Kitfox 1 Rebuild

49 posts in this topic

Posted

I have the same battery in my Avid,  and I think it's only about 12 lbs.  My strap looks to be about the same size.  At 10 - 12 gs of force, you may have other things to worry about besides just the battery coming loose.  JImChuk

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Posted (edited)

Hey Jim,

you're probably right when considering normal aircraft ops but when shit hits the fan and you come to a very sudden stop (like in a crash) it has been known that the pilot/pax could have survived the crash (even at 10 G's) but where killed or seriously injured by badly attached items  like elt's behind pilot's head, fire extinguishers, axe, batteries, bad seatbelt attachment, luggage etc.

All items/bodies at a high deceleration rate become heavy and if not strongly attached transform into fast killing missiles...

Just my 2 boring cent's to keep as safe as possible......

Edited by flywise

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Posted

Ya, you're right to.  Things will go flying.  I could have worded my post a bit milder.  JImChuk

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Posted

Just want to update you all with a few pics of the progress and even moving the project from school to back home.

A big thank you to Ronin for the new landing gear, wheels, and brakes and to Avidflyer1 for the 68" Warp Drive prop. I'm out of A&P school and now working as an A&P for the local FBO, so I haven't had a lot of time for fixing up the Kitfox. I am hoping to fire up the 582 this weekend and install the windshield within the next week or so. 

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Posted (edited)

Can you elaborate a little bit on that firewall seal? Steady as she goes. Many of us have done this 1 or 2 hrs at a time while working full time. It’ll all come together. Looking good so far!

Edited by C5Engineer

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Posted

Can you elaborate a little bit on that firewall seal? Steady as she goes. Many of us have done this 1 or 2 hrs at a time while working full time. It’ll all come together. Looking good so far!

sure, I used some leftover baggage door seal I found at school. It's soft and pliable, making a much better seal than the felt tape that was previously on there.

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Posted

What rivets did you use for windows? I'm replacing my Lexan & not finding what I need....

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Posted

I ordered mine on-line. I used a large flange rivet. You can get them in colors too. I got white because my plane is white. Here is a picture of the tag. 

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Posted

I used 1/2 inch grip length with a backer washer. If the backer washer hits anything grind the edge off to make it fit right. 

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Posted

What rivets did you use for windows? I'm replacing my Lexan & not finding what I need....

Here is what I used they work good because they have very little strength so they don't pull real tight.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/hapages/rivet4ab.php

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Posted

It's been a while posting here but I've been making steady process. I'm gearing to hang the wings back on this weekend and have a question. Whats the best way to put them back on? I assume its get the the two spar bolts in and the slide the lift strut back into place. Any tips or words of wisdom would be appreciated. 

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Posted

We have had pretty good luck with 3-4 people. First attach the struts to the wing while on the ground. Then 2-3 lift the wing into position and gently push it on to the spar carry throughs. Then the 3rd (or fourth) person drops screwdrivers through the carry through holes. One of the 2-3 people basically rests the wingtip on his head supported with arms and moves the wing up and down while another orients the bottom strut connection to the fuselage. The screwdrivers holding the wing on top allow for plenty of play to pin the bottom strut mount to the fuse also with a screwdriver. The wing is now in place self supported. Then one by one replace the screwdrivers with the correct pins/bolts while someone else prevents the wing from moving while each screwdriver is removed and bolt is put into place.

There are probably much better ways to do it, and I don't think I've ever done it EXACTLY the same way twice, but some variation of what I described above is what I have always done, and we've never damaged anything doing it that way.

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Posted (edited)

Or if you have to work alone, build a set of wing supports with adjustable tilt and height.  But like Chris said, put the lift struts on before you try to hook it to the plane.  Then you only need to make two points, the lift strut bottom, and the back wing spar.  JImChuk

PS  it probably doesn't pay to make a set of wing stands like I did, but I've been using these for well over 10 years and have used them quite a few times.  (the foam was 1" thick when I put it on originally)

 

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Edited by 1avidflyer
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Posted

How about an adjustable sheetrock jack? They will hold a 4'x12' sheet.  R most wings 14'? 

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Posted

Sheet rock jack would work, but the lift struts would get in the way if they are on I'm thinking.  JImChuk

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Posted

Thanks guys, I'll definitely put the struts on beforehand, appreciate the help.

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Posted

Wings went on tonight without a hitch. You couldn't wipe the grin off my face as the project now feels closer and closer to an airplane. Great advice on mounting the struts beforehand, it helped immensely. 

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Posted

Nice looking plane! Gives me inspiration !

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Posted

Here's a post I put on the Kitfox FB page about the process and struggle in getting my a replacement a/w certificate

"Replacement A/W cert. acquired! Let me share a cautionary tale with you all...

A little over a year ago I acquired a Kitfox 1 from an estate. They had no logs however I could see when looking up the N# on the FAA registry that the registration was current and showed an airworthiness date of 7/20/1988. I wasn't worried too much about the logs since the plane was a basket case and I'd have to pretty much rework the entire plane to get it airworthy again. I also knew I could request a copy of the aircraft records from the registry. The plane was a good deal and while looking at it with the estate they had received calls wanting to buy the plane sight unseen.
 
