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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

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

Dual Solo means I kicked him out half way through the trip.  Kidding that was a typo on my part.

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

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

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.

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!

yes 120 is normal.  The rotax thermostat is 120.  Mine runs 120-140

what is a dual solo?

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.

Check the carb. boots for cracks.

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

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). 

I was doing a dual solo to talkeetna today.  My water temp at 2500 ft agl was running at 120.  Is that normal?

Thanks

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Isn't that great Sure is fun seeing that big smile.

Leni,

I am trying to work a deal out on my 582. The guy was suppose to wire the money today, but now he said tomorrow. If I do make the deal I will have those cheek radiators and brackets for sale if you are still interested.

They are not going to beat the season.. Memorial day weekend marks the start of the flood of motorhomes on the highway and it does not really slow down after that weekend until the end of August.

Randy,

We will arrive in Anchorage saturday morning around 12:30. We are not sure where we are staying yet. We should have most of sunday to hang out in town. Sunday evening we would have to head down to Seward.  Wednesday we have to fly home. I'll let you know more details in a few days. Sure would like to have Megan fish a little. Of course I would love to fly myself. It would be great to meet some of you guys.I know its early in the season but, I didn't plan my brothers wedding. They wanted to beat the start of the busy tourist season.

Do it... It took me a couple hours to make cardboard templates for the firewall scabs and then a couple hours cutting out the aluminum and riveting them on each side.  The cowling camloced right on to my "C" fuse.

Congrats Jeff!  Your well on your way to your goal!

Looks like another AWESOME day Randy!  I should have a few days when I get home to play on wheels before I swap over to floats.  I hope I get a chance to come up and play with you guys in that area on wheels and do a little flying / fishing!  I got out and hit the beaches South of Kasilof a couple times last week, but the weather was kinda cruddy and the wind had a COLD bite to it.