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Man that's awesome you are a motivation to people on the 10 yr build plans. Hopefully others will make the time to work on their projects myself included.

in the next two months I would sure like to start covering, would like to be flying by spring I hope at least,

Call Poly Fiber. They are really good about giving good numbers for the various models. Are you getting that close to covering? That stuff has a shelf life on it. I've heard of people having to buy it twice after getting it too early in the build.

i might get an order together here for covering supplies from spruce. on an average to cover a kitfox of avid how much poly tac glue, and poly brush do you normally use? 

Despite being sick as a dog this weekend I went out and dinked around with one wing for a bit today. I ended up inserting a long piece of 1/2" PVC pipe and blowing 80 psi up in there. Nothing came out so I said screw it and dropped the inboard edge of the wing onto the ground with the tip on a sawhorse, put on my good spray nozzle and gave it hell. No water got inside the wing with those caps.

The crap that was in there more closely resembled bird crap than mouse poo. Either way the one wing is definitely junk. Both spars are heavily corroded. Man I wish those guys would have thought to stick a rag in the end of those spars when they hung them on the wall. The other wing looks a lot better. I guess if the ribs are in good shape it could be rebuilt. Someday I'd like build another wing with some mods done to it.

Here is the plastic leading edge cuff that is one this one.

Couldn't get the camera to focus with the flashlight in there but you get the idea.

Thanks for being humble enough to share your experience with the group. I've been sick all weekend and didn't get a chance to work on the bird. I will get you those pics after I get it cleaned up.

OUCH!  That hurts bad.. Rudder is the only thing that would have saved ya there.  Your right about the indicated airspeed.... each and every one of ours is different.  This is not a certified system, and I would bet some money that no one has paid anyone to calibrate the AS and pitot system.  That is what phase 1 testing is for... to learn you plane, to get your indicators marked with speeds you have proven out for your aircraft. 

I use what is full flaps on my Avid every landing.  But mine are limited (I do not know the exact degree) so that at a full stall and full flap I dont have control reversal yet I do have somewhat diminished roll control.  I keep my feet very active and they do 90% of the work with roll input being about 10% on short final.

Sorry you wadded up the bird, that sucks bad.  Glad your not hurt!

I have went from being a happy avid flyer to a not so happy avid rebuilder. Here is the warning. It is not one thing that got me into trouble. It's a combination. Perfect flying conditions. Needing more experience. Listening to BS about what this plane should be able to do. Getting over confident with slow speed flight with flapperons applied. 

 I was up for an hour and a half having a ball. Cruising all over the valley checking out the countryside. That morning I had tightened my bungees one wrap as they were sagging slightly. When I hooked the bungee on the seat truss I started on the front post ending on the rear. This allowed (even though I have the limit bolt in place at 18ish degrees-TOO MUCH) me to actually pull the flap lever up till the stop. Something I had not used for landing. I went up to 3000 agl and experiment with some slow flight. This plane is heavy with the soob. Good performance in terms of climb and speed and economy. Not good for slow flight. I found 40 to 45 indicated as being stable with flaps applied. Now the trouble starts. I decided to make a couple of precautionary approaches to a really short strip with trees and equipment on each side. Good glide slope though. Being that it was dead calm I decided I could use the full flapperon approach mushing down at 45. Went through twice and everything felt good powering up 15 feet above the ground. On the third time through I decided things looked good so I would land. Problem is I got slowed up just that little bit more. 40-45. Nose up to control speed. Full flaps. Mushing down. Then things go bad. Slight up pitch on the nose and plane moves to the left. I know you are all thinking stall. I put the nose down and applied power along with right aileron. NO RESPONSE. By now I am below the tree level and the only way out is straight ahead. Left wing didn't fall out of the sky but dropped so now I am banked left. You have 3 seconds to figure this out. Next I am heading straight for some 50 foot pine trees. Thats when the left wing clipped the vent stack of a large storage tank in a line of machinery parked over to the side. Spun me around and down. Nose kind of hit taking the prop blades off and coming to a rest backwards with tail resting above some parked junk. Considering I got out without a single scratch I'm extra lucky. So here is what I already knew: Keep the speed up. 1.2-1.3 above the stall (for your airplane). Not some number somebody thinks an avid should fly at. Flapperons applied for take off do help but are being released as you build speed immediately(smoothly) on take off. Trying to lift a semi stalled wing with aileron and full flapperon is impossible. You are actually aggravating the situation with more aileron. Don't put yourself in a questionable situation. Everything to tight in terms of experience, performance, landing area, etc. Having a great day flying sets up some false confidence as well. The plane is pretty bent and I still have to asses the total situation. Definitely a fuselage and lots of wing work. The message is to not get cocky with those flapperons. 

I sprayed my entire assembled wing with one good coat of epoxy primer. I just used an automotive product from my body shop. I have painted wood guitars over the years using  the same products with excellent results. There are a couple of guitars out there that we painted 25 years ago that still look like the day they were painted. My wings have been finished for a couple of years, so far so good. 

  I reduce the epoxy 10% to make it spray easier, might help with weight also.

someone suggested 1201 alodine solution that looks like a nice way to go. maybe the glue from poly fiber is enough too who knows

Paint adds pounds.  I used epoxy on the steel parts of the wing.

would like to paint my spars for corrosion protection, what have you guys used that works with gluing fabric to it. if I knew of a good spar marine paint I would just spray my whole wing under ribs and all. 

Joey,

At Home Depot you can buy fiberglass rods that screw into each other and they are used for fishing wires down walls or through attics, you could tape a hook on the end and fish the materials out that way.

However, with that plug in there I think I would just use a waterhose with a good spray nozzle and angle the fuselage end low. Then you can try fishing stuff out if that doesn't get it all.

Sounds like a good parts plane...cool find!

Good luck,

Ron

Okay.  Then you definitely need to cut off the break at the trailing edge.

early model 1

Is this an extended rib hanger (early Kitfox or Avid) or is this a late model Kitfox style wing?

I sure am using the aluminum trailing edge

That is the highwing gear.

I cut mine off flush with the trailing edge.  Are you using the Aluminum trailing edge as well?

That's the high wing gear.

I am wondering what to do with the back half of these brackets, should I cut them off, or taper cut them up to the trailing edge of the wing? lets hear what you all have done or seen done.

Airheart brakes, I have no idea if there any good or not but I have them so I'll use them, it looks like they use them alot on those mini dragsters.

What brakes are you using?  I have not seen that style on a KF before. 

The gear looks like it does not have a straight pull on the cabane vee so your a step ahead of the game.  Like Larry said, I would darn sure reinforce that seat truss though, that is what is going to help keep those sides from buckling in.

Nice progress, keep at it!

:bc:

You guys are blowing me away. The level of support so far this year is amazing! Thanks for helping to make this the most open, easy to hang out on avid / kitfox site on the net. I strive to make it easy to use, easy to post to, and keep your attachments unlimited. You guys are making it a lot easier to pay the server bills and licensing / updates for software and security to hopefully keep the hackasses at bay

Thanks guys!

With that style gear, you should gusset across the bungee truss as well...

She looks real good so far!