akflyer
Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 574
Location: Soldotna AK
|
 Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:22 am Post subject: Installing Full lotus Floats on the KF |
 |
|
Well after I flew my brothers kitfox on the Northaire fiberglass clones it was decided that they has scaled them down too much and they were not of sufficient displacement to fly safely.... this was determined both scientificaly through 3D modeling and number crunching and by the good ole load her up and see what she does method.. We topped off the tanks and both got in, I powered up and as the tail of the floats left the beach the right float promptly sank. This is not a good feeling but luckily the lake was still real shallow and we did a real quick 180 to the right and pulled back to shore.. I kicked him out as it was just too nice of a day to not fly. I got in another 7.5 hrs of flight time that day while he stayed behind (twice as I had to come back and re-fuel) and mowed the area around the float plane parking.
The next day I pulled the plane out of the water and yanked his floats off and rigged my set of full lotus 1260's to his plane. The original skystar mounts were 10" to far back on the floats and the rear mount was 1" to long. I moved the mounts forward but did not shorten the rear leg till after my first test flight. I have now flown it at gross and I think I can move the floats back another 3"-4" and I wont have to force the nose over at gross. If anyone is having trouble getting on step at gross weight, then the cure is to move the step further back. Full Lotus recomends the step be 4-8" behind the CG. I put the step 2" behind the aft CG location and I think the factory knows best.. I will move them back one mounting hole and drill yet another set of front holes. I hate putting all the holes in the tubes, but once I find what works best, I can get new aluminum tubes and drill those once.
As far as flying..solo and full fuel she is almost instantly on step and pops off the water in 5-6 seconds at 35-40 and climbs out quite nice 700-800 fpm. Full fuel and dual (at ahemmmm... gross) it takes about a 12-15 seconds. She plows a bit and you have to force the nose over with full down, but once on top of the water at about 15 mph she accelerates very quick to 40. you can either them pop the flaperons on to break water or roll one float out then lift off. I perfer to roll a float so I can keep a hand on the throttle just for grins and giggles.
The cruise speed went up 4-5 MPH with the full lotus over the northaire floats and the climb out is about 250 fpm better. For the places I go, you just can't beat the full lotus floats. I landed in a popular place for the Beaver and Otter drivers and chatted with a Otter driver buddy who was there waiting on the clients to get their limit of fish. He had heard me talking about all the things I can do witht the full lotus floats so he asked for a demonstration. I ran around on the grass and tundra and then took off from the grass. Another pilot flew over and asked him how long it took the guy that landed long to get unstuck.. he replied that the tracks were not from someone who landed long and Missed the lake, but were done on purpose to demonstrate the floats.. the other pilot was blown away that a guy on floats would intentionaly go out in the grass. My brother also learned float flying 101 that day.. cell phone goes in a zippered pocket or the fishes will be taking all your calls from now on..
Attached are a few pics of a flight around Cook Inlet and Tuxidney Bay as well as one of us tied up at John Stoners dock. As you can see he has the original skystar rigging and placement. We are trying to talk him into moving the floats so he can get off the water at gross weight.
| | - 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 |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
180.55 KB |
| Viewed: |
475 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
165.63 KB |
| Viewed: |
404 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
170.28 KB |
| Viewed: |
438 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
161.42 KB |
| Viewed: |
367 Time(s) |
|
_________________
DO NOT ARCHIVE
Leonard Perry aka SNAKE
Soldotna AK
Avid "C" / Mk IV
582 (147 hrs and counting on the rebuild)
IVO IFA
Full Lotus 1450
#1 snake oil salesman since 1-22-2009
I would rather die trying to live, than to live trying not to die.... |
|
Get Email Distribution Too!
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
