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Jim Feldmann
Joined: 01 Sep 2008
Posts: 54
Location: Burbank, CA
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 Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:02 pm Post subject: Aligning the wings |
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I just bought my Kitfox and after I got it home, I discovered that the left wing is straight from root to tip, but the right wing is twisted leading-edge down (washed-out) about 2 degrees. I realize that this was probably done to make it fly level with only the pilot on board, but it is excessive and the plane has a built-in right roll, even flown solo.
I am also concerned about a possible stall-spin problem from the different angle of attack from one side to the other.
The Builders Manual that I got with the airplane does not discuss wing alignment. Can anyone tell me what the factory specs are? Should both wings be straight? Both washed-out a degree of so? I don't know whether I should eliminate the excess wash-out in the right wing, or twist in a little washout on the left wing, or both?
Thanks.
Jim Feldmann
1994 Kitfox Speedster/Rotax 912
Flying
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Last edited by Jim Feldmann on Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Guy Buchanan
Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:44 pm Post subject: Aligning the wings |
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At 04:02 PM 10/15/2008, you wrote:
| Quote: | The Builders Manual that I got with the airplane does not discuss
wing alignment. Can anyone tell me what the factory specs
are? Should both wings be straight? Both washed-out a degree of
so? I don't know whether I should eliminate the excess wash-out in
the right wing, or twist in a little washout on the left wing, or both?
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The build manual shows about 1 degree of washout, symmetric, for the
long wing measured at the outboard and inboard ribs. It will be a
little less for the Speedster. (The long wing adds another rib bay
outside the end of the flaperon.) I'd bring it back to factory specs,
if possible.
Guy Buchanan
San Diego, CA
K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.
| | - 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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_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too. |
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Tom Jones
Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:12 am Post subject: Re: Aligning the wings |
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| Jim Feldmann wrote: | I just bought my Kitfox and after I got it home, I discovered that the left wing is straight from root to tip, but the right wing is twisted leading-edge down (washed-out) about 2 degrees. I realize that this was probably done to make it fly level with only the pilot on board, but it is excessive and the plane has a built-in right roll, even flown solo.
I am also concerned about a possible stall-spin problem from the different angle of attack from one side to the other.
The Builders Manual that I got with the airplane does not discuss wing alignment. Can anyone tell me what the factory specs are? Should both wings be straight? Both washed-out a degree of so? I don't know whether I should eliminate the excess wash-out in the right wing, or twist in a little washout on the left wing, or both?
Thanks.
Jim Feldmann
1994 Kitfox Speedster/Rotax 912
Flying |
Jim, the wings are built upside down on saw horses with the saw horse tops level or parallel in relation to each other. A 1/2" block is placed under the tip end of the front spar to result in the finished wing having 1/2" of washout between the spars per 13 feet. The speedster wing spars are cut after the ribs are attached to achieve an accurate amount of twist.
In other words, the speedster wings have the same twist per foot, but a hair less than 1/2" washout from root to tip.
| | - 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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_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA |
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Jim Feldmann
Joined: 01 Sep 2008
Posts: 54
Location: Burbank, CA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:45 am Post subject: Re: Aligning the wings |
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Thanks very much guys. I will re-rig it per those specs and then see what straight and level flight trim looks like.
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http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List |
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_________________
Jim Feldmann
Kitfox IV Speedster / 912 lost to prop failure
Building a Kitfox 5 Voyager |
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