CoClimber

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Everything posted by CoClimber



  1. CoClimber added a post in a topic Flaperon Travel   

    Do you mean with the flap lever? Do you have the build manual?  I can check mine when I get home.
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  2. CoClimber added a post in a topic Converting to nosegear   

    TJay,  the strap is there for increasing the gross weight but also because I moved my landing gear mounting to that point.  I will be adding a cross piece to the cabane V that you see in the last photo of the gear, which will also add support to the overall structure.
    I resized the rib photo.  Let's see if it works.  I can see the original photo on my computer but not my tablet.

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  3. CoClimber added a post in a topic Converting to nosegear   

    I should probably put this in a new subject but I finished cutting out my model 4 ribs. I have the CNC router that I built for work in my shop on permanent loan.  Took a while to get the cad right but now the ribs match up about perfectly to the factory ribs.  A friend gave me two factory ribs so that I can verify them.  I hope to start converting the wing in a week or so.  Regarding Facebook, I posted this photo on a Kitfox group and it seemed to disappear.  I sent a message to the moderator to determine why but didn't hear back.  Strange.

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  4. CoClimber added a post in a topic Converting to nosegear   

    Allen, there is no way I would charge for that.  For one thing, there is a liability concern.  I am happy to share what I did though.  Unfortunately, much of this was done by fitting parts to the frame.  The critical number for me was 53 degrees for the main gear legs.  That way the main wheels will just fit inside a UHaul trailer.
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  5. CoClimber added a post in a topic Converting to nosegear   

    Yeah, Especially with a gross weight increase, I want to do a lot more reinforcements.  I want to first do more analysis on where the force will be concentrated.
    I don't mind kidding, I come from a competitive background but I thought the comment "Death Trap" was a bit over the top.
    Funny thing is that I, personally, think a Kitfox is prettier as a trike.  I think I'm clear on the advantages of a tail dragger, I just don't want to learn in one at the moment.  Besides, I spend all day in front of a computer so I love to go home and get my hands dirty fabricating.
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  6. CoClimber added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Converting to nosegear
    I bought a Kitfox 2 earlier this year and due to a lack of an airworthiness certificate I decided to strip it down and log the build process.  Never one to leave things alone, I decided to make some changes.  KF4 ribs and flaperons, wing tanks, swap the 582 for a 912, switch to differential flaperon mixer, larger rudder/vertical stab, and convert to nose gear.
    Why nose gear on a STOL?  A number of reasons.  I have 20 hours towards my license so want to make landings easier, I will be flying mainly off of paved strips, I doubt I will ever land off airport (no place to do that around here), cheaper insurance, I can see over the nose, and I can easily convert it back to tail wheel.  On a facebook group, I received a fair amount of negative response to this.  Other than the cost, I can't find enough good reasons not to do the conversion, especially considering that I can use this airplane to build my skills then convert it back later if I choose.
    I didn't want to use grove gear because of the weight and cost so I designed some cabane style gear that gets the mains back near the third wheel bracket.  This area has already been reinforced to increase my gross weight although I intend to add a tube between the cabane pickups.  I bought a nose gear assembly rather than fabricate my own.  I prefer to do things myself but didn't want to do that much structural analysis and I have this wild notion that I can get this flying sometime next year.  I still need to reinforce the cabane V and add reinforcement to the fuselage but I wanted to show what I've been up to.


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  7. CoClimber added a post in a topic My new best friend   

    Here's the initial stand.  The blades are on order and when they come in, I can make something more permanent out of steel but for now this will do.  I plan to bungee the saw to the wood.  I will machine a work base to replace the guide shoe tonight after work.

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  8. CoClimber added a post in a topic My new best friend   

    Well thanks a lot!  I'm now $100 poorer after a trip to Harbor Freight.  I plan to throw together a quick stand for it.  Now every time I need to fabricate a bracket, etc I don't have to wait till I'm at work to use the machine shop.  Should definitely speed things up.
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  9. CoClimber added a post in a topic adjust gear attachment spacing   

    From a structural point of view, removing 2-3mm off the end of that tube should have little effect.  Try not to get into the weld.  That weld is primarily in compression so that helps.  The other option is to heat the other end of that large tube and bend the tube forward.  My concern there is that the small tube will now be angled slightly upward and the bolt may not line up.  You wouldn't want to open up the hole in the bracket to get the bolt through.
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  10. CoClimber added a post in a topic Crooked horizontal stabilizer   

    I took some eyeball measurements of that photo. It looks like the stab is off ~1 degree.  Because the horizontal tail is pushing down in flight, the angle will cause a horizontal force that will push the tail to the left.  However, at 1 degree, that force will be 1.7% of the total force the tail generates.  In other words, completely unnoticeable. 
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  11. CoClimber added a post in a topic Flaperon travel   

    You can make a reserve lift indicator for less than $100. Uses a differential pressure gauge and a second pitot tube mounted at ~45 degrees below the main pitot tube.  If I ever get my plane flying, I can shoot a video of it.
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  12. CoClimber added a post in a topic Flaperon travel   

