cookflys(at)yahoo.com
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 Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject: Kitfox-List Digest: 21 Msgs - 04/21/07 |
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HKS engine Mike look on Barnstomers.com experimental classifieds and you will find a couple of HKS operators on model II aircraft. One of them was a conversion from a 582 engine.
Charles
Kitfox-List Digest Server <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com> wrote:
[quote]*
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Kitfox-List Digest Archive
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Total Messages Posted Sat 04/21/07: 21
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Today's Message Index:
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1. 04:10 AM - My "Florida" trip...off topic (Lynn Matteson)
2. 04:57 AM - Re: Re: cabin doors (kirk hull)
3. 05:44 AM - Re: Re: cabin doors (Lynn Matteson)
4. 05:46 AM - Re: Re: cabin doors (Larry Huntley)
5. 05:47 AM - Re: Re: cabin doors (Noel Loveys)
6. 06:36 AM - Re: Re: cabin doors (Guy Buchanan)
7. 06:36 AM - Re: Classic IV wing modsClassic IV wing mods (Guy Buchanan)
8. 06:45 AM - Re: Re: cabin doors (Noel Loveys)
9. 06:49 AM - Re: Classic IV wing modsClassic IV wing mods (Tom Jones)
10. 07:39 AM - Rotax 532 vs HKS 700E (Mike)
11. 07:53 AM - Re: My "Florida" trip...off topic (Michel Verheughe)
12. 09:13 AM - Re: Rotax 532 vs HKS 700E (kurt schrader)
13. 10:21 AM - Re: Classic IV wing modsClassic IV wing mods (Guy Buchanan)
14. 10:46 AM - Re: My "Florida" trip...off topic (dcsfoto)
15. 10:46 AM - Re: Rotax 532 vs HKS 700E (Jim_and_Lucy Chuk)
16. 11:05 AM - Re: Re: cabin doors (kirk hull)
17. 11:57 AM - Re: Classic IV wing modsClassic IV wing mods (Dacha)
18. 12:26 PM - Re: My "Florida" trip...off topic (Lynn Matteson)
19. 02:21 PM - Re: My "Florida" trip...off topic (Michel Verheughe)
20. 06:22 PM - Re: My "Florida" trip...off topic (Lynn Matteson)
21. 10:44 PM - Re: My "Florida" trip...off topic (Guy Buchanan)
________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________
Time: 04:10:11 AM PST US
From: Lynn Matteson
Subject: My "Florida" trip...off topic
Off topic, other than telling how GREAT a plane the Kitfox is in
saving one's bacon during less-than-perfect flying conditions.
This is a description of my recent attempt to fly to the Sun 'n'
Fun Fly-in, held in Lakeland, Florida. A friend, Nihl, was flying in
his own plane, a very nice 1963 Cessna 150. I was flying my own
Kitfox Model IV Speedster with a Jabiru 2200 engine for power.
We left the Napoleon, MI airport (3NP), at 7:30 am local time, last
Monday, and flew the 230 statute miles to Sporty's Pilot Shop at
Batavia, OH, in 96 minutes. Along the way I was showing 108mph
Indicated airspeed, while my GPS was showing 177mph ground speed...we
had a 70 mph tailwind! Nearing Dayton, Ohio's airspace, Nihl called
to notify ATC that we wished to transit their airspace, saying we
were a flight of two. The controller could not locate a flight of
two, and we discovered that Nihl's transponder did not transmit. I
was asked to squawk 0346, which I did and the controller told us that
my transponder worked, but his did not. Still not being real
comfortable with use of the radio, I was letting Nihl handle the
radio chores, while I became the designated transponder operator. ( I
was handling my own "self-announce" at the untowered airports)
Landing at Sporty's was a bit tricky, as the wind was almost a direct
crosswind, but both planes landed ok. We spent about an hour at
Sporty's, Nihl buying charts and fuel...I did not need fuel.
During our stopover at Sporty's, the wind increased, and became
more of a direct crosswind, and I was nervous about taking off using
the regular runway. I asked for permission to use what I found out
was called "high-speed turnoffs" for part of my takeoff "runway".
This was granted, so I taxied onto the normal taxiway, turned around,
and started out, using about 50 feet of the normal taxiway, turning
left onto the high-speed turnoff which is at 45 degrees to the
taxiway and the main runway, and crossing the main runway, I lifted
off with an approximately 45 degree crosswind. This worked out quite
well for me. Nihl, with his heavier plane, used the runway with no
problems.
My flight instructor had told me before I left that since I was
used to following section lines as part of my Michigan-based VFR
navigation procedures, that I would not find a recognizable section
line in Kentucky, and he was right. Suddenly there were no more
straight lines to follow, just curves, and hills and wandering rivers.
