Activity Stream

Joey

How much travel does the machined groove have on your spring strut before it goes metal to metal on the safety bolt?

From what I can see through the spring it only looks like 3 inches of strut travel.

Do you have any idea how many inches your tire will travel if you were to cycle your suspension without the spring in place?

I assume you are getting more travel at the wheel than the strut travels,  like a dirt bike has 12" of wheel travel and the shock only travels 2.5"

That wasn't the difference I was thinking about, but since you brought it up, mounting the exhaust to the engine would keep a lot of the movement out of the system, Bolted solid to the firewall, I can see why you are getting leaks, at least put some lord mounts in there so it can move a bit, even in a snowmobile the exhaust wasn't mounted that solid, normally they just had a spring wrapped around the canister. If I remember right Dean Wilson set up your first engine I would have him look at the pictures and get his opinion.

    Let me throw my own 2 cents in , Since you already own a nice cross country plane, I am guessing that you don't plan on selling it, find the lightest 2 stroke Model you can find, no fancy panel cylinder head temp, exhaust temp water temp and electricity, basic flight instruments and a handheld radio, the smaller and lighter planes would take off and land shorter and can be found in the $10,000 or less range, saving a lot of money for the things you want to ad. Bigger tires different landing gear floats skis or whatever you want, If you don't want to build there are still plenty in that price range.

     When you can find tri-pacers for $12,000 in annual with mid time engines why spend $40,000 on a plane that was built to perform the job of the cross country plane if you are going to trailer it.

Boat, if it is a model 1or 2 I will get you the measurements tomorrow, the pieces were just a 3/8 inch rod on mine and you made your own clip to hold them on the plane, I wouldn't get worried about it to much, they also make a support for the front of the front spar that runs down to the strut mount if you are going to be doing a lot of trailering, for those you can measure your own plane and make something, infact you could easily do that for the rear of the wing, You wouldn't even have to weld them to build them they are just there to keep the wings from swinging into the plane or out into the other lane. 

     Ed, my wife found my play money and the check came back to me, The computer decided to update itself and I can't get email

Ask the question on www.rotaryforum.com they specialize in alternative motors and there are several of the SeaDoo engines pictured, I don't know if the crank is any different you would have to look at bore and stroke, most aircraft engines also use cageless bearings, I am not sure if they are necessary but if the piston pin is the same size I would look into it. The first Rotax aircraft engines used a single ignition, not recommended but not impossible, the big news is in the Webr and the Yamaha snowmobile engines, for the same weight you can have 150 hp in a 4 stroke with fuel injection. Not trying to talk you out of using your engine, but if I had to do the machining I would look at those two especially the Yamaha. Most snowmobiles around here are shelled out at 3,000 miles and the first valve adjustment isn't do until 25,000 miles.

Since my exhaust came from a Kit Fox, that part is not a factor at this time, Have you  seen the price they want for an exhaust for a Rotax? I should probably leave it stock and just finish it, but I can't help myself with modifications t this time. I have been looking at the price of Factory made aircraft and If I could sell one of my Harleys and a couple of 4 wheelers I should have plenty to buy something, I just have never spent that much time around airplanes before I got my Certificate and am not sure what things like annuals or conditionals would cost, I am stuck between wanting the best I can Build and just wanting to Fly, any takers on the other toys?

I travelled 500 miles and took a week of vacation to attend a highly recommended tail dragger school. I was a 150 hour Cessna pilot and thought I could jump right in a taildragger no problem. The first time I tried to take off in a 65hp Champ I was quickly put in my place. I learned FAR more in that 10 hrs of formal training in the Champ about actually flying the plane than I ever thought of in a Cessna. There would be no worse feeling than spending countless hours working on a plane to go out and tear it up your first time out. We all have that yearning and dream to fly but it's one of those things that must be done correctly. My Dad almost killed himself in an ultralight after having gotten about 15 hrs of stick time and then trying to just to go for it. There are lots of tail dragger specific and light sport schools out there willing to provide quality training but chances are your going to have reach out and go find them. Even if you get your tail dragger endorsement in something like a Cub, Champ, Citabria, Scout, etc the fundamentals will be there and will help you tremendously while transistioning to your Avid/Fox.

Boat - What kind of plane?

 

These struts can be easily made from 1/2" electrical conduit.  The front strut from the outer (forward) spar to the lower longeron bracket.  The rear strut is only there to hold the wing in it's folded position, keeping it from banging into the tail or swinging out.

I will have to go look at my wings and parts, but both of mine K1 & K2, had a horizontal tube up on the VS and the struts attach there and to the rear spar attach tab - believe one was longer than the other.

Whatever plane you have, you can design something that works - its not critical.

EDMO

Welcome to the forum Thomas.  Do you have any questions on Avids or Kitfoxes or just like the awesome side of light aviation?

Boat - What kind of plane?

 

These struts can be easily made from 1/2" electrical conduit.  The front strut from the outer (forward) spar to the lower longeron bracket.  The rear strut is only there to hold the wing in it's folded position, keeping it from banging into the tail or swinging out.

I believe there were two types of struts made - one set for the wings to tail, and another for tying the flaperons together.

