22 others Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 I've recently noticed that my C is banking to the right with the flaps up (in cruise) and my left flap looks to be angled down just a little bit. I'm not sure if it took me a year to notice this, or if I've done something that has caused the left flap to stay down a little more than the right. One one hand, I have always needed to use left trim on the PC system.... On the other hand, I'm paranoid that it is requiring more and more left trim over time. I have not noticed a banking tendency with the flaps in the down position during landing. What could cause only one flap to get out of adjustment? Is it possible for the flaps to be correct when down, but out of alignment when up? Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Oscar Avalle Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 Yes, I believe that my flaps are misaligned too. In my case I noticed that when I lower the flaps the plane tends to bank right. I was wondering if there is a way to rig them?
Marauder Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 You don't have one of these in the right seat do you? Your flaps and ailerons should line up equally and look something like this: I flew with a Mooney owner recently and he has a turning tendency and it is clear something isn't rigged right. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1
Piloto Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 The fully retracted adjustment is done at the outboard flap hinge. There is a set screw with a nut that limits the retraction position. Check that the screw is not loose. Once the screw is adjusted tighten it with the nut. The extended flap adjustment is done at the inboard turnbuckle links. The rear access panel needs to be removed for this. Disable the PC with no finger on it by putting tape around the yoke button. Do the extended flap adjustment first for no roll tendency with flaps extended. Do the retracted flap adjustment next for no roll tendency with flaps retracted during cruise. Remove PC button tape. José 2
Hank Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 Check your aileron servo boots. Mine started going slightly right, requiring left yoke, until the heading bug wouldn't hold straight even with 20° left dialed in. I had an inch-and-a-half tear in the boot around an aileron servo. Doggone things are hard to get out, the inspection panel lets you see the front of the servo, the bolt that holds it in place is on the back . . . Just something else to check before you start adjusting flap position. P.S.--both of my ailerons are slightly above the flaps in level cruise. Make sure your problem is a flap out of position and not an aileron out of position. 2
RobertGary1 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 My aileron and flaps have never aligned. Been to 5 mooney service centers over my long ownership and told that's common.
kerry Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 I thought the flaps are suppose to be set 2 degrees negative from the neutral ailerons.
Hank Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 Flaps are set while stationary on the ground. My ailerons are slightly above the flaps at cruise speed, which I can't do on the ground. They're pretty even in the hangar.
Marauder Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 I thought the flaps are suppose to be set 2 degrees negative from the neutral ailerons. I believe that is correct. What happens though is sometimes there is an effort to compensate out something else and adjusting the flaps is an easy by speed killer way of doing it. I had a slight hanging gear and someone trimmed it out by adjusting one of the flaps to compensate for it. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
RobertGary1 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 Yea if you complain your Mooney is too slow most Mooney Sevice Centers will start with lifting the flaps. But it does affect stall characteristics. I've flown a few mid/short bodies that will roll 90 degrees on their sides on each full stall. That's usually fixable with flap adjustment.
Guest Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 Setting the correct up or zero position requires use of the Mooney travel board for flaps and ailerons and a maintenance manual. Clarence
MyNameIsNobody Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 I like the bathroom with the fireplace.... Cozy to snuggle in under the folds.... Probably a little leftover snack in there too... Good thread by the way
Piloto Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 Like any other single Mooneys have a left roll tendency during take off and climb due to the engine torque effect. On the long bodies the rudder trim is adjusted to the right to compensate for this, but on the previous models with no rudder trim you set the controls for no roll in cruise. I use 140 KIAS for cruise speed and 60% power. To check for flap asymmetry I place a straight ruler on top of the flap and compare its alignment with the wing trailing edge. I do this at the inboard and outboard sections of the flap to check for twist and compare with the other side flap. José
RobertGary1 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 Setting with the boards is step one. Then it will likely fly like crap. Than its a series of repeated flights and fine tuning. It's a long process. Every Mooney is shaped a bit different. -Robert
M20F Posted August 6, 2015 Report Posted August 6, 2015 Only comment I can add is once you start messing with the rigging it is easy to make things a lot worse. It is one of those things where it's worth the money to get somebody who really knows what they are doing to fix it. As Maurader points out sometimes it gets rigged to fix a non control surface issue and even if the boards are all correct it flies wrong.
rob47v Posted August 9, 2015 Report Posted August 9, 2015 When we rig aircrafts, there rigged not for takeoff purposes but for cruise flight, and as pointed out to make the planes flight straight. Some of the flight surfaces will be a bit off the opposite side. Thats why there is usually a plus or minus to rigging scales or figures. Even the factory does this!!! A long time ago I owned a Vtail Bonanza, great aircraft very comfortable and docile. Anyhow everyone complained of the tail wag in these aircraft some say its an inherited trait of the aircraft, not so. If the manual is followed accordingly, the wag is actually rigged out. Mine didn't wag but I must admit it's a pain to rig. took several test flights to get it to fly straight without wagging. Even at work we have had 737, 57's that required adjustment since they seam to fly a bit off. All per the manual of course!!!!
RobertGary1 Posted August 9, 2015 Report Posted August 9, 2015 It's often a balance between flying straight and stalling straight. You don't want to rig it to fly perfectly straight but it rolls off a lot in the stall. I've flown Mooneys that roll over 45 degrees. -Robert
Mooneymite Posted August 9, 2015 Report Posted August 9, 2015 You don't have one of these in the right seat do you? Your flaps and ailerons should line up equally and look something like this: I flew with a Mooney owner recently and he has a turning tendency and it is clear something isn't rigged right. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Obviously the fault of bladder tanks and lack of cam-guard! 1
Guitarmaster Posted August 10, 2015 Report Posted August 10, 2015 Obviously the fault of bladder tanks and lack of cam-guard! That and LOP operations combined with no flap takeoffs!!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
22 others Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Posted August 10, 2015 Thank you all. My C was rigged at Dmax's shop just a few years ago, so I knew it was pretty close. The PC servo boots look like new and are only a few years old. It's funny how a 40 year old bird, even when well cared for develops a handful of quirks. A hangar elf must have attempted Piloto's method and appears to have adjusted the flaps up stop about 1.5 turns up. Now she flies level, ball in the middle, but the ailerons are a little uneven during cruise. I think I can live with that.
Guest Posted August 10, 2015 Report Posted August 10, 2015 Be certain that by raising the flap up stop too high you don't cause wear on the upper flap skin and lower wing skin. Clarence
22 others Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Posted August 12, 2015 Clarence, You are 51% of the reason I post on Mooneyspace. Thanks as always.
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