Activity Stream

Activity Stream



  1. dholly added a post in a topic F/S: Rotax Recoil Start Assembly   

    Thanks Joey for the great input, someone out there must need this thing!
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  2. EDMO added a post in a topic Lets talk elevator trim   

    You are right Leni - I only flew the early Kitfox and they didn't do the "upwards" flaperon at that time - this came with the later instructions - mine only went down from neutral.EDMO
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  3. akflyer added a post in a topic Lets talk elevator trim   

    Not quite accurate.. its a long accepted practice to use flaperons for trimming (but I dont like it due to increased stick forces in the roll axis).  To get nose up trim, you set the flaperons so with the flap handle pushed fully forwards, the flaperons will "reflex" like maule flaps and the trailing edge of the flaperon will be higher then normal.  This will pitch the nose up.  I am pretty sure the bulletin on this says set them for max 5° up deflection.  I found that using the flaperons to trim the nose up not only gave me heavier stick forces (not much but enough that I didnt have the super light stick that I am used to in the Avids or KF) it also slowed me down a few MPH on bot the ASI and GPS speeds.  Having a way to trim the elevator be it the aero trim system that will just put some force on the push tube, the Ray allen electric trim tab, or a manual trim tab, is the best solution.
     
    For me, electric versus manual comes down to personal preference.  Kind of like do I have to have an IFA prop to fly an Avid or KF.. The simple answer is no, of course not.  The long answer is, yes it will make your plane perform better, it will make your engine much happier and you will have another switch in the cockpit to play with   The down side is it will lighten you wallet as well.
     

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  4. EDMO added a post in a topic Lets talk elevator trim   

    Early Pipers used the Stabilizer Jackscrew in addition to using an elevator.Piper Cherokee, Cessna Cardinal, and some others, Zenith, used the flying stabilizer too.
    Flaperons will give you nose down - You have to supply nose up with stick pressure or trim tab.
    When you lower the flaperons your up stick pressure will have to increase.
    EDMO
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  5. FoxDB added a post in a topic Lets talk elevator trim   

    Tjay,
    I added an electric trim tab to my Tailwind for 1 reason. Jesus bolt if it fails with an electric trim tab you have a chance to survive. That said I have an aero trim system on my Kitfox 1. It uses springs and was easy to install and the only mod was a place to mount the control knob and a tab for the spring on the control.
    Dave
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  6. EDMO added a post in a topic STOL wing ribs   

    Like Doug would say, Guys on here are not a lot of "Beotchs" like on some other sites.It's good to be talking to all of them and learning from them.
    Amen!
    EDMO
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  7. akflyer added a post in a topic STOL wing ribs   

    I do love our members here and how fast they can help each other out.. Thanks Mr! 
     

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  8. C5Engineer added a post in a topic F/S: Rotax Recoil Start Assembly   

    Bump for Doug this is the good one with a much thinner, lighter, composit housing. One big advantage of having the E box was being able to retain the pull starter. It's saved me from being stranded while camping in the backcountry twice when the temps in Idaho dropped to 20 overnight and she wouldn't crank fast enough to fire on the battery. When I swapped to the bluehead this starter housing fit much better against the firewall.
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  9. EDMO added a post in a topic Wing Tip Mounting   

    If you read the old posts, you may have seen that I favor the aluminum angles riveted to the rib instead of the capstrip, and I like Rivnuts instead of the nutplates that are shown in Doug's photos.I am also thinking about adding a rubber edge to the tips to seal them and protect the fabric from chaffing.
    EDMO
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  10. akflyer added a post in a topic CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING   

    I did that a few weeks ago.. I was happy with this years return, but I am still waiting on them to settle with and pay out the return from 09.. if that gets back it will pay off my half of the 180 and put some rum money in my pocket.. Had to get a tax advocate to get the bastages in newyork off their asses get it moving.
     

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  11. dholly added a post in a topic F/S: Rotax Recoil Start Assembly   

    bump
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  12. EDMO added a post in a topic Matco wheels and brakes Ebay today   

    Thanks for posting the video - that was good.
    Now Leni and SuberAvid can even get a bigger tailwheel that may even float on water!
    I could almost use that 12 incher for a nosewheel!
    EDMO
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  13. KFfan added a post in a topic West Circuit flying   


    My wife said this will work...
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  14. dholly added a post in a topic Matco wheels and brakes Ebay today   

    That was informative. It also revealed a second brake disc on that particular wheel and brake assembly, interesting to hear it was certified for the Sea-wind.
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  15. dholly added a post in a topic CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING   

    You and me both. Sitting here preparing family tax returns today, uugh.
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  16. thebriman added a post in a topic STOL wing ribs   

    I have my left wing off right now adding a 13 gallon tank.  I'll make you a template tomorrow and post it.
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  17. dholly added a post in a topic West Circuit flying   

    Cute! Good job Mr.T!

