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There is a guy on the TeamKitfoxForum with a set of Kitfox 3 wings, and flaperons for sale. Just a reminder, the strut attachment point is further out on the Kitfox 3 than the 2, but if you have the Kitfox 3 struts, that might not be an issue. Or maybe you can just lengthen the Kitfox 2 struts. The guy was looking for an idea of what they were worth. Might come to a deal with him. Take care, Jim Chuk
If Kitfox or Avid cant supply the original undercambered STOL ribs for your wings, I can send you a pattern. I also have some rib-building fixtures for sale. I can have the Kitfox 1 manual copied which is the same wing.
ED in MO
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Guest
Chris-
Was the existing engine mount a one-off or 'standard' 912 mount for Avid from Airdale? I would have thought the longer, wider fuselage would result in a CG a little farther to the rear already. Or is this a result of the nose gear vs. tail wheel? I'm interested in your CG info, as my Avid+ did not come with any specs.
This plane has the "Avid" 912 mount. As near as I can tell no two 912 mounts are the same either. At least no two that I have ever seen. I think that is because over time information has been lost from the original mount design as the company has switched hands. My suspicion is that the jig goes from one hand to another, but certain details like which tubes should be bent and how they should be angled gets lost. For instance, my mount allows carbs to be mounted "inward" as opposed to a couple I have seen that require carbs to be mounted "outboard" because of interference with tubing. I have also seen an "Avid" mount that used larger tubing in one spot for what appeared to be no good reason, until I realized that if the tubing had been bent prior to being welded in, it would have allowed it to clear the exhaust.
Anyway, my engine mount looks pretty good, except for the fact that it broke. That is now fixed. WRT to moving the engine back, I am positive that the spacers the builder used were his own idea to clear the firewall or allow the cowl to fit better and not per plan. I weighed everything out and discovered that the empty CG was at the very forward limit with the spacers. Moving the engine assembly back the 1/2 inch will not change the empty CG much, but will move it back some to a more desirable place. The stretch to the fuse is what allows the 912 to work without adding weight to the tail. I also ran the numbers for baggage, and moving the CG of the engine and prop back the 1/2 inch will not have any real life consequence on the ability to carry baggage. For the type and amount of stuff I carry to go camping, I will still run out of useful load before baggage will drive the CG too far back.
FYI, the empty weight of the plane is now 725 Lb. I should have measured it before tearing into it, but did not. Was hoping my "diet plan" would get it below 700, and I may be able to get close When I change out the battery with the PC680 from my Magnum. My holy grail on this project was to have this come in at under 700, and I might well have gotten there if not for the larger mains tires I put on.
ChrisB
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Here you can see I elected to follow the taper of the seat pan for the outside edge of the seat and back cushions. Hopefully give a little more butt and hip room.
Got both seat back cushions out of the remaining 1" medium firm sheet material with -zero- waste.
I carved the general shapes and rough tapered the edges with the electric knife. Worked fine, but got gummed up quick when cutting through adhesive after gluing the seat cushion layers together. Quick wipe with odorless Mineral Spirits and back to business, no biggie. You can see the (3) layer build up for the lower seat cushion, 1" med firm on bottom > 1/2" med soft in the middle > 1/2" soft on top.
Haven't decided on fabric or vinyl, colors etc., however, I do like the shape and look of these best and am leaning in this direction.
More to come...
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Short of using a commercial spray gun applied adhesive made specifically for foam, my research suggests 3M's #74 Spray Adhesive for Foam is the very best. Supposedly available at HD and Lowes but mine didn't stock it, nor did any of the small or chain crafts stores in my area. I did find another 'Super Strength' spray adhesive for foam at a True Value hardware store. I opted to try it as it was a high strength adhesive for use specifically with foam, mineral spirit (not water) clean-up, and re-positionable for an hour or so after application. Once dry, it seems to be working good though time will tell.
I sprayed each mating surface, let get tacky for a few seconds then layered up the lower seat cushions.
I took one of the long scrap pieces and made a crude jig to see if I could cut it into two smaller wedges for angle bolsters.
If they don't work out, I'll try to run another piece through my band saw with the table set on angle.
Pretty rough, but will wait to see how they shape up after sanding with the die grinder.
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First thing I did was make up some templates for the seat cushions. This one for shaping the contour of the seat cushion to the curve of the seat pan at the rear. You can see it assumes the use of a 2" thick seat cushion.
