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Thread: "Incident" repair advice

  1. #1
    maplebud's Avatar
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    Default "Incident" repair advice

    Recently purchased a kitfox model 2 with some damage. Plane was last flown by the builder in 1992 from what I can gather reading the flight log he had a 'hard landing'. He put the plane in storage. In 2008 he sold the plane the buyer took the plane home with thoughts of repairing the damage and putting in back in service. His dreams were never realized and I purchased it from him in the exact condition as it was in when he bought it.

    The damage is as follows: front cowl, left wing damaged 3 ribs, fuselage bent tubing, broken tubing lh side at strut attach area.

    Front cowl has been repaired. Moving on to the wing I stripped the fabric back to the 4th rib and it looks good no damage. My plan is to remove damaged ribs and braces, the 3rd rib is o ly cracked so was going to use it as a template for 3 new ones. Reinstall 3 new ribs and braces and recover overlapping the 4th rib out to the tip.

    Here are some pics I took today.Any thoughts on repair would be appreciated as l am a newbie.
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  2. #2
    Senior Member Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    I am sure there will be some with much more detailed repair tips but I would pull all the covering off the wing. Then you can make sure nothing else is broken in the wing. It is probably easier to recover the whole wing than to try and patch what is there. Depending on the damage to the fuse it may be ok to patch but.......
    Good luck The KitFox is a great airplane to fly.
    Norm
    Airdrie Ab, Can
    North of Calgary
    Flying SuperFox Model IV

  3. #3
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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    I agree on stripping off all the fabric on the wing. If one diagonal brace popped loose, quite likely others have also. Or got an S curve in them. I've seen it before, and with less damage than what I see on your wing. Could easily be damage you can't see till it's uncovered. The Kitfox wings are actually real easy to recover. Rounded tips like Avids have are way harder to get the tapes to look good. JimChuk

  4. #4
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    Hmm, interesting. No rib stitching. Wonder why Kitfox recommends it, As well as Poly Fiber. That fabric seems to have held.
    Eddie

  5. #5
    Senior Member Norm's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    Could be the early kitfox was a 70mph airplaine but after the model IV it was more of a 100mph plus airplane.
    Norm
    Airdrie Ab, Can
    North of Calgary
    Flying SuperFox Model IV

  6. #6
    maplebud's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    Thanks for all the advice. I ended up stripping all the top off to check for more damage and you guys were right. Found another brace had broken. I plan to recover the whole wing once repairs are made.
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  7. #7

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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    Good job! Nothing short of your life is on the line. Not worth guessing... verify!

  8. #8
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    Wow, If this isn't a testament to being a member on this site I don't know what is!
    Eddie

  9. #9
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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    Good that you found the damage. Better safe than sorry. Just out of curiosity, I wonder what difference you would find if you measure diagonally on the spars before and after you remove the bent parts. With the S curve in the one diagonal brace, the wing is racked. It should go right back to where it's supposed to be when the braces are removed. It would be nice to know how much difference in measurement you find as a way of checking other wings in the future. If the wing is sitting up side down, you could push a bolt or pin up through the holes in the fuselage end of the wing to hook a tape on. Make a mark on the ends of each spar center to measure to. I never thought about this when I first answered your question about your wing damage. It probably would have told you there was damage inside the wing even before you uncovered it. JImChuk

  10. #10
    maplebud's Avatar
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    Default Re: "Incident" repair advice

    Hey Jim, I will measure the rack in the wing and post it. Got another question while we're talking about bracing. When I unrivit the damaged bracing and have to install new how would you go about attaching it as far going back in original holes with rivits.

    Robert

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