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Barefoot on the Brakes

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carlisle

Joined: 20 Jun 2009
Posts: 72
Location: Sioux Falls, SD

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:46 pm Post subject: Barefoot on the Brakes

Ever since I saw a friend's picture of him flying a Bell 47 helicopter, shot up through the glass bubble, with his bare toes wrapped around the anti-torque pedals, I've wanted to fly my Kitfox that way.



Well, I did it today and learned a lesson.  No matter how conscious you think you are of keeping your toes off the brakes during landing, they're not.  So all that weaving around that I do, especially when landing on pavement (and a couple of ground loops) now makes more sense to me.  I think I should adjust the brake pedals (standard Matco on my Model II) so that they are well clear of my toes unless I make a concerted effort 'enpointe' to actuate them. 



Anyone have any magic tricks?



Chris

Model II, 582

Sioux Falls, SD

MDKitfox(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:17 pm Post subject: Barefoot on the Brakes

Chris,



I had the same problem.  I made some blocks from wood and duct taped them to the bottom of the pedal for testing.  They're about 1" square and so far, they keep my size 13's off the top of the pedals.  I still have some testing to do to be sure I'm not dragging a brake inadvertently.   Once I'm sure they're the right size I plan to remake the blocks out of aluminum and bolt them in place.

I know of another Kitfox builder who did the same thing and it did the trick.



 Rick Weiss

N39RW Series V Speedster, 912ULS

SkyStar S/N 1

Port Orange, FL

 

 

On Jul 12, 2010, at 11:46 PM, carlisle wrote:

[quote]--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "carlisle" <carlisle_99(at)yahoo.com (carlisle_99(at)yahoo.com)>



Ever since I saw a friend's picture of him flying a Bell 47 helicopter, shot up through the glass bubble, with his bare toes wrapped around the anti-torque pedals, I've wanted to fly my Kitfox that way.



Well, I did it today and learned a lesson.  No matter how conscious you think you are of keeping your toes off the brakes during landing, they're not.  So all that weaving around that I do, especially when landing on pavement (and a couple of ground loops) now makes more sense to me.  I think I should adjust the brake pedals (standard Matco on my Model II) so that they are well clear of my toes unless I make a concerted effort 'enpointe' to actuate them. 



Anyone have any magic tricks?



Chris

Model II, 582

Sioux Falls, SD





Read this topic online here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=304626#304626



         - The Kitfox-List   -->             &n========================

Pat Reilly

Joined: 06 Aug 2009
Posts: 345

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:24 pm Post subject: Barefoot on the Brakes

Chris, I took my brake levers off, put a tourch on them and bent them forward at least an inch just above the rod tab. I still have trouble keeping my toes off of them! It would be easier if the rudder pedals were longer. I have a size 10 foot. I think a size 6 would be about right.

   

 Pat Reilly

 Mod 3 582 REBUILT

 Rockford, IL

 On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 10:46 PM, carlisle <carlisle_99(at)yahoo.com (carlisle_99(at)yahoo.com)> wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "carlisle" <carlisle_99(at)yahoo.com (carlisle_99(at)yahoo.com)>

 

Ever since I saw a friend's picture of him flying a Bell 47 helicopter, shot up through the glass bubble, with his bare toes wrapped around the anti-torque pedals, I've wanted to fly my Kitfox that way.



 Well, I did it today and learned a lesson.  No matter how conscious you think you are of keeping your toes off the brakes during landing, they're not.  So all that weaving around that I do, especially when landing on pavement (and a couple of ground loops) now makes more sense to me.  I think I should adjust the brake pedals (standard Matco on my Model II) so that they are well clear of my toes unless I make a concerted effort 'enpointe' to actuate them.

 

Anyone have any magic tricks?



Chris

Model II, 582

Sioux Falls, SD





Read this topic online here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=304626#304626

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-- 

Pat Reilly

Mod 3 582 Rebuild

Rockford,IL

  [quote][b]

KeysFox

Joined: 05 Jan 2009
Posts: 137

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 6:04 am Post subject: Barefoot on the Brakes

For the last 400 hours, the shoes have come off as soon as I fire up the

912 in my model IV down here in the Florida Keys. Not only do I have

better "feel" for the brake pedals, but the rudder pedals move into a

recessed area in the fire wall and my fat tennis shoes tread would

sometime hit the side of the recess risking havoc.



