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Re: Europa-List: Re: Flap Seals

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Re: Flap Seals
From: Rman <topglock@cox.net>
Date: Sun, 6 May 2007 22:13:56

I thought about it, but believe that the aileron is sufficiently 
recessed to negate the need.  My opinion, of course.  I also considered 
the compressible seal, but did not have any around the shop.  Might 
still try it out, as replacing the styrene would be easy and cheap, 
should I decide to return to that...

Jeff

Garry wrote:
>
> Jeff, did you think about applying gap seals to the ailerons?  Any 
> reason to do just the flaps?
>
> Garry
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rman" <topglock@cox.net>
> To: <europa-list@matronics.com>
> Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2007 4:29 PM
> Subject: Re: Europa-List: Re: Flap Seals
>
>
>>
>> Fred,
>>
>> I took some pics, but haven't had a chance to post them.  The process 
>> is dead simple, though.  I cut two pieces of styrene, 2.25" wide, the 
>> length of the flaps (about 63"), then added the hem tape to one 
>> edge.  The tape is 1" wide, so I marked back 1" onto the wing and 
>> drew a line with a grease pen, parallel to the underside of the wing 
>> edge.  I then notched the styrene, where it had to clear the flap 
>> hinges, removed the backing tape from the hem tape and applied the 
>> strip to the wing.  The width was such that it covered the gap, 
>> spilling over onto the flaps.  It is not truly a pressure seal, but 
>> is sufficient to direct the air under the flap and not up, into the 
>> closeout.  My guess is that it also deflects the air, under the 
>> flaps, even with the flaps deployed, as there is a definite lack of 
>> drag.  If you do this mod, be prepared to re-learn your approaches 
>> and it wouldn't hurt to have a good bit of runway on the first few 
>> attempts...
>>
>> Jeff - Baby Blue
>>
>> Fred Klein wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>  John mentioned how sealing up the aircraft would clean up the 
>>>> lines, resulting in better speeds.  I decided to add some gap seals 
>>>> to the wing, to seal the flaps, upon retraction.  What I used was a 
>>>> 2.25" wide piece of .020" styrene, a product that I use, almost 
>>>> daily in my sign/graphics business.  I attached it to the wing 
>>>> using 1" hem tape (a very strong, two sided tape, used to hem 
>>>> banners).
>>>
>>> Hey Jeff...
>>>
>>> I've also had email exchanges w/ John Lawton and have perused a site 
>>> he recommended for info on gap seals...all very interesting. Could 
>>> you go into a little more detail on the nature of your installation? 
>>> Exactly where and in what plane have you attached this styrene? Does 
>>> it create a pressure seal?. In what way does it alter the airflow?
>>>
>>> Fred
>>> A194
>>>
>>> working on cockpit module (finally!)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>



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