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taildragger21

Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 9

Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 8:27 pm Post subject: New kolber

Hey guys.. I am seriously looking at a firefly ( A famous one I might ad) and have some questions.. I want to go about this the right way.. Here is my experience.. 10 logged hrs. solo at 7.5 hrs in a c172.. And 30-40 hrs in quicksilver sport 1 and sport 2..Recently put 1 hour in a citabria. I haven't flown in 7 years as I had to sell my plane and buy a home and get married.. I really want to fly again and have fell in love with a kolb firefly I looked at today. Problem is I am uneasy about jumping in a type plane I have no experience with w/o dual time.. I live a couple hrs away from the kolb facility in london ky  and got some demo air time in the factory mk3 extra several years ago and loved it. No ground time in it though..I called them the other day and they no longer do dual time.. NOBODY does dual in a kolb nor less anything other than c150's and c172's anywhere near. I really dont want to jump back in a quick eather as they will be nothing like a kolb I'm sure.. Anybody close by with a kolb I could do a few hrs with?? OR do I just grow some balls and go for it!!!?? Thanks so much, chad.

Dana

Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Posts: 1047
Location: Connecticut, USA

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:13 am Post subject: New kolber

15 years after last flying my T-Craft (~600 hours in it), I flew a Quicksilver for maybe 10 hours, then had no trouble flying my UltraStar for the first time 6 months later.



 An hour or two in a Cub or such, combined with remembering how you had to dive at the runway in the Quick, and you should be fine.



 -Dana



 At 12:27 AM 10/18/2010, taildragger21 wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  --> Kolb-List message posted by: "taildragger21" <taildragger22003(at)yahoo.com>



 Hey guys.. I am seriously looking at a firefly ( A famous one I might ad) and have some questions.. I want to go about this the right way.. Here is my experience.. 10 logged hrs. solo at 7.5 hrs in a c172.. And 30-40 hrs in quicksilver sport 1 and sport 2..Recently put 1 hour in a citabria. I haven't flown in 7 years as I had to sell my plane and buy a home and get married.. I really want to fly again and have fell in love with a kolb firefly I looked at today. Problem is I am uneasy about jumping in a type plane I have no experience with w/o dual time.. I live a couple hrs away from the kolb facility in london ky  and got some demo air time in the factory mk3 extra several years ago and loved it. No ground time in it though..I called them the other day and they no longer do dual time.. NOBODY does dual in a kolb nor less anything other than c150's and c172's anywhere near. I really dont want to jump back in a quick eather as they will be nothing like a kolb I'm sure.. Anybo!

  dy close by with a kolb I could do a few hrs with?? OR do I just grow some balls and go for it!!!?? Thanks so much, chad.



 



 

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 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=316126#316126



 



 



 



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taildragger21

Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 9

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 4:31 am Post subject: Re: New kolber

Are they pretty easy on the ground for a taildragger?? Thats what I have heard anyway. Thanks!

zeprep251(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 5:07 am Post subject: New kolber

I have had a FS2 and now fly a MK-3.Dual time in the Mark won't help you,the difference 1 up and 2up is night and day.Get a little taxi time to get used to the tail wheel,take it up for an hour and feel out the slow speed handling in particular, and when you're ready to land, fly it in with some power on,and wheel land it.Your slow speed work will give you some idea of speeds to hold on approach.You will need some room at first,sod if you can get it,a couple thousand feet with good approaches.Kolbs ground handle pretty well,fairly long moment from mains to tail wheel.Be careful when doing tail up fast taxi,if it lifts off you better throttle up and climb out rather than trying to set it up for landing that quickly.Nice long approaches really help get the feel you will need for that.You're gonna like that airplane

 G.Aman

   

  

    

     

  

     

  

    --

slyck(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 5:21 am Post subject: New kolber

Start on grass. 

BB

do not archive



On 18, Oct 2010, at 8:31 AM, taildragger21 wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 

 Are they pretty easy on the ground for a taildragger?? Thats what I have heard anyway. Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=316146#316146

neilsenrm(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:02 am Post subject: New kolber

These are all good comments. I have never flown a firefly so I can only comment between my MKIIIC and GA airplanes like (C150, C172, Piper Archer and Saritoga). Kolb airplane loose air speed extremely quick when flaring for landing. All you GA training will work against you. Gary's comment about caring some power is very important. Power makes a very light Kolb slow down less quickly. So just reduce power just enough to get it to land. Make it fly like a C172 by using power on approach and cut power after touch down. Do this many times then start reducing power gradually. I have a set of bent landing gear that reminds me of my mistake of going from powered approach to no power full flaps way too quickly.

   

 Also use a grass strip. The tail wheel part of Kolb operation is a non issue on grass but can become more of a hand full for new fliers on pavement.

  

 Also another good point about power changes on or near the ground are a big problem. Taxi up to flying speed and chop power will cause the plane to pitch up and likely take off without flying speed. If you then slam in full power the plane will pitch down very quickly (not good when you are near the ground). Adjust power very gently near the ground and be repaired for the pitch trim change when you do.  

