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Finally, I flew my airplane

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1Dillfamily(at)comcast.ne
Guest

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:28 pm Post subject: Finally, I flew my airplane

Until recently, my aircraft  insurance had a make and model clause that, in practice, would have  restricted me to 2 hours of instruction in my own airplane, and that had to  wait until somebody else flew 5 hours in it due to phase 1 restrictions in  its airworthiness certificate. This contributed to a quagmire that  kept me from flying it myself for the last six months. Within the last two  weeks, I was successful in convincing my insurance company to include  similar models and all I had to do was shake the bushes for somebody  willing and able to instruct in a different aircraft. On Jul 9th I took a  direct flight to San Jose, CA to take some instruction in a Kitfox IV from Roger  Standley, one of the few people I found with a waiver to instruct  commercially in an Kitfox. I logged 14 landings and caught the mid-day flight  back. With the instruction, I now met the insurance requirements to fly my own  airplane, which I did twice on the next day. 

     The airplane flew well  with regard to rigging and each flight was about an hour. The flap handle needs adjusting. It needs a forward stop to  prevent selecting too much in that direction where the effect is diminished roll  rate and nose up pitch. It also needs a tightened or redesigned friction lock  because it does not always stay where it is put.

     The winds were light, but the  temperature was extremely hot and I had to run the heater to keep the engine  temp under control and pattern work was not possible. I basically hovered above  Brainard airport and landed each time on the sod. I changed spark plugs between  flights because of an occasional skip in the engine. This left the engine  running strong for the second takeoff, but by the end of the flight, the skip  was back. Right now I am suspecting fouling due to running 100LL but remain open  to suggestions about other causes. 

     I am happy to have it in the  air. I knew it would be slow and it didn't let me down. It was the worst  performing Kitfox I have been in so far, even compared to the Model I with the  same engine. My indicated airspeed was less than 70 MPH at 5800 rpm. I  suppose the airspeed indicator could be out of whack, but that would be wishful  thinking. Maybe I should sell half to somebody who want to log lots of time!  Next time I will take my GPS to compare. 

  

 Thanks to all who  helped me get to this  point, 

 Jeff Dill

 N767JD, Rebuilt Model II/582



   [quote][b]

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thesupe(at)hotmail.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:52 am Post subject: Finally, I flew my airplane

Hi Jeff,  good to hear you were able to finally fly your plane.  I read that 

you were flying over Brainard airport, is that the Brainard in Minnesota?  

If so, I live up in Chisholm, less than 100 miles NE of you.  What were your 

EGT temps on your plane durring flight?  It sounds like you were running 

real rich.  Were the plugs real black when you took them out?  If it is 

jetted for winter time it woould be rich especially on a hot day.  Well have 

fun with it,  on another note, I picked up my Jabiru 2200 CC engine monday 

evening.  It's the first time I've seen one up close, and boy what a work of 

art.  If it flys as nice as it looks, it will really be something.

Jim Chuk

Avid Mk IV 582 (for now)

Chisholm Mn

 	  Quote: 	
		  From: "1Dill Family" <1Dillfamily(at)comcast.net>

Reply-To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

To: <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Finally, I flew my airplane

Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:27:13 -0400



     Until recently, my aircraft insurance had a make and model clause 

that, in practice, would have restricted me to 2 hours of instruction in my 

own airplane, and that had to wait until somebody else flew 5 hours in it 

due to phase 1 restrictions in its airworthiness certificate. This 

contributed to a quagmire that kept me from flying it myself for the last 

six months. Within the last two weeks, I was successful in convincing my 

insurance company to include similar models and all I had to do was shake 

the bushes for somebody willing and able to instruct in a different 

aircraft. On Jul 9th I took a direct flight to San Jose, CA to take some 

instruction in a Kitfox IV from Roger Standley, one of the few people I 

found with a waiver to instruct commercially in an Kitfox. I logged 14 

landings and caught the mid-day flight back. With the instruction, I now 

met the insurance requirements to fly my own airplane, which I did twice on 

the next day.