These may vary by model and Brand - Post up your plane type and model.

The later manuals may only give part numbers - If my Kitfox model 1 manual will help I will check it.

I have a set somewhere for the model 1 and 2, but been a long time since I used them.

EDMO

The NSI Soob if it has the turbo, is a lot heavier than my Reductions EA-81, but also has more HP.
My Soob weighs more than the C-90 / O-200. The O-235 should be somewhere in the same weight class.
The Kitfox 5 was designed to take the "real aircraft" engines, but for STOL the Rotax cant be beat.
I extended the leading edges on my Kitfox 4.5 clone by 4 inches, and now have changed the ribs from the earlier undercambered to a modified Kitfox 4 wing to lessen the nose-down force with the heavy Soob engine.

I am hoping mine will come in about 800 empty - I cant compete with the 2-strokes for STOL, but I am used to a heavy plane in the flatlands.  It takes the bumps better in the air.
SkyPirate just bought a Kitfox 5 with 912, and said it weighed 760 empty, and was cruising at 115, but did not say how much throttle - guessing whatever % is cruise?
If you want light weight and STOL, the earlier models will do that well.
If you want x-country speed with long runways, then go for the later models, but you will spend more.
One last thought: If you ever have to fly without a medical, then your plane has to be not more than 1320 gross to qualify as an LSA.
Hope this helps a little.
EDMO

I have 30 hours with instructors in cubs and Kitfoxes and they all say I need more lessons before I get a sign off, in fact I can't get them to do a Bi annual until then. My 582 is almost back together and the Avid will be ready for inspection after I get a set of tires anyhow, I am thinking a set of those Blimp tires but that gives me about another year to get in the air legally. 

 I have heard about these horror story's before it is not only where you live but it is all over I don't have my private but threw the years I have flown with other pilots and took lessons from an instructor  I have not flown at the controls for a few years I have a nesmith cougar [tailwind] that is ready to fly and  I can't find anyone that can fly it..It has  40 hours on it and from the logbooks it flew very well I am rebuilding an avid so I can fly I am sure that I can find someone in the chapter that can get me through the pilot part with this airplane I have heard that some of the instructors around here will take their time before they will sign you off but sometimes I think that they are a little too picky. years ago when I was taking lessons I was with this one instructor,he was a good instructor and flew acrobatics and was quiet good at it but one day after a few hours of training we were turning on a point I though that I was doing good but he got after me pretty good because the tree I was lined up on was not the tree he wanted me to line up and then when we would come in for a landing he would always want me to land on the numbers and I had enough and said to him I am not interested in landing on the numbers all I want to do is know that I can land this airplane I can always crash on the numbers.....at that time in my life I wanted to be sure I could get the plane on the ground without crashing. The landing on the numbers would come later when I had the confidence I could land.......

Bob 

[i used a spare mod 90 case]

 

I don't think I am going to have much trouble or too much cost involved with this engine I did not find anybody that is using the engine that I picked I have done a lot searching about this engine and comparing parts for different rotax engines the engine that I bought was a 1989 sea doo [rotax] 587 engine it is a provision 8 case it has the starter on the engine with a flywheel it is the yellow motor that is in the sea doo jetskis I have cked the horse power of the engine is  56 horsepower@ 5,750 rpm in stock form [1 carb and 5.9 compression] the mads that I have researched is a different rotary valve shaft from a 582,583,617 rotax because the the 587 has no impeller for the water pump a different head to bring the compresion up and for the water outlet ad different rotor valve cover for the 2 carbs and maybe the crank from a 582 or a 583 I know this sounds like a lot of work but I think it will be worth it I will have a new engine with a electric starter that is mounted to the block and the coils and everything is mounted inside the cover I bought this engine from an individual that his son wrecked the sea doo  for $150.00 it is a complete motor nothing missing..... so I think I can spend a little money and come out ahead..... what do you think?

Bob

No snow yet .. still in the high 40's

 

I used a spare mod 90 case to get the measurements for machining the

582 snow machine case front to mount the gearbox after threading the 8 holes

Also, since the snow machine 582 is a single ignition, the rotary oil tube, upper, has 

to be rerouted to clear the coil mount plate and oil pump.

 

I'm not sure the hole process is worth it as you have to have the rest of the parts from a

mod 90/99 to complete the motor anyway

Thanks akflyerbob for the reply did you have to do anything to the case like milling the front surface so the gearbox fits flat? I have never owned a c box before so i don't know what it looks like on the mounting end. you mention that you have done this  on a   original type 90 case did you have any drawings for this that I could look at? by the way I just saw where you are located is it cold and snow  there today?

thanks Bob

I have been flying my Kitfox for 18 years and have managed with the  round cowl visability.

I powered my Kitfox with a Jabiru for a few years and used the Skyfox cowl that is similar to the Avid cowl in that it was 2-3 inches lower on the windscreen.

The Jabiru did not meet my high altitude and short field needs but a really appreciated the added visability the Jabiru cowl offered.

Good question regarding the thrust line.

I am not sure the Avid upside down 582 installation (spark plugs down) changes the thrust line much from a Kitfox 582 spark plugs up installation.

