Hi Andrew,
The wing/flap template procedure is a little strange. I assume that Europa was
trying to protect intellectual property when they only listed a discontinuous
set of wing top profile data points for the template. Anyway, you may be aware
that the Europa wing is a laminar flow section. Laminar flow wings generally
have profiles which look a lot different to a regular Clark Y aerofoil say. I
think I am correct that the wing is very slightly hollow on the upper rear
section
so that is why it is important to use the template. If you use the bottom
surface of the flap aligned with the wing's bottom surface, you may not get
the desired result. Very small profile changes can have big impact on wing
performance.
Perhaps others on the list can confirm my ideas.
Re your particle board template problem, perhaps you could fit some extra side
brackets to steady it.
Regarding the gap between the flap and the closeout, I think it is wise to
insert
some small fixed spacers to maintain the gap. However, these should only be
positioned at two or three places since smooth airflow through the slot is an
important part of the wing lift when the flaps are down.
Just my independent ideas. Hope they help.
Cheers, John
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From: Andrew Sarangan <asarangan@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Europa-List: Flap attachment procedure
Folks
I am a bit confused about the procedure for attaching the flaps to the wings. I
hope someone can clarify it for me.
First, I am not clear on what exact purpose is served by the flap setting
template,
and which surfaces or points are considered critical. The manual says to
make a template and glue it to the wing with bondo. I made such a template from
particle board, but I was unsuccessful in bonding it with bondo. The board is
heavy enough and the contact area small enough that I can't think how some blobs
of bondo is going to keep it in place while I flip the wing over.
Regarding the alignment, it would seem to me the hinge pivot point should be
positioned
such that it is at the center of the flap's leading edge arc (and the
corresponding arc of the wing's closeout) to ensure smooth flap motion without
rubbing the wing's closeout area. If I am thinking this through correctly, this
step could be accomplished without the use of a template by positioning the
flap such that its bottom surface is aligned to the wing's bottom surface, and
then ensuring a constant gap between the wing and flap from root to tip. I
was thinking of inserting some wooden blocks in the closeout area to accurately
set this gap between the flap and the closeout. Am I missing something?
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