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ernieandjane(at)naxs.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:37 pm Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

From; Ernest Deel ernieandjane(at)naxs.net (ernieandjane(at)naxs.net) 

 Subject; Request for info;;

  

 I am considering purchasing a KF IV Speedster  (s/n JCS 137) project--no FWF except Rotax engine mount. The plane had  minor wing-tip and landing gear damage from a high speed taxi incident and the  engine was removed for another project. I will want to convert to a  tri-gear (nose wheel)

  

 Are approved parts and plans available? >From who  and where? Is this a complicated conversion? Requiring welding and reinforcement  of fuselage and/or firewall? And will I need to make a decision on which  engine before beginning work on the landing gear? A close-up picture or  sketch  showing how the nose gear brackets are attached would be helpful.  Will this be considered a major airframe modification? and what kind of  "paper-work" and inspections will be required? (Although I built and flew a  Vari-Eze I do not have much expertise with tube and fabric or welding) An  opinion (guesstimate?) on cost will also be welcome.

  

 Engines?? Possibly a Jabiru 2200? Just a  couple days ago I saw from www.compactradialengines.com an 85hp MZ-301 with  about the best power-weight-cost ratio numbers I have seen? Anybody know  about or care to comment on this  engine (and the company?)

  

 Any help, ideas, comments, will be welcome and  greatly appreciated. Also if anyone within a100 miles or so of Grundy VA  (southwestern VA) has a Kitfox (tri-gear or tail dgr) I would like a close up  look at it. Thanks again!   Ernie

  

 Ernest Deel

 Rt 1 Box 349A

 Vansant, VA 24656

 276 859 0434

 ernieandjane(at)naxs.net (ernieandjane(at)naxs.net) 

  

  

    [quote][b]

jdmcbean(at)kitfoxaircraf
Guest

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:22 am Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

Ernie,  

            We can help.. please feel free to contact us off list.  

<![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]>  

 AUTOTEXTLIST \s "E-mail  Signature" <![endif]-->Fly Safe !!  

John & Debra McBean  

208.337.5111  

www.kitfoxaircraft.com    

"It's not how Fast... It's how Fun!"  

<![endif]--><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]>  

-----Original Message-----

 From: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com]On Behalf Of Ernest and Jane Deel

 Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:32 PM

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info  

<![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]>  

From; Ernest Deel ernieandjane(at)naxs.net (ernieandjane(at)naxs.net)   

Subject; Request for info;;  

   

I am considering purchasing a KF IV Speedster (s/n JCS 137) project--no FWF except Rotax engine mount. The plane had minor wing-tip and landing gear damage from a high speed taxi incident and the engine was removed for another project. I will want to convert to a tri-gear (nose wheel)  

   

Are approved parts and plans available? >From who and where? Is this a complicated conversion? Requiring welding and reinforcement of fuselage and/or firewall? And will I need to make a decision on which engine before beginning work on the landing gear? A close-up picture or sketch  showing how the nose gear brackets are attached would be helpful. Will this be considered a major airframe modification? and what kind of "paper-work" and inspections will be required? (Although I built and flew a Vari-Eze I do not have much expertise with tube and fabric or welding) An opinion (guesstimate?) on cost will also be welcome.  

   

Engines?? Possibly a Jabiru 2200? Just a couple days ago I saw from www.compactradialengines.com an 85hp MZ-301 with about the best power-weight-cost ratio numbers I have seen? Anybody know about or care to comment on this engine (and the company?)  

   

Any help, ideas, comments, will be welcome and greatly appreciated. Also if anyone within a100 miles or so of Grundy VA (southwestern VA) has a Kitfox (tri-gear or tail dgr) I would like a close up look at it. Thanks again!   Ernie  

   

Ernest Deel  

Rt 1 Box 349A  

Vansant, VA 24656  

276 859 0434  

ernieandjane(at)naxs.net (ernieandjane(at)naxs.net)   

   

   [quote]<![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]>          - The Kitfox-List Email Forum -   --> http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List              - NEW MATRONICS WEB FORUMS -   --> http://forums.matronics.com<![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]>[b]

MichaelGibbs(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:59 am Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

Ernest sez:



 	  Quote: 	
		  I will want to convert to a tri-gear (nose wheel).



Are approved parts and plans available? From who and where? Is this 

a complicated conversion? Requiring welding and reinforcement of 

fuselage and/or firewall? And will I need to make a decision on 

which engine before beginning work on the landing gear?


	


I think you are on your own as far as plans go, but the process isn't 

rocket science.  Some welding and reinforcement is required, but I 

don't think the engine choice matters at this point unless you plan 

to do something truly exotic.



You'll need a mounting plate welded to the tubing just behind the 

firewall and you'll need to reinforce the tubing just behind the 

seats.  On mine, we did this by welding plates between the tubes, as 

shown in the attached photos.



The nosewheel assembly was supplied by the factory and the main gear 

is from Grove.



Hope this is helpful,



Mike G.

N728KF

Phoenix, AZ

Nosewheel-Weldment.jpg

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Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

Call me a relic, but I personally can't see why anyone would take a  

perfectly good 'fox IV Speedster tailwheel plane and muck (sp?) it up  

by going to a nosewheel!  I think you need to ask yourself why you  

want to convert....lack of tailwheel experience? Get trained. Is it  

because the person who caused the wing-tip and gear damage blamed it  

on the tailwheel? Maybe they needed training. Insurance writers don't  

like/understand t'wheels? Might be something to that. Tailwheels have  

been around since day one...well, maybe day two, but they are  

learnable. Take it from a 70-yr old, who learned in a tailwheel  

Kitfox...my own...at age 69.

