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New member with UK-built Model II

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matronics(at)bob.brennan.
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:42 am Post subject: New member with UK-built Model II

I  would like to introduce myself to this group, I have been monitoring it for  several days and am impressed with the wealth of knowledge and helpful Kitfox  owners out there. First a tiny bit about me - I got my PPL in the US many years  ago, training on a Tomahawk and doing business flying in Cherokees mostly. I  moved to the UK for a while and recently got the urge to fly again - bought my  Kitfox and trained for a full NPPL (EU equivalent of a PPL) to rebuilt my skills  and make the full transition to the Kitfox. My model 2 was built in the UK in  1991 and was in good shape when I bought it, with about 800 hours on the  airframe and less than 100 hours since a rebuild on the 582.

  

 I moved back to the  US a while ago and brought my Kitfox over in a 20ft container. I haven't flown  it here yet and have several questions that will hopefully put it back into top  shape first. 

  

 Most important  question - the inboard leading edge of the flaperon has a steel rod that appears  to have been held in with some putty, no doubt a bad repair. The problem is that  the rod is the length of the flaperon, it is loose and slides easily, and the  putty must have loosened sometime during taking the wings off and  putting them back on. After a run-up &taxi and a post-flight inspection I  discovered the putty had fallen out and the rod was extended into the flaperon  linkage potentially locking the controls. Thank goodness it was only a  run-up!

  

 My question(s) - is  this a known problem? How should the end of the flaperon be sealed - it appears  the port one has bent-over metal possibly epoxied in place? Should that steel  rod be loose, and if not how should it be secured? What's the proper repair  given that the end of the flaperon is now open?

  

 Thanks in  advance,

 Bob

   [quote][b]

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Lynn Matteson

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

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:09 am Post subject: New member with UK-built Model II

It sounds like the steel rod is an attempt to balance the flaperon?  

Or is it actually a steel tube? A steel tube is used within the  

flaperon...they call it the flaperon spar...and the flaperon hinges  

pivot on it. But you say it is a rod, so my guess is an attempt to  

balance the flaperon...got any pictures?



Lynn Matteson

Kitfox IV Speedster

Jabiru 2200

Status: flying w/530 hrs





On Jun 22, 2008, at 1:39 PM, Bob Brennan wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   I would like to introduce myself to this group, I have been  

 monitoring it for several days and am impressed with the wealth of  

 knowledge and helpful Kitfox owners out there. First a tiny bit  

 about me - I got my PPL in the US many years ago, training on a  

 Tomahawk and doing business flying in Cherokees mostly. I moved to  

 the UK for a while and recently got the urge to fly again - bought  

 my Kitfox and trained for a full NPPL (EU equivalent of a PPL) to  

 rebuilt my skills and make the full transition to the Kitfox. My  

 model 2 was built in the UK in 1991 and was in good shape when I  

 bought it, with about 800 hours on the airframe and less than 100  

 hours since a rebuild on the 582.



 I moved back to the US a while ago and brought my Kitfox over in a  

 20ft container. I haven't flown it here yet and have several  

 questions that will hopefully put it back into top shape first.



 Most important question - the inboard leading edge of the flaperon  

 has a steel rod that appears to have been held in with some putty,  

 no doubt a bad repair. The problem is that the rod is the length of  

 the flaperon, it is loose and slides easily, and the putty must  

 have loosened sometime during taking the wings off and putting them  

 back on. After a run-up &taxi and a post-flight inspection I  

 discovered the putty had fallen out and the rod was extended into  

 the flaperon linkage potentially locking the controls. Thank  

 goodness it was only a run-up!



 My question(s) - is this a known problem? How should the end of the  

 flaperon be sealed - it appears the port one has bent-over metal  

 possibly epoxied in place? Should that steel rod be loose, and if  

 not how should it be secured? What's the proper repair given that  

 the end of the flaperon is now open?



 Thanks in advance,

 Bob

 www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List _- 

 www.matronics.com/contribution _- 

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_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

matronics(at)bob.brennan.
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:07 am Post subject: New member with UK-built Model II

Hi Lynn - thanks for the quick response.



I have taken and attached 2 pix for you, being new to the list I hope it

works. The steel rod (PIC1) is about 3/8" solid steel and is 1/2 the length

of the flaperon, In the picture I laid it on top for you to see. PIC2 shows

it protruding from the leading edge where it should be inside and secured. 



