tcj

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Everything posted by tcj



  1. tcj added a post in a topic First flight as a KC-10 Crewmember   

    Those are great pictures.  After doing that does flying your Avid still excite you?
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  2. tcj added a post in a topic 582 Exhaust   

    When My Kit was shipped from the factory there was no engine.  The invoice said the engine would be shipped direct from the Rotax distributor.  I tried everything I could think of to fit the exhaust inside the cowl.  When I called skystar they just said it would fit and I needed to try harder cause I must have the cowl on wrong.  I ended up cutting a hole in the cowl for it.  A few years later I saw another kitfox in person and saw that the elbow had been shortened quite a bit to fit inside the cowl.
     
    Here's a picture.  The others I have seen had a section cut out in the center of the 90 degree and welded back together.

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  3. tcj added a post in a topic Moved the plane today   

    Yes, It's Rainier.
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  4. tcj added a post in a topic Moved the plane today   

    My old Summit 670 will still take me the places I want to go.  I would probably get in plenty of trouble with a modern snow machine.

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  5. tcj added a post in a topic Broke 100 hrs in the log book tonight   

    On page 32 of the Catalog on the Kitfox factory page.    It is for the model3.  I can't post the link.  It changes when I paste it then post.
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  6. tcj added a post in a topic Over 1000 members!   

     
    I just put Part# 13022-SP-35 on my Classic 4 Kitfox.  It is 3 leaves.  The bottom 2 leaves are full length and the top leaf shorter.  There is an oversize bolt hole on the tail wheel end of the middle leaf so it can flex.  I used just the bottom 2 (full length) leaves. 
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  7. tcj added a post in a topic Over 1000 members!   

    Nothing serious..I hope...with the engine.  It runs like a top and the EGTs are behaving but the rear crank seal is giving signs of leaking.  I noticed a little oil on the bottom of the crankcase a while back.  I wiped it clean and watched for it to return.  It did.  It only has 136 hours on it but its been 14 years sense it had new seals.

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  8. tcj added a post in a topic 503 Rotax oil pump cable end wearing   

    Thanks Bandit.  I was wondering about using a bolt instead of the swedge. 
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  9. tcj added a post in a topic 503 Rotax oil pump cable end wearing   

    I did some more thinking about this and now have the engine out on the bench where I can see the pump better.  I think I may have had CPS make the inner cable too short.   To get enough slack for the marks to line up at Idle I had to set it up with both lock nuts on the cable adjuster on the bottom side of the mounting plate.  At full throttle the cable is pulling sideways on the pump arm instead of vertically.
     
    I also remember thinking the mounting plate was bent so I straightened it out.  Now I think it was supposed to be bent to have a straight pull on the pump lever.  The first two photos show how I had it set up at Idle and full throttle.  The third is how I think it will work better.  I am going to take the engine over to Arlington to have it decarbonized and resealed next week.  I'll ask him about it.  What does anybody think about my theory?



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  10. tcj added a topic in Rotax and other engines   

    503 Rotax oil pump cable end wearing
    This 503 came from the factory without oil injection.  At 80 hours I installed an injection system.  The engine now has 136 hours so only 56 hours on this cable.  You can see it is worh about 1/4 of the way through the barrel swedge on both ends where it contacts the oil pump lever. I had the cable made by California Power Sports.  I have lubed it with LPS about every 10 hours.  Whats going on?
     
    I really like the convenience of the injection and it is supposed to be better for the engine but this is no good. 

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  11. tcj added a post in a topic Over 1000 members!   

    Extensive condition inspection going on today.

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  12. tcj added a post in a topic Ready to Hysol the first wing   

    Okay, I guess you could use a couple little cups or something to measure volume if you don't have a scale.
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  13. tcj added a post in a topic Ready to Hysol the first wing   

    The data sheet for Hysol 9460 says one to one by weight or volume.
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  14. tcj added a post in a topic 582 Blue head   

    Tjay, that's what I believe too.  Older Kitfoxes with 582s  seem to end up near the aft CG limit.  I think it is because of the engine being mounted so the starter is in cabin.
     