As to your other decision...the engine....more and more people are  

going to Jabiru...'nuf said.



Lynn Matteson

Grass Lake, Michigan

Kitfox IV Speedster  w/Jabiru 2200

flying w/400+ hrs





On Sep 18, 2007, at 1:32 AM, Ernest and Jane Deel wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   From; Ernest Deel ernieandjane(at)naxs.net

 Subject; Request for info;;



 I am considering purchasing a KF IV Speedster (s/n JCS 137)  

 project--no FWF except Rotax engine mount. The plane had minor wing- 

 tip and landing gear damage from a high speed taxi incident and the  

 engine was removed for another project. I will want to convert to a  

 tri-gear (nose wheel)



 Are approved parts and plans available? >From who and where? Is  

 this a complicated conversion? Requiring welding and reinforcement  

 of fuselage and/or firewall? And will I need to make a decision on  

 which engine before beginning work on the landing gear? A close-up  

 picture or sketch  showing how the nose gear brackets are attached  

 would be helpful. Will this be considered a major airframe  

 modification? and what kind of "paper-work" and inspections will be  

 required? (Although I built and flew a Vari-Eze I do not have much  

 expertise with tube and fabric or welding) An opinion  

 (guesstimate?) on cost will also be welcome.



 Engines?? Possibly a Jabiru 2200? Just a couple days ago I saw from  

 www.compactradialengines.com an 85hp MZ-301 with about the best  

 power-weight-cost ratio numbers I have seen? Anybody know about or  

 care to comment on this engine (and the company?)



 Any help, ideas, comments, will be welcome and greatly appreciated.  

 Also if anyone within a100 miles or so of Grundy VA (southwestern  

 VA) has a Kitfox (tri-gear or tail dgr) I would like a close up  

 look at it. Thanks again!   Ernie



 Ernest Deel

 Rt 1 Box 349A

 Vansant, VA 24656

 276 859 0434

 ernieandjane(at)naxs.net

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

 ============================================================ _- 

 forums.matronics.com_- 

 ============================================================

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

MichaelGibbs(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

Lynn sez:



 	  Quote: 	
		  ...I personally can't see why anyone would take a perfectly good 

'fox IV Speedster tailwheel plane and muck (sp?) it up by going to a 

nosewheel!


	


Let's not start the "why the heck would you want to do that?" stuff 

again.  The guy asked for advice on how to do something, not for a 

bunch of editorials on something that is, after all, a personal 

decision.



Mike G., Kitfox List Co-Moderator

N728KF

Phoenix, AZ

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:38 am Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

You're right...I apologize...it was late at night and I should have  

been sleeping...



Lynn

On Sep 19, 2007, at 3:41 AM, Michael Gibbs wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <MichaelGibbs(at)cox.net>



 Lynn sez:



> ...I personally can't see why anyone would take a perfectly good  

> 'fox IV Speedster tailwheel plane and muck (sp?) it up by going to  

> a nosewheel!



 Let's not start the "why the heck would you want to do that?" stuff  

 again.  The guy asked for advice on how to do something, not for a  

 bunch of editorials on something that is, after all, a personal  

 decision.



 Mike G., Kitfox List Co-Moderator

 N728KF

 Phoenix, AZ

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

john(at)leptron.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

Mike G,

The main gear bracket you show does not look stock, who cut that out for

you? We need something like that for our model 1.

John Oakley

--

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:49 am Post subject: Re: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

 	  Quote: 	
		  Will this be considered a major airframe modification? and what kind of "paper-work" and inspections will be required? 	




Ernie,

If this airplane already has an experimental airworthyness certificate the answer is in the operating limitations issued with it.  Some say you need to notify the FSDO in writing about the modification.  Some say just put it back into Phase one (test phase) for five hours, I think, and make  a log book entry.



It seems like every FSDO interprets the regulations differently so a call to your FSDO will probably be needed to be sure.

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:46 am Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

At 10:32 PM 9/17/2007, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Engines?? Possibly a Jabiru 2200? Just a couple days ago I saw from  www.compactradialengines.com an 85hp MZ-301 with about the best power-weight-cost ratio numbers I have seen? Anybody know about or care to comment on this engine (and the company?) 	


 Welcome Ernie! It sounds like a fun project on your hands. I had never seen the engines you referenced so I'm glad you showed them. They look great, but of course are two-stroke, with all the attendant problems, which are:



 1. Mixing fuel. Two strokes require oil in their fuel. Rotax uses a convenient oil pump to inject oil into the intake manifolds precluding pre-mix. If these don't have oil injection you'll have to pre-mix. It's not a big deal at home, but I suspect it would be a real pain on the road. (I do a fair amount of long cross countries and it's still a pain for me as I have to carry up to 20 pints, (almost 20 pounds,) of oil with me for a week of flying.)



 2. Fuel use. Two strokes are notorious gas hogs. You'll want to check on that for these engines.



 3. Noise. Two strokes are notoriously noisy, with a high pitched whine that can be annoying.



         I sound disparaging, but please note that I'm running a Rotax 582 and have been quite happy with it. I can't help you with the trike conversion but there are plenty that have done it. If you don't get a response here email me privately and I'll try to hook you up with a couple.



 

 Guy Buchanan

 San Diego, CA

 K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.     [quote][b]

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

MichaelGibbs(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:30 pm Post subject: New subscriber-1st post-request for info

John asks:



 	  Quote: 	
		  The main gear bracket you show does not look stock, who cut that out 

for you? We need something like that for our model 1.


	


I'm pretty sure that is stock Grove mounting hardware, John.



Mike G.

N728KF

Phoenix, AZ

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