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  1. EDMO


    I have mine mounted on its side pointed forwards and the external ELT antenna mounted inside the fuse in the extendwed baggage.. most ELT antennas get torn off when the plane flips upside down and while the pilot may head the ELT going off in his headset, its not getting out to the rest of the world.  I know a few people who spent days wondering why no one showed up, then it dawned on them, they pulled it and put the portable antenna on it and low and behold they had planes circling overhead in a few hours.

     

    :BC:

    I was planning to mount my antenna where the tubes make a "V" just behind the cabin and under the turtledeck, but wondered if the steel tubing surrounding it might block the signal, especially upside down?

    EDMO

  2. EDMO


    Larry,

    You got a bargain!

    Wondering about that header tank - Shouldn't it be behind the cabin tubes? At least that is what Kitfox shows.

    How much did the bag comp weigh before lightening? - and waiting for after weight.

    EDMO

  3. Av8r3400


    Remember that baggage box?  Well, it's getting modded a little to lighten it.  To keep things from falling out it will also get some upholstery on the inside...

     

    post-36-0-31721600-1424237148_thumb.jpg

    1 person likes this
  4. C5Engineer


    I built a panel and mounted my antenna facing straight down inside the fuse. Most taildraggers seem to wind up on their backs in an accident. A couple old timers suggested the antenna be protected inside the fuse.

    Edit I just noticed I was a page behind on replies when I posted.

  5. akflyer


    Some heli ELTS have been installed in planes.. the heli ELT mounts different due to the way they tend to fall out of the air and I think it will activate pretty much no matter how you hit the ground.  The airplane ELT's will only activate from a forward crash, always, sometimes, maybe, except.. as in they have proven to be less than reliable as the G switches have been prone to failure.  Its always best to have a panel mounted remote that you can push the button on just prior to hitting terra firma.  That way you dont have to worry about the G switch not activating.

     

    :BC:

  6. KFfan


    Thanks guys!

     

    I hadn't given much thought to mine...before I began the investigation. The mount for it is affixed to a fuse tube on the right side aft of the seat. Yep, it is mounted vertical.  One more thing to tend to prior to getting in the air this spring.  I'm getting ready to remove the 582 to have it gone through and at least having the seals replaced. To the best of my knowledge it hasn't been touched in 253 hours over nearly 15 years. The hoses have been replaced. The seller, who did not fly it, advised to look at the Bings. He was running it and one of them overflowed. I communicated with the prior flying owner and he confirmed he had instances of an overflow as well. Logs were water damaged and "destroyed". Too many unanswered questions in my mind. Good that I have experience buying used vehicles... :hammerhead:

    1 person likes this
  7. akflyer


    I have mine mounted on its side pointed forwards and the external ELT antenna mounted inside the fuse in the extendwed baggage.. most ELT antennas get torn off when the plane flips upside down and while the pilot may head the ELT going off in his headset, its not getting out to the rest of the world.  I know a few people who spent days wondering why no one showed up, then it dawned on them, they pulled it and put the portable antenna on it and low and behold they had planes circling overhead in a few hours.

     

    :BC:

  8. KFfan


    After reading TJay's response, I began to question the validity of my advise.

    I researched my ELT which is a Ameri-King 450 121.5/243.0 MHZ model.
    The installation instructions for this unit specifically state the antenna is to be mounted in a vertical orientation. Mounting the unit with the arrow pointing forward is also specified. This is because of the automatic activation feature of the unit in the event of an impact. That makes me suspect that units mounted in a vertical configuration may not activate properly. It also states the flexible antenna is only to be used for portable operation.
    I have attached the ELT manual for any who wish to read it. I've also included AC 91-44A that relates to operational & maintenance practices for Emergency Locator Transmitters & Receivers.

    02 IM 450 Rev A Installation Manual.pdf

    ac_91-44a.pdf

    1 person likes this
  9. EDMO


    You might want to compare your print for the engine mount to some mount for an 0-200 where it attaches to the engine - the 0-200 uses larger, Lord mount, rubbers - The C-65 uses smaller ones.

    Or, you can put bushings in the engine holes.

    (Just in case you missed my earlier post)

    EDMO

  10. EDMO


    Joey,

    I know you have one - After all these (25?) years, I still do not know what NSI stands for, but I have known a lot about their engines - My Kitfox 1 had one when it landed in a tree. But that was not the engines fault - just a wire to the fuel pump that burned because it was too small.

