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Rudder Authority

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Nick(at)Scholtes1.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:21 am Post subject: Rudder Authority

Ted and Guy,

 

 Thank you both, as well as everyone else, for EXCELLENT responses!  

 

 Ted wrote:

 

 Kitfox rudder control is pretty much required all the time on the ground or in the air. In smooth stable air no prob -- hands and feet off when trimmed. In thermals or wind you're making rudder adjustments as well as pitch and roll most of the time. A Kitfox is flown like a sports car rather than a sedan. It takes more attention but that's why they're fun. What you describe is typical of folks who have not spent a lot of time in light short-coupled fabric taildraggers. 

 

 

 Ted, I've got alot of time in the Citabria and the Decathlon and even a C-150-TD, but zero time in a KitFox (actually, I've now got 0.9 hours in one!).  Would you consider these "light, short-coupled fabric taildraggers"?  I guess I was expecting the KitFox to perform alot like these, but it didn't, and maybe my problem is just a mismatch between my expectations and reality.  What I'm trying to figure out is whether I should adjust my expectations, or whether that particular airplane is an anomaly.  

 

 Guy wrote:

 

 Mine tracks very nicely as long as your feet are on the pedals, even in turbulence. It just doesn't center very well. You can be as much as one ball off and feel nothing in the pedals. (My butt's not attuned to it yet, either.) Other IV's with the thick rudder "option" do center. 

 

 I understand your description of "centering" and "tracking".  There is a C-150 that I fly alot that doesn't "center" very well, as you describe you can be sitting there and your "butt-ometer" is saying everything is fine, but you look at the ball and you're one ball off-center.  But, that airplane is easy to handle, and it "tracks" well, meaning that it kinda' stays where you put it, just a touch of pedal after you look at the ball and all is well.  The KitFox that I flew neither "centered" well, nor "tracked" well.  It was just all over the place, all of the time.  As a matter of fact, on one approach that I did, the owner said, "see how well it comes down when you're slipping it to a landing?"  He was right, it was doing a great slip.  Problem was, I was trying to fly it straight!  

 

 I just need to fly more KitFoxes to do some comparisons.  

 

 So, I'll change my tactic.  Instead of asking questions, I just need some stick and rudder time, so I'll ask this:

 

 Who out there has a Model IV-1200 that I can take for a ride?  I'll pay handsomely for the opportunity.  The closer to Chicago the better!  Any takers?

 

 Thanks everybody!

 

 Nick

 

     [quote][b]

- The Matronics Kitfox-List Email Forum -

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FLIER(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:29 pm Post subject: Rudder Authority

The 'Fox is lighter and more spirited than any of the 

below.  I've flown them all and the Kitfox is more 

responsive and as a result can require more attention.



Regards,



Ted

--- Original Message ---

From: Nick Scholtes <Nick(at)Scholtes1.com>

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

list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Rudder Authority



 	  Quote: 	
		  Ted and Guy,



Thank you both, as well as everyone else, for 

EXCELLENT responses! 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  

Ted wrote:



Kitfox rudder control is pretty much required all 

the time on the ground 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  or in the air. In smooth stable air no prob -- hands 

and feet off when 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  trimmed. In thermals or wind you're making rudder 

adjustments as well as 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  pitch and roll most of the time. A Kitfox is flown 

like a sports car 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  rather than a sedan. It takes more attention but 

that's why they're fun. 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  What you describe is typical of folks who have not 

spent a lot of time 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  in light short-coupled fabric taildraggers.

Ted, I've got alot of time in the Citabria and the 

Decathlon and even a 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  C-150-TD, but zero time in a KitFox (actually, I've 

now got 0.9 hours in 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  one!).  Would you consider these "light, short-

coupled fabric 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  taildraggers"?  I guess I was expecting the KitFox 

to perform alot like 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  these, but it didn't, and maybe my problem is just a 

mismatch between my 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  expectations and reality.  What I'm trying to figure 

out is whether I 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  should adjust my expectations, or whether that 

particular airplane is an 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  anomaly. 



Guy wrote:



Mine tracks very nicely as long as your feet are on 

the pedals, even in 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  turbulence. It just doesn't center very well. You 

can be as much as one 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  ball off and feel nothing in the pedals. (My butt's 

not attuned to it 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  yet, either.) Other IV's with the thick 

rudder "option" do center.
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  

I understand your description of "centering" 

and "tracking".  There is a 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  C-150 that I fly alot that doesn't "center" very 

well, as you describe 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  you can be sitting there and your "butt-ometer" is 

saying everything is 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  fine, but you look at the ball and you're one ball 

off-center.  But, 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  that airplane is easy to handle, and it "tracks" 

well, meaning that it 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  kinda' stays where you put it, just a touch of pedal 

after you look at 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  the ball and all is well.  The KitFox that I flew 

neither "centered" 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  well, nor "tracked" well.  It was just all over the 

place, all of the 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  time.  As a matter of fact, on one approach that I 

did, the owner said, 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  "see how well it comes down when you're slipping it 

to a landing?"  He 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  was right, it was doing a great slip.  Problem was, 

I was trying to fly 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  it straight! 



I just need to fly more KitFoxes to do some 

comparisons. 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  

So, I'll change my tactic.  Instead of asking 

questions, I just need 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  some stick and rudder time, so I'll ask this:



Who out there has a Model IV-1200 that I can take 

for a ride?  I'll pay 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  handsomely for the opportunity.  The closer to 

Chicago the better!  Any 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		  takers?



Thanks everybody!



Nick

- The Matronics Kitfox-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List

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