     The airplane flew well with regard to rigging and each flight was 

about an hour. The flap handle needs adjusting. It needs a forward stop to 

prevent selecting too much in that direction where the effect is diminished 

roll rate and nose up pitch. It also needs a tightened or redesigned 

friction lock because it does not always stay where it is put.

     The winds were light, but the temperature was extremely hot and I had 

to run the heater to keep the engine temp under control and pattern work 

was not possible. I basically hovered above Brainard airport and landed 

each time on the sod. I changed spark plugs between flights because of an 

occasional skip in the engine. This left the engine running strong for the 

second takeoff, but by the end of the flight, the skip was back. Right now 

I am suspecting fouling due to running 100LL but remain open to suggestions 

about other causes.

     I am happy to have it in the air. I knew it would be slow and it 

didn't let me down. It was the worst performing Kitfox I have been in so 

far, even compared to the Model I with the same engine. My indicated 

airspeed was less than 70 MPH at 5800 rpm. I suppose the airspeed indicator 

could be out of whack, but that would be wishful thinking. Maybe I should 

sell half to somebody who want to log lots of time! Next time I will take 

my GPS to compare.



Thanks to all who  helped me get to this point,

Jeff Dill

N767JD, Rebuilt Model II/582


	


_________________________________________________________________

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Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:24 am Post subject: Finally, I flew my airplane

At 12:27 AM 7/11/2007, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  On Jul 9th I took a direct flight to San Jose, CA to take some instruction in a Kitfox IV from Roger Standley, one of the few people I found with a waiver to instruct commercially in an Kitfox. I logged 14 landings and caught the mid-day flight back. With the instruction, I now met the insurance requirements to fly my own airplane, which I did twice on the next day. 	


 This is great news. Roger will probably get some business out of this as it's a continuing problem. And congratulations on your first flights!



  	  Quote: 	
		      The airplane flew well with regard to rigging and each flight was about an hour. The flap handle needs adjusting. It needs a forward stop to prevent selecting too much in that direction where the effect is diminished roll rate and nose up pitch. 	


 I use this mode sometimes to increase my descent rate. Of course I have a trim tab on the elevator to counteract the pitch effect.



  	  Quote: 	
		  It also needs a tightened or redesigned friction lock because it does not always stay where it is put. 	


 I had to tighten mine twice in the first few months. Now it seems to stay tight.



  	  Quote: 	
		      The winds were light, but the temperature was extremely hot and I had to run the heater to keep the engine temp under control and pattern work was not possible. I basically hovered above Brainard airport and landed each time on the sod. 	


 I had to lower my radiator 1" to get enough cooling on the ground to handle a 95F day. One I'm airborne I can handle about 105F, though I have to be careful with the power and climb at 70 MIAS, minimum.



  	  Quote: 	
		  I changed spark plugs between flights because of an occasional skip in the engine. This left the engine running strong for the second takeoff, but by the end of the flight, the skip was back. Right now I am suspecting fouling due to running 100LL but remain open to suggestions about other causes. 	


 What did the spark plugs look like? I've run 100LL exclusively and have had no plug problems. I use Decalin lead scavenger, but am not religious about it.



  	  Quote: 	
		      I am happy to have it in the air. I knew it would be slow and it didn't let me down. It was the worst performing Kitfox I have been in so far, even compared to the Model I with the same engine. My indicated airspeed was less than 70 MPH at 5800 rpm. I suppose the airspeed indicator could be out of whack, but that would be wishful thinking. Maybe I should sell half to somebody who want to log lots of time! Next time I will take my GPS to compare. 	


 Well you didn't expect it to be fast, did you?  Get your GPS up and then worry about the speed. My ASI is about 10% slow, but no matter what, you're going slow. That's what Kitfoxes are for. (Or, if I wanted to go fast, I'd have built a Sonex / Pulsar / Dragonfly, etc.)



 

 Guy Buchanan

 San Diego, CA

 K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.     [quote][b]

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_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

pulsair(at)mindspring.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: Finally, I flew my airplane

Jeff,

 Use a TCP additive if you are going to burn 100LL.  Jeff Columbus Ohio Classic IV

 [quote]   ---

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