    That engine gets some funny looks from people when you shut down and the prop keeps spinning, like a turbine engine.

    EDMO

  11. akflyer


    There has been a lot of talk about this on here.  Can you post up a pick of your gear, or are you building new?  I have a few hours on my set up and it appears to be working well, but I have not yet been able to really test it so I am not going to give it a good endorsement yet!  So far its been some landing and take offs on good snow surfaces, no hard snogo tracks to whack or big rocks to roll over.

     

    I am pretty convinced that its going to be hard to beat using bungees as the suspension for this gear and using a safety cable on them in case of a bungee failure.  I would make bungees like a cub uses so you have more than one bungee on each side in case one breaks you still have a softer back up that will keep the gear from sagging too much, then the safety cable as the ultimate back up.  I still plan on making a new cabane vee for mine to change the angle on it to change the way it stresses the fuse.

     

    :BC:

  12. lv2plyguitar


    Hi,  I need to come up with a suspension system for a cabang style gear.  I saw the Rage system but they want an arm and leg for a non-certified shock and bungee cord system. 

     

    If you have any ideas let me know.  Basic setup is just like a cub but I just need ideas for the suspension.

     

    Thanks

  13. C5Engineer


    I am hangared at Nut Tree in Vacaville. Shoot me a message if you are down this away again. I always tie my prop down when I trailer. On an open trailer the wind at highway speed is enough to turn the motor over. If it's the plane I am thinking of Ed it does have an NSI on it. Poor thing has been sitting for a long long time and was barely flown when it was new. 6 yrs ago they wanted an outrageous price for it.

  14. tcj


    My Classic 4 manual is vague about this.  Here's how I did it.

     

    First Install the Cowl to fit around the engine, prop flange centered and proper clearance between prop and front of cowl, horizontal seam between top and bottom cowl level and proper height, etc. etc.

     

    Second,  Trim the top sides and back of the windshield to fit. Leave the front, the left, and the right of the lexan sheet oversize.  With the cowl off, rivet or use screws and nuts to attach the top of the windshield to the butt ribs.  Pull the front of the windshield down and bend the left and right sides back and clamp them to left and right door frames.  Put the cowl back on.  With a helper, loosen the clamps, push the bottom front of the windshield forward to fit tight up against the curve of the top cowl.  Tighten the clamps to hold it in this position.  Drill through the left and right sides of the windshield and door frames and secure with screws and nuts.

     

    Third, Trim the glare shield to fit around the fuselage windshield tubing and for any peitot/static line or other access.  Position the glare shield to fit inside the curve in the bottom of the windshield with room for screws to stick through the bottom under the lip of the cowl.  Remove the cowl and drill through the bottom front of the windshield and glare shield for screws and nuts.

     

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    post-130-0-16682400-1424179448_thumb.jpg

    1 person likes this
  15. Boat


    I have an enclosed trailer for my Avid Flyer Mark IV.  A neighbor, who has too many airplanes to have another one, bought a Kitfox Mark IV 1200 and ask me about trailering it back to his hanger.  "No Problem". 

     

    We drove to Vacaville where it was hangered and put it in the trailer.  It had a 3 bladed carbon fiber prop which cleared the trailer just fine.  Towed it to Potter Valley, over 100 miles, and upon opening the rear door found the propeller sticking up through the roof of the trailer.

     

    Seems the Subaru engine runs through a gear box which free wheels in one direction while ratcheting against compression in the other direction.  There must have been enough up and down on the road for it to rotate and drive it's way through the roof of the trailer.

     

    Who would have thought to tie the propeller down?

    1 person likes this
  16. EDMO


    Donno - would need to test it to see if it still works.

    BTW: In Kitfox 4 manual is some drawings - there is also an inspection / access cover that goes on the top between the wood ribs you are installing. 4 little angles riveted to the ribs.

    Maybe I can post the drawings in Files and Forms under Electric Elevator Trim, 9 pages?

    EDMO

  17. EDMO


    TJay,

    I have the electric servo mounted in a stripped Kitfox 1 elevator - It mounts inside, and the rod goes outside to the trim tab - there is a cover for the rod that you can use like the covers on the rudder cables where they exit the fuselage.

    Two angle brackets are used to mount it inside.

    When I can get out of the warm house and walk thru the devastating 3 inches of snow, I could post a photo for you. I plan to use cable on the new one.

    EDMO