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uuccio(at)gmail.com
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 Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 5:31 am Post subject: flap angles, Kitfox IV - update |
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Just an update on my flaps saga... I have found several things wrong with
the rigging of my kitfox (I purchased it second hand and have been
rebuilding it here in Italy)... it's obvious to me that whoever was the
original builder of this Kitfox didn't bother to read the manual... (or
maybe he didn't speak English):
1. there was a stop put in the flaps lever which impeded the full motion of
the lever forward. This resulted in the flaperon bellcrank angle being
(with flaps full forward), 10 degrees *above* horizontal instead of 11.5
degrees below. Flap angle was about 5 degrees with this setting, this would
probably cause unnecessary drag in cruise.
2. the flaperon control horns were not clocked correctly. Instead of Left =
26 deg aft and Right = 32 deg forward, they were both clocked at 25 degrees
aft and fwd... This doesn't work! (It's obvious if you consider the angle
at which their push-pull tubes then act on the flaps).
I've finally managed to order a manual from John (at) Kitfoxaircraft but I now
have to wait for it to arrive.
Does anyone know what the flap angle settings should be with flaps full
forward (I assume negative 5 degrees max?) and with full flaps (I assume
about 35 degrees)
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lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
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| Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 7:09 am Post subject: flap angles, Kitfox IV - update |
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--------------------------------------------------
From: "Lowell Fitt" <lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 8:07 AM
To: <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com>
Subject: Re: Re: flap angles, Kitfox IV - update
| Quote: | Interesting saga. I'm glad you have finally hooked up with Kitfox for the
manual. I have heard similar stories, sadly.
Regarding the forward angle. And take this as from memory and something
like opinion. There was a time that some were experimenting with negative
flap deployment with the thought of the flaperon acting like a spoiler.
As I recall, there was general consensus that the behavior of the airplane
was not in most pilot's comfort range with negative flaps so the negative
deployment was blocked out. Mine is set at zero angle at the forward
stop - Minimum drag. Then the typical Model IV was trimmed for level
flight with a small amount of down flaps to drop the nose a bit. Then
there is the discussion of the loss of aileron control - or should I say,
the serious reduction of aileron control - with deflections approaching
30. For that reason, most at the time, blocked their deployment to about
20 or so degrees. I suspect you will find that 35 would be a bit
excessive, but the final settings should reflect what you find during
testing.
Glad to hear you are making progress on all fronts. Your English? Can't
tell it from a native English speaker.
Lowell
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Sacha" <uuccio(at)gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 6:31 AM
To: <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com>
Subject: RE: Re: flap angles, Kitfox IV - update
>
>
> Just an update on my flaps saga... I have found several things wrong with
> the rigging of my kitfox (I purchased it second hand and have been
> rebuilding it here in Italy)... it's obvious to me that whoever was the
> original builder of this Kitfox didn't bother to read the manual... (or
> maybe he didn't speak English):
>
> 1. there was a stop put in the flaps lever which impeded the full motion
> of
> the lever forward. This resulted in the flaperon bellcrank angle being
> (with flaps full forward), 10 degrees *above* horizontal instead of 11.5
> degrees below. Flap angle was about 5 degrees with this setting, this
> would
> probably cause unnecessary drag in cruise.
>
> 2. the flaperon control horns were not clocked correctly. Instead of
> Left =
> 26 deg aft and Right = 32 deg forward, they were both clocked at 25
> degrees
> aft and fwd... This doesn't work! (It's obvious if you consider the
> angle
> at which their push-pull tubes then act on the flaps).
>
> I've finally managed to order a manual from John (at) Kitfoxaircraft but I
> now
> have to wait for it to arrive.
>
> Does anyone know what the flap angle settings should be with flaps full
> forward (I assume negative 5 degrees max?) and with full flaps (I assume
> about 35 degrees)
>
|
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uuccio(at)gmail.com
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 1:03 am Post subject: flap angles, Kitfox IV - update |
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Thanks Lowell,
I'm Italian-Australian, born in the UK, grew up in France and lived a long time in Japan... Basically a foreigner everywhere I go 
The previous owner had blocked the flaps (in the forward/up position) at +5 degrees but that seems a bit excessive to me... Now that i've corrected the problems with the rigging, I'm going to do some testing and determine what's right for me.
I'll report results on the list...
Sacha
On Jun 21, 2013, at 17:08, "Lowell Fitt" <lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Lowell Fitt" <lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net>
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 8:07 AM
To: <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com>
Subject: Re: Re: flap angles, Kitfox IV - update
> Interesting saga. I'm glad you have finally hooked up with Kitfox for the manual. I have heard similar stories, sadly.
>
> Regarding the forward angle. And take this as from memory and something like opinion. There was a time that some were experimenting with negative flap deployment with the thought of the flaperon acting like a spoiler. As I recall, there was general consensus that the behavior of the airplane was not in most pilot's comfort range with negative flaps so the negative deployment was blocked out. Mine is set at zero angle at the forward stop - Minimum drag. Then the typical Model IV was trimmed for level flight with a small amount of down flaps to drop the nose a bit. Then there is the discussion of the loss of aileron control - or should I say, the serious reduction of aileron control - with deflections approaching 30. For that reason, most at the time, blocked their deployment to about 20 or so degrees. I suspect you will find that 35 would be a bit excessive, but the final settings should reflect what you find during testing.
>
> Glad to hear you are making progress on all fronts. Your English? Can't tell it from a native English speaker.
> Lowell
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Sacha" <uuccio(at)gmail.com>
> Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 6:31 AM
> To: <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com>
> Subject: RE: Re: flap angles, Kitfox IV - update
>
>>
>>
>> Just an update on my flaps saga... I have found several things wrong with
>> the rigging of my kitfox (I purchased it second hand and have been
>> rebuilding it here in Italy)... it's obvious to me that whoever was the
>> original builder of this Kitfox didn't bother to read the manual... (or
>> maybe he didn't speak English):
>>
>> 1. there was a stop put in the flaps lever which impeded the full motion of
>> the lever forward. This resulted in the flaperon bellcrank angle being
>> (with flaps full forward), 10 degrees *above* horizontal instead of 11.5
>> degrees below. Flap angle was about 5 degrees with this setting, this would
>> probably cause unnecessary drag in cruise.
>>
>> 2. the flaperon control horns were not clocked correctly. Instead of Left =
>> 26 deg aft and Right = 32 deg forward, they were both clocked at 25 degrees
>> aft and fwd... This doesn't work! (It's obvious if you consider the angle
>> at which their push-pull tubes then act on the flaps).
>>
>> I've finally managed to order a manual from John (at) Kitfoxaircraft but I now
>> have to wait for it to arrive.
>>
>> Does anyone know what the flap angle settings should be with flaps full
>> forward (I assume negative 5 degrees max?) and with full flaps (I assume
>> about 35 degrees)
|
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