TCIII, thank you for your reply and for the links.
Running a wiki search on flaperon, three pages turn up:
1) plane.ardupilot.com/wiki/arduplane-parameters
First, there is Flaperon1 and Flaperon2 available as a setting for any RCx_FUNCTION with x>=5
Then there is something on Flap input channel: ‘You must also enable a FLAPERON_OUTPUT flaperon mixer setting if using flaperons.’
Comment: To my understanding, this is the channel on my radio that will switch flaperon mode on or off.
Finally the parameters page details on FLAPERON_OUTPUT. 'Enable flaperon output in software. If enabled then the APM will provide software flaperon mixing on the FLAPERON1 and FLAPERON2 output channels specified using the FUNCTION on two auxillary channels. There are 4 different mixing modes available, which refer to the 4 ways the flap and aileron outputs can be mapped to the two flaperon servos. ’
Comment: I do not understand what kind of software abstraction is behind this but with a classical aileron servo setup, to have both surfaces into one direction, it should be updown or downup (2 or 3 respectively).
2) plane.ardupilot.com/wiki/flight- … _flaperon2
‘Using the flaperon1 and flaperon2 output functions you can setup flaperons, which are ailerons that double as flaps. They are very useful for aircraft which have ailerons but no flaps.’
Comment: This sounds to me, as the strategy would be to have flaperons replace ailerons.
3) plane.ardupilot.com/wiki/fixed-w … crow_flaps
Here flaperons are mentioned as part of a bit on crow flaps: ‘…you will need to setup flaperons on two output channels using the flaperon output channels functions. You will need to choose the FLAPERON_OUTPUT parameter value…’
First, to allow the autopilot to address both servos separately for the flaperon operation, aileron servos will have to be connected to individual output pins on the autopilot, rather than to a single channel with a Y harness.
Next, to allow both ailerons to still be addressed in any manual modes, I will have to configure my radio in order to output the aileron stick information toward two to rather than one channel.
Third, the autopilot must be provided with the connection information, i.e. where are the flaperon servos? If my interpretation of the wiki 2) is correct, flaperon1 and flaperon2 replace any aileron setting. Currently as set by default, my single channel Y ailerons are receive input from my radio channel 1 and on the autopilot the Y harness is connected to output 1. Therefore I take it that the RC1_FUNCTION must be changed from its current aileron use to either Flaperon1 or Flaperon2. But as previously mention RCx_FUNCTION is only available for RC5 and above.
Deal breaker since Flaperon1 and Flaperon2 must be assigned according to the cited wiki. Am I wrong assuming that those parameters do replace aileron functions, i.e. aileron and flaperon functions coexist ? In that case there would be 4 output channels for two aileron servos?
Thanks in advance for any insights.