The flaperons do not have the counter-weights to stop vibration as I have

seen on other older models, however part of the UK annual airworthiness test

requires the airplane to be flown at Vne (100mph for my model 2) and there

was no hint of vibration or anything other than perfect operation of the

flaperons.



BTW that wasn't your Jabiru 2200 Speedster at the Cub Haven fly-in 2 days

ago was it?



Bob



--

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Tom Jones

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

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:46 am Post subject: Re: New member with UK-built Model II

[quote="matronics(at)bob.brennan."]  

 Most important  question - the inboard leading edge of the flaperon has a steel rod that appears  to have been held in with some putty, no doubt a bad repair. The problem is that  the rod is the length of the flaperon, it is loose and slides easily, and the  putty must have loosened sometime during taking the wings off and  putting them back on.     	  Quote: 	
		  [b] 	




Bob, the steel rod in the Flaperon is a UK modification to balance it.  Here is a link to a service letter that describes it along with some other information about your flaperon system.

http://www.kitfoxaircraft.com/support/service_bulletins/sb9.htm



You can find all the Kitfox service letters and bulletins on the Kitfox factory web site http://www.kitfoxaircraft.com/ click on Technical FAQ.

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

matronics(at)bob.brennan.
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 12:35 pm Post subject: New member with UK-built Model II

Thanks Tom, that explains the steel rods (I checked, there is one in the

port wing as well) and the wing patches on all 10 hangers for the aluminum

reinforcement brackets. It will also allow me to answer the inevitable "you

don't have the counter-weights installed(!!??)" that I get every time

another Kitfox owner sees my plane.



I can't however find an installation document for the UK fix and am not sure

how to re-secure the loose rod and seal the end it is coming out of, and

ensure the other one doesn't come loose in flight.



Bob



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Jim Shumaker

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 106

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 5:09 pm Post subject: New member with UK-built Model II

Bob 

  

The UK fix is not a factory fix and the securing of the rods is frought with problems.  The counter weights as supplied by the factory will be more secure and lighter.  Will also save you having to answer those questions about why you don't have them.  

  

Jim Shumaker 



 ---

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_________________
Jim Shumaker

Lynn Matteson

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

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 5:18 pm Post subject: New member with UK-built Model II

That has almost got to be an early attempt to balance the flaperon,  

but there are others who may know for sure.



Nope, that wasn't mine. I was originally going to fly to Lock Haven  

with a group of guys from Ohio and lower Michigan, but I opted for a  

trip to Virginia instead, and that got washed out by my recent prop  

problem, (which by the way is not a problem any longer...knock on wood).



Lynn Matteson

Kitfox IV Speedster

Jabiru 2200

Status: flying w/530 hrs



On Jun 22, 2008, at 3:04 PM, Bob Brennan wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   Hi Lynn - thanks for the quick response.



 I have taken and attached 2 pix for you, being new to the list I  

 hope it

 works. The steel rod (PIC1) is about 3/8" solid steel and is 1/2  

 the length

 of the flaperon, In the picture I laid it on top for you to see.  

 PIC2 shows

 it protruding from the leading edge where it should be inside and  

 secured.



 The flaperons do not have the counter-weights to stop vibration as  

 I have

 seen on other older models, however part of the UK annual  

 airworthiness test

 requires the airplane to be flown at Vne (100mph for my model 2)  

 and there

 was no hint of vibration or anything other than perfect operation  

 of the

 flaperons.



 BTW that wasn't your Jabiru 2200 Speedster at the Cub Haven fly-in  

 2 days

 ago was it?



 Bob

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_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

Sbennett3(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 5:48 pm Post subject: New member with UK-built Model II

In a message dated 6/22/2008 9:20:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  lynnmatt(at)jps.net writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  (which    by the way is not a problem any longer...knock on  wood). 	


 

 Didn't you mean "knock on prop"?      



Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used cars.

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Lynn Matteson

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

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:33 am Post subject: New member with UK-built Model II

Oh, no, never knock on my prop...the splinter might fall off! Then  

I'd have to balance it by taking an axe to the other end and  

then........



Lynn Matteson

Kitfox IV Speedster

Jabiru 2200

Status: flying w/530 hrs

do not archive



On Jun 22, 2008, at 9:46 PM, Sbennett3(at)aol.com wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   In a message dated 6/22/2008 9:20:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  

 lynnmatt(at)jps.net writes:

 (which by the way is not a problem any longer...knock on wood).

 Didn't you mean "knock on prop"?   



 Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient  

 used cars.

 www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List _- 

 www.matronics.com/contribution _- 

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

- 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:

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_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

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