I had my chart and my GPS, so navigation was no problem. Nihl called
and told me we were clear to fly at 5500 feet elevation, which
became too bumpy, so I asked him to ask for permission to go to 7500,
which was granted. Minutes later, he called to say "Lynn, go to 5500
feet IMMEDIATELY!" I did, and it turned out traffic
was the reason for the command. A few minutes later the traffic was
gone...whatever it was...and we were cleared to go back up to 7500.
It was getting very bumpy, and I could see puffy clouds coming up,
and avoided then, but could feel the bumps as they passed by. Seeing
a bank of clouds that I wanted to avoid, I climbed even higher...we
were no longer under the jurisdiction of the ATC by this time. I was
getting closer to the ridge of clouds, and was at 9500 feet, close to
my Sport Pilot-mandated ceiling of 10,000 feet, and could see that I
was not going to make it over the clouds even if I bent the rules
"for safety", so I decided to head down. All this last 10 minutes or
so, the turbulence was getting greater, and as I descended, I was
getting hammered, and Nihl came on the radio and said he was going to
land, pointing out an airport below. I had the airport in sight, and
was thinking the same thing. I was well into the yellow band of my
airspeed indicator, and had to flatten out the descent to keep the
speed down into the green, even though this meant spending more time
getting bounced around. At one point I noticed that my GPS had lost
power, due to the cigar lighter power supply becoming loose due to
the vibration, bouncing, bumping, and slamming around that the plane
was getting. I had to circle the field to try and find the windsock,
and saw that it was straight out and at a 90 degree angle to the left
side of the runway, and I saw no other choices for landing. I came in
with left wing down as much as I could try to hold it there, and the
plane was really getting tossed. The left wheel made contact, bounced
a bit, and the left wing came up, slamming the right wheel down with
the plane starting to point to the left. I got lucky as hell that the
plane didn't groundloop, or cartwheel or anything else. I got stopped
pointing into the wind at the left side of the runway, completed the
rest of the turn to the left and back taxied off at the first turnoff
and pulled the plane up to a closed hangar for shelter from the wind.
I got out to assess the damage, and found that the right wheel pant
was slightly damaged due to the tire being flexed sideways (during
that hard hit) and grabbing the fairing and causing the fairing to be
pulled into and bent upwards, inside the pant, and dragging on the
tire. I unscrewed the fairing and left it off and tied the plane down
with help from a guy at the airport. During this time, Nihl was
trying to get down, and on his third attempt was successful.
We later discovered that we had landed at Scott County Airport (SCX),
near Oneida, Tennessee. More later on what a great facility, and
great people they have down there.
In retrospect, I'm surprised that the tire didn't roll off the rim. I
have tubeless tires with no tubes, and even though there are good
deep bead retention grooves in the wheels, I'm tempted to put tubes
in them if for nothing other than making it easier....if I can find
tubes with bent stems....to check tire pressure.
Next: Staying at the airport, making decisions, and getting back.
DO NOT ARCHIVE
________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________
Time: 04:57:33 AM PST US
From: "kirk hull"
Subject: RE: Re: cabin doors
My classic 4 came with the strut mounts as part of the kit but I did not
know it was safe to open the doors in flight. Do a lot of people open them
in flight or just leave them open when taking off.
_____
From: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com
[mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Noel Loveys
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2007 5:34 PM
Subject: RE: Re: cabin doors
Ok now I have the pictures.
The installation was done with two small pieces of angle. I used some
metal (about .032") which I bent into angle. The angle is is held to the
cross tube behind the pilot and to the frame of the back of the door. I put
the strut on the back of the door because I fly floats and have to enter
from the front. The angle extrusions are slotted With a Dremel tool right
at the angle to allow them to be mounted on the tubes with small gear
clamps. Every thing is out in the open where it is easy to inspect.
Surprisingly none of the four gear clamps have loosened at all. The
brackets have a hole drilled in them which the ball end of the two ball and
socket ends is bolted through.
The height of the bracket on the door is important. It should be higher
than the distance of the lower bracket form the door closed position to give
an over centre positive close to the door when the door is pulled down.
The position of the door bracket is set to allow an almost a full closure of
the strut while closing the door.
This strut is 9 in. long, 10.5 in over all and has the ball and socket
joints with the balls at both ends. I got this strut from a local salvage
yard and have no idea what it came out of. I'm sure you can find the
complete unit at an automotive supply shop if you don't have a salvage yard
you can browse.
The next picture is a close up of the bracket on the cross tube. It strut
ball is mounted far enough into the plane so as not to interfere with the
operation of the door.
I put this on my door as occasionally I like to fly and always taxi with the
door open. If the salvage yard had two of these struts I would have
installed both of them. It has worked well for the past year or so so I
guess the next thing to do is paint the brackets to make them look as if
they belonged there.
I'm far from a fortune teller but I do see another trip to the salvage yard
for me in the near future.
Removing the door is easy as there is a little metal clip that holds the
socket of the strut over the ball. I just have to make sure to keep the
clips with the strut.
Clear as Mud??
Noel
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