Manual flaps?

[cjensen]

Anybody know if it's at all possible to fit manual flaps on a -7?

I LOVED the fact that both of the airplane's I've owned had manual flaps. In the last two weeks, I've had electric flap problems with two different airplanes. Yesterday I flew a Lance, and the manual flaps are just so STONE SIMPLE, that I can't figure out why Van decided on electric flaps for his airplanes now. I guess weight could be cited, but it ain't much, if anything.

Anyone?

[dons]

I've been doing research on what options to order with my wing kit, and I haven't seen anything about manual flaps for a 7. I've been really lucky and never had electric flaps fail on me, but I did like the super simple manual flaps on the arrow I used to fly, so I can understand where you are coming from.

[Wicked Stick]

I think only the 3 and 4 were designed with the manual flap lever.

[jim_geo]

The 6's must of had manual flaps also, the reason I say that is that the install kit for the electric flaps for the 7 was actually written for making the mod from manual to electric on the 6. In them there is referance to the manual flaps in the 6. It's been awhile but that's how I remember it.

[svanarts]

The RV-6 does indeed have a manual flap option. My buddy's 6A has manual flaps. I orignally built my 4 with electric flaps. But after the motor quitting twice, smoking the second time, I ripped the electric stuff out and put in manual flaps. It is the simplest. Two positions: fully retracted, or fully deployed. In between doesn't seem to make much difference to me on the 4.

I think you could probably adapt the 6 manual flap mechanism to an RV-7 easily enough. I'm sure you could find the parts in "the list" on Van's web site. I think the only reason Van doesn't offer it is that there probably wasn't much of a market for them. I would have gone manual on my 7 if the option was offered. As it is I'm going to stick with stock equipment on the 7.

[Dan A]

The 6A I helped test fly had manual flaps and we found out that they are best if you need to get rid of them in a hurry. We had about 5,000 ft agl and were doing stall trials. I suggested trying a secondary stall with full flaps. The primary stall went great but trying to hold it in a stall for the secondary resulted with the nose going past vertical down and we immediately grabed for the handle to dump the flaps. We recovered too close to the ground for me to ever try it again! I think that if we had electric flaps I wouldn't be here as they relract rather slowly. After discussing the incident, we decided that full flaps in an agrivated stall condition blankets the horizontal stabilizer and elevator and you loose pitch control.
Dan

[cjensen]

<snip>I think you could probably adapt the 6 manual flap mechanism to an RV-7 easily enough. I'm sure you could find the parts in "the list" on Van's web site. I think the only reason Van doesn't offer it is that there probably wasn't much of a market for them. I would have gone manual on my 7 if the option was offered. <snip>

I have a line on a (couple) set of -6 manual flap handles. If you're interested Scott, I'll forward the info on to you.

The way I understand it, is the majority of the latter -6 kits ordered were being optioned with electric flaps, so they took the option away for the -7 altogether.

[RV7Factory]

Chad, whatever you do, don't get rid of the electric flap parts... YOU may change your mind.

[cjensen]

It's already been through my mind...should I sell 'em or keep 'em, sell 'em or keep 'em...

Probably should keep 'em... Maybe I'll sell 'em...

[svanarts]

Chad,
Just go ahead and grab your Johnson bar. I'll scrounge one up later in the build process if I change my mind. Thanks anyway!

[cjensen]

Just go ahead and grab your Johnson bar.