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marshawk added a post in a topic Almost There...
Congratulations, it sure looks good,looks like you guys dont have any snow either,its crazy winter
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jackak added a post in a topic Almost There...
Randy,
Thanks for posting the birthday notice and the picture. I wouldn't be this far along wothout your help.
Jack
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EDMO added a post in a topic Accidental takeoff during step-taxi testing in the Catalina
The best news is that nothing was bent, broken or bleeding - another good landing after a short test run.
EDMO
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cowlove added a post in a topic Accidental takeoff during step-taxi testing in the Catalina
...and I'm definitely not a pro, but I think the high speed taxi question is pretty different for a seaplane. Water handling qualities are such an unknown and (in my mind) have so many more variables, I think it's pretty important to be comfortable all through the envelope before committing to a water landing.
The advice I got from some local EAA guys was to treat the thing like a jet ski for a month and put 10 hours on her exploring water handling before even thinking about flying. I'm now at about 2 hours, and I think that's still the plan. With a closer eye on the airspeed indicator, and a speed limit of about 35 KIAS!
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cowlove added a post in a topic Accidental takeoff during step-taxi testing in the Catalina
Yeah, I'd definitely studied up on both sides of the debate for/against high speed taxi tests. The plane felt very stable and docile on earlier slower step-taxi tests- absolutely *GREAT* water handling qualities and beautiful roll control. Given that, I opted for the set-back plan in case of accidental takeoff.
I rehearsed the response a good bit- making a gradual power reduction while holding a stabilized attitude. Alas, when the moment came, I chopped the power like a madman and oscillated in pitch a little bit before just freezing the attitude and letting it sink onto the water pretty hard.
The glassy conditions may have been another strong factor for opting for the go-around plan, or for waiting for another day.
Lessons learned!
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cowlove added a post in a topic Accidental takeoff during step-taxi testing in the Catalina
Liftoff was at 45 seconds on the chart, at about 42 knots airspeed. The throttle was abruptly closed after about 1 second in the air, and the clumsy finish of the flight is readily visible as a 2.1G impact after 6.1 total seconds in the air. The smaller series of acceleration spikes before touchdown is a sequence of pilot induced oscillations after the pitch change caused by the abrupt power cut. Maximum height was probably about 4 feet.
I was not monitoring the airspeed as closely as I should have, the water was glassy smooth and I didn't have any good indication that I was accelerating that quickly at such a modest power setting. That thing gets of the water a lot easier than I thought!
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SuberAvid added a post in a topic No snow in AK yet.
Wow Leni, I thought we were low on snow but you don't even have enough to make it look white. Are the lakes even frozen down there? I don't see much ice in those pictures.
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SuberAvid added a post in a topic Almost There...
Congratulation Jack!
N689KB is signed off and has it's conditional airworthiness certificate as of today. What a great Christmas Present!
Not a good day to test fly it today though; I took mine up this afternoon for a quick trip out to Big lake and had a couple of times I was near full stick deflection; after about 10 minutes I decided I had had enough fun.
Hopefully Jack's bird will get it's maiden flight by next weekend.
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EDMO added a post in a topic started the wings today
TJay,
check on the additions I made to earlier post for strut info.
Here are a couple of Kitfox Mandatory Service Bulletins in case you don't have them.
EdMO
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1avidflyer added a post in a topic started the wings today
Kitfox 3 and later use longer lift struts. Can't compare them to the model 1 or 2. Wow TJay, you are moving right along. I'm glad you got the kit, it would still be hanging from the ceiling in the hangar other wise. Wish you lived closer, I would hire you to kick start me on my projects. Now wife wants to go to SC to see her daughter. There goes most of January. I'm thinking about doing a sailplane flight when I'm in SC. There is a club about 40 miles from where we will be going. Not that I don't know what it feels like to fly without an engine.....what's it been 4 or 5 times now....just is kind of a surprise when you take off with one but land without one. Northern Mn does have more trees than fields...Man, I've got to get to work on that I mean those projects Jim Chuk
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EDMO added a post in a topic started the wings today
TJay,
I added some and corrected my earlier message - please read above.
EDMO
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EDMO added a post in a topic 13 gallon tank measurements
TJay,
I will also check this measurement for you, but the rib ends for the flaperons are the most critical measurement, except for the strut fitting - Guess you are measuring to the 1/4 inch hole for the strut bolt?
- The fiberglass 12 gallon tanks are an inch or two shorter than the distance between the root rib and the 3rd rib, and should fit fine - Donno what your aluminum tanks are, but should be about the same.
EDMO
Tomorrow will post measurements.
EDMO
BTW: If the filler necks are not in the center of your tanks, then the filler neck goes toward the wing tip - in case you have to identify right and left tanks.
EDMO
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EDMO added a post in a topic started the wings today
TJay,
I think that the strut attach needs to have some more scrutiny - Never saw one at a rib position before - maybe recheck your measurements for both ribs and fittings? My KF1 fittings were about 6 inches from a rib if I remember right - I can go check my new wings because I used the old measurements when setting them up - the same as my KF2 wings were done. I will gget back to you soon on this. Something is not right - Did you measure from the root end for everything?
EdMO
Well, I got my manuals out and took a memory pill - YES, the strut fitting is partly on a rib for the KF1 - You have to do a little file and sanding on the radius of the rib that fits over the strut fitting. That rib should be about 88 3/4 inches from the root end of the spar.
