1avidflyer

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  1. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Checking out an Avid   

    Avids are nice sporty airplanes.  They are light and nimble.  More like a sports car compared to a family sedan when compared to a heavier GA airplane.  They will make you pay attention on the ground, especially on pavement if it's a taildragger.  Obviously look at over all condition.  Look to see if there is any indication of rot on the extended ribs that act as flaperon hangers.  Is it a 2 stroke? What model?   JImChuk
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  2. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Kitfox 1 Build   

    There is pressure in the cowl, I get a good flow through my heater with it just being open on the front.  Another thing is the air is bound to be warmer inside the cowl then the outside air, so it wont have to be warmed up quite as much to be just as warm as outside air.  Maybe you don't need any outside air??  As far as sizes, inlet tube can be smaller then outlet tube, cause the air expands.  If my math is correct, 1 1/4" tube has only 1.227 sq. in of area.  2" has 3.14 sq. in.  Almost three times difference.  Maybe 1 1/4" is to small.  1 1/2" tube is 1.77 sq. in. of area.  Half the amount of 2".  Will the air double in volume when heated?  Then again, how much restriction will you get with the scrubbing pads?  Lots of questions that may only get answered when it's built and working (or not working)  On second thought, maybe cowl air would not give enough pressure for what you are doing.  My shroud is much larger, and has a much larger hole.  I even enlarged the entry hole after I took this picture.  I does heat very well though.  There is a deflector/air dam at the top, that forces the air to go around the bottom of the muffler, and then out the 2" holes on top.  I guess that's why we call them experimentals.   (with emphasis on the last part of the word)  JImChuk

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  3. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Mk4 Gross weight   

    Supposedly, the MK IV serial # should start around 1000.  They end in a D though, not a C.  Is that a misprint?  MK IV also have a baggage compartment, and a rounded tail.  JImChuk
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  4. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Grove landing ger????or something else??   

    I just ended up going with the standard MK IV bungee gear.   Not that much of a problem if you stay on grass or snow.  Pavement, a little more of a challenge.  JImChuk
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  5. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Grove landing ger????or something else??   

    I wonder about this Ed.  I have the grove gear on the Kitfox 4 I'm rebuilding.  I thought about using the gear on the Avid MK IV I just rebuilt while I rebuilt the Kitfox.  I figured out it wouldn't work.  At least not without having the gear mounted on the Avid much further back then it was on the Kitfox.  I have a couple of pics showing the Avid fuselage/gear attachment brackets and the Kitfox 4 showing the same.   The Kitfox has an additional bracket mounted further forward pretty much at the front of the door plus the other brackets in the same place as the Avid does.  On the Kitfox, the grove mounts between the first and second bracket, If I mounted it on the Avid, it would be 6" or so inches back, in effect, between the second and third bracket.  HOpe that made sense.   JImChuk



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  6. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Pre-buy inspection in Grey Eagle, MN   

    Chris,  I sent you a private email that may help in your search for info.  JImChuk
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  7. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Cowl/muffler interference   

    Another thing you could do is hang the muffler off the firewall.  The factory mount it prone to cracking, both of mine broke from the vibration.  Here is a picture showing a heat muff on the muffler, but if you look at the ends of the muffler, you see plates welded on that rubber mount to angels on the firewall.  JImChuk

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  8. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Matco Fat Tailwheel trashed   

    I'm part owner in an 11 BC Chief as well as the other stuff, and we started getting a tailwheel shimmy at times.  It's got a Scott 3200 so it's a real good tailwheel.  The shimmy went away when we put a new tail spring on that made the castor correct.  The old spring had sagged over the years (or hard landings it experienced).  Probably lots of different reasons why a shimmy can start, but I think ours was from the sagging spring.  JImChuk
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  9. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic New Play Toys   

    How do I get a job like yours?   JImChuk
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  10. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Making a new set of skis   

    The fourth picture down from the top, wheel penetration Avid skis sitting on a wood cabnit with blue paint on it were mine.  I got them with a project, and ended up selling them to a guy way up in Canada.  I had a set like the ones I'm building, and didn't mind staying away from cleared runways, so I had no need for them.  Actually had a hard time selling them.  Got $450 finally, and then the shipping ended up being $160 cause he was way up north in Canada.  UPS didn't go that far, and he got burned by the second shipper that took them the final 100 miles or.  I think they tacked on $60.  Maybe should have kept them.....  Got this set ready to mount on the plane, I'll make up the limiter cables then.  JImChuk


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  11. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Pre-buy inspection in Grey Eagle, MN   

    One other thing here, is the owner's  widow is selling the plane.   Owner passed away a few months after he bought it.  I talked to her, not interested in the plane myself, I took it on myself to call in Chris's behalf.  She did say I should contact the AnPs that did the conditional inspection, as they knew way more about the plane then she did.  As far as the plane being sold a few times, any of us who have flown these planes and larger certified planes know they don't handle the same.  How many pilots have bought these small planes and found out they were more of a handful then they were expecting, and sold it soon afterwards.  JImChuk
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  12. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Pre-buy inspection in Grey Eagle, MN   

    If you can get non ethanol fuel, or run avgas, I don't think the tanks are that big of a problem.  Mn does have non ethanol premium available.  JImChuk
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  13. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Bad Landing, Failed Landing Gear, Missed Inspection?   