I marked the rear point on the seat pan and noted the 14-3/4"L template wasn't long enough to reach the front edge of the seat pan. A quick measure showed another 3" to the front edge, therefore, the lower seat cushions need to be at least 17-3/4" long front to back.
Then I made up the actual full size seat cushion template. Of course, the other side is simply a mirror image.
Took one last look at my pretty foam and a deep breath, then grabbed the electric knife...
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Went and looked at the add for the plane you are talking about. The N# was there so I ran it. Plane is in seller's name, and registration is current till 2016. Grab you car keys! If I lived closer, you might have to race me to it. LOL Jim Chuk
Once again, depends what he means by no paperwork. If the build logs are'nt there and things like that, it wouldn't stop me. I didn't get that with the last 4 Avids I bought. As long as the FAA paperwork is in order, go have a look. If you have the N # go run it on the FAA website. It will come up showing a problem if there is a problem that they know about. If it's listed in his name, and they don't say a problem exists, you're probably good to go paperwork wise. You can always find a builder's manual, I have 3 of them within 4 feet of me right now. Ask him if he has the airwothyness certification. That kind of paperwork IS important! Take care, Jim Chuk
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After placing a few 'Want to Buy' ads for Kitfox seat covers with no response, I decided to make new seats for my Kitfox 4-1200.
Aircraft Spruce and other Aircraft supply shops sell Conform Foam for aircraft seats. Oregon Aero, arguably one of the highest regarded custom aircraft seat manufacturer, also uses this foam. Reading about all the benefits convinced me to use Conform Foam vs. the standard upholstery foam available at craft stores, etc. Conform Foam is a viseoelastic, electrometric, open cell urethane foam that breathes, molds and shapes to your body to absorb moisture and distribute your weight evenly over its entire surface. This eliminates uncomfortable 'hot spots' and pressure on your spine or tailbone to help you sit comfortably for an extended period of time. This foam also offers superior spinal protection in a hard landing or crash, ie. the more weight or pressure applied, the more resistance increases so you do not 'bottom out' like you would with standard foam.
A word of caution, the terms 'Memory Foam' and 'Temper Foam' are often used interchangeably even though they are separate products with very different characteristics. Conform Foam is not the same 'memory foam' typically sold as a mattress topper (I tried that in my KF3 seats and they bottomed out terribly). Viseoelastic foam was initially developed for the NASA space program, and the US Military has tested for it's benefits as well. For a good overview of Conform Foam and link to the US Military test whitepaper that concludes what combination of Conform Foam foam firmness and thickness provides optimum comfort and safety, check out this site: http://www.cumulus-s...g.com/e-a-r.htm
Or you can go directly to the manufacture's info:
Some good tips on seat construction here: Using Specialty Engineered Foams in Seating Design
Only problem, Conform Foam is expensive as hell. I found a couple other manufacturers supplying their own brand of viseoelastic foam, including one small supplier Dynamic Systems, Inc. that sold larger sheets of foam in different firmness and thickness at discount prices. Like Conform Foam, SunMate Foam meets FAR 25.853, FAR 25.855 and CAL 117 fire retardant specifications, and I found exactly what I needed for my project in their cheap overstock inventory. I bought (1) sheet of 32" x 37" x 1" Medium Firm, (2) sheets 16" X 18" X 1/2" Medium Soft and (1) sheet 16" X 37" X 1/2" Soft. Enough to do (2) 2" thick layered seat cushions and (2) 1" thick back cushions, all for $48 + $16.10 S&H. That's only a couple bucks more than a single 16" X 18" X 2" seat cushion from ACS at $45.75 + S&H (ouch!).
Rec'd the foam in timely fashion and was pleased to see they used some misc. pieces to support the folded foam sheets in the box during shipping. Great, I will cut these and now add side bolsters and lumbar support to my new seats! Started the project yesterday and will post progress as I go. Here's the start...
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Once again, depends what he means by no paperwork. If the build logs are'nt there and things like that, it wouldn't stop me. I didn't get that with the last 4 Avids I bought. As long as the FAA paperwork is in order, go have a look. If you have the N # go run it on the FAA website. It will come up showing a problem if there is a problem that they know about. If it's listed in his name, and they don't say a problem exists, you're probably good to go paperwork wise. You can always find a builder's manual, I have 3 of them within 4 feet of me right now. Ask him if he has the airwothyness certification. That kind of paperwork IS important! Take care, Jim Chuk
Zero paperwork = walk away. Don't waste your time unless you want it as a parts bird.
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Looks good! Lots of work, but all worth it today! Take care, Jim Chuk
Did some test flying on Sunday. Plane exceeded my expectations.
