akflyer

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Everything posted by akflyer



  1. akflyer added a post in a topic Bringing a Kitfox 1 back to life   

    just a heads up... I have run lots of different tires on mine.  The good years are pretty heavy and don't offer much cushion on our light birds.  Out of the line up you have, I would be running the nancos.  
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  2. akflyer added a post in a topic When your landing goes wrong.   

    big lesson learned here.  water is hard when ya hit it fast and it lets you skip across it (surface tension and all that)  Snow has none of these properties and as you learned really quick, SUCKS to play on with tires.  
    I had a big wake up call the first year I got my ticket.  Was in a 152 and landed for a pee break on a strip that had 4" of snow on it.  The deceleration was astonishing and even with the best soft field take off I could have ever done, I burned up 3000' + coaxing that poor bird into the air after said break.
    Several times a year guys up here think that by having 35" bushwheels on their cub they can land in the deeper snow.  More often than not it ends with a chopper ride and a totaled bird.
    Glad you walked away from your sudden arrival and the damage is really not all that bad considering.
     
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  3. akflyer added a post in a topic When your landing goes wrong.   

    That's a pretty damn accurate statement.  You did forget snake oil salesman though! 
     
    You sound like you will fit right in around here.  Sucks to see a bird bent and yes, it is amazing how damn fast shit goes wrong.  I have learned one thing. NEVER, EVER volunteer info to the feds.  If they didn't see this happen there is no way I would have let them know.
    Welcome aboard and keep us posted on your progress!

     
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  4. akflyer added a post in a topic 582 alternate pistons   

    and almost 2 planes.  The poor 582 doesn't make much power when it had the compression of a turbine.  I could use one finger to spin the prop on Bob's plane when we got it back on the ground but it stayed running.  Mine I dead sticked it in with a 20 knot tail wind and BARELY made the runway.  Had to call an emergency to clear the pattern and get the other planes the hell out of my way including a twin on short final that was headed straight for me trying to land into the wind.  Was an interesting day to say the least.

     
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  5. akflyer added a post in a topic Finally brought it home, more photos in the morning.   

    I am not sure about you, but for myself it is function over form.  I have no desire to have a hangar queen or something that would win Oshkosh.  I like to have too much fun on gravel and rocks etc.  I want my planes safe for flight, the cosmetics don't mean much to me.  There are a ton of guys that get hung up on the little tiny details that are purely cosmetic or feel good and not needed for safe flight.  The big ticket items you have shown such as the rib tails and false ribs are one good days work away from being repaired.  2 days if the temps are low and it takes longer for the glue to set up.  The Mod 2 is a great flying STOL plane that it a ton of fun to fly.  Do you have a local EAA chapter?  You might be able to solicit some good help to knock these projects out and get her in the air!
     

     
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  6. akflyer added a post in a topic Flaperon travel   

    the normal mixer system gave more down than up, this is where the adverse yaw and potential for control reversal at high flap settings comes from.  The updated F7A arms fixed this and gave you more up travel than down as it should have been to begin with.
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  7. akflyer added a post in a topic Avid Magnum Engine Mount   

    Welcome to the forum.  We have a few Magnum owners here and hopefully they can help you out.  Maybe someone has a mount that they can make a jig off of.

     
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  8. akflyer added a post in a topic New Wings   

    they are putting the DE wings on coyotes.  No reason to not put them on a magnum.  yes, you loose the folding wing ability but I think it might be a better wing all around.  The other option I would look at is using the Model IV airfoil on the wing.
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  9. akflyer added a post in a topic 582 heater core installation and pre-heaters   

    its a 2 stroke.. no real need to preheat it UNLESS its really cold and you don't have a clutch.  Then it is more important to heat the gear box so the oil will flow or you will play hell getting it to spin fast enough to fire.
    I use a heat muff on mine and get cabin heat just like any other conventional aircraft.
     
    For a quick preheater that will also thaw out the cabin and clear the windshield in no time this is what I am using.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/All-In-One-12V-8KW-Diesel-Air-Heater-Car-Parking-Heater-for-Truck-Bus-Boat-RV/133183800107?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D871543df0e044b189205b351852a9fc8%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D401382869584%26itm%3D133183800107%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Acff8bfbc-00ce-11ea-a887-74dbd180abca|parentrq%3A42458a5016e0aa18f15a5295fff35a6a|iid%3A1
    I did a test last week on my brothers 170.  At 30 degree ambient temps.  In 45 minutes the engine oil temp went from 30 degrees to 97 and cylinder temps from 30 to 117.  Toss the 4" heat trunk in the cabin door and it was toasty in about 5 minutes.  

     
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  10. akflyer added a post in a topic 582 alternate pistons   

    We tried the single ring SPI pistons and both bob and I had the rings fail at less than 5 hrs.  The rings were super soft and not "springy".  In under 5 hrs on both engines we did with them the compression was close to zero, and I do mean zero.
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  11. akflyer added a post in a topic Avid Horizontal Stab Rigging   

    mine is out too when you put a level on it.  I can see it and it bugs me, but it seems to fly just fine.  The elevator also has a twist in it, I think it was to keep it loaded and decrease the potential for flutter.  I think that's what I have read some where anyway.
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  12. akflyer added a post in a topic Panels & ADS-B   

    You do make a good point.  Even with new glasses that give me 20/15 it seems like its getting harder to pick out traffic when they call positions.  Of course, this may have something to do with people calling out general areas and they call 2 miles from XXX when they are 4 -6 miles out.  Or call 5 out and are 1 out   I still have issues sometimes seeing planes in the pattern especially if I am above them.  If you have lights on the plane light them up no matter what time of day it is and wig wag lights are WAY easier to pick up on.