The Avid installation places the prop flange as the high point of the engine installation allowing for a lower cowl and the Kitfox  has the prop flange several inches below the spark plugs.

Another advantage of the Avid 582 installation is that the 582 exhaust does not need to be modified to fit in the cowl and produces a few more HP than the Kitfox 582 installation.

The front (power end) is not machined to accept the gear box.

I've done several of these cases to the measurements of an original type 90 case

and assembled them but have yet to fly one.

I need some struts for the wing when it's folded.  Does anyone have a drawing for these that they could email me?

With all of these new upgrades, No email messages are getting through to my computer, I had every fact and every one of steve Winders comments on the Avid models and their upgrades down when I stared my Avid, I am old school an wrote them all down in a note book, You could almost build a plane up to the standard that was available at that time, I Modified mine to Mark IV specifications along with a few Pursang changes but had to lose weight in order to fly it even then. I still am having problems with trying to find an instructor for tailwheel, that is my goal, I have 3 planes almost built an ultralight an Avid and A Buttercup predecessor to the tailwind, all are taildraggers, the ultralight I have more landings than I can count but I have 30 hours with instructors in cubs and Kitfoxes and they all say I need more lessons before I get a sign off, in fact I can't get them to do a Bi annual until then. My 582 is almost back together and the Avid will be ready for inspection after I get a set of tires anyhow, I am thinking a set of those Blimp tires but that gives me about another year to get in the air legally. 

Ripped Me Off

I was the business broker that represented Mike Stratman on the sale of California Power Systems, for all my hard work I was cheated out of me earned commission.

 

While Mr Stratman enjoys retirement my legal bills keep escalating.

 

1. California Powers Systems - Caliornia Power System Breach of ...
   californiapowersystemsbreachofcontract.com

   California Powers Systems cheat their business broker, breach of contract. California Power Systems has not paid their broker fees!

 

If you can weld you can build a Motor mount, How would that change affect the flight characteristics of the plane. In other words would changing the thrust line have a negative to flight, I have only flown a kit fox once, and By looking down the side corner of the windshiekld I was happy with the vision, I am just uncomfortable with 2 strokes in general and I would prefer to go the other way and put my Avid engine upright, I am so close to getting this plane together that I can almost feel it, but changes that I feel lead to safety can still be made. I just have to get my hangar organized with 3 planes in it I should have another hangar, I just found out that there are only 3 planes at my airport 1 for sale 1 numbered as a DC3 and one that is supposedly owned by someone in Wyoming but at $100 a month until my wife finishes school next fall I will live with what I have. 

If you want a horizontally opposed engine that has a lot of engineering behind it, look at the BMW 1200 they were first used on Avids about 20 year ago, and have demonstrated their ability in Europe for decades as an Aircraft motor, The 3 engines that I have been looking at are the BMW 1200 oil cooled engine, the Weber 750cc , and the Yamaha Genesis engine. The BMW is one of the few bike engines that unbolts from the transmission and has shown that it is able to live in an aircraft. the Weber is seen mainly in Polaris snowmobiles in my area and usually outlives the machine that it was built in, the Yamaha snowmobile engine is the same way, the Yamaha wins in the horsepower at up to 150hp cut it down to 130nfor realistic aircraft use, the Weber is closer to 120hp and the BMW is about 100hp all three are fuel injected though had been used with carburetors in the past and while the BMW has the only true dual plug the others use an individual coil on plug, the Yamaha would be tough to squeeze a second plug in with 5 valves but the Weber might be possible. The lightest I believe is the Yamaha at 118 pounds, anywhere but the US they are considered great engines and have been worked on for years.

      Does any one Know what size tubing was used to build the Bush gear, I am not an engineer but I was an Industrial Technology Major in college and a lot of what I was taught was how to pick apart a design and modify it to work better, Tubing has different properties that can be taken advantage of depending on size and wall thickness, I have seen this gear and see one glaringly obvious but fairly easy to fix problem that will be the next point of failure.

      30 years ago I built a trailer that weighs less than 400 pounds and has hauled a 1 ton truck from LA to Des Moines with no problems by taking advantage of tubing that would do the job but not be any heavier than necessary, It is still going strong today, to bad I never get around to painting projects like that everyone wants to borrow my Backhoe trailer to haul their cars on and then complain about how heavy it was,

     In order to fix the problem I would need to Know the force that it came in at, a good guesstimate of landing speed and terrain would help and the size of the tubing, I have been working on the bush gear and can see the next point of failure that only the 1%ers like C5 are going to find, It is surprising that a 30 year old design for grass landing strips has been able to hold up to the forces imposed by the landings people are making now. Put the original gear on and if you can keep the prop out of the rocks I bet it does just as well. There is a guy on Barnstormers who has a Patent pending Air Shock design that I wish him luck with, Unless it is very heavy it won't work as well but I think the solution runs into the tubing and would like to know the thickness and the size, C5 gear failed where I originally thought they would, and If you just strengthen that you will have another failure in a similar place, By changing thee design slightly I think we could have the problem fixed but I would like to see more failures from you 1% ers so I can work on this problem.