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It wont let me view it here at work but I will try later from the laptop! CONGRATS! Randy said it flew great!
EDIT.
I embedded it on the original post to help guys like me get around the work blocks
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http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2013-03-14
Dean was named the 2013 Flight Instructor of the Year. Dean is a great guy with a TON of knowledge tucked away under that grey hair. His training and real world scenario instruction has kept me alive more than once! We shared a few adventures on some fly out hunting trips too. Congrats to ya Dean!
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i may go look, its only 2 hours away.
he also says the previous owner supplied no logs for anything, in fact he said there is zero paperwork available with the sale.
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Not so sure all Mk-IV's were powder coated. My old Mk-IV, s/n 1127D, was epoxy primed not powder coated.
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Tok or Northway might be possibles - FAST EDDIE'S at Tok, and keep your pistols.
ED in MO
There is no fuel at Northway anymore. I will have to check on points of entry etc to try and make it as painless as possible. I am still shocked that the two governments were able to actually remove heads from sphincters and make the cover letter of authorization.. I am amazed!!!
Any of you southern cousins (Canadian pilots ehh) have any input on possible trip destinations post up!
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Chris-
Was the existing engine mount a one-off or 'standard' 912 mount for Avid from Airdale? I would have thought the longer, wider fuselage would result in a CG a little farther to the rear already. Or is this a result of the nose gear vs. tail wheel? I'm interested in your CG info, as my Avid+ did not come with any specs.
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The fuse should have been powder coated. If it was truly rusted up too bad then there had to be some major damage done to it prior to the recover. I am with Jim, go take a look at it and see just how bad it is. A few speckles are not something worth loosing too much sleep over.
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Finished the firewall modifications to accept moving the 912 back a half inch to where I think it belongs. This week I will temporarily re mount the engine in its new location and start work on shortening and aligning the cowl to match. After that is finished, I will pull the engine again and plumb it up with all new hoses. Progress is slow but positive.
ChrisB
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If it's close by, I would go look at it to try to better see what he's talking about. Maybe it's not as bad as it sounds. Big difference between specks of rust starting to show that were sanded off and repainted before the recover, and rusted tubes that you could stick a sharp punch through. I did the first one when I recovered my MK IV, but would never cover the second situation. If it was totally rusted and the guy just recovered it to pick up a quick buck, he wouldn't tell you about it I think. If nothing else, you will get to see another airplane and if you look hard at it, you always learn from that. Take care, Jim Chuk
A new Avid Mark IV popped up locally for under $10,000. He told me he just recovered the aircraft but he did it over a possibly rusty fuesalage. So I guess the fabric that he just put on needs to be cut off and the fuesalage rebuilt? Could someone tell me why anyone would do this?
Apparently its got a Rotax 582, new prop and new fabric. He didn't give me any other info on the phone other then he needs the money.
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A new Avid Mark IV popped up locally for under $10,000. He told me he just recovered the aircraft but he did it over a possibly rusty fuesalage. So I guess the fabric that he just put on needs to be cut off and the fuesalage rebuilt? Could someone tell me why anyone would do this?
Apparently its got a Rotax 582, new prop and new fabric. He didn't give me any other info on the phone other then he needs the money.
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Wow, I just checked on it.. Looks like all you have to do is print it out and fill in the blanks and carry it with you. Looks pretty darn simple for you! I can't belive our government made something to do with airplanes this easy
Looks like I better get on the laptop tonight and start looking for central places to visit!
Tok or Northway might be possibles - FAST EDDIE'S at Tok, and keep your pistols.
ED in MO
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Mark IV For Sale
in Avid Flyer General Hangar
Mendlerr
Posted · Edited by RMendler
So guys, I know we briefly discussed Rotax 2-strokes. I've done alot of independent research also but I want to hear from the guys who really know the 582 and its innerworkings.
Here's the skinny I'm looking for:
Oil injection systems? Love them? Hate them? Why? Is it easily removed? How do you determine how much oil is actually flowing (40:1, 50:1, 100:1)?
I personally feel that mixing your own gas/oil is better, one less system to fail and less weight. As long as you don't forget
Spark plug changes every 25-50 hours? Best plugs? Gapping?
I've read 25 hours is normal for the spark plug changes.
What should compression be?
Any good fuel additives to keep these things clean? Zmax, Amsoil, Redline?
Anything else to look for? Clean on a regular basis? Oil/Lube?
Are these Bing Altitude Compensating Carbs worth a damn?
I hear they tend to have air leaks, haha