Luked

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Everything posted by Luked



  1. Luked added a post in a topic Kitfox wings for Avid MK IV   

    Thanks for the detailed answers. I forgot to mention the flaperons. I will need those too since the flaperons I have are only 9 feet long. I'll probably get KF parts like you suggest to be the most compatible with the wing.
     
    I wonder what the KF tanks are made of. Must be vinyl ester. I've read that most vinyl-ester resins are ethanol resistence, but like you say not ethanol proof. I've read where some guys say that they have used auto fuel in vinyl-ester tanks for 20 years with no problem though.
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  2. Luked added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Kitfox wings for Avid MK IV
    I'm planning to build new wings for my MKIV project since I don't want to use the built wings that came with my kit (speed wings with excessive washout). Shortly after I bought my kit, I called Brett at Airdale to see about parts availability. He did call me back, but it took several days to hear back. Being the impatient type that I am sometimes, I thought I'd call Kitfox too.
     
    I got a call right back from John McBean. He was very nice, and said that others have installed KF wings on Avids before. I'm pretty sure he quoted about $5000 for a full wing kit including lift struts. That was more than I was looking to spend, but I did ask if I could buy the wing construction manuals from him to see the individual parts in the KF wing. He said sure, and sent them out. I also asked if I could purchase individual wing parts, and he said that I could, but they would cost more per part that way.
     
    I've been putting together a parts list for a partial wing kit to get a price, but I have a few questions about using these wings on an Avid:
     
    Span - Should I stick with the 12' wing like the original MKIV wings. I'm thinking this would be the safest bet since everything else (carry through, struts, strut attach points) was engineered for 12' wings.
     
    Gross weight - I read the "Wing Technical Data" thread, and it looks like the MKIV with the HH wings was good for 1150 (later changed to 1200?). The HH wings used .083" wall spars, and 7/8" struts. I've got the 7/8" struts that came with my kit, but the KF spars are .063". They do have the "I" beam stiffener though. I think later KFs use this same spar, and have higher gross weights. I'm thinking it should be pretty safe to set my gross at 1150. Does this sound reasonable?
     
    Wing tips - This is more about personal taste I guess. At first I was not a fan of the Avid wing tip style, but it's starting to grow on me, and I think it is kind of part of the classic Avid look. I'm thinking of putting my old Avid tips on KF wings. Any issues with this?
     
    Gas tanks - I'd like to have the option to run auto fuel. Does anyone know if the KF tanks can handle auto fuel without any issues?
     
    Guess that's pretty much it. What do you guys think?
     
    Thanks,
    Luke D.
     
     
    • 21 replies
    • 4,922 views


  3. Luked added a post in a topic Denali Flight   

    Thanks for the write up Randy. I love seeing and hearing what it's like flying up there. Hope I can see it myself some time.
     
    Luke D.
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  4. Luked added a post in a topic need help   

    Hey Richard. I never heard back from the administrator, so I posted the question in the forum for other users to comment on. A reply came back quickly to make sure you have javascript enabled. You can see his comments if you go over there, and look for a thread called "New user trying to register".
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  5. Luked added a post in a topic need help   

    Sorry Richard. Still haven't heard back from the administrator. If I remember right, he is active duty military, and sometimes not around.
     
    Luke D.
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  6. Luked added a post in a topic need help   

    I'm a member on there, though I'm not active. I PMed the administrator to see if he had some advice I could pass along to you. I'll let you know if I hear anything back.
     
    Luke D.
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  7. Luked added a post in a topic Classic IV Restoration   

    Great thread. I like seeing people turn their ideas into reality. Looking forward to more updates.
     
    Luke D.
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  8. Luked added a post in a topic Looking for info on landing gear options   

     
    The Airdale spring gear looks pretty good. I think if I could choose exactly what I want, I would probably get the their WIB gear. Has anyone bought anything from Airdale in the last few months? Or, does anyone have a set of WIB gear they want to sell?
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  9. Luked added a post in a topic Looking for info on landing gear options   

    Thanks dholly for the detailed explanation and pictures. That was super helpful. I'm starting to understand the differences now. I've got to run for now, but I'll read through all of this again later today.
     
    dynomike, thanks for the information. gives me something to think about since TW will also be new for me.
     