    Ha, I was so tired from having three kids in three years I moved the microwave to an under-counter niche and stood in front while warming the formula and coffee!
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  18. akflyer added a post in a topic CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING   

    Video needs to be posted.  I could damn sure use a few laughs right about now! 
     
    I will get there one of these days.. I may be a sloppy drunk if I am flying solo   Not loud and obnoxious.. but I do have the ablility to make the best use of the sea plane basin at 0 dark thirty and let it all hang out in the moonlight... no pun intended hahahaha.  Sounds like a great time down there and its one I have dreamed about going to for many years.  One day I just need to make it happen.
     

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  19. dholly added a post in a topic Back in the air   

    I've always admired your paint scheme, sounds like you are ready for summer now. Some where I read a survey of Kitfox owners that suggested the vast majority fly solo not out of engine choice necessity but, rather, they simply preferred to spontaneously jump in and go!
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  20. akflyer added a post in a topic Matco wheels and brakes Ebay today   

    Thanks a cool video, thanks for posting it!  It answers a lot of the questions I have had over the different wheels types etc.  Great find Mr.!
     

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  21. dholly added a post in a topic CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING   

    Speaking of beer goggles, I might have a video or two for the members only section of a certain someone ripping up the beer tent at OSH last year! Ya know, I been going to OSH for years and finally made it to the beer tent last year. Kinda been avoiding it because it's a looog damn walk back to my camp at 3am. Here's a short side story... there is this guy near my camp who is one of those sloppy drunks that gets in your face and can overstay his welcome. I don't have much patience for that crap and, worse, he's always talking about how he knows the bartender and drinks for free every year, yada yada. So last year his girlfriend shows up and they head over to the tent on a pair of ratty old bikes. He did have the foresight to duct-tape a couple of Dollar Store flashlights do the handlebars for the ride home. Apparently, somewhere along the couple mile ride the lights go out and the g/f rides straight into a roadway gate and gets knocked off her bike. Hehe, I laughed my azz off at that one, just seemed inevitable! Anyhoo, the cops were looking at me real funny when they kicked everyone out at closing time and I jumped on a scooter. Didn't know if they were going to bust me but I had places to go and peeps to see so off I go. More funny was getting all the way back to the camper later that night and realizing I had lost my iPhone somewhere, oh sheit!#*! So back on the scooter to snoop around the last stop of the night at the mother/daughter truck camper (don't ask, eek!). No luck there so over to the campfire site at the beer tent and -whiskeytangofoxtrot- there she was laying in the dirt next to a few dead soldiers right under my lawn chair. Man, I felt more relieved than getting on the ground after an engine out. Yep, we drank a few beers last year and, after the 'official' tasting one night at my site, it was conceded that Southern Comfort makes a better Manhattan than V.O. Just to be clear, the planes and stuff really are why we go but there something about going solo to OSH that lets your gear down! Honestly, you gotta get yourself to AirVenture someday Mr.
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  22. akflyer added a post in a topic Denali and Sleeping Lady Sunsets   

    Nice shots Randy, glad that Jacks plane is getting to stretch her wings a bit, that's awesome and has been a long time coming.  With this warm weather I need to pull my plane off the lake and get the ski's off, but I am still looking for a decent deal on some 1.25" wheels   Hope we can get together for some flying soon!
     

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  23. tcj added a post in a topic Lets talk elevator trim   

     
    I use flaperons for trim and it works beautifully.  Like I said in my post above, you need to rig the horizontal stabilizer so the plane flies hands off with just you and and a light fuel load on board.  This will move your CG to the most forward for any loading scenario.  This allows you to rig the horizontal stab so it flys hands off at this forward CG location.
     
    You then do not ever need nose up trim because anything else loaded in the plane moves the CG back and pitches the nose up.  The nut on the flap handle needs to be tight enough that the flap handle stays where it is put and does not need a notch system installed to hold it in place.  You need just a little bit... I need to pull the flap handle up about 1/2 inch to trim the nose down when I have a heavier load on board.  I do not notice any decrease in airspeed.
     
    The flaperons must be rigged correctly too.  When the flap handle is pulled up it causes the nose to pitch down.  If flaperons are rigged so the nose pitches up when the handle is full down they are not in the "Sweet spot" as some call it.
     
    Mine is a kitfox model 4 and I think the first model to have 3 different holes for the bolt on the front mount of the horizontal stab.  Evidently an Avid doesn't have room to do that so you probably can't make it so.
     
    There are all manner of trim systems to attach to the elevator.  I prefer my airplane to be basic and simple and would use the spring or bungee on the control system if I needed one.
     
    This is not intended to disagree with any other good advice from other Avid/Foxers.  Good luck, hope you are flying soon.
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  24. Luked added a post in a topic Lets talk elevator trim   

    A whole bunch of Kitfoxes use this method. You could  find one of them to look at. Your HS braces will need to change though to allow rotation of the HS.
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  25. allonsye added a post in a topic Back in the air   

    Very nice TJ. Kudos and thx for sharing.
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