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johngilpin
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Posts: 93
Location: 004
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 Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:04 pm Post subject: Trailers |
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Gday All,
I've bought a FireFly!
It's in Mississippi, and luckily I have a friend near enough to there to check it out for me, and he reckons it's very tidy. But no trailer with it......
I just did a search on this forum for 'trailers' and got 2200 hits. I'm now x-eyed and head spinning after sorting through 1200 of them back to the year 2000..... It seems that there's liable to be really serious aircraft damage if you don't do it right. But some good solutions have been worked out and proven by owners. Some excellent home-built trailers and fittings have been developed from experience, but it doesn't sound simple. The same questions are still being asked on the forum today that were being asked in 2000. Some very patient contributors are answering those questions over and over.... But new-comers like myself are still asking where we can buy a suitable trailer. Looking on the latest Kolb site, I was disappointed to find that they don't know of any suitable trailers, and only link to a couple that they admit are too heavy. Following those links I only find trailers built for carrying loads of 5000 lbs! Doesn't sound suitable at all for a 254 lb aircraft plus a few tools and a couple of jerry cans......
Considering that the Kolbs have by far the best wing folding design, and that aspect attracts a lot of us to the Kolb, I would have thought that the company would have made arrangements with a trailer builder, or maybe better a small welding shop, to produce exactly the right trailers to fit the Kolbs - right size, right weight, right springing, right aircraft attachments and good streamlining. Working with the experience of owners who have done it, wouldn't be all that hard.... Once the shop has got the details all sorted out, they could be built at a reasonable cost. Not a big market, but could be a good side-line for the right shop. Seems it'd be good marketing for Kolb, no one else can really offer a 'Trailaplane' package. Talking to friends who build Legal Eagles, they're envious of my flying/camping plans, and are now working on adapting their aircraft to that use. I reckon it could be pretty popular if it was a tidy complete package ready to go.
Or if good detailed proven plans were available, so we could build ourselves or take those plans to a local welding shop for a quote. If we have to go to a welding shop with only a vague sketch, they're going to have to quote high enough to allow for all the unexpected hitches that will be encountered... If we build it ourselves and each have to figure it out all the details and source the right materials, it's a big, long job....... But in this case I'll be living out of a suitcase so don't have the chance to build one......
So, does anyone have an enclosed trailer suitable for a FireFly for sale?? j.gilpin(at)bigpond.com (j.gilpin(at)bigpond.com)
Must be light and easy towing and suitable for long hauling, cause my purpose is to tour the USA towing it behind a camper van. I won't get over there until about March, but can't leave it to the last minute to start looking.... If there's something suitable I'll arrange to buy it and store it until I get there.
Tailwinds Always,
JG
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zeprep251(at)aol.com
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| Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:36 pm Post subject: Trailers |
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John,
Have you been to OH2fly.net web site?He is a Kolb flier and has put together a good collection of Kolb info including Kolb hauling trailers.You really should check it out.
G.Aman MK3C Jabiru 2200A 670hrs w/over 10000 miles trailered
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johngilpin
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Posts: 93
Location: 004
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| Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:36 pm Post subject: Trailers |
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| Quote: | Have you been to OH2fly.net web site?
Yes, I have seen that site. That's what I mean that the problem has been solved several times in different ways before, but each had to do it themselves. Most of those are built from scratch, but I don't have a workshop or time for that. [b] | Quote: | | The last one in that list, David's, looks the simplest, if I could find a similar trailer. Right now looking at used travel trailers to something similar. When they're aging and out of style and getting musty inside, they have little resale value, and there's lots of them laying around. Strip out all the household furniture, and they're a fairly lightweight trailer. Just have to get one big enough and cut a door in the back and arrange fittings to hold the aircraft. That's what a fiend did here for the Mk3x he's just about finished building. Then I'll just have to find a welding shop to make an opening door and the fittings. Shouldn't take too long if I can find the right little shop. |
JG |
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Ozarkflyer
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Posts: 68
Location: Mtn. View, AR
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:41 am Post subject: Re: Trailers |
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John
Have you decided on an itinerary yet or any specific areas you are interested in seeing? I'm sure there are any number of us that would welcome the opportunity to meet you and even provide a spot to stay.
If you get anywhere near my neck of the woods (www.mountainviewcc.org) let me know and I'd be happy to provide a spot for you to park your gear and we have a spare room.
Larry Ragan
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