RDavidson

Ed,
I hear you, that is why I posted the above pic...I discovered it myself, with my last plane, that this works.  I have also had a chuckle or two seeing Tailwheels with negative castor and the owners complaining about shimmy.  The next time you go to the grocery store and you have a cart with a wheel wiggling back and forth I'll bet you a cold beverage it is angled to the back (negative).
Ed, have you been hiding from Tailwheels all this time?   Certainly you have flown a few?  Come to the dark side...higher insurance, crosswind limitations, the fear of a chain breaking, the ever looming ground loop...What's not to love about Tailwheels?
Ron
 
 

Thanks Barry...
Here is a great pic if I lost some of you with the Positive vs Negative castor bit...
 

Thanks Paul!  It started with the vertical stripes and my friends giving me a hard time about it looking like a bee.  So what do you do when facing ridicule?  Embrace it!  Ha!
Good luck in whatever you choose!  Keep dreaming, building and flying!
Ron

Paul,
I measured my Magnum width for you...it can be 98"-105"+, mine measures 98" measuring the front leading edge to leading edge, but when I measure it at the wing tips it is 105" wide.  This is because of the fairings on the struts hitting the sides and cargo door on the left side sticking out a little bit.   Hope that makes sense.
converting to a tail dragger should be easy.  Like mentioned above, the stock landing gear would move forward and the mounts should already be there.  The cabane style bush gear are starting to become easier to find because STOL aircraft have grown the market.  I borrowed some gear dimensions from guys building their own bungee gear on here and then gave those numbers to a guy that builds cabane style gear for Super Cubs.  It was really expensive, but I really like it too.  I will warn you that the Magnum gear is unique because the axle sits 6" forward of the leading gear mount...long story short, normal cabane gear have the axle inline with the front mount, so the upward forces will be exerted at a bit of an angle which might be problematic.  But that is why it is experimental...Look under the Magnum section and you will find pics and more info on the gear.  http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/1515-magnums-with-airdale-bush-gear/&page=1
 
If I had it to do all over again, the Grove Spring gear would have been a great choice for cost and simplicity of installation.
I am just finishing my Magnum, so I haven't flown it yet.  Chris B told me that the 160hp would be plenty of power and that the cruise speed of 120-130 is not because of the cruise range on the engine, but the most comfortable cruise speed.  I guess the flight controls get real light above that range and make for a bumpy ride, if I remember correctly.
I just went to the kitfox factory and got a good look at the S7.  It is basically the Magnum.  All of the measurements are close to the same, the wing is undercambered, same cargo weight capability, and they have gone to a Lycoming type engine (Actually Continental's experimental brand Titan).  The biggest difference was the air flow dividers and flat wing caps on the wing.  So I think finding a Magnum is the best choice for price alone.
 
Best of luck,
Ron
 

I'm attaching a sample form the FAA has for completing the bill of sale chain when an owner has died and the kit is inherited by another.
This form is also designed for a completed aircraft, so draw a line through any reference to Aircraft and write Kit.
If the Kit doesn't have an N number yet leave it blank.  Also, if the kit doesn't have an N number yet, it means there is not a builder on file yet, so enter "Avid" as the manufacturer.
This form must be notarized.
 
Ron

Ed,
You have a point there...when I finished filling it was smooth enough to shoot with epoxy.
I only covered it because that was the next step in the directions.  I don't see why you couldn't just paint it.
 
Ron

Joey,
Both of you guys are correct.  The FAA wants an 8050-2 from every owner to the next, with "Aircraft" lined through and "Kit" hand written beside it.
Here are the answers to possible issues:
1) No original bill of sale from Avid...
The EAA paperwork says the FAA doesn't accept an invoice, but in this case they do because Avid Aircraft INC no longer exists.  Include the Wikipedia page about Avid to show that they are out of biz and write a letter explaining all of this.
2) If you didn't get an 8050-2 when you bought the kit, a hand written bill of sale works too.  Make sure you include things like the name of the aircraft kit and serial number.  A dollar amount is not required and might save you some $ in states that tax the purchase.
3) Widows...
I had the widow write a letter saying her husband died and she was the "sole heir" of Avid Magnum kit, serial# MXX, and she signed it.  The FAA said that would have worked, but it needed to be notarized too.  But now that they have denied the letter, they want an inheritance affidavit signed and notarized.  It sounds like Paul basically did the same thing with a copy of a death certificate.
So it seems there are several ways to skin this possum.  I think everyone here would agree that finding someone with a brain at the FAA is the secret!  Well, I found one!  If you have questions I would urge you to contact Landon in the Aircraft Registration office in OKC (Four Zero Five) 954-7971
The Aircraft Registration Office in OKC is where you mail your paperwork.
The EAA says give the FAA up to 90 days, but Landon was on it within a week of me mailing it!  
I know this is more than what you needed Joey.  I just wanted to get this on the forum while it is still fresh on my mind.
 
