that tells you exeactly how to check and balance the flight control surfaces. It involves placing weights on a beam and checking how many ounce/inches are needed to balance it on the hinge line. There is ususally a range.

I think it's safe to say if you haven't made repairs or put multiple coats of paint on Kitfox flaperons that the balance would be in specs.

[avidflyer]

With the Avid Flyer, you balanced the flaperons by removing the correct amount from the tip of the counterweight as it sat on a pair of saw horses. That being the case, if you are checking the balance on your kitfox ones, I would think you would disconnect the control arms. Also, I would think you would want to do it in flying attitude. That's when the counterweights do their work... JImChuk

[skyguy04]

Thanks for the replies. So does it make sense that if I’m going to add weight to the trailing edge, that my goal should be to return the flaperon to its original balance, but not completely balanced? Ie. Slightly aft CG. I’ve got some ideas for how to do this with a scale.

Jimchuck, yep, I’m doing it with the control linkages disconnected. I didn’t do it at flight level attitude though. I’ll check it that way next. The more I think about it, that would only move the hinge point. Shouldn’t affect balance too much.


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[Delta Whisky]

I can't see why - if the control linkage is disconnected - the attitude of the aircraft would make any difference.