    Ouch, that's a bummer.  Sorry for you.  Grove gear is supposed to be real nice, but does add a bit of weight.  $ also.  Tuff choices.  JImChuk
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  14. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Step 2, Build Magnum!!   

    Very important thing with the rib spacing is that the long tails (flaperon hangers) line up with the flaperons.  What is the rib spacing on your plane?  How many flaperon hangers on each wing?  (still wondering about those "Kitfox 4" wings for sale)  JImChuk
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  15. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic WINGS ON EBAY (???)   

    I'm not sure what they are, Magnun looks different at the tip, looking at Barry Cole's pictures, looks like 7 flaperon hangers, and lift strut attachment isn't that far out from what I can tell.  These wings look like the strut attaches about 10' out from the fuselage.  I wonder if it's the result of someones  "better idea"   Was going to ask the seller a question, but his add doesn't allow questions.  That's unusual for ebay.  JImChuk
    I thought I had seen them before.  Maybe I'll call him in the morning....

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  16. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Pre-buy inspection in Grey Eagle, MN   

    FAA site says it's a MK IV heavy hauler.  It started out it Florida, then Pa. then Mn. then Mi. now back to Mn.  Michigan guy had it 5 months, rest of them longer.  I remember when the first Mn guy had it for sale, although I don't know what he was asking for it.  It stuck in my mind, cause it was about 100 miles from me then.  JImChuk
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  17. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic WINGS ON EBAY (???)   

    Something rather odd about these wings.  Didn't we see them before?  They look like Avid wingtips, but when I looked at the pictures, I see there are 6 flaperon hangers on them.  Also looks like double jury strut brackets.  Plus it looks like the strut attachment point are a long ways out on the wing.  Looks like the ribs are on 18" centers.  Odd.  JImChuk
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  18. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Pre-buy inspection in Grey Eagle, MN   

    Did some more digging, it's had 5 owners, no official reports of accidents or incidents.  Got it's airworthness cert in 2006.  JImChuk
    PS  just looked closer at some pics of it, and it has the MK IV door latches.  My bet is it's a MK IV.  Serial # is made up so it's no help
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  19. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Replacing windshield   

    Please keep us informed on how this stuff stands up to scratches and such compared to regular lexan.  Sounds like a real good price.  JImChuk
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  20. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Making a new set of skis   

    Thanks, TJay,  seems like it takes a lot longer to get anything done these days.   You doing anything on the Kitfox?  Ran the Jabiru a bit today, but was getting mist on the windscreen at 1000', and it was about +27F so I came back and saved the fuel for a better day.   JImChuk
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  21. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Replacing windshield   

    Wow, that is thin.   Should be able to roll it up in a 6" diameter roll if it's that thin.   Just looked, and ACS doesn't even sell it that thin, they start at .060" thick. (1/16")  I see their prices are a good bit lower on it than they used to be. I'm sure the last time I looked at getting some from them it was $98 for a 4x8 sheet.  Now it's $62.  http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/me/lexan/202  http://seelyeplastics.com/4_leadedge.php    I bought mine from a more local source, Seelye Plastics, they have dealers around the country.   I paid $52 after sales tax a few years back.  JImChuk
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  22. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Pre-buy inspection in Grey Eagle, MN   

    That's right in the middle of the state.  I'm 180 miles north.  If it was closer..... JImChuk
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  23. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Making a new set of skis   

    No these are for the Avid I recently rebuilt.  I sold the old set a while back when I wasn't using them.  I've got about a half of the parts for skis for the Kitfox, I should have picked up the rest of the stuff, and built them at the same time.  I've probably built 7 or 8 sets of these over the years,  I don't trust my welding skills enough to use 4130.  Only welder I don't have is a tig, but am also lacking the skills to be confident in the welds. If I was using 1/4" plate, and the stick welder, I would be good to go, but that would present other problems (like weight)   JImChuk
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  24. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic wing tank replacement   

    Have a look at KBS coatings.  They use a different cleaning solution, rinses out with water if my memory is right.  I used it once and it seemed to work ok. Didn't hurt the fabric.   Aluminum tanks that eventually started to leak again.  They do twist and crack though.  Fiberglass is probably more stable.  As far as putting in screws, don't know how that will work though.  Our tanks have baffles in them to keep the top attached to the bottom.  I think the reason for using the screws is to scratch up the rust in a steel tank.  This kit will do a 25 gallon tank.  They also have smaller kits.  JImChuk
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/AUTO-FUEL-TANK-SEALER-KIT-KBS-COATINGS-25-GALLON-TANK-GAS-TANK-SEALER-/370582196844?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10
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  25. 1avidflyer added a topic in Forum How-to's   

    Making a new set of skis
    Went for a short flight today, if the snow gets much deeper on my runway, I'll have to put the skis on. Smaller lakes are froze over.  Good thing I almost am done with another set of skis.  I forgot how much work went into a set of these!  If a guy could bend and weld 4130, it would probably be easier to make them that way, even if they weren't wheel penetration skis.    JImChuk
     





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