    IFMT, thanks for the clarification. It seems like the beefed up tubing would be better too since it would resist out of plane bending in all directions rather than just the plane that the plates are installed in. Also, the plates have a fair number of cutouts for controls. The beefed up tubing wouldn't need that. The plates are already welded in though. I'll have to think about that one.
     
    Now, I've got to take off for a while. Thanks again everyone.
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  10. Luked added a post in a topic Looking for info on landing gear options   

     
    Someone already added gussets into the seat truss. Looks like they are about .040" steel. Is this what you mean, or do you mean to replace the existing seat truss with one made out of heavier tubing?
     
    166, Sorry to hear about your accident. The Grove gear is nice, but I want to avoid the weight, and the cost. Nice looking Kitfox.
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  11. Luked added a post in a topic Looking for info on landing gear options   

     
    Thanks for the welcome. I actually posted an intro a little while ago  I also started a build thread, but it's kind at a stand still right now. I sent my crankshaft to Aircraft Specialties, and I'm just waiting to hear back from them if it's any good. This project will probably be a fairly slow pace because of time and money (hopefully not too slow though). You can find my project in Avid Mk IV under "Lukes MKIV Project".
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  12. Luked added a post in a topic Looking for info on landing gear options   

     
    Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that picture before. The picture of the stock gear looks a lot like mine. The angle looks pretty similar.
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  13. Luked added a post in a topic Looking for info on landing gear options   

     
    Hmmm... that's definitely not what I've got. Bummer!    Are you saying this is actually the basic stock Avid gear?
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  14. Luked added a post in a topic Looking for info on landing gear options   

     
    Yeah, I agree, and will get some training when the time comes. I just kinda wanted to figure out what I have, and how it compares to other options.
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  15. Luked added a post in a topic Looking for info on landing gear options   

    Thanks guys. The Grove gear is nice, but out of my budget, and I'm trying to save every pound I can (within reason) since my engine will be a little on the heavy side. That's great that these are a step up from the stock gear. I didn't know Avid made a factory "bush" gear. I've read about most of the after market gear options in the archives.
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  16. Luked added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Looking for info on landing gear options
    I'm trying to sort out the landing gear setup I'm going to use. First of all, I would guess that the gear I have is what originally came with my MKIV kit, but I don't know that for sure. It's the bungee style.   I searched for information on dimensions, but couldn't find where anyone mentioned the stock dimensions. The width on mine is 60" from tire center to center. The front tube on the landing gear legs looks like it's about 24" tall. Is this a stock setup?   If this is the stock gear, I'll probably look for other options since I've got zero tailwheel time, and want to increase my chances of keeping the plane in one piece. I've read that the wider gear makes ground handling a little easier. Here are some pictures of what I've got.        Last picture is the step on the gear leg. So, what do the experts say?   Thanks, Luke D.
    • 47 replies
    • 9,417 views


  17. Luked added a post in a topic Anyone tried one of these lights??   

    Sorry Ed, he sells the lights that Leni mentioned in the first post. He runs the crazedpilot.com website.
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  18. Luked added a post in a topic Anyone tried one of these lights??   

    I had a funny coincidence today. I saw a VERY nice looking KF parked on the ramp, and went over to check it out. I found the owner, and got to talking with him. It turns out he is Brendan, the guy that owns the company that sells these lights. Very nice guy.
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  19. Luked added a post in a topic How to build an instrument panel mold???   

    I think Lexan could work. I'd try a small sample to see if the PVA causes any problem with it. I think the reason people like glass (usually fairly thick) is because it is manufactured pretty precisely to be flat (they want it to not be wavy when you look through it). 
     
    Edit: another thing you might want to try is a sandwich construction with a layer of CF then some core material, and another layer of CF. For an instrument panel, I would think some aircraft plywood would make a good core because it would be hard enough to put screws through. You could paint the edges of the instrument holes black. This should make a pretty light weight and strong panel.
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  20. Luked added a post in a topic How to build an instrument panel mold???   

     
    Hi Robert. I've made quite a few fiberglass parts using gelcoat female molds. The best success I had was when I used this stuff for the plug:
     
    http://www.fibreglast.com/product/duratec-gray-surfacing-primer
     
    You need a gun to spray it though. It sands to a mirror finish, and works great with a little wax and PVA. If you use regular paint, be sure to put lots of wax on before the PVA.
     
