109jb

Airplane is sold.

Thanks to all who responded.

I would think in Alaska that there would be a bunch of snowmobile shops that could do it. A 582 is derivative of a the engine in the ski-doo 580. 

Good news. Let the festivities begin!!! Be safe and let us know how things go.

I finally got some other things done and was able to get the ball rolling on this rebuild. I've attached some pictures, one of which is just the fusealge moved from the cold storage side of my barn to the work area with my other project I've got going.

I also started working on the repairing the cowling that got damaged during the nose-over. I probably should have just bought a new one but I'm too cheap and I've also made it sort of a game with myself to see just how inexpensively I can get this airplane flying again. The lower front cowl took the brunt of the damage and had a lot of cracks. So many and so large that it could not hold its own shape correctly. Fortunately I had the other Kitfox IV, so I used its lower cowl to make a plywood template for a jig to hold the broken cowl in position for enough repairs to make it rigid again.

The cowl was placed in the jig and internal repairs done with epoxy and biderectional cloth using several internal layers. Every time i thought I had all of the cracks taken car of I found another. There were so many. Once the cowl was rigid enough to hold shape I continued glassing cracks as I found them and also put a couple layers on the outside after sanding down to the bare glass. I used enough externally to insure that after sanding and fairing the outside that each crack would still have an external layer of fresh glass.

The upper cowl wasn't as bad but still ad some cracks.

It is really  amazing how long this takes. I have about 20 hours into the cowl repairs and still not done. Then I have to move on the the aft cowls. They fortunately only have a couple minor cracks and shouldn't take much.

More to come but likely a little slowly at first.

Nice

EDIT: pasting didn't work the way I thought so added the snips from the op lims

This is from the "old old" style op lims (My project Kitfox Speedster)

This is from the "Old but not that old" style op lims (My Sonerai)

And this is from the "New" style op lims. (New limitations updated this year for my Yellow Kitfox IV)

In 2 cases the FAA is supposed to be notified of a major change and their response received. With the old old style the response must be in writing. In the new style it doesn't say it has to be in writing but you have to have concurrence. And then there is the in-between limitations that don't even say you have to notify them.

The bottom line is it depends on what YOUR op lims say. The safest course of action is to notify and get a response in writing or by e-mail. Having said that, I've made a lot of major mods to my Sonerai and never notified because the op lims didn't say to, but I did make log entries.

This ^^^^^^

Kitfoxes and Avids have struts on the tail and do not have flying wires.

I'm also going that G5 route on my Kitfox 4 rebuild, if I ever get a chance to work on it. The plan is the G5 running a 2 axis autopilot, fed nav data by a tablet running Avare,  a SL40 com radio, a GTX327 transponder, which the G5 can act as the encoder for, and an echo ADS-b. I'll also have an engine monitor and may roll my own or get a mgl engine monitor for the 912.

Kitfox has flaps that can reflex, but the flaps are used as pitch trim since they are infinitely adjustable. Works well. Takeoff position is about neutral flap on mine, but that's just really a mark to set them beforehand

Some pictures from today's flight. Airplane is still for sale. A bunch more pictures here : https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZezCLTsxruP4KFuf6 

So I have decided to sell my Kitfox IV 1050 to finance my other Kitfox build.  I just got my Sonerai flying so I have something to fly so this one can be sold now.

I have a Kitfox IV 1050 with a Rotax 582 that I bought a year ago for sale. The airplane flies great and the 582 does an admirable job. The reason I'm selling is because earlier this year I bought another Kitfox IV speedster from an insurance auction, and I also just got my Sonerai IIL back into flying status. So, I'm selling this airplane to fund the build of the other Kitfox. The airplane is hangared in Morris, IL (C09). Here are some specs on the airplane:

Kitfox IV 1050, serial number 1488.
Build completed 1/24/2000
Empty weight 560 pounds per logbook weight and balance
Gross weight 1050
Useful load 490 pounds
Fuel capacity 27 gallons (13 gallons each wing + 1 gallon header
Standard instruments
No radios, but there is a comm antenna and a spot in the instrument panel for radios. I use a handheld and portable intercom (not included)
Stock Kitfox landing gear with 8" douglas wheels and Matco brakes
New Nanco 21x12x8 tires
Dual brake pedals installed
190 hours total time but I'm still flying it as much as I can.