Doors off, bare foot, T-shirt, and shorts overflying crystall clear

waters, watching the rays and sharks swimming over the sandy areas,

looking for those ledges in the coral that are full of lobsters ready to

be caught when I return by boat.



BJ

N154K



do not archive

 	  Quote: 	
		   Chris, I took my brake levers off, put a tourch on them and bent them

 forward at least an inch just above the rod tab. I still have trouble

 keeping my toes off of them! It would be easier if the rudder pedals were

 longer. I have a size 10 foot. I think a size 6 would be about right.



 Pat Reilly

 Mod 3 582 REBUILT

 Rockford, IL



 On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 10:46 PM, carlisle <carlisle_99(at)yahoo.com> wrote:



> 

>

> Ever since I saw a friend's picture of him flying a Bell 47 helicopter,

> shot up through the glass bubble, with his bare toes wrapped around the

> anti-torque pedals, I've wanted to fly my Kitfox that way.

>

> Well, I did it today and learned a lesson.  No matter how conscious you

> think you are of keeping your toes off the brakes during landing,

> they're

> not.  So all that weaving around that I do, especially when landing on

> pavement (and a couple of ground loops) now makes more sense to me.  I

> think

> I should adjust the brake pedals (standard Matco on my Model II) so that

> they are well clear of my toes unless I make a concerted effort

> 'enpointe'

> to actuate them.

>

> Anyone have any magic tricks?

>

> Chris

> Model II, 582

> Sioux Falls, SD

>

>

> Read this topic online here:

>

> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=304626#304626

>

 --

 Pat Reilly

 Mod 3 582 Rebuild

 Rockford,IL

_________________
B Jones
N154K
443-480-1023

mikeperkins

Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 123

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 6:16 am Post subject: Re: Barefoot on the Brakes

My magic trick is to keep my toes on the rudder bars, not the heels of my foot. At first it takes a conscience effort, and your feet are at a 45-degree angle. But that's what it takes to stay off the brakes.

larry huntley

Joined: 19 Jul 2008
Posts: 149

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 6:59 am Post subject: Barefoot on the Brakes

That is how I do it on take-off. On landing I keep my toes on the brakes,but 

don't use them unless I have to. Guess I haven't had to in 550 hrs,so ----  

Larry

---

_________________
Larry Huntley,Dundee,NY
Kitfox 4-1200 N234EE
EA81,AMAX Redrive Warp 3 blade

mikeperkins

Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 123

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 11:34 am Post subject: Re: Barefoot on the Brakes

I land with my toes on the rudder bars and then put them on the pedals quickly when I need to brake. It takes a conscious effort to move them up, such that I wind up not riding the brakes or worse yet, braking at touchdown.

carlisle

Joined: 20 Jun 2009
Posts: 72
Location: Sioux Falls, SD

Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: Barefoot on the Brakes

Ended up just taking the plunger rods out of the Matco cylinders on each pedal and cutting them off about an inch at the top, then re-threading them so that the fitting that bolts onto the pedal is quite a bit lower now.  That way the pedal sits forward of my toes so that I have to make a conscious effort to extend my ankles enough to reach them.  Probably won't be making any of those lovely pirouetting turns onto the apron in front of my hanger after a flight but also won't feel like I'm pirouetting all over the runway on landing either.



Chris

jridgway

Joined: 12 Dec 2008
Posts: 64

Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: Barefoot on the Brakes

I tried the blocks with little success. I ended up raising (welding) the brake bar 2 inches. Made all the difference in the world. NOTE: you may have to bend the copilot bar down (20deg) some as it may hit the starter.

Jack

jridgway

Joined: 12 Dec 2008
Posts: 64

Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: Barefoot on the Brakes

Also suggest you upgrade the MATCO tailwheel with grease inserts and get the 25degree wheel lock release parts. Also Makes the KF ground handle like a real airplane.

Jack

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