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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 22:10:36

Tom Friedland wrote:
> Thanks Jeff
>  
> Is the hemtape "Orabond?'
Yes.  Very strong stuff...
>  
> Is the styrene available at sign makers?
Usually from a supplier, but some, such as myself will have some in stock...
>  
> Don't some of the glider guys use mylar for seals/
I believe they do...
>  
> Tom
>
>  
> On 5/6/07, *Rman* <topglock@cox.net <mailto:topglock@cox.net>> wrote:
>
>     <mailto:topglock@cox.net>>
>
>     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:
>     <fklein@orcasonline.com <mailto:fklein@orcasonline.com>>
>     >
>     >
>     >>  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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