Ron

Ditto with what tjc said...Superfill.
After filling I used the poly fiber epoxy varnish before covering.  Looks good...
 
Ron

Finally got around to putting the lava shield inside the bottom engine cowl.  The stuff is just like carbon fiber material but super thin, like 1/16th of an inch.  I ended up just using a thin layer of contact cement, but I came back and read Ed's comment about high temp RTV and that would have been better...so if this rips off I'll go back with the RTV.
 

Somebody destroyed my hard work!  I sold it in May of 2015.  I hope nobody got hurt!
 

I'm not sure but I can get you a measurement...
 
Ron

Thanks guys, that helps...
I'm going to use the invoice as a bill of sale, due to Avid going out of business.  Then I will have the P.O. Fill out a 8050-2 showing the sale to me.
What a pain!  I understand the need for this once it is an aircraft, but not for a kit!
 
Thanks again,
Ron

Amen to the words above!!!
I have done a lot of crazy flying in my USAF days, but the one time that I really scared myself was using the FAA's AC on test flying.  I had restored a biplane, Starduster Too, and decided to go through the entire flight testing to be safe.  In the AC it recommended a "high speed" taxi test.  I was at an airfield that had 10,000' of runway that was 150' wide.  I lined up on the centerline, then pushed up the power.  The tail started flying a few seconds later, I pulled the power out and the tail dropped back to the ground...then the fight was on!  I explored each edge of the 150' wide runway more than once!!!
Like mentioned above, it puts you in the worst place possible, almost flying, and almost not flying...
Solution?  Don't do a high speed taxi test!  While doing your normal speed taxi, look for bad tracking tendencies.  If you are seeing bad tracking during regular taxiing you had better believe it would be a wild ride when going fast.
Another great technique, on your first flight is to wear shoes that have thin soles so you can feel the pressure you are putting on the pedal and it helps you avoid inadvertently applying brakes.  Hitting the brakes inadvertently in these small planes is very easy to do...
I love the shovel dolly!  Brilliant!
 
Good luck,
Ron

Well, all of the work finally paid off!
A Super Bee wouldn't be complete without some Honeycomb!!!  
 

Doug, thanks for taking the time to do that!  Well, I think I'm just going to go for it with the pairs of rivets off set from each other every quarter turn.
Thanks again for looking...I owe you one.
 
Ron

Thanks Leni...I sent Chris a message tonight, but I' probably going to knock it out tomorrow as described above!
That's what I get for actually reading the directions!  
 
Thanks,
Ron

The manual says 8 rivets should be installed according to the drawing...the drawing shows nothing...
 
The pics I have seen look like two rivets per quarter turn of the tube and each rivet pair is offset from the pair before...
 
Can anyone confirm that?
 
 
Thanks,
Ron

Ed,
yep, I looked through the pics, but I could only see 2 rivets...the manual says there should be more.
I'm pretty sure I have the latest version of the manual.
I'll keep looking though...
 
Thanks,
Ron
 

You're not kidding!  And to make matters worse. I spent 3 hours masking my cowl, wiped everything down, started painting and realized the rag I used to wipe the cowl down must have had something on it!  The paint was rejected in places!!!!
so Sandy Sandy again...

Well after examining the product I ordered, heat shield made by cool it, I discovered the continuous heat is only 400 F.  That isn't going to cut it.  So, I was watching the Velocity channel and Truck U came on.  They were working on one of the 1000cc side by sides.  They were making upgrades in the engine bay and suggested adding heat protection to some of the plastic parts.  They used Lava Shield.  It is made out of actual lava rock particles and can handle up to 1200 F continuously.  Here is the draw back...it cost $50 more than the Cool it product, but in my mind worth not having to worry about melting my fiberglass cowl while taxiing around.
You can find Lava Shield at Summit Racing.  The reviews said that it doesn't stick very well, so be prepared to use some heavy duty glue on it.  Actually it says in the product description that it sticks best to a finished surface, specifically not raw fiberglass.
 
Ron