kitfox 1 update

[TJay 1041]

Hey guys just posting some of my latest pictures here not much happened this week, as my full time job is getting in the way again, man I love those days off during the holidays. anyway I am having fun building, tonight when I get home from work I should have some 4130 tubing from spruce waiting on my door step for me,

[TJay 1041]

Hey guys I got a couple hours tonight after work tonight to play with the kitfox 1 here she is all widened out what you guys think. I think it was well worth the 5 lbs of weight.

[1avidflyer 1983]

Wow! I like it.  That should be a big improvement on the kit.  How much wider did you make it over all?  As far as strengthening the bottom carry through, I still think a strap across the bottom of the carry through tube would strengthen it quite a bit.  (I know I mentioned that to you before, but I'm mentioning it here now hoping to generate comments from others about that thought.)   On another note, I'm supposed to get the decals for the sled tomorrow (finally) so I can  list it for sale.  Picked up an older Indy Trail with a long track, reverse and 488 fan cooled for dragging the strip with yesterday.  Keep busy on the Kitfox, you're doing good!  Jim Chuk

[TJay 1041]

thanks Jim I went out 2 inches on each side. and the carry thru I have a piece of .125x1" strap I was going to weld across the bottom, should help by not adding much weight. I had thoughts of drilling a half inch hole in the bracket and sliding a rod inside the tube, but you basically cut your whole lower longeron in half when you do that. not my style I guess.

[EDMO 1078]

Your longerons are about half the diameter and 25% of the strength of your gear legs - that would be my first concern.

EDMO

[TJay 1041]

I haven't got to the gear yet but I did get the vertical raised tonight. would do more but it is gold rush time.

 

[TJay 1041]

well I flew most of the morning but did manage to set the incidence on the horizontal today and add a strap to the lower carry thru man I really gotta start my build log, love to build but hate to write on paper.

 

[TJay 1041]

worked all weekend on her again  got the rudder finished, a few trusses under the seat, spar stiffeners in, and had to stick them on the plane I love it.

Edited 14 Dec 2014 by TJay

[dynomike 91]

Lookin good .Working fast

[FoxDB 17]

TJay,

The builder of my mod I also extended the vert. and rudder as you have down. This caused an excessive deflextion when applying rudder at cruise. The mod IV tail was strengthened to account for it. I added guy wires to stop the deflection.

[TJay 1041]

I actually slid a .049 tube inside the trailing edge of the vertical full length if it still moves I will also put wires on it thanks for the reply.

[EDMO 1078]

This is a real good time to think about extending that elevator too.

EDMO

[1avidflyer 1983]

Wow TJay, you are really moving along on the plane.  I sold the sled, so it looks like everyone is happy.  Keep banging away on it and one of these days, there will be another flying Kitfox!  Jim Chuk

[C5Engineer 1170]

X2 I just did mine along with an electric trim tab best thing I've done to my plane.

[TJay 1041]

hey Jim great to here I knew you could sell it up in your neck of the woods. ok guys what does it do when extending the elevator. I thought long and hard about this, mine measures 1 inch smaller that the early kitfox 4 1050 I measured and I have been in that model 4, and never noticed any problems, what issues would that be fixing?

[EDMO 1078]

Your bird needs more elevator to give you more tolerance of CG location, and authority to override nose-down force of using flaperons as flaps.

Lets say you have an engine out and have to land in a short distance, and you don't have enough elevator to flare without power, and your decent angle is too steep....Now, do you need more elevator....

EDMO

[TJay 1041]

so how far out do you guys go mine measures 9.5 inches at the out side after the bend and 11.5 inches at the widest part.

[EDMO 1078]

Joey, C5Engineer, was going to measure both the stabilizer and elevator since he changed his elevator to MKIV with electric trim tab and says it really flies great on his short fuselage. Some of the guys were talking about adding 4 inches to the elevator, but that is just guessing and not giving flying reports. The tails of the longer fuselages have more authority than the earlier short birds.
EDMO

I would need someone to verify this better than I can, but I believe that the early Avid / Kitfox was made for the lighter, 477 Rotax engine - I think that I saw one of these at Soldotna, Alaska - there was supposed to be a light radial made for the Kitfox and with that came the round cowl with bumps, but something happened, and the engine never got made - then they went to the heavier 532 Rotax, causing it to be more nose-heavy, without enough elevator for power-off flare at slow speeds, and this was replaced by the 582.

      I believe a better choice of engine for the Kitfox 1 and 2 would be the lighter Rotax 503, like Avid Bandit and Kitfox used in some planes including some of the Kitfox 4 with the lighter GW.  I have heard that this engine is a good one.

      Just another 2c worth to think about.

EDMO

Edited 16 Dec 2014 by Ed In Missouri