Fuselage question

[Benbell4140 0]

Looking at a mk4 to buy, do you guys know what the two holes that are built in to the bottom of the fuse are for? They are located under the horizontal stab at the very bottom longerons. Looks like some sleeves welded to the fuse so you can bolt somthing to them. Also serial # is 985 I was reading that mk4's start at 1000?

[jackak 20]

Ben,

That's where the original Avid tow-bar attaches and if you're on floats, you can attach a belly fin.

Jackak

[dholly 718]

Ben,

That's where the original Avid tow-bar attaches and if you're on floats, you can attach a belly fin.

Jackak

Well, anyone who has had to pick up the ass end or wrestle a taildragger around with the wings folded knows it's quite a chore for one. Some time ago I saw a wheeled tail stand meant to pin to those rear fuse attach points. I welded one up from scrap and highly recommend it (pic attached). Makes moving the plane around a simple one-man, one-handed job. Plus, with the fuse level, you can walk under the wing tips rather than around and it's much easier to work on underside of fuse or tail feathers without stooping, etc. You can see in the pic I also have a tow bar for the KF but figure the plane is safer strapped on the trailer so I've never actually used it for towing. Personally, I wouldn't be comfortable towing fast or far with it. A little piece of triva between the Avid/KF designs... the ventral fin for my KF III attaches at the forward fuselage cross tube but the rear attaches via the tail spring clamp bolts, something my Avid doesn't have. Ie., in this case, the parts are not interchangeable.

[Jezz 1]

Well, anyone who has had to pick up the ass end or wrestle a taildragger around with the wings folded knows it's quite a chore for one. Some time ago I saw a wheeled tail stand meant to pin to those rear fuse attach points. I welded one up from scrap and highly recommend it (pic attached). Makes moving the plane around a simple one-man, one-handed job. Plus, with the fuse level, you can walk under the wing tips rather than around and it's much easier to work on underside of fuse or tail feathers without stooping, etc. You can see in the pic I also have a tow bar for the KF but figure the plane is safer strapped on the trailer so I've never actually used it for towing. Personally, I wouldn't be comfortable towing fast or far with it. A little piece of triva between the Avid/KF designs... the ventral fin for my KF III attaches at the forward fuselage cross tube but the rear attaches via the tail spring clamp bolts, something my Avid doesn't have. Ie., in this case, the parts are not interchangeable.

I have something similar, except mine is with 2 wheels which it pivots around and comes back to a steering handle. Pretty neat - only problem is there was no way it was going in the wing locker when I ferried the plane back from England, so now it is sitting in storage in England until I drive over in the fall. Shame because I now have a garage where I store the plane and have to fold the wings. This steering thing would be a Godsend. Oh well!!

Jezz

[dholly 718]

Jezz - even if you have to move your plane around without the tail stand / dolly, count your blessings. Another interesting (and functional) difference between Avid / KF fuselages is the rear grab handle location. On the Avid it is situated on the lower longeron, while some boneheaded KF designer decided to placed it on the top longeron. As a result of the additional leverage provided by the lower handle, it is about 10x easier to pick the Avid tail wheel off the ground with the wings folded.The KF is a real chore!