Activity Stream
Activity Stream
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birddog486 added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar
How many planes?I've been curious lately how many Avid's were sent from the factory before they shut down and how many Kitfox 1-4's were sold before they changed the design
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birddog486 added a post in a topic John Larsen's article found in October 2003 Kitplanes mag.
I'll look back in my box of mags and see if I have that issue and the next
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1avidflyer added a post in a topic how should I vent my header tank ?
Nico, how did you rig your fuel alarm on the header tank? Jim Chuk
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cliff added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures
Thanks, Paul
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Nico added a post in a topic how should I vent my header tank ?
It seems that most people have the ventline as suggested by the construction manual and had to add a valve to prevent fuel loss through the vent line. I could not find an angle without fuel loss or pitot pressure in the header tank that gives fuel flow issues Paul. . I had to put the valve in the line as well as told by Jim, and it works fine. The only problem I see is that, when I like to vent in air, fuel sprays out of the ventline when the air is gone over the plane, which I do not like too much.
Ed, can you give me a bit more details about the place of the upper hole in the tank where you suggest to vent?
I think that the recommendation to have a fuel warning alarm in the header tank when the level sinks, is quite important. It did alarm me e few times!!. Highly recommendable!!
In order to prevent fuel loss out of the ventline when venting, I like to know what you guys think about a riser tube next to the winktank exit elbow that goes to the top of the tank at that position. I know it is not the higest point in the tank, but the other end of the tank (e.g. the neck of the tube where the cap goes on) is very difficult to reach for venting without damaging the fabric.
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1avidflyer added a post in a topic engine primers
Providing they don't leak, I think it's hard to beat the primer for cold starting in the wintertime on a 2 stroke. Just my opinion. Jim Chuk
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EDMO added a topic in Hardcore Avidfoxflyers
John Larsen's article found in October 2003 Kitplanes mag.My wife seems to have a problem with my books, papers, tools, etc. being where she can see them - On a rare day, I got around to going thru some boxes she had been telling me for about a year that were not out-of-sight and cluttering a small corner in "her" basement: After trashing about 99% of the old stuff, I happened to glance at an old Kitplanes mag that had an interesting article and photos of Airdale Kit #1 that I had watched being built in Alaska that belonged to David Goode, as well as a photo of Jerry Matison's Airdale on floats.
The article is "Creating an Airplane Kit" part 1, by John M. Larsen. He tells about how he created the Airdale after receiving a list of improvements that David Goode said the Avid planes needed.
Note: David and John had both wrecked their Avids before John started finalizing the Airdale.
I am guessing that part 2 might be in the next issue, and I don't have that one right now. He also talks about Steve Winder in the article.
I guess if anyone is interested, back copies may be online or available from Kitfox magazine.
EDMO
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dynomike added a post in a topic 2014 High Sierra Fly-in
awesome video .thanx for sharing .have fun
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wypaul added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures
Glad to hear it worked out Cliff.
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wypaul added a post in a topic how should I vent my header tank ?
I have a vent/ fuel gauge line, that exits as per the plans on my Avid that works well now. It took some fiddling to get it right and as a fuel gauge it only works at one RPM which I used my normal cruise RPM. It is a 1/8" steel tube bent at 90 degrees like the fuel cap vent, about 4" above the wing pinched to a pinhole opening but is facing at about 45 degrees off the nose. The clear vent line holds it in place so it is easy to adjust.
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wypaul added a post in a topic engine primers
I'm coming around to your way of thinkin on this one Larry.
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1avidflyer added a post in a topic how should I vent my header tank ?
Avid had a separate vent that went up above the wing to vent the header tank. Lot of guys put a valve in that line cause sometimes the vent could suck gas out of the tank. I used the valve in the line and it worked fine. Open the valve, air goes out of the header tank, close the valve after air is out. Jim Chuk
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EDMO added a post in a topic how should I vent my header tank ?
If you want to vent the header tank to the wing tank you will have to run the vent tube to the upper part of the wing tank where there is air and not gas. Kitfox has the sight gage fittings at about the center of the wing tank, and the upper fitting is in the best place to run the vent for the header tank.
I would sand a small spot on the tank at that location, drill a hole just big enough for a small push-on double-ended connector fitting and epoxy the fitting. After epoxy has cured, just push your vent tube onto the end of the fitting and go.
EDMO
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Nico added a topic in Avid Flyer General Hangar
how should I vent my header tank ?I have an Avid flyer STOL, and flew without problem for almost 2 years. Than suddenly I had a few engine fails. I investigated and found the problem, air lock in the shut-off valve from the wing tank to the header tank. I did replace the standard valve by a homebrew valve with 6 mm throughput, mounted an electric Facet pump at the header tank exit and solved the problem, though many times there is still air in the line below the elbow of the wing tank excit. I have to get the air out manipulating the electric pump at the exit of the header tank. I did write an article about the airlock problem end the valve.
I also did make a header tank vent as described in the manual. But that was no success. When pointed forward, the pitot pressure in the header tank due to the vent did prevent the fuel flow from the wing tank. When pointed aft, it did suck lots of fuel out of the ventline. I could not find a way to vent properly and mounted a valve in the ventline. Now I vent the headertank at the ground and shut the valve before take-off.
It works well, but I am not really happy with this set-up because in principle it is possible that the header tank collects air when the aitcraft makes right turns. I followed the advise to mount a level alarm in the header tank wich gives me quite a safe feeling.
I like to know if someone ever mounted the vent in the wingtank by a riser tube next to the tank exit. Please comments.
