KF4-1200 is Mine! My NEW Plane! -to me-

[rdooley79]

This is a major concern. 1500 miles is a loooong way and a lot of little bumps.
O.k. so I found a lot of previous forum posts on this topic. It's not clear. I need to get some pics of the trailer to know if it's built to raise the tail or not. The plane is facing backwards I do know. Also the trailer is based on a jet ski trailer. According to the posts a lighter trailer is better anyways. The previous owner pulled it a couple hundred miles and said it went well.

I'm planning on bringing a spare tire as well as tools, screws, 2x4's, saw, foam, straps, a lot of straps, drill, bolts, eyebolts, bungee cords and a biiiig roll of plastic wrap. The plan is that I want to have everything to fabricate, cushion, seal and strap the plane for transport. The trick will be to secure it while allowing it to bump along on it's own suspension.

The pics above are great! You are lifting the tail and ridgidly mounting the tail with the hard points built in to the tail for the hitch. Some say that the tail should "bounce" or "float" with straps to keep it from shifting but still free to bump up and down. You have taken a different approach.

Why can't I just beam it here like star trek? that would be best.

I'd love to see some more pics if people have them.

[skyraidertom]

I have transported my single place skyraider to a grass strip 10 miles away over 150 times in the past 10 years using a 16' tandem axle utility trailer. The last mile of the trip is over a bumpy chuck hole lane. I secure the front tires to the trailer and the tail is supported rigidly under the point where the tail spring attaches to the fuselage. the tail spring is then tied down to the trailer with two nylon tie down straps. The plane is transported nose forward and in a level position. The wings,control surfaces and prop are secured independent of the trailer. I realize the kitfox may be different. But this set up has also worked well for me on longer trips at freeway speeds. Perhaps the tail section of the kitfox is designed differently and can't be transported as such.

[Jerrytex]

I'd recommend a roll or two of mover's wrap. It works great as you can put a mover's blanket down and then wrap it to keep it in place on areas that will get road debris. You can pretty much wrap the entire plane and make it water proof. Tape the ends with masking tape or it will unwrap in the wind. Uhaul has all different sizes.

[rdooley79]

I'd recommend a roll or two of mover's wrap. It works great as you can put a mover's blanket down and then wrap it to keep it in place on areas that will get road debris. You can pretty much wrap the entire plane and make it water proof. Tape the ends with masking tape or it will unwrap in the wind. Uhaul has all different sizes.

Great minds think alike! this is exactly what I have done for years with my other plane and am definitely going to do with this one.
Padding and sealing the plane from the weather is the easy part. The tail support is what's concerning me the most!

[Slyfox]

I keep thinking that you should set the tail on something that will give it support without being a hard surface. Like taking some inner tubs air them up and set the plane on those in the back. that way if you hit bumps it will not transmit through the tail section. the main landing gear should be just fine. I see that tail as a problem because those wings make that tail real heavy when moved to the rear. just my thought.

[Dorsal]

I used a air/spring style shop stool for the suspension element, worked well.
http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/pic...pictureid=2407

To be fair I had a much shorter drive.

[rdooley79]

I saw your shop stool and it looks like a good idea. I'll see what is around to make something for the long term.

For the short term of getting it back safely, the inner tube idea is great. Maybe one of those big exercise balls, got one at home. Maybe a combination of inner tube base with the ball set in the middle hole, have a piece of carpet between the innertube/ball to have a nice soft surface and also to spread the load on the tail, use plastic to wrap it all together and to the tail making the whole arrangement part of the tail. Tape the whole arrangement to the tail, looots of tape wrapped around. Basically making a giant air bag for the tail to rest on. Then use straps to the tail wheel to keep the tail from shifting forward/backwards and side to side but leave slack to allow the tail to bounce. As long as the main gear is super secure about the tires and axles, leaving the gear to spring up and down. I may even let a little air out of the tires to make them more squishy.

If that was explained well enough, What do you guys think?

[HansLab]

I drove mine on a trailer only some 200KM's and I hope I never have to do it again! (the trailer is for sale, by the way..)
Drove it on a windstill day, were the slowest team on the roads. Picked as much (paved) highways as I could find, with my flight buddy driving behind.
Had to support elevator during the trip: those areas are quite vulnerable to winds. If I were to do this again I'd probably took off as much as I could
But: we made it and now she flies! So all is forgotten and forgiven.
Am I glad not beeing in your 1500 mile- shoes!
Probably rented a container, then.

[SkyPirate]

Since the plane is towed backwards, the rigidity of the tail support has to maintain the tails position from sliding sideways, if you wanted to get real creative, think of a light trailer's leaf spring , now invert it, instead of the axle being bolted to the spring, a saddle that would connect to the rear Dorsal Fin/hitch mount hole in the tail, if your not sure that will handle side loD pressures well put 2 linkage rods, one on each side to control side loads,
Im on my cell phone right now or i would draw an example 👹

[SkyPirate]

Cubtractor " Mike" made an awesome control lock if you do a search for mikes posts from his profile you can find it , or if he tunes in and can post a pick of it here