    I guess I made the phrase up.  As you know aircraft designers will often make the aileron mixers such that the aileron goes up more than down to counter adverse yaw.  In the case of the model 4 onward the aileron goes up twice as far as it goes down.  You noticed correctly that the earlier models do have more down than up which, when you include the smaller rudder, makes the pilot have to work to keep the plane coordinated.  Or so I'm told.  I have yet to fly a KF.  I have a pile of tubing in my shop to convert my KF2 mixer to a KF4 for this reason.  I'm also converting the wings and flaperons because, apparently I want to drag this project out rather than go flying.  
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  13. CoClimber added a post in a topic Flaperon travel   

    It is my understanding that the 1, 2, and 3s had a small amount of reverse differential which aggregated adverse yaw.  The 4 fixed that.
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  14. CoClimber added a post in a topic Tail Wheel/ Nosegear   

    That's on big reason I am considering converting mine.  At the moment it is completely stripped down so it's a good time to comvert it.  Besides, I am extremely unlikely to ever do back country type flying.
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  15. CoClimber added a post in a topic Dan Denney ground loop   

    I had the pleasure of meeting Nigel recently and got to inspect his Kitfox.  Nice plane.  
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  16. CoClimber added a post in a topic Kitfox IV rudder & vertical tail size increase question   

    Good timing on this thread.  I made a new rudder for my KF2 that is slightly larger than the KF4-1200 rudder and I'm about to weld up the new vertical stab.  I was considering leaving the cross pieces which would greatly reduce the area of the stab but I think I would be better served to cut the cross pieces out and extend the front tube forward as well as up.
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  17. CoClimber added a post in a topic Questions for Latex Lovers   

    I'm testing PPG Gripper primer on my rudder.  Yesterday I sprayed high gloss latex my wife picked up at Ace Hardware (she works there).  I can't remember the brand but she says it is owned by SW. I'll check the results when I get home tonight.
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  18. CoClimber added a post in a topic Nose wheel design   

    The Kitfox does not have a nosewheel weldment so I will have to fabricate that.  What was the diameter of the Avid nosewheel tube?
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  19. CoClimber added a post in a topic Nose wheel design   

    The repairman certificate is of low importance.  I'm a fairly capable mechanic/machinist but I am also very safety oriented so I want that second set of eyes and the AP I have lined up sounds to be capable.   The builder stated that he had the initial airworthiness inspection done but the N number search shows that the certificate was never issued.  My DAR is saying that without the builders log, there is no way to know that it was amateur built. I am considering ditching my DAR and going with someone who has more experience with experimentals but first I am waiting for the CD to arrive,
     
    Now, anyone want to weigh in on how big the nose gear main tube should be?  It's much easier to get flying lessons in a nose gear airplane around here.
     
    Any thank you for all who responded.
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  20. CoClimber added a post in a topic Nose wheel design   

    Chris,  it has an N number. I bought it from the original builder.  Great guy. Older. He has been looking for the builders log and anything else.  I have the builders manual but that's about it.  I ordered the CD of the N number records and I'll see if there is anything there that proves it meets the 51% rule.  My CFI is willing to fly off the phase one if necessary but the 51% is the part that is getting me at the moment.  I thought about buying a serial number but haven't found a wrecked KF2.
    The up side of rebuilding it is that I get the model 4 wing, differential ailerons, a tail that has positive yaw, wing tanks, and an airplane that wants to go straight on the landing roll.  Oh yeah, a repairman's certificate.  The down side is that I am maybe a day's work from having this airplane completely airworthy.
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  21. CoClimber added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Nose wheel design
    I bought a Kitfox 2 and, being new to this, didn't realize that it didn't have an airworthiness certificate, nor can the builder find the log files.  I am trying to chase these down but I am also working out a backup plan.  If this aircraft is a dead end, I am considering stripping it and using the fuselage to make a scratch built.  I would use the wing spars to make a model 4 wing, modify the tail to the model 4 dimensions, and (blasphemy) turn it into a trike.  So, first question: how strong do I need to make the nose gear (how big of tube do I need).  I am calculating the bending load but I am guessing as to how much force will be applied to the nose wheel.  I will be calculating the weight on the wheel while stationary based on gross weight and full forward CG, but I'm not sure of the dynamic load.  Seems like there are some pretty smart people on this forum so I thought I would ask.
    The reason for the nose gear: I am a student pilot, insurance, there is no place around here for "backcountry flying" so I will be flying from airport to airport, and I like seeing where I am going.
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    • 661 views


  22. CoClimber added a post in a topic Flap Lever   

    I wouldn't worry about the plastic.  There is almost no load on the plastic and if it were to fail, you are in the same situation you are now without the plastic.  I imaginr PLA would be more than strong enough but I would prefer something that can take a bit more heat.  Will this work on a Kitfox?  I haven't been in this game long enough to know the differences between the Kitfox and the AvidFlyer.
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