    Another option for an easy mold is to use a piece of glass.
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  21. Luked added a post in a topic Super disappointed with AC Spruce Transaction   

    1/8" out of straight over 12" is pretty bad. I've bought square tubing from them, and never had anything but straight pieces. I think what I bought was 5/8" square (don't remember wall thickness), and probably 4' long.
     
    I wonder if there was something lost in translation communicating with the person in the metal department through the customer service rep. If the customer service person told them someone had a piece that was 1/8" out of straight, but didn't specify that it was only over a 1 foot length, they would probably just shrug and say that's pretty normal (thinking they were talking about a longer piece).
     
    The big surprise is that they didn't just take care of such a relatively inexpensive problem.
     
    Luke D.
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  22. Luked added a post in a topic Luke's MK IV Project   

    Yeah Ed, the O-200 will probably be what I'll end up with if this one doesn't pan out. The trade of is that the A-65 saves the weight of the electrical system. If I go to a bigger Continental, I could just leave off the electrical I guess, but then I'm hand propping a bigger engine. I know it's probably not that big of a deal, but the A-65 should be easy to prop (A-75 would be the same).
     
    Thanks for the heads up on the brakes Sed. I'll have to check it out. Might need to do a little cutting and re-welding.
     
    I got the engine apart tonight with the help of my youngest son. He likes to hang out in the garage with me. Here are some pictures:
     
    Cylinders off

     
    Case off

     
    Case halves

     
    My 4 year old removing the rods. He took off 3 (I loosened them)

     
    Here's the prize (I hope)...

     
    I'll probably send it out for inspection this week.
     
     
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  23. Luked added a post in a topic Luke's MK IV Project   

     
    That's exactly right. I've been doing a lot of searching for info on small Continentals. I actually got a lot of my info from this page:
     
    http://www.bowersflybaby.com/tech/fenton.htm
     
    I had actually given up on the A-65/75 for this very reason (hard to find crank shafts). The tapered crank engines need a serviceable hub, and they are getting more scarce. Once the hub gets a crack in it you have to find a replacement. I decided that I didn't want an A-65 if I couldn't find a flanged crank. If this one turns out to be a boat anchor, then I'll be back to square one. I was strongly considering an O-200 because all parts are readily available. I'd prefer the A-65 though because of weight and simplicity.
     
    In any case, my plan is to nail down my engine for sure at the very beginning because this will have the biggest affect on W&B. Once I have the engine I can mockup the weight of all components on the airframe and do a W&B. This should tell me how long to make the mount. Then I can hang the engine off a 4x4 stuck into the fuselage at the calculated distance, and do one final W&B check before making the mount. I don't want any lead in the plane if I can avoid it. That's the theory anyway.
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  24. Luked added a post in a topic Luke's MK IV Project   

    Good point Leni. I think I'll keep the normal baggage area but try to make it lighter. I'm thinking of something like the "baggage sack" I saw in the Kitfox catalog.
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  25. Luked added a post in a topic Luke's MK IV Project   

    Thanks for the comments and suggestions guys. Good to know about the extra webbing plates under the seat. I'm hopping that the lack of electrical system on this engine will give me a little edge on the weight situation. I'm going to try to eliminate every bit of extra airframe weight that is not absolutely needed. We'll see.
     
    I pulled two cylinders on the engine this morning before the rest of the family got up. The last two look like they are going to be harder. I ate some breakfast, and headed into the shop to get some work done. I'll see if I can get the other two off tonight. The cylinders are no good, but hopefully the crank was protected enough to survive. I'll post some pictures tonight. I'm hoping I might even get the case split tonight if I have time.
     
    Oh, I forgot to mention Ed that I considered the Subaru. Our family van is an 87 Wolfsburg Vanagon that I put a EJ22 in. It's a great engine. I don't know much about the EA81, but I'm sure it would be good too. The main reason I was put off by the Subaru was because I felt like it would take me longer to get the plane in the air. After installing the Subaru in the van, I know there is always a bit of tinkering to get things just right. The continental will probably take longer than the more standard Avid engines, but it is pretty simple mechanically and electrically.
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