     
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  13. akflyer added a post in a topic Bush gear topic reopened   

    the issue with this is that its sometimes tough enough to get two bolt holes to line up on a fuse that may have been tweaked a bit.  If the truss is reinforced with the plywood or plate and the sides boxed in the same way, a properly designed gear wont fold up the fuse.  
    The issue is a PROPERLY designed gear and not just a spit ball copy that has thus far been done.  
    Unless your mission is to be a youtube sensation the super long travel shocks etc are not needed for rough back country flying.

     
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  14. akflyer added a post in a topic 582 to 912 questions   

    avid mounts are easy, I have made a few of them and have good jigs.  But he has a KF so he can probably get one straight from KF, however, I have heard reports of them being a pain to use and needed to be modified.  On an avid you have to extend the cowl around 2" to go from a 582 to 912.  I have seen it done with fiberglass and just an aluminum strip rivet in.  Lots of ways to skin this cat.

     
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  15. akflyer added a post in a topic Avid/Foxes?   

    I could see that being in the original proposal.  Some turbos are manually operated waste gates etc so its more complex and adds to pilots work load.  Kind of like having an inflight adjustable prop.  The turbo argument lost out and the inflight prop stuck.  That is something I could see happening quite easily..
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  16. akflyer added a post in a topic Panels & ADS-B   

    If your not flying into areas that require a transponder now, then you don't need adsb.  I have my garmin 295 in the panel on the Avid and an Icom panel mount radio.  I used a handheld and it was more of a pain with extra cords hanging etc.  
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  17. akflyer added a post in a topic East TN Flyer   

    The only way that brass gear strips is if its not filled with oil and has air in it.  Almost all 2 strokes don't die, they are murdered.  It is not the fault of the engine that someone put it together with a hodge podge of parts.  Reason 3242332 why I build all my own engines.  
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  18. akflyer added a post in a topic BSin'...   

    Scouts are great birds.  Comfortable to sit in, easy to fly and perform pretty damn well.  It all come downs to your mission.  As pointed out above, the cost of maintenance and repairs on certified birds are generally drastically more than we pay on the EAB planes.  Parts cost alone are a major portion of that.  
    My main missions have changed making it prudent for me to get a plane more capable of hauling a load and ranging out a bit further.  The pacer does not have the sex appeal the Scout does, but it does the job I need it to much better and at a very low price point.  A 912 powered fox or Avid is selling for more than a good used pacer.

     
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  19. akflyer added a post in a topic Finally brought it home, more photos in the morning.   

    No worries on getting it in the joints.  The acetone will flash off fast. If you are just talking about fabric removal, grip it and pull, it will come right off.  I have never bothered using anything to remove fabric.

     
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  20. akflyer added a post in a topic Starting my Homemade Hackman   

     
    The system works.. it works in 1000s of planes.  Is it worth loosing sleep over or are ya just bored and want to make something simple into something difficult   
    If you are messing with the hacman while doing circuits around the patch shooting touch and goes, you are just creating a lot more work for yourself than really needed.  If the temp has a drastic swing from one day to the next, or you are taking off at one altitude, climbing out to more than 3k then you might be playing with it a little, but if you are constantly trying to tweak it to get maximum power/EGT temps your going to drive yourself insane.  These 2 strokes will vary the temps QUICKLY with a little burble of air.  As soon as you hit a pocket and unload the engine your EGTS will go up.  Set it to 1150 and enjoy the flight.  Short trips don't really gain you anything, its the long trips or high elevations where you will really be twiddling with it.

     
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  21. akflyer added a post in a topic Rivet type?   

    I just used 1/8" large flange aluminum rivets from the local hardware store or amazon on the lexan.  SS rivets on the butt ribs.  What your doing is not really structural so Cherry max rivets are ridiculous overkill.
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  22. akflyer added a post in a topic Finally brought it home, more photos in the morning.   

    I think the hysol called for in the book is still pretty much the standard.
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  23. akflyer added a post in a topic Finally brought it home, more photos in the morning.   

    fabric punch test is not really conclusive, ESPECIALLY it if was covered in the "light" fabric.  If it was polytac, acetone takes it off.  if the rib varnish comes off too then just brush a little more back on.
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  24. akflyer added a post in a topic Windshield   

    I have use the 090.  it might push in a little but not bad and it forms much better around the tight corners at the top.  Use a little heat to form the corners and your good.
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  25. akflyer added a post in a topic Rivet type?   

    knowing what you riveting makes all the difference.  If your talking about installing lexan, you want large head soft rivets.  If its something more structural then all things change.  So before we can give you a good answer we need a wee bit more info on what you doing.  Most of the rivets you would need you can get from the hardware store.

     
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