What's your CG and tail wheel weight?

[Kitfox Pilot]

I'm weighing 923 EW after adding 15lbs to the tail. I'm at 12.02 cg and my tailwheel weight is 71lbs. Flys pretty good at this CG. Just wondering what CG others are flying at....

[Jerrytex]

Model 5 with some 7 upgrades. EW is 798. CG is 12.14. Tail weighed 73 pounds.

I am guessing that the 15 pounds you added to the tail is because of the airmaster prop?

[Kitfox Pilot]

Model 5 with some 7 upgrades. EW is 798. CG is 12.14. Tail weighed 73 pounds.

I am guessing that the 15 pounds you added to the tail is because of the airmaster prop?



I used the earth x battery at 3.2 lbs. instead of the 16 lb odyssey battery in the rear they recommend for the 915 install and yes the 16 lb heaver prop has to be off set too. I was just wondering what the normal tailwheel weights were. thanks

[GuppyWN]

807lbs and 56 tail weight.

9.32 CG w/75" Airmaster

[Kitfox Pilot]

Your cg is close to what my cg was before adding the weight. Do you have problems doing 3 point landings? That's the reason I added weight.

[GuppyWN]

No problem. I can touch the tail first. Not just 3 point. Put gaffers tape or elevator seals on your tail too.

I could tell a difference when I installed the Airmaster. Have since gone with an EarthX battery and have slowly forgotten how it used to fly.

[Kitfox Pilot]

I need to try the gap seals but haven't done that yet. I am an 90hour tailwheel pilot so I still have a lot to learn. thanks

[airlina]

Harlan , have you installed the trim assist kit? that helps a bunch too. On my Series 5 (with a heavy Continental IO-240 up front, 250 lbs worth)and which has the smaller elevator than you guys with the newer airplanes , I had to do a few things to make full stall landings doable. As much weight aft (to me its a sin to carry deadweight for the sake of balance) so 16 Lb Odyssey & ELT in empennage, gap seals and the trim assist kit. I have full elevator authority and can 3 point at any flap setting. Bruce N199CL

[olsonCCR]

I used the earth x battery at 3.2 lbs. instead of the 16 lb odyssey battery in the rear they recommend for the 915 install and yes the 16 lb heaver prop has to be off set too. I was just wondering what the normal tailwheel weights were. thanks

Harlan,
How did you add the weight to your tail? Doing it over again, would you have gone with the Odyssey battery?
I was planning to use the EarthX also to save weight but have a feeling I'll be in the same position needing to add extra tail weight. I chose a ground adjustable prop over Airmaster which is lighter but I am thinkiing of going with a Dynon panel and the Fastrak mounting system which will put most of my avionics behind my panel (forward of CG) as opposed to in tail and behind seat pan.

[Kitfox Pilot]

Harlan , have you installed the trim assist kit? that helps a bunch too. On my Series 5 (with a heavy Continental IO-240 up front, 250 lbs worth)and which has the smaller elevator than you guys with the newer airplanes , I had to do a few things to make full stall landings doable. As much weight aft (to me its a sin to carry deadweight for the sake of balance) so 16 Lb Odyssey & ELT in empennage, gap seals and the trim assist kit. I have full elevator authority and can 3 point at any flap setting. Bruce N199CL

Thanks Bruce, I do have trim assist. I used the lighter battery because its more powerful and I thought weight on the tail would be much less weight than on a battery forward a few feet. What do you use for gap seals and what is your tail weight on your plane. I'm not fond of dead weight but I was told I'd need some when I went with the 915 and the they were right. Thanks

[Kitfox Pilot]

Harlan,
How did you add the weight to your tail? Doing it over again, would you have gone with the Odyssey battery?
I was planning to use the EarthX also to save weight but have a feeling I'll be in the same position needing to add extra tail weight. I chose a ground adjustable prop over Airmaster which is lighter but I am thinkiing of going with a Dynon panel and the Fastrak mounting system which will put most of my avionics behind my panel (forward of CG) as opposed to in tail and behind seat pan.


I just made a lead weight and bolted in the spare hole in the tailwheel gear.
Started at 5lbs and ended at 14. I could fly without it but it has a super heavy stick on final approach. I gained 4 mph when I added the weight on the same fuel burn by balancing the plane a little better and landings are much easier for me.
I wanted the earth x battery because of the extra power. I knew I would have to add the weight but it takes much less on the tail then it does in the battery compartment.
Yes your ground adjustable prop is 16 lb lighter and will help your balance a lot.

[olsonCCR]

Thanks Harlan. I like your approach. EarthX is definitely a more appealing solution to me. Have a great night!
Kevin

[PapuaPilot]

What do you use for gap seals and what is your tail weight on your plane.

