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Thread: Tall Pilot

  1. #11
    Senior Member Esser's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    You won't have to move your pedal adjustments, you can just crimp the cable at a different length. This will make more sense when you do it.

    I honestly think that modifying the firewall etc. won't be worth all the effort. That will be quite a bit of work but to each his own. Just remember that on the other side of the firewall there isn't much room for engine components depending what you are sticking up front so you may want to leave the final placement of your pedals until you hang your engine.

    I would also hesitate to cut the back of the rudder mounting "feet" and extend it on the front. The rudder pedal force will now be trying to pull off the thin birch floor boards where as before you had a wide foot print pushing against it. You could get around this by custom making a large washer plate that goes on the backside of the birch.

    Just my $0.02

  2. #12
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    I'm a short man 5'7 inches, I keep my rudder peddles one notch from the the firewall. If I were building I wouldn't waist the time or money putting in the adjustable peddles. Just my humble opinion.
    Paul Zimmermann
    LSRM-A
    Garland, Texas

  3. #13

    Join Date
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    hollywood, Fl
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    Josh-thanks for good points on the feet and firewall. I had not considered the reduced distribution of pedal forces. washer/plates are a great idea. I won't know how much available play there will be between the firewall and pedal with the modification until I get there. I presume moving pedals that far forward may exceed rudder stops and cause firewall pedal strike. Time will tell. Your right lots of mental gymnastics would apply to modifying the firewall. If I can avoid it that will be a big win.

  4. #14
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    Nothing you do up front at the pedals will cause you to exceed the rudder stops. Those stops are set back at the rudder and your pedal stroke only goes as far as those stops let it. However, FW pedal strike is definitely something you have to avoid.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  5. #15
    Senior Member Dave S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    A person can also fine tune the redder pedal stroke after the fact by making the cable links back by the rudder a bit shorter ot a bit longer than standard. I believe some folks have installed turnbuckles for fine adjustments

    Dave S
    KF 7 Trigear
    912ULS Warp drive

    St Paul, MN

  6. #16
    Senior Member jrevens's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    Hi Dave,

    Please correct me if necessary, but but changing the length of the links shouldn't change the stroke of the pedals, just their position. My kit came with links that have multiple holes to do just that (in my case, at the rudder pedals). That's all you're doing with the quick adjustable pedal option also - changing the effective length of the cables.
    John Evens
    Arvada, CO
    Kitfox SS7 N27JE
    EAA Lifetime
    Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime

  7. #17
    Senior Member Dave S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    John,

    That is correct........it changes the position of the rudder pedals...i.e. where the pedal stroke stops...guess it is not possible to norwegian proof a computer keyboard

    DS

  8. #18
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    When I was building my Kitfox I really started getting freaked out about setting up the rudder cable installation; thinking that small errors in cable length side to side would cause the plane to fly in a skid. Someone on this forum, maybe it was John Pitkin, finally convinced me that it was not that big a deal. In straight and level flight the rudder seeks its own position in the airstream and the only effect of slightly mismatched cables is the pedal position of one foot or the other will be slightly ahead of the other. Your feet cannot feel a small error like that. No real need for turnbuckles to tweak it in unless you are really anal about it. Just set the pedal adjustment at the most forward position; clamp a stick across both pedals to make them even; run the cables around the eyes back at the rudder connection links and clamp them together; then test at full pedal stroke both sides to make sure the pedal clears the FW by about 1/4"; if this is good, clamp the stick back across the pedals in neutral; go to the back and make sure the cables are still clamped tight and the rudder itself is dead centered; if all this is good mark across the clamped cables with a sharpie so you can repeat the same position later after you disconnect the link and the spring tension; then swage the cables permanently. This will get you as close as you need to be.

    Later when you start flying, you will probably need to add some rudder trim tab to fly ball centered, which will slightly change your perfectly centered rudder anyway.
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

  9. #19

    Join Date
    Apr 2022
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    Spring, TX
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    Hey everyone. This is my first time to post on the forum. I just bought a Kitfox 7 SS (N529DS). I am 6'2" and 210. Sitting on the standard seats (about 4" tall) I found that with a Bose A20 headset I am about 1-2 inches too tall. I am purchasing new seat cushions (boosters) that are only 2". Factory says it will be about 6 weeks to get them in, so I'll let you know when I get them how they work. I am currently using some small cushions from academy that are 1 " tall. Those are a little too short.
    Incidentally, with the regular cushions I can see straight over the cowling when taxiing. with the 1 inch I can not and have to s-turn. I am hoping the 2" will let me both see over the cowling and not hit my head.

  10. #20
    Senior Member jiott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tall Pilot

    In my opinion, if I were you, I would get the standard 1" seat cushions. You need more than an inch or two clearance between your headset and the canopy roof. In bad turbulence you will be banging your head on the roof even with tight seat belts. The minor issue of visibility during taxi is just not that big of a deal. IMHO
    Jim Ott
    Portland, OR
    Kitfox SS7 flying
    Rotax 912ULS

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