Willja67

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Everything posted by Willja67



  1. Willja67 added a post in a topic Carbon fiber spars   

    I went out and measured my wings and came up with 112 sq ft of wing area with the fiberglass tips being roughly 5.7 sq ft (included in the 112 total). At max gross weight (850 lbs for a model 1) that's a wing loading of about 7.6 lbs per sq ft of wing area. If you take that area away you bump your wing loading up to 8 lbs per sq ft and you lost about a foot and a half of span both of which might adversely affect your climb performance.  I'm not experienced enough to know if that would actually be a noticeable difference but it's worth thinking about. I have a feeling that us guys that live at higher altitudes would notice the difference more than the ones near sea level. Especially when density altitude goes really high on a hot day here in the desert. 
    Also I recall Jim Chuk mentioning that those fiberglass tips might just save your flaperons in the event of a ground loop and would provide some measure of protection from the impact of the wingtip against the ground doing some serious damage to the spars as well. I had planned on getting rid of mine as well but as soon as I read that I decided to keep them. 
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  2. Willja67 added a post in a topic Yeeehaaaa!!! New Gear is On!!!!   

    Good to know, thanks. 
     
    In other news:
    The wheels are on!!!! Just have to plumb the brake lines now. 
    Also had the guy whos helping me welded some reinforcements on my rudder pedals and added a mount point for the master cylinder on what used to be the passengers right rudder pedal. 
     
    Thanks to an awesome gentleman my plane is getting a lot done on it. I'm really excited!
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  3. Willja67 added a post in a topic Help identifying this engine mount pattern   

    For those who are interested Double Clutch texted me the pics. Here is one of them. 

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  4. Willja67 added a post in a topic Early kitfox brake upgrade.   

    I got to tour the Matco factory recently and they had a demonstrator that showed the difference that proper pedal geometry has on brake pressure. It's eye opening. The right pedal has crappy geometry the left pedal has correct geometry. You get to sit in the seat push on each pedal and watch a pressure gauge and even though you may be applying the same force to each pedal what reaches the caliper is way different ( should have taken a pic, sorry). Anyway I have a kitfox 1 and measured the pedals on mine and the mechanical advantage of the stock pedals is only 2:1. George Happ of Matco recommends at least 2.5:1. So I designed some new pedals. Haven't finished them yet and it'll be awhile before my plane is actually able to use them but here is my design:I'm using 1/8" 6061T6 aluminum angle riveted together with bronze bushings and a 4130 axel. In the top pic the left aluminum piece attaches to the master cylinder.  The idea was to make something that was fairly easy to fabricate with simple tools and doesn't require welding, and be lightweight. I haven't pulled the original pedals off yet and weighed them but I will when i get around to it. 
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  5. Willja67 added a post in a topic What kind of aluminum are the control sticks?   

    I think you misunderstood the question. I'm converting the aircraft to single seat with me sitting in the middle. In that configuration the stick is under my leg. I want to make a new stick that is bent so that it comes up in the middle just like that guy who did the same thing to his avid A model.  
    Thanks that's what i was asking for. 
     
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  6. Willja67 added a post in a topic Fiberglass and epoxy to reinforce flaperon hangers?   

    thanks for , I'm guessing a 1/8" bolt? 
    Looks nice. Kinda wish I could do that but my wings are covered and I'm not cutting into them. 
    I did have a thought while looking at these pics; what if you added something like a wing fence on the flaperons, or even end plates on the outboard ends? I know that the fences would add weight and you would have to rebalance the whole control surface so probably not practical but it seems like adding a end plate attached to the outboard hangar could reduce the tip vortex coming off the flaperon and either reduce drag or increase its effectiveness? But having full span flaperons the kitfox might already have enough roll?  Anyway just throwing that idea out there. 
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  7. Willja67 added a topic in Technical tasks   