I used roll of heavy duty 2" clear Gorilla tape that I bought at Walmart. I put a strip on the top of the stab and bottom of the elevator. They stick to each other in the gap with about a 1" overlap. It's hard to even see that they are there and it has held up for several years.

[Kitfox Pilot]

I used roll of heavy duty 2" clear Gorilla tape that I bought at Walmart. I put a strip on the top of the stab and bottom of the elevator. They stick to each other in the gap with about a 1" overlap. It's hard to even see that they are there and it has held up for several years.



Thanks Phil. I just couldn't see in my mind how the tape would work with all the movement back there because I thought it needed to be smooth across the top. Thanks for the idea.

[efwd]

I did as Phil did only I wish I would have known about the Gorilla Tape. Oh well, I had expensive clear anti-chafe tape that worked the same and it isn't all that noticeable as Jim states. Just way more expensive. :( I have had it in place for about 300 hrs and it hasn't budged whatsoever.

[Kitfox Pilot]

I did as Phil did only I wish I would have known about the Gorilla Tape. Oh well, I had expensive clear anti-chafe tape that worked the same and it isn't all that noticeable as Jim states. Just way more expensive. :( I have had it in place for about 300 hrs and it hasn't budged whatsoever.

Thanks Eddie, did it make much difference on your elevator control?

[jiott]

I also used the expensive 3M leading edge tape on my elevator gap. It been on now for about 7 years with no sign of coming loose or UV deterioration. Yes Harlan, it did make a noticeable difference.

I had previously tried those extruded foam gap fillers from Cubcrafters (very expensive) and they kept blowing out and getting lost-totally unacceptable.

[Kitfox Pilot]

I also used the expensive 3M leading edge tape on my elevator gap. It been on now for about 7 years with no sign of coming loose or UV deterioration. Yes Harlan, it did make a noticeable difference.

I had previously tried those extruded foam gap fillers from Cubcrafters (very expensive) and they kept blowing out and getting lost-totally unacceptable.


Thanks Jim, I will have Susan pick me up a roll today and give it a try.
I almost ordered the cub seals and my friend said they were too small for the kitfox gap and wouldn't stay in.

[Kitfox Pilot]

Did you guys' just tape between the elevator hinges or over them also?

[airlina]

Harlan , I looked into the cubcrafters foam gap seals back in 2013 , but at 200 bucks (back then ) I decided to do what thrifty (OK ,cheap) home builders do and went to home depot for supplies and made my own. Made from standard pipe insulation with a rubberized coating for waterproofing. Been installed since 2013 with no problems . Bruce N199CL

[Kitfox Pilot]

I like that Bruce!

[Eric Page]

So do I. Very clever and super cheap. What's the rubberized coating? Plasti-Dip?

[airlina]

Eric, when I made these , some other guys were asking questions so I did a tutorial with pics in 2013. Sorry I don't know how to bring old threads to add to this thread so if you go to advanced search : KEYWORD: gap seals USERNAME: micro mong bldr you will find it. The coating was a spray called "performix plastic dip multi purpose rubber coating" basically the stuff you dip tool handles in but in a spray can. A light spray of this to keep the foam from absorbing water. 9 years on mine and they still look like when I installed them. Bruce N199CL

[Geek]

Bruce - Copied your tutorial and brought it forward.

Gary

Bruce's Gap Seal Post:


Hi Steve, they say pics are worth a thousand words, so here is a brief tutorial on how I made my cheapo gap seals. Indeed the material is simply pipe insulation from the depot or lowes. On my Series 5 , my horizontal stab and elevator tube diameter where the seal is installed is about 1 and 1/4 ", so I used a 1" pipe insulation (I suspect 3/4" would work fine as well). Don't know if all models are this diameter. I needed roughly 8 feet of material to cover all gaps. You don't cut it in half , that would give the wrong shape to the foam. You have to replicate your empennage tubes with a simple cutting jig as shown in the following photos. I had a piece of 1" copper on hand but pvc would work in about a 1'' diameter. Once cut to size , I initially tried to wedge them in place , but test flights revealed that elevator travel and propwash would move them slightly, so I contact cemented them in place to each tube. As the elevator moves up and down the radiused part of the foam roll on each other. When cementing in place , put the seal in place when the cement is still wet so you can reposition them to final position before it dries. I would do the stab seal (forward one) let it dry then the elevator (aft one) so you don't disturb the installed one. Do not know if the gap distance is the same for all Kitfox models so you may have to find the right foam for your installation. Hope this helps Bruce

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[airlina]

Gary, thank you for doing that , I need a tutorial on that procedure because many time I remeber an old post (like this one) that I'd like to apply to the new builders' threads. Been following your build and it looks like you're gonna have a fine Kitfox when you're done, Bruce N199CL

[Eric Page]

Bruce and Gary -- thanks very much!