Storage alternative

[BSchoonmaker 3]

When I finish my Avid C and fly off my time I plan an extended trip around the country so I will need all the baggage area I can find.  My aircraft will also have as many fairings as possible to clean it up for improved cruise and fuel consumption (Jab 2200).

 

So, while considering how to improve both aerodynamics and storage capacity I came up with the idea of building a belly fairing to cover some gear tubes and realized that enlarging it would also provide space nearly on the cg for goodies.

 

As you will see in the attached photos it is a two piece arrangement with hinges at the front for the front section and at the rear for the rear section.  The two sections come up to cover part of the gear legs and bungees and the front overlaps the rear to improve airflow. The storage areas are not very deep but they are as wide as the fuselage. I plan to only put things in them which are needed infrequently.

 

I have not yet flow with it but I hope the additional two pounds is worth the effort and weight.

 

Comments welcome.

Brian

 

 

[lostman 198]

Personally I like the way it looks and the idea that it will sit under your CG so nothing changes other than the weight.

 

My question is, will there be enough space for the bungee gear to move without hitting anything? It's hard to tell from the pictures. What material did you use to build it?

 

Nice looking work.

[thebriman 69]

Welcome aboard Brian.  I'll be finishing your rudder in the next few weeks.

[C5Engineer 1170]

Another option is a big canvas bag behind the seat. With my CG I can easily put 100lbs back there and stay well within the rear CG.

[EDMO 1078]

I think this optional storage may be a good idea for some planes - but, IMO, it should be put in "Technical" or "Files and Forms" and not in the General Hanger with all the other chit-chat.

Just a quick look had me wondering if a strong vertical divider is needed on each side (front and back) of the bungee tubes?

EDMO

Edited 8 Apr 2014 by Ed In Missouri

[SuberAvid 617]

Very creative and nice work!  As noted, be sure your gear leg tubes and bungees have clearance to move freely for the full length of travel to the safety cable limits.  Make sure it can't get knocked open in flight; especially on takeoff if you hit a bump.

If I was you I would also adopt Joeys BAG age and build the rear bagage area with door.  You need all that you can get in the Avid.

[sioux201 84]

Don't forget to reinforce the seat truss, the thrusts between the forward landing gear legs

[BSchoonmaker 3]

Sorry about the placement of this post.  I am two days on this site and I know little to nothing about the how/where/why/whens of a forum.  Just took me ten minutes to figure out that someone had responded to my post!!

 

I made the thing deep enough that there is 5" clearance for gear spread. I do not know if that is enough hope it is!

It is made of aluminum.  Rivets are stainless because that is all I had.  Overkill in terms of strength I am sure.  The fact that they are flush us also overkill but that is all I had available - thanks Brian.

 

There is a vertical divider fore and aft of the gear area.  It is needed for rigidity and to keep stuff from leaving the storage areas. The fabric will keep stuff from going up and I plan to make custom bags to fit the areas to ensure everything is help in place and fits nicely.

 

The aft portion swings up into position and is held in place by two fasteners on each side.  The front section then swings into place, overlaps the rear section about a quarter inch and is held against the rear section with a fastener on each side.

 

Not familiar with the seat truss reinforcement Sioux21.  If I could figure out how to search for topics I would look for it!

[akflyer 1427]

Your placement here is fine.  Welcome to the forum and great posts!  I have talked about making a belly pod for several years, but it seems that I am always busy flying or working on other projects to get it done.

 

Randy made a good point about having room for those gear legs to swing if you thump it in hard.  and its not a matter of if, but WHEN you thump it in hard

 

The reinforcement can be done 2 ways.  Use structural adhesive and glue in plywood triangles in all the triangle openings across the seat truss to make it one solid structure or weld in plates.  I will see if I can dig up a link to one of the threads.

 

In addition to this, the fuse sides seem to buckle under your butt when you really prang it on hard, and since I live on floats most of the time with no suspension I also plated the fuse sides from the wing strut to the firewall with 4130 plate.  Essentially, you can do the same thing with glue in triangles on the fuse sides.

 

[akflyer 1427]

http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/709-classic-iv-restoration/?p=10266

 

This is a link showing what Larry did on his KF.