    My model 4 has a longer engine mount that puts the back of the starter about an inch in front of the firewall and the CG is near the foreward limit.  But its a 503 so I might be full of beans too.
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  15. tcj added a post in a topic Ready to Hysol the first wing   

    My first two wings was with the old 3M stuff.  The third one was with Hysol.  The Hysol is MUCH easier to work with.
     
    Mix a little flox like suggested above and it won't sag like the 3M did.  I cut the bottom inch off gallon milk jugs to use as mixing trays.  Use one to mix up what I needed then throw it away when done.  Hysol is mixed one to one by volume.  I just eye balled it in two lumps side by side in the mixing tray.
     
    I second the zip lock bags used like a cake decorator.  Use a a short piece of PVC pipe like a rolling pin to roll it all into the corner of the bag and you can use every bit of it.  No waste. A gloved finger dipped in alcohol smooths it so I looks just like the factory quick built wings.
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  16. tcj added a post in a topic *&%^#$@ radio !   

    Do you have it connected to an external antenna?  I had the same problem with a King hand held (KX99) and an external antenna fixed it.
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  17. tcj added a post in a topic Fiberglass or Plastic fuel tanks?   

    I agree putting weight at the wing tips is not a good idea.  Think spin recovery.  If you are thinking about putting weight at any extreme point on the airplane, ie nose, tail, or wing tips, do the math for the moment of inertia.  The formula is arm SQUARED times weight.  It is not as simple as weight and balance calculations.
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  18. tcj added a post in a topic Doe's anyone make a transport kit for Avid's   

    Ed, yes I cut the threads off some bolts to make the pins.   I trailer for each flight.  I don't want to use threaded bolts for the hardware and be inserting and removing threads and waller out the wing fittings.
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  19. tcj added a post in a topic Doe's anyone make a transport kit for Avid's   

    These are 3/4" metal electrical conduit.  You can make two from a 10 foot stick.

     

     
     
     

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  20. tcj added a post in a topic Fabric Weight (Model III)   

    My model 4 kitfox kit came with light weight fabric for the complete airplane.  I had delusions of upgrading to a 912 and moving to Alaska in the future so bought medium weight for the wings and tail but used the light weight on the fuselage.  The light weight is much easier to work with for your doillies to go over inspection rings and such too.
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  21. tcj added a post in a topic Starting your Avid   

    The factory says don't run the engine without a prop.  Some people do but say to turn the idle screws down before you start it or it could over rev.
     
    I attended a Rotax two stroke engine seminar put on by Lockwood Aviation this summer and he recommended to do as I had done.  I told him about the nozzle flying into the cylinder and he said that was a new first.  I would still hold the nozzle with one had or remove it before squirting the fog though.
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  22. tcj added a post in a topic Starting your Avid   

    I do it all the time.  I cut some covers out of cardboard to put over the wing roots and keep the prop blast out of the wings. 
     
    last time I fogged the engine that little red straw on the fog oil can shot right off and into the cylinder and ended up down under the crank.  Had to pull the cylinder off to get it out.
     
    I'm chicken to stand there with my hand 6 inches from the spinning prop.  I run the engine, shut it off, squirt fog for a couple seconds into each cylinder with the intake ports open, then start it and shut it off soon as it fires.
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  23. tcj added a post in a topic Mag check   

    My tach is hooked up to the gray wire.  I once was going to fly with the master switch turned off to do some testing.  When I did the mag check it did like yours...RPM increased about 1000 rpm with one mag switched off.  I turned the master switch on and it was back to normal.  These Rotax electrical systems are very sensitve to a loose or corroded ground too.  The ignition system can do some puzzling things like feeding back through other parts of the electrical components when there is a grounding problem.   I have never been able to figure out why mine did that with the master switch off though.
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  24. tcj added a post in a topic Foam air filter   

    Ooops, I posted in the wrong thread.
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  25. tcj added a post in a topic Retired yesterday   

    I lost about 30 pounds...all off my gut...the first six months after I retired.  I stopped by my old office to say hi to everyone and they all wanted to know how I lost the weight.  I just replied, "I'm retired, no time to drink beer".
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