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Activity Stream



  1. cliff added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    Mark,
     
     Thanks.
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  2. Luked added a post in a topic 2014 High Sierra Fly-in   

    That video was a great way to start the day! Have fun.
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  3. marksires added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    Congrats (And commiserations!) 
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  4. Luked added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Thanks guys for the information and for putting up with all my questions. Larry, tell Dave thanks for the information about his plane. It has all been really helpful. I think I have enough confidence to proceed on the big stuff. I just started having some last minute second thoughts about the stuff I was doing, and kind of wanted to reassure myself that I'd be okay. 
     
    I'm sure I could have attached the wings with no modification to the fuselage. Dave's plane has proven that. I'm already past the point of no return though. The upper part of the cabin area is removed. I just wanted my plane to be a little closer to the configuration KF uses for this wing (angle of attack wise). While I'm changing that, I decided to make a few of the structural changes at the same time. It will be interesting to compare notes with Dave when my airplane is flying. I'm sure he'll win on who has a shorter build time though! 
     
    As of right now, this is my plan (along with my thinking):
     
    - I'll use 1" x 035" spar carry throughs - Probably not needed,  but this is what KF changed to when they went to the model III
    - I'll use 1/2" square tube for the uprights in  front of the door - Probably not needed, but this is what was used in the Later model KF I looked at, and I have to replace them anyway.
    - 1" x .049" struts - This may be overkill because the model III only had 7/8", and was tested to something like 14Gs (1050 GW I think).
     
     
     
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  5. cliff added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    We won our zoning hearing. We should be closing on the airport on October 31st if there are no more problems.
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  6. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Another thing I would mention, is I think the lift struts carry most of the weight of the wings in flight.  If you get a chance to look at pictures of a wing/fuselage upside down loaded with sandbags, it's amazing how they bend in ways you may not think they would at first.  Jim Chuk
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  7. C5Engineer added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    2014 High Sierra Fly-in
    This fly in is located on a dry lake bed between Carson City and Yerington Nevada. It is this weekend. The link has some pictures and a great video from last years fly in. I'll post my pics next week!

    https://www.backcountrypilot.org/features/category/destinations/high-sierra-short-film
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  8. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Luke, I've been cleared to tell you that Dave (He's with me at LEAF 912 School) dropped in that plane a couple of times resulting in landing gear damage (crappy Airdale "bush" gear) which would have shown the weakness in the wing support structure.  Absolutely no damage, except for the gear tubes.
     
    You have absolutely nothing to worry about strength wise with the Kitfox wings on an Avid IV.
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  9. Luked added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Okay, I found the mysterious diagram I thought I had seen somewhere. It's not quite what I thought it was, but this is definitely the one I remember. It was tagged onto the end of the "History of Pursang" PDF file. Not much explanation was given except that it appears to be a MKIV fuselage.
     
    Jim appears to be right in thinking this was only an issue in a nose over since that's what the notes on the picture indicate. I took a screen grab of the image from the PDF file.
     

     
     
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  10. Bandit added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    I will add one more thing to Lenies post. He is right they do float like rocks. Add power on your flare or you will be fixing your gear and fuselage no matter how big of tubes you welded in.
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  11. EDMO added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Luke,
        "When in doubt:  Cut and Weld"!   Or, how about just skip-welding another tube to those tubes inside the cabin?  A small tube adds lots of strength, but also a little weight.
    EDMO
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  12. Luked added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Ha ha. I won't ask Jim. I'm not really worried, just curious. Remember though that I'm not talking about a stock Avid of Kitfox here. I'm talking about an Avid MK IV that was designed for 12' wing panels, but will instead have the longer KF wing panels. I  know of one Avid that has already done this successfully (Larry's friend).
     
    Edit: Sorry Jim, I realized that I didn't really answer your question. Like I said, I'm not really worried about any area in particular. I just like to get all the information I can on a subject. That was just one area that I think I remember seeing on that diagram. I'd like to see what it had to say about other areas too.
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  13. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Are you worrying about those tubes in compression or in a pull?   In other words, a nose over or an extreme wing load.  I don't believe there has ever been an inflight failure of Avids or Kitfoxs, but I do know that those tubes will buckle in a nose over.  Don't ask me how I know that.  Never got hurt though.  Jim Chuk 
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  14. Luked added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Thanks Ed, I'm confident in the strut material. I was thinking of the vertical tubes in front of the doors that go up to the carry through.
     
