Activity Stream

Activity Stream



  1. akflyer added a post in a topic Great Airplane Gun   

    Ed, this forum is for anything we want to talk about.. guns included! 
     

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  2. akflyer added a post in a topic Papa Whiskey got a new set of shoes   

    Bryce, we will let it slide.. he has provided more than enough comic relief for awhile
     
    Randy, once you go floats you wont go back
     
    Joey, there is nothing sweeter than a beaver on floats... unless it is a Turbine otter on floats, but that just does not have the great round engine sound...
     
    My buddies 1200 SHP Caravan on floats is something to behold though!  180 knots on amphibs is pretty impressive as is watching it take off with 10 people in just about the same distance as a cub will get off on floats.
     

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  3. akflyer added a post in a topic Tail wheel shimmy on Pavement   

    http://eaa691.org/files/Tech%20Note%20%236%20TailWheelShimmy.pdf
     
    Check the angle on the king pin.  Mine sucks because I whacked a snow berm pretty good this winter and flattened out the tail spring.  Steering on the ground sucks, but I dont have any shimmey.  Since I am going to floats when I get home, I am not to worried about fixing tghe tail spring right now on mine.
     

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  4. akflyer added a post in a topic Tail wheels   

    I kind of figured that the big rock long prop guys (Greg n Lonnie) were your inspiration for the free swiveling tail wheel.  On a Cub, it is no where near as short coupled as the KF or Avids are so it is much more forgiving in that manner.  You have quite a bit of TW time so I dont think it should pose any real issues for you as long as you have really really good brakes and you keep it straight.  Once it starts going on you, there can be NO hesitation to get the power in and stand on the rudder and brake and hope for the best!
     

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  5. lv2plyguitar added a post in a topic Tail wheel shimmy on Pavement   

    I have the Matco 8" single arm.  My bet is its the angle of the king pin.  I have compression springs.  Everything else is okay.
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  6. akflyer added a post in a topic Tail wheel shimmy on Pavement   

    1)  is the king pin (pivot point) on the tail wheel straight up and down when the tail wheel is on the ground.
    2) what tail wheel do you have
    3) are you using compression springs or tension springs on the tail wheel steering
    4) are the chains loose or tight
    5) post a pic of the tail wheel and rudder horn showing the angle its sitting at and it would help greatly.
    6) are all bolts tight?
     
    I have never had the tail wheel shimmy on my avid or the other kitfox's I have flown, but I have had it happen on a Pacer and a PA-12 when the tail wheel assembly was worn spal out and the bushings were letting it flop all over.
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  7. herman pahls added a post in a topic Tail wheels   

    Leni
    Thanks for pointing out the Iron Designs tailwheel.
    I will let you know how my modifications work.
    How do you feel about flying a full swiveling tailwheel not connected to the rudder?
    That design is exactly how I wanted to modify my Matco to not lose angle of attack.
    Regarding cross winds free swiveling tail wheels and having adequate brakes.
    My Kitfox came with worthless go kart brakes which I upgraded to what I call the external mounted caliper versus the internal caliper I have seen on model 4 kitfoxes.
    Even with 29" tires , the Matcos I am using are plenty to nose over at any time.
    I have not yet flown with a full swiveling tailwheel that is not connected to the rudder so I will find out what I am in for.
    It seems like most serious "big rock" pilots set up their tailwheels this way so it must work.
    Herman
     
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  8. lv2plyguitar added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Tail wheel shimmy on Pavement
    Got my first experience landing on pavement last night.  Felt like the tail wheel was going to come off.  Instructor said shimmy was normal on landing for a tail dragger.  What are you thoughts to get rid of shimmy.
     
    Thanks
    • 3 replies
    • 630 views


  9. akflyer added a post in a topic Water Temperature   

    I thought maybe your were flying with another plane.  I did that for / with a couple of guys, but those were long CC solo's that had a side trip for hunting involved
     

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  10. lv2plyguitar added a post in a topic Water Temperature   

    Dual Solo means I kicked him out half way through the trip.  Kidding that was a typo on my part.
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  11. akflyer added a post in a topic Putting a MK4 cowl on a B model   

    Larry, 
     
    Does he have any interest in getting rid of the spring gear   I have some engineering thoughts on modding the spring gear to actually make it work.  If he wants to get rid of his it would give me a head start on making the gear.
     
    Thanks
     

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  12. akflyer added a post in a topic Classic IV Restoration   

    Looking good!   Pictures of progress help keep ya moving forwards and focused!  That should be a sweet machin when your done Larry.
     
     

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  13. akflyer added a post in a topic Weird ideling problem   

    Carb boot for cracks, and make sure that you did not twist the barrel when you slipped it back in the carb.  I had a guy messing with the inflight on his and when he put the barrel back in the carb he twisted it so the inflight was wrapped around the main cable and it caused all kinds of problems.  The only other thing would be that the cable is hanging up and the carbs are not opening and closing correctly.
     