The airplane did have trailering damage to the fuselage that has been repaired and the airplane has about 20 hours since the repairs. Here are a couple pictures but you can see the more about the airplane including pictures, flight videos, a description of the damage and repairs here: https://teamkitfox.com/Forums/thread...ht-a-Kitfox-IV . I'm asking $20,000 for the airplane and right now I am pretty firm on that price. PM me if interested.

Carb boots cracked? That's what happened to my 582. Would start and idle ok. But wouldn't take throttle.

Jim, I did see your link. His equation has been reduced down to simply a constant x v2 = water column height, which makes it hard to work back the units. That's why I posted that one with a little better dimensional verification. I'll have to first off my college aero books from 25 years ago to do a better dimensional analysis if I can find them.

Remember though that the indicator check is one part but the in-flight reading can still be of quite a bit depending on static and pitot locations. The pitot ideally should be way out in front of the wing, and choosing a static location is either hit or miss, or you have to do something like a trailing cone to get it really good.

Great movie.

Looking good. I think you need to get that bird in the air. Would hate for you to sell it and regret the sale later on.

0.166 inHg calculates out to 58.8 knots or 67.7 mph.

Your airspeed indicator looks like it is exactly right and the calibration was for knots and not for mph.  The formula for calculating this is:

V=a₀ * (5*((q_c/p₀ + 1)^2/7 - 1))^1/2  

where a₀ is the speed of sound (661.48 kts) or (761.22 mph)

q_c is the pitot pressure in inHg

p₀ is the sea level static pressure (29.92)

Taking your one picture showing an airspeed reading of 85 mph at 0.266 inHg, plugging the 0.266 into the equation using mph for speed of sound you get 85.6 mph or using knots you get 74.4 knots

On my Kitfox 4 I can trim it with flap for cruise but I've also been thinking about adding trim using a bungee, a piece of sailing rope, and a mini sailing quick cleat. Would cost only a few dollars and only take a few minutes to rig. A whole lot easier that cutting the back end of the plane off.

Could be you are one the edge of being "on the pipe" at 4100.  The exhaust is a tuned pipe and is tuned for a certain optimal RPM range. Once in that range the engine breathes better. If 4100 is just below the range where the pipe is starting to make it breath significantly better then it could increase a bit.

Nothing wrong with the duct  tape, but I personally hate the gooey mess that duct tape becomes over a short time. If it were me, I would just go ahead and fabric over the holes and do a little brush finishing just like you would do for a tear or damage to the fabric.  The prefinished panel is a great idea that I think I will do when I cover my project airplane. Those bolts you are talking about you won't likely to need to get to once all is said and done. I'd venture that on many, if not most airplanes those are covered by installing the bolts before covering anyway. It is just a small pinked edge patch glued on and a few coats of whatever dope process you selected. Alternately I would glue something on with fabric cement not needing finishing. Things that come to mind are aluminum flashing material, a scrap of oratex, a bit of plastic or other material.

Nice video. I always enjoy your videos Fred.

I measured mine a while ago and they are 8" diameter, 6" wide rims with 3+3 offset.  Douglas makes several that meet this spec, but the kitfox wheels are a 6 bolt wheel that started as a 3 bolt wheel where the builder added 3 of the holes.  The wheels I see available currently are all 4 bolt wheels which I think is just  fine, but then you would need a new hub.

I had toyed with the idea of making a new set including hubs since the wheels on one of my foxes are pretty well scratched up from someone putting the tires on. They hold air hough and it is just cosmetic.

As for changing the tires, I have had a Harbor Freight Mini tire changer and it works well for changing the tires on lawn mowers, ATV/s, Golf carts, and Kitfoxes.  

Here is a link to a 8x6 DWT rim, but note as I said these are 4 bolt and not a direct replacement for the original Kitfox wheels. You could maybe shift the bolt pattern and drill 6 more holes to get them to work but I haven't explored this.  http://www.rectires.com/douglas-atv-wheel-8x6-3b-3n-4-110-125/

Here is a link to the tire changer I have. I just clamp the bottom part in my bench vise. https://www.harborfreight.com/mini-tire-changer-61179.html

No they are not. The original wheels are 8" diameter. Those are 6" diameter.

Menards by me has lexan in 0.093". It is $62 for a 4'x4' sheet. I just bought a sheet the other day.