My KF4 book shows the strut fitting about 10 inches farther out than the KF1, and that fitting is between ribs.
Leni gave you good advice about matching up the flaperon fittings to the ribs. You can also tape the ribs to each other to keep them upright while the glue sets.
EdMO
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TJay added a post in a topic started the wings today
hey ed im just getting them ready for glue I will set the saw horses at the ends and level every direction later I have alot of little stuff to do yet. but as far as the strut attach goes its with en 2 inches of being 86 5/8 from the root end, seems silly to me to place it half under a rib but thats how it works out.
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akflyer added a post in a topic started the wings today
damn, your just kicking some tail on this project! Keep it up, you will be in the air in no time!
When I rebuilt my wings the first wing I just pulled the measurements for the rib tails. It took a little massaging to get the flaperons to bolt up when the time came. On the second wing, I clamped the flaperons in place on the rib tails to assure the spacing was perfect and that one came out much better.
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EDMO added a post in a topic started the wings today
TJay,
What am I missing here? I have never seen the spars supported anywhere except on the ends - Without the support on the ends, you wont have your washout block in the right place - Well, guess if you are adept with a level, you can figure it out this way - just never seen them set up like this - I only built one at a time.
Wondering how you are going to get the glue around the rear spars???
Guessing that the strut attachments are not going to be put on a rib either....
EDMO
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TJay added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar
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1avidflyer added a post in a topic Fabric Weight (Model III)
I did one plane with the 2.7 oz uncertified. Think the price was either $4.50 or $4.95 per yd. last week. Don't remember what I shrank it to, but I think I went over 300 F with no problem. Might have been to 325. Jim Chuk
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1avidflyer added a post in a topic 13 gallon tank measurements
I can't give you the length right off hand, but it will fit in between the first and third rib. Your flaperon hinges mandate where those ribs have to be. The tank will fit between them. When you set the ribs, remember the five that the flapeon hinge on are very critical for spacing. I uncovered one wing that had extra braces in it behind the rear spar that bent those ribs over to where they needed to be. Just on the one wing though, guess they caught their mistake partway through building the wings. Jim Chuk
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TJay added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar
13 gallon tank measurementsdoes anybody know the with of a 13 gallon fiberglass wing tank I would like to make sure it will fit in my rib spacing on my kitfox 1
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EDMO added a post in a topic Fabric Weight (Model III)
I was wondering if both had the same weave - so I guess they have the same shrinkage. we had to use certified on the Cub. I know that the 1.7 can be shrinked tighter than 250.
Thanks Leni,
EdMO
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akflyer added a topic in Avid fox flyers pics and vids
No snow in AK yet.Normally I would be posting pictures of snowmachining from the cabin this time of the year, but this year its just been freezing rain and no snow to speak of. Few weeks ago we took the prowler out for a run by the cabin. Next time home I am going to bring the poles with me and see if I can get a few steel head to hit. Cant keep them here, but they sure are fun to catch!
Baby girl is getting too big too quick, but she loves going out wheeling with dad... and she does not like to ride slow either. I have no idea where she could have gotten that from
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akflyer added a post in a topic Full Lotus survey
I would go with 1450s all day long. I have posted up about this on here lots of times. With the additional power you have over the 582 I am running you should be fine as far as getting off the water at max take off weight. The 1220 are going to be a little underfloated for you on the forward section, they will work, but be careful of coming off the power too quick as you can ship some water over the nose of the floats and she settles in. The 1260s have the same forward section of the 1220s, but have longer tails on them making it harder to rotate for take off and therefore needing increased speed to get off the water. The 1450 have the forward section off the 1650s and the tail sections off the 1220s. This is the perfect float for the Avid / Kitfox planes as it gives you 15" more float ahead of the step and allows you to get the step 6" behind the CG and not ship water over the nose of them. MAKE SURE if you get the floats that you inflate them as soon as you get them to make sure they will inflate STRAIGHT! My 1450s had a horrible twist in them that killed the performance on the water and pretty much just pissed me off. As I had pruchased them from the old owner, the new owners at FL would not fix them under warranty and it pissed me off so I put EDO 1320s on my Avid.
Little tricks.. If you find yourself on a hot day and not able to get them on step, if you have a shallow grassy area just run one float up on the grass and she will lay right over and get on step then head back to the water and make a normal take off run. If you have a shallow weedy muddy area of the lake, use that area, you will get on step and in the air quicker. The less water the better on any surface other than sand.. sand will stop you dead in your tracks in no time at all. I have some vids on youtube playing on the FL floats. Search for akavidflyer.
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akflyer added a post in a topic Fabric Weight (Model III)
at 250 your not going to get it very tight.. I played with it on mine and settled on 285 and didn't hurt the wing. That was the 2.7 uncertified. I have been told more than once that the certified and uncertified comes off the same roll at the factory, it just doesn't have the PMA stamp on it.
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EDMO added a post in a topic Fabric Weight (Model III)
Jim,
I guess I missed the "uncertified medium" fabric in spruce - Is it 2.7 and cheaper than the certified? What is your final shrink temperature on the wings? The 2.7 certified we got recently shrank a lot more than it seemed like the old stuff did, and Dan Stewart verified our thoughts on that when we bent the root rib on the J3. He said to keep the temp to max 250F for the Kitfox wing.
EDMO
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