So feeling the pressure and assuring myself that all would work out, I pulled the trigger, trailered the plane home, and work began restoring the Kitfox. I used the FAA online request for a CD copy of the aircraft records and a week later I received it. I poured through the PDFs and when I came to the a/w record all that it showed was half of a calibration sheet from what I assume was their scanner from when the FAA moved away from physical records in the mid 90's. I was dismayed but had hope that my local FSDO would be of help.
 
Thus began my nearly year long battle of trying to acquire a copy of the A/W cert. My local FSDO was initially of no help stating that they have no more physical records and whatever they did have was sent to the Oklahoma offices. I called the FAA Registry office and they said that all physical records are sent to a different branch of the government and would be near impossible to acquire. I contacted the FSDO again and asked what my options were. They said since I had no logs I had no way to prove that the A/W was issued. I presented the evidence I had which was that it had a recorded airworthiness date in the FAA registry, over 300 hrs on the hobbs, and even video evidence of it flying in early Kitfox marketing videos. It had no effect.
 
Frustration and reality was starting to sink in that I could just have a pile of parts instead of the aircraft I originally valued it as. I contacted an EAA representative who agreed with me that the evidence was there to support my case and suggested I contact a DAR in my area. I tracked him down and he also agreed with me however didn't feel he could do anything about it since I'm not the original builder. He did suggest contacting a new PMI within my local FSDO. This PMI was much more helpful than the last and actually made efforts to help me. He however hit a wall and asked if I could try getting in touch with the original builder to try and get anything. I had personal reservations on this since I didn't want to open a can of worms that the builder didn't want get involved with. However desperation was setting in and so I started digging.
 
In my google searching and internet stalking of trying to come up with current contact info for the builder I came upon the solution to my problem. I did an FAA airmen inquiry on the builder, and came upon his certifications and noticed his repairmen certificate for my specific Kitfox. I researched more and found out that you can not receive a repairmen's certificate unless the A/W had been issued for that specific aircraft. The stars had aligned and when I gave my PMI this information he concluded that this was evidence enough that an special airworthiness certificate had been issued for my Kitfox and that he could issue a replacement.
 
He still needed to physically inspect the plane for the correct placards and that it actually was an aircraft. Last Thursday the Kitfox passed with flying colors and he issued the new/replacement special airworthiness certificate. Since I have no logs to prove that phase 1 was ever completed I will need to do so but he gave me a 75 mile radius to work with so I can't complain too much. He stated that finding the builder's repairmen certificate was the only reason I could get a replacement. I really dodged a bullet and I'm thankful that I now have a legal Kitfox. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be taking it up on it's second first flight.
 
Sorry for the wall of text, I just needed to vent and hopefully give some information and experience that might help someone in the future. It's a happy ending but could've easily been a big bummer.
 
TL;DR summary,
Before you buy, make sure to have physical records of the registration and more importantly the special a/w cert along with the conditions and limitations. Don't assume the FAA registry will have it or that the FSDO can easily issue a replacement. Don't be pressured and rushed into a deal no matter how good it is."

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Posted

Beautiful airplane and most certainly an interesting story on your efforts to obtain a copy of the original C of A.  I read your story twice to make sure I understood your timeline. Sounds like you ran into some deadwood within the FAA immediately. Yours sounds pretty simple since the registration had not expired. You had to do work our tax dollars pay for. Unfortunately nobody is held accountable within the FAA for non performance unless it involves tombstones.  

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Posted

My story exactly on my model 2. Except I did get copies of everything from the FAA including the AW cert.  FSDO said they will inspect and reissue AW cert when I am ready. So at least I have a paper trail on mine. Logbooks aren't an issue since I am reconditioning everything back to new and will start new books along with a new engine.

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Posted

Hey everyone just wanted to update the post, I'm nearing 30hrs and I'm really enjoying it. Here's a few pictures of my adventures. I'm going to be working on a heating system over the winter. Happy flying!

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Posted

Congrats, she looks great!

I went through this on mine.  I finally told the FSDO that I could care less about a AW cert as I had a photo copy of the original.  If they were not going to send the inspector and give me a new one I was gonna fly anyway and be an outlaw, it was their call.  A few days later the inspector was there with a nice new AW cert for me.  He spent about 5 minutes looking over the plane, scanned through my rebuild log I had put together shook my hand and said here ya go.  

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Posted

It was a bittersweet day as I sold and delivered my model 1 to it's new owner near Portland, Oregon. Although, I couldn't have asked for a better way to say goodbye than the 3 hour flight down through the Columbia River gorge in super smooth air and tailwinds the whole way. Thanks for the fun, frustration, adventures, and stress little Kitfox, I'll never forget the experience. Thanks everyone here for the great advice, encouragement, and used parts lol these past few years. God bless and happy flying.

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