 

http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/14-my-mod-c/?p=27

 

This link shows the plates I did on mine.  I too wish I would have added lightening holes like Larry did, but I was in the get er done production mode when I did my rebuild and was not thinking in terms of saving ounces then.  All I know is I have thoroughly tested my fuse with a prang or two and she is still holding up just fine

 

[EDMO 1078]

I was the one who said your post should go into Technical or Files - I didn't mean to criticize - I thought it was a good post on modifications that should be preserved in a better place where guys could find it.

Good Idea for storage - Wonder how this would be if made in Fiberglas?

EdMO

[lostman 198]

Before we bought Pursang, I really thought about making a baggage belly pod out of fiberglass too. This one is very nice! With the Mk V I have more space than I really need about 99% of the time so I haven't worried about it.

[dholly 718]

Nice job (and welcome)!

 

I like it but I'm too lazy and time challenged to make my own. I've been looking for one of the old 'large' style Skystar belly pods for my Avid+. Works with bungee gear, not aluminum spring gear. Wonder which would hold more?

[SuberAvid 617]

With the Avid+ I haven't really needed a belly pod either but the nice thing about a belly pod is you can put things in it that you really don't like having in the cabin with you....no, not your wife.  I mean things like gas bags, dead critters, etc.

[High Country 69]

Nice job (and welcome)!

 

I like it but I'm too lazy and time challenged to make my own. I've been looking for one of the old 'large' style Skystar belly pods for my Avid+. Works with bungee gear, not aluminum spring gear. Wonder which would hold more?

Just came across this add on barnstormers and he has the cargo pod you mentioned, If your interested it may be worth a shot seeing if he is willing to sell it separate from the rest of the plane http://www.barnstormers.com/listing_images.php?id=876832&ZOOM=cc2b83d4afe4dbb7cf6dcb67fd3a84c6

[BSchoonmaker 3]

I took a good look at the mod to the seat and side webs.  Since my fuselage is bare it should not be much of a problem to add.  Thanks for the heads up.

 

Brian T (Thebriman) told me that there was a fiberglass belly pod for an Avid but I had never seen it.  For anyone needing additional storage it looks like a good thing to buy.  Making mine was a PITA for sure but it is very light and aerodynamically cleaner than the glass one and it appears it will hold much more - but it has not yet been used in flight!!  Maybe I will look at creating a glass version at some point in the future.

 

Other ideas I have are to convert the under camber airfoil into a Riblett 415 (ish) and offering a kit for it and a modification to the doors to make them more secure with a separate opening window.  I will be flying with about $8K worth of instruments that I would like to have at the start of each flight.  Anyone consider these ideas here and if so how do I find them?

 

Oh, by the way, you guys are far more interesting than the guys over on the Yahoo Avid site, but don't tell them!  I like being able to imbed pictures with comments.  It is very convenient.

[BSchoonmaker 3]

Sorry folks, I just discovered the SEARCH function.  Don't know why I did not see it previously.  Duh!

[thebriman 69]

Brian, dholly posted the fiberglass belly pod I was talking about a few posts above this one.

[herman pahls 9]

I have access to the same belly pod as dholly pictured in post #13.

It came from a Model 4 Kitfox with a Jabiru so there was not a radiator to get in the way.

I assume the only option is to move the radiator forward.

How far forward from the belly pod should the radiator be installed so as to not impede airflow through the radiator?

Any one have a photo showing this pod design in relationship to the radiator?

Thanks

Herman

[Av8r3400 1179]

Kitfox never used this style belly pod. They only used the "bomb" style because of the radiator.

To use one, the radiator would need too be on or in the cowling.

[akflyer 1427]

Bob has one just like it also that came with his moles IV kit... Not sure where it came from, but everyone who has them seems to have gotten it with a model IV kit..

[dholly 718]

Kitfox never used this style belly pod. They only used the "bomb" style because of the radiator.

Denney offered both the smaller, cylindrical cargo pod and the larger cargo container as optional equipment.

I put a copy of the 1989 options list at: Kitfox General Forum > Kitfox Newsletters > Post #3 'Kitfox Optional Equipment List 1989'. http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=1015

If anyone has a large cargo container for sale, please shoot me a PM.

[edit] fix link

Edited 11 Apr 2014 by dholly

[Av8r3400 1179]

I stand corrected. Thanks for the information.

[dholly 718]

Returning the favor for showing me Avid once offered a cargo pod too.   

[Av8r3400 1179]

Wanna bet a nickel they are/were the same design?  Maybe off the same mold?  There was lots of incest back in the day that wasn't admitted between KF and Avid...