   

 Rick Neilsen

 On Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 9:03 AM, <zeprep251(at)aol.com (zeprep251(at)aol.com)> wrote:

 [quote]I have had a FS2 and now fly a MK-3.Dual time in the Mark won't help you,the difference 1 up and 2up is night and day.Get a little taxi time to get used to the tail wheel,take it up for an hour and feel out the slow speed handling in particular, and when you're ready to land, fly it in with some power on,and wheel land it.Your slow speed work will give you some idea of speeds to hold on approach.You will need some room at first,sod if you can get it,a couple thousand feet with good approaches.Kolbs ground handle pretty well,fairly long moment from mains to tail wheel.Be careful when doing tail up fast taxi,if it lifts off you better throttle up and climb out rather than trying to set it up for landing that quickly.Nice long approaches really help get the feel you will need for that.You're gonna like that airplane

 G.Aman

 



 

 



 



  --

taildragger21

Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 9

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:19 am Post subject: Re: New kolber

Thanks guys.. This is all very good advice.. I experienced a lot of these years ago when I came out of a 172 and jumped into the quicksilver.. After 1.5 hrs I soloed that quick. But I had a ride with somone who let me fly in a quick before that and it gave me a hard way to go when I finnally realized These planes are low inertia hi drag and after I became accustomed to it I liked it even better.. just havent flown in a while and there is no two seat anything like an ultralight around here so I am just a bit nervous about a new type plane with a tailwheel and a lapse in years from flying those types..

Thom Riddle

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 3:17 am Post subject: Re: New kolber

If the Kolb you are going to learn to fly in, has the standard low-stance landing gear, you will find it to be just about the easiest tail-dragger around in terms of handling during take-off and landing. If it has longer/taller gear legs, then its behavior tends to be more like other tail-draggers, but still not difficult if you are careful and the toe-in is set correctly. I've owned two early Firestars, one with standard gear legs and one with long legs. Big difference in high speed ground handling encountered during take-off and landings. Once slowed down to taxi speed, no difference between the two and easy in light wind conditions. If it is windy, just follow the tail-dragger taxi rules until it is parked and secured. 



As BB noted, grass is much easier. If you learn on grass, when you go to pavement expect a little more twitchy behavior, but still not difficult.

_________________
Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)

Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous

Arksey(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:35 am Post subject: New Kolber

--> Kolb-List message posted by: "taildragger21"  <taildragger22003(at)yahoo.com>



Hey guys.. I am seriously looking at a  firefly ( A famous one I might ad) and have some questions.. I want to go about  this the right way.. Here is my experience.. 10 logged hrs. solo at 7.5 hrs in a  c172.. And 30-40 hrs in quicksilver sport 1 and sport 2..Recently put 1 hour in  a citabria.

  

 Hi Chad,

     we have a MK lll here in michigan, I would be glad to  give you a demo ride....before it gets winter...but sounds like we are quite a  distance from you.....I also fly a firestar, have never flown a Firefly but can  tell you how  the Mk lll and firestar fly.....The Firefly should make a  good airplane for you, would suggest following lst time flight suggestions for  expermentals.   Would be nice if you could use a  long grass  strip, check static RPM prior to flying to make sure prop pitch set correctly,  once i got into the air I would go up to safe altitude and do power off and  partial power stall to find indicated stall speed, i would then do slow flight  about 5 to 10 miles per hour above indicated stall speed.....maintain altitude  with correct power setting and maintain speed at 5 to 10 over stall  speed....also maintain the same speed and slowly practice descents and climbs by  increase or decrease of power.....use no less that 10 mph  above stall  speed on approach and use power to increase or decrease descent, when just above  the ground use some power to stop descent then slowly reduce power and let the  plane descend to the runway, as soon as you touch the ground you can get off the  power ....and as the plane slows downs you can then come back on the stick....I  get much better landings using this method.  try and pick a time when the  wind is very light and right down the runway.....just remember always fly the  airplane and never let it get below stall speed. spending time taxing and just  setting in the airplane getting used to the instruments and controls is also  very helpful...good luck & fly safe....feel free to call me if you  wish.....Jim Swan

 Do not  archive

FIRESTAR ll 503 Michigan jswan

GPS FOR MY RUNWAY N 42 deg 28.581  W084deg 44.825

ph. 517-663-8488

  [quote][b]

jbhart(at)onlyinternet.ne
Guest

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:22 am Post subject: New Kolber

Hey guys.. I am seriously looking at a firefly ( A famous one I might ad) 

and have some questions.. I want to go about this the right way.. Here is my 

experience.. 10 logged hrs. solo at 7.5 hrs in a c172.. And 30-40 hrs in 

quicksilver sport 1 and sport 2..Recently put 1 hour in a citabria.

  

Chad,



I had several hours in various ga and glider aircraft, but never finished a 

ticket.  I test flew my FireFly.  You might like to read "flying techniques" 

found at/on:



http://jackbhart.com/firefly/firefly.html



I have always flown from a hard surface runway.  My experience with the 

FireFly and grass have shown me to be very conservative with throttle on 

take off to prevent blowing the FireFly over on it's nose as rolling 

resistance is much greater on grass.



Jack B. Hart FF004

Winchester, IN

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