    Just to clarify. I'm not trying to find fault with the Avid structure. I know it's proven. I'm just kind of interested to see this drawing.
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  15. EDMO added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Luke,
       The 1" x .049 struts should be more than enough for your wings.   When welding fittings, it is important not to weld directly across the tube - AC 43-13 shows all tube welds to be either on a 30 degree scarf angle, or a double-30 degree V .
    EdMO
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  16. cliff added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    I have a 180 and I love giving rides. 3 weeks ago I flew 2.8 hrs of rides at the Lazy B airport annual picinic. The neighbors eat up that stuff. You can make friends quickly with a simple trip around the neighborhood. 
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  17. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    One of the things he did was to get a buddy with a 180 to come to the fly in. He bought the 180 some gas to give rides for the people too scared of "little" airplanes.

    Just make sure to put the clothespin on the prop control to keep it quiet! No need for that kind of noise!
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  18. cliff added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    Neighbor day picinic and plane rides are on my list of future events.
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  19. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    My business partner has a strip on his land. The neighbors were originally not in favor. He made it a point to invite these neighbors to the annual fly in he holds there and got them airplane rides.

    Now the neighbors are big fans.
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  20. Luked added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

    Hi Doug,
     
    Thanks for posting this. I think that might be the diagram I was thinking of. My memory of it is a little foggy. I thought I saw one that looked very similar to this (fairly rough hand drawing), but it seems like it showed several areas where failures occurred under testing. For some reason I'm thinking that the tubes that go up to the front spar carry through were a weak point. I don't want to start any rumors or mis-information though, so don't quote me on that.
     
    I'll definitely be taking a look at this one though.
     
    Thanks again,
    Luke D.
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  21. dholly added a post in a topic Can't find fuselage structural diagram   

     
    Luke-
     
    I've posted these diagrams before, perhaps it is what you were thinking of? You will definitely need to enlarge for clarity and take a few minutes of close study to understand. As I was told, these fuselage modifications were stipulated for EU built/registered Avids back in the day.
     
    Cheers.
     

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  22. cliff added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    Tonight at 7pm is the zoning meeting for the exemption use of the airport. I am hoping for a decision in our favor. The Pennsylvania Department of Aviation is sending a representitive to the meeting to answer any questions that the zoning board or neighbors may have about the airport use. My tax dollars are finally  being put to good use. I'll fill you in later.
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  23. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Classic IV Restoration   

    My flying plane has a yellow panel. Very pretty and very glare-y, too. I'm a big fan of flat or satin black on the panel.

    As to insulation, I like the idea of a thin layer on the inside (cabin side) of the firewall and have made accommodation for this.

    A good example of "engine turning" is the nose of "The Spirit of St. Louis", Charles Lindbergh's plane. Yeah, probably not going to do that either...

    http://www.jpbellphotography.com/images/large/SpiritOfSt.LouisLIT77B&W.jpg
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  24. EDMO added a post in a topic Classic IV Restoration   

    My KF 1 and 2 had that insulation on the engine side of the firewall - It soon became an oily mess.  I will just have a plain stainless firewall, and if I add any sound-deadening material it will be on the cabin side.
    Some guy showed me a fancy firewall once - he took steel wool packed in an empty shotgun shell, chucked it up in a drill press, and spent hours making the polished stainless firewall look like it had been made on a big milling machine - called it engine-turning, and was very proud of his work - I failed to see any beauty or function!
    Another guy who built a Kitfox 5, was very proud of his "engine-turned" IP and the shiny "engine-turned" panels he put on the butt ribs, which were polished enough to blind you on a cloudy day - I again smiled and kept my disgust to myself!
    If you have such surfaces on your plane, please don't let me offend you - the sun will send you a message soon enough!  
    EdMO 
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  25. allonsye added a post in a topic FAA Registration   

    Thanks Jim for posting the link. I'm ordering a copy of my Avids certification docs just I'm missing something.  Worth the 4 bucks redeemed. 
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