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saskavid added a post in a topic rotax radiator flush
Thanks for the replies. I've used the 85/15 ratio of water to coolant every summer I've had the plane. It just doesn't cool like it used to for a given air temp. thought the culprit might be a partly stuck or malfunctioning thermostat but it was workiing fine. but noticed it had a lot of yuck on it that I would call glycol slime built up on it. And it has been building up over time probably throughout the entire cooling system effecting heat transfer qualities. the rad looks clean enough inside but any ammount of film is gonna effect cooling so want to get it as clean as I can as safe as I can.
Mike
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Av8r3400 added a post in a topic engine primers
Those little primers are notorious for doing this.
He Bing enrichener function works very well in most circumstances for starting.
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wypaul added a post in a topic engine primers
I have been chasing a rich running engine and found that the primer pump was leaking a small amount of fuel into the carb causing rich mixture. At this point I have installed a new pump that I had on the shelf but may go with the Bing choke/starting carb/enricher. Anyone else have this happen on their plane or snow machine?
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EDMO added a post in a topic Wing strut covering?
Mark,
I think that if you make the 1" x .049 wall struts, you could eliminate the wood altogether, and just use foam form and fiberglass - Kitfox only uses fiberglass. I had intentions of using these old Piper struts as a pattern for making fiberglass fairings, but I think it would seal better if the fiberglass was just laid directly over the expoxied struts. You should not have much trouble with finish if you lay the fg the same way the book says to lay the fabric on the struts, and apply a good topcoat of epoxy.
EdMO
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marksires added a post in a topic Wing strut covering?
Wrapping with fiberglass was my first choice when I rebuild the struts, so I'll just do that. I could use the fiberglass finishing practice anyway. Mixing and spreading micro is so much fun!
Mark
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cliff added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures
All the neighbors but one was on board with us by the end of the meeting. Most had valid questions that myself, the state airport representative, or my Lawyer( who owns his own private strip 2.5 miles from Circle W) answered to there satisfaction. Most of there questions were very well thought out and were concerns to each individual. It looks like we are going to have a bunch of really nice people for our new neighbors. Everyone introduced themselves to us after the meeting and welcomed us to the neighbor hood . America still has it's share of hard working , good citizens and in this area they are the majority. The only guy who had anything bad to say, had a grudge with the previous owner. Even though he left before we could get to meet him personally he did make the comment that he wasn't against what I wanted to do. I think he just wanted to get some stuff of his chest as to how he felt he had been wronged in the past. He had a legitimate gripe, it just had nothing to do with us or what we have planned for the property.
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EDMO added a post in a topic Wing strut covering?
Mark,
There have been cracking issues in the past with the streamlined tubes - That is why they were unavailable for some time - also, they are far more expensive than the round tubes.
Piper used them on the Cub, and they were treated inside with linseed oil - finally, the FAA issued an AD that they had to be inspected regularly with ultrasound equipment - A lot of owners opted to buy new struts instead of the expensive inspections. I have a set of the old Cub struts in my storage, but they are too heavy for my Foxy.
Cessna, and a few others (RANS?) use an aluminum streamlined strut tube. I think they are expensive too?
I believe that wrapping the strut tubes and the wood fairings with fiberglass might seal out moisture better, but it would add a little weight over using fabric, which may not stop moisture. The tubes should be painted with a good epoxy before gluing the wood.
EDMO
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dholly added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures
Good for you and best wishes cliff. Seems we have many more week knee'd zoning/planning board members acquiescing to loudmouth neighbors in this area rather than supporting grassroots aviation, small biz development and tax growth. Good friend of mine had his long time home strip shut down a few years back, and I actually looked at purchasing another local private owned public use airport with the intent of developing co-op hangers and an RV park/campground. Plan also included T-hangers, RV and rental storage units with the intent that many renting hangers would buy seasonal RV sites. It would have brought much needed tax revenue and jobs to a town struggling to get by on very low tax receipts due to the areas agriculture and farm exemptions. Town is really hurting and the population has dropped so far the school district is set to merge with a neighboring town CSD. Dinosaur PB Chair is a lifelong resident who doesn't want to "change the character of the town". Really? Just crazy how some will opt to go down with the ship with little to no facts or objective reasoning on the subject of small airports.
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Guest added a post in a topic rotax radiator flush
i was about to point to my experience, but that web link says it all. I used to run 10-20% coolant and 80-90% distilled water in the summer and it greatly reduced my 582 water temperature. Definitely try that if you haven't. it will make a world of difference.
The other thing that can have a significant effect is the air outlet at the bottom of the cowl. There needs to be a lip to direct air down to help scavenge air out of the cowl, and the actual outlet area needs to be significantly larger than the inlet area.
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Wild Bill added a post in a topic rotax radiator flush
Hey Mike,
I found a web site that might help answer your question on cooling your engine.
http://www.challengers101.com/CoolantMix.html
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marksires added a post in a topic Wing strut covering?
Mine are just painted. Not sure if good or bad. The bottom few inches separated on the pilot side, and I was thinking I need to redo the wood fairing to fix it. BEFORE I read Lennies advice on fast taxi, I took care of that problem, and the entire strut now needs rebuilt. There was definitely rust between the wood fairing and the strut tube. Now was that because the fairing wasn't secured with epoxy well enough, or did the flexing from flight stresses cause it to separate? Would a fabric overlay helped keep them together, or at least provide another moisture barrier? Don't know.
I notice that Wicks now has aerodynamic 4130 tube - shaped pretty much like the lift strut tube after the wood goes on. Any thoughts on whether that would be a good idea to rebuild with? I know Dean sent out a bulletin that the wood fairing was structural (provided stiffening to the strut) and should not be omitted, but would the tube in that shape provide the same stiffness?
Mark
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