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  14. akflyer added a post in a topic Tail wheels   

    I went with the 8" wide matco and it made a huge difference on the beach as far as digging the trench, but I too notice the loss of AOA on take off and landing.  Even pulling in full flaps on TO and landing I still dragg the tailwheel in first.  If your not dragging the tail wheel, then your landing too fast, or faster than you could be landing, period..  I was going to start with shortening up the tail spring, with the dual leaf spring, its not like I am getting alot of cussion from the spring back there anyways.  I am guessing that you have already done a brake upgrade so you have plenty of power on the brakes to keep it lined up with a cross wind.
     
    Have you seen the iron designs tail wheel?  I think it is alot like the one you are describing making.  Post up pictures of what you ahve going on and the mods you make, I am intersted in them for sure!
     

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  15. akflyer added a post in a topic Water Temperature   

    yes 120 is normal.  The rotax thermostat is 120.  Mine runs 120-140
     
    what is a dual solo?
     

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  16. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Tail wheels   

    How about just adding some flap on takeoff? That's easier yet.

    To the full swivel wheel, I hope all of your bars are directly into the wind, all the time. These planes, especially early Kitfoxes, are very short coupled and do not have enough rudder. The Matco brakes that came with the kit are terrible, too. I wouldn't trust them for steering.


    My advise: park your plane on the grass and drive over it with a truck. That will be a much safer and easier way to wreck it.
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  17. Russ. added a post in a topic Weird ideling problem   

    Check the carb. boots for cracks.
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  18. herman pahls added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Tail wheels
    I recently installed ABW 29" airstreaks on my model 2 Kitfox and the benefits out weigh the added weight and drag for my gravel bars.
    I now need a bigger tailwheel than the small hard rubber Maule wheel that came with the kit.
    I ordered a Matco (single arm)  9 inch wide pneumatic wheel which no longer digs trenches in the sand but raises my tail 4 inches.
    The loss of angle of attack on take off and landing is very noticeable.
    I plan to build a new fork for this tailwheel assembly to lower the tail but need this forums advice first before I start cutting up the assembly.
    I will remove the steering arms and make it full swivel and steer with the brakes as needed.
    In order to lower the tail I will need to design a fork that swivels more in front of the tire than at the 45 degree angle up and forward from the axle as it is now. 
    It seems like most tailwheels including my sons ABW Baby Bush have the pivot in an approximate 45 degree orientation from the axle.
    I got the idea from my neighbors RV-4 in which the tail wheel pivot is directly in front of the tire.
    Other making sure the bigger tailwheel does not hit the rudder on hard hits, am I missing some important engineering issue?
    This will be a whole lot easier and cheaper than having extended main gear built.
    Thanks  Herman
     
    • 6 replies
    • 1,523 views


  19. lv2plyguitar added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Weird ideling problem
    I have a problem with my engine that maybe you can help me solve.  When I start up my engine cold it idles at 2000 rpm.  Sometimes, not all the time, the idle kicks up to 2600 after flying around and then landing.  It will do that for a while and then suddenly drop back to 2000 rpm.  I noticed on my talkeetna trip that the front cylinder was running 50 to 60 hotter than the rear. 
     
    What are your suggestions to track this down.  It is hard to figure out because it is random.  Some ideas I have are a cable not letting the carb slide all the way down.  Cable on the adjustable mixture sticking and not letting the slide all the way down.  Sucking air on one cylinder (seems like this would be constant and not just every now and then if that were the problem). 
     
     
     
     
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  20. lv2plyguitar added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Water Temperature
    I was doing a dual solo to talkeetna today.  My water temp at 2500 ft agl was running at 120.  Is that normal?
     
    Thanks
    • 3 replies
    • 494 views


  21. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Classic IV Restoration   

    Got a photo of the motor on the airframe....
     
     

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  22. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Putting a MK4 cowl on a B model   

    Here's a couple of photos of my buddies "C" model with the MK4 cowling.
     
    As you can see he made a "boot cowl" for over the panel and under the windshield, so this is modded pretty far...  The photo with the top on, does not have the hinge pins installed so the sides are not completely aligned.  Also note the lack of landing gear.  He is eagerly awaiting the arrival of his new Grove gear in replacement of the again failed Airdale spring gear.
     
     


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  23. Bandit added a post in a topic Heading to Alaska   

    I have no idea what they are worth. Let me see if that guy wires me money for the 582 tomorrow. If he does I'll take pictures of them tomorrow night and post them.
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  24. C5Engineer added a post in a topic Putting a MK4 cowl on a B model   

    The guy isn't replying to my email. May have to call him. I am running out of time though my sandbox tour is only a few days out. I have more important stuff to worry about that modding my plane right now.
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  25. akflyer added a post in a topic Heading to Alaska   

    I am always interested!  Any idea what you were wanting for them?
     

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