    What kind of aluminum are the control sticks?
    I am converting my plane into a single seater sitting in the middle, I just received a piece of the correct diameter and wall thickness 4130 (7/8" .058") that I was planning on using to modify the stick, but then I hefted it and the stick and surprise surprise the 4130 felt way too heavy in relation to the stick. A magnet confirmed that the stick isn't steel.  So do you guys know what type of aluminum the sticks are made out of? My guess would be either  6061 T6 or 2024 T3? Given that it's aluminum instead of trying to cut out the middle and weld a piece in I'm thinking it's probably easier to just bend up a new stick. Anyone ever done that and have some pointers?
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  8. Willja67 added a post in a topic Fiberglass and epoxy to reinforce flaperon hangers?   

    Yeah I did see your post. You mentioned that you were going to bolt through the aluminum, do you have a picture of that?
    Good to know. Considering I'm not going to cut into the fabric to extend the reinforcement as far forward as possible that would allow a small area that rot could start at and work its way aft. 
    Thanks for all the comments guys. 
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  9. Willja67 added a topic in Technical tasks   

    Fiberglass and epoxy to reinforce flaperon hangers?
    I have to reinforce the flaperon hangars on my bird and have been researching on this forum the ways to go about it. One of the common problems with the aluminum and scotchweld seems to be that the glue isn't always fool proof and some of the photos ive seen you can still see plywood sticking out which means whatever varnish is protecting it can eventually fail and the wood will rot.
    That led me to the idea of wrapping the rib tail/ hangar in fiberglass cloth and epoxy. It will reinforce it and weather proof it. If the wood is properly prepped the epoxy should bond the fiberglass to the wood very well and be very weather proof. So has this been tried? It wouldn't surprise me if it has and i just didn't find it in my searching. If it has did it work? If not why not?
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  10. Willja67 added a post in a topic Avid Catalina for sale on ebay   



  11. Willja67 added a post in a topic Avid Catalina for sale on ebay   

    I recently took the wings off my KF1 to do some work on it. It had been sitting in my garage for months with the wings folded and it was amazing how much more room i had to walk around the plane with them off.
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  12. Willja67 added a post in a topic Yeeehaaaa!!! New Gear is On!!!!   

    Ok guys got a question regarding the new gear and the trailer.  I'm having to modify the trailer because the new gear is 2 ft wider, which is fairly easy to do.  There's 2 ways to go about modifying the trailer.
    1. the easy simpler stronger way which raises the front end of the plane up 3.5" in addition to the increase in height the new gear gives the front end, or
    2. The slightly more difficult not quite so strong but definitely adequate way that doesn't raise the front of the airplane(the gear still adds a couple inches) 
    I'm just wondering if the increase in angle on the front of the plane and the resulting increase in wind load particularly on the top of the wings is something to be concerned about? Ive been thinking about a way to raise the tail if that is indeed a concern. 
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  13. Willja67 added a post in a topic Sling Seat Question   

    Thanks Jim. That helps. Do you think the sling seat is useable without padding?
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  14. Willja67 added a topic in Kitfox I   

    Sling Seat Question
    I'm doing a number of mods to my plane to cut weight and 1 I want to do is install a sling seat. I'm converting the plane to a single seat in the middle and using the outboard rudder pedals. I would like to use the space on either side of the seat for cargo space. I saw Jim's post about a guy who did something similar with an avid but for the life of me i can't find it again, but he made a bench seat. I'm wondering how feasible it is just to have the middle 18-20" have the seat? Ive read about the issues with the flap lever and looking at my plane wonder if the KF1 can accommodate a sling seat without interfering with that?  Also I'm wondering about omitting the padding? Seems like a good way to save weight and money and lower my head away from the ceiling a little. 
    Last question to Jim about the center seat/stick setup. I know it was an Avid and i saw how he cut the top of the stick off and added a tube that was angled to get the stick in the middle. I don't remember if the avid has the flap lever in the middle like my kitfox does? Just wondering about clearance. Can you move the stick through full range with the flap handle pulled up? 
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  15. Willja67 added a post in a topic Yeeehaaaa!!! New Gear is On!!!!   

    Nope it's made by Stace Schrader of Rocky mountain wings and it's definitely at least a few inches taller than the stock gear
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  16. Willja67 added a topic in Kitfox I   

    Yeeehaaaa!!! New Gear is On!!!!
    It took forever but my little fox has her new legs!!!
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  17. Willja67 added a post in a topic Losing weight from the turtle deck   

    Well for my application I have to trailer the bird to the runway whenever i fly so a permanent installation is out re fabric covered.  Also I do think the skylight right above the pilot is useful, just not the windows on the turtle deck. Maybe if i were a youtuber and wanted a camera in my face that could also watch the elevator and rudder moving around I would keep the windows but I have no desire for any kind of fame (or infamy).
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  18. Willja67 added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Losing weight from the turtle deck
    Ok I'm looking to shave every ounce of fat from my bird (no surprise right?) And was looking at the turtle deck. Personally having never flown in a kitfox but thinking about some of the other types I've flown i don't think I'd miss not having the windows and my suspicion is that .020 aluminum is lighter than 1/16" lexan and without the piano hinge  in the middle (with the antenna where it is the hinge is nearly worthless) and maybe losing a few of the stiffeners around the windows I could save a few ounces.  Does anyone really find those rear windows useful? Looking at the newer foxes (models 4-7) it doesn't look like they've even got stiffeners just a sheet of lexan either bent at the corners or maybe with some aluminum angle to make the corners. 
    And speaking of the antenna I'd really prefer not to have it mounted on the turtle deck. I've noticed a few guys have it mounted further back. What are the ground plane requirements and how are the normally installed? 


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  19. Willja67 added a post in a topic New toy coming for the shop   

    Not an engineer either but structurally I think you're pretty safe increasing the cord of the wing, you can get into trouble increasing span if the spars aren't strong enough. The other thing you have to be aware of is stability. You'll have to increase the size of your tail feathers to keep the same control effectiveness. And that leads to wondering if the aft fuselage can handle those extra loads? Again not an engineer don't sue me if I'm wrong. 
     
    Btw I'm also jealous of your new toy.
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  20. Willja67 added a post in a topic Gear repair picture needed   

    The flat face portion faces outboard and is used to locate the bracket. Just push it tight against the longeron, and probably adds a little strength when you weld it to the longeron.
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  21. Willja67 added a post in a topic Gear repair picture needed   

    Do these help? The bracket shown is the forward bracket the gear leg mounts outboard and the cabane on the inboard hole.  The end of the tape is at the peak of the tubes. Center to center on the cabane mounting holes is 31".



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  22. Willja67 added a post in a topic Gear repair picture needed   

    Looks alot like the gear i bought from Stace Schrader, the main difference being that your gear has braces where the bungee wraps around and my cabane doesn't have the cross tube. I'll measure the distance across the top of the cabane when i get home from work, although mine is for a KF1 which might be narrower than yours. 

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  23. Willja67 added a post in a topic Rotron RT600 XE 100 horsepower   

    I couldn't find a price. I'm guessing pricey but sure looks cool. As light weight as it is and as far out front as you'd have to put it to make cg work you could make it look like a turbine was hanging on the front and have a mini Draco .
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  24. Willja67 added a post in a topic Looking for Transponder advice   

    It's only going to be legal for another 10 months until 2020 then to operate within 30 nm of SLC Int'l you'll need an ADSB transponder. If you stay low enough and outside of class B and C airspace (a generalization) you won't need a transponder. I don't have one in my plane and don't plan on it. Just money I don't want to spend and weight i don't want to carry.
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  25. Willja67 added a post in a topic Kitfox identification   

    What's the deal with all the red and white painted parts? It looks like there's an N number on the wheel pants and the cowling looks like the plane was stood on its nose.
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