New Englanders with a flying tricycle gear?

[Dorsal]

As I close in on flying my machine I would love to take a dual hop in a 5-7 tri-gear Fox. If there is anyone in MA, CT, RI, ME, VT, NH, NY that would be interested in showing off their aircraft please let me know.

[cap01]

dorsal . did you get a dar lined up and hows it going to work for your inspection ?

[Dorsal]

Yes I have a DAR, he has been for a pre-inspection about a month ago, liked what he saw. I think I am only a couple of weeks from asking him back for the AW inspection, that the theory anyway. Still looking to get some time in a tricycle Fox, no takers so far, happy to extend my search to the NE quarter of the US.

[cap01]

after all the work , this is a exciting time for you . reduces a lot of the stress once you start working with the dar and know what he expects .
sorry i cant help with a ride , hope you can get some time in one before the big day. good luck and enjoy the moment

[SkyPirate]

if my memory is right..there s a guy near Wells Maine with a trike-gear model 5,.now if I see him on here ,..or on EAA site ..not sure ,..I'll check

Chase

CDE2FLY has a model 7 ,..he is in Greene NY which is just north of Binghamton NY ,.think his is a tail dragger though.

Dorsal ..John McBean might know someone whohas a model 7 in Mass as well ,that might not be on the forum..he is from near the Cape also,..not too far from my home town.

[CDE2FLY]

Hi Dorsal - Sky Pirate is right...I'm near Binghamton with a Model 7 tail drager. Let me know if you would like some stick time. My first flight was in July last summer and I've got just over 100 hours on it. I've been very pleased with the airplane and 912S/IVO in flight adjustible prop.

[Dorsal]

CDE,
Thanks, I will try to take you up on your offer, sent you an email.

[Paul Z]

I have had my Kitfox all that long, I may have 45 hours on it. I had not flow much in the last 15 years and decided I wanted to get back into it. I purchased the Kitfox SLSA , which is a tri-gear. At first I was a little intemidated with flying it because of my inexperience over the last years. However, after flying it for about 10 hours I got over the nervous, and I must admit in the tri-gear arrangement it it's is easier to land than a Cessna 152. Just watch the go arounds, with the flaps down! I would be willing to give you a ride, but I live in Texas. However, if you want some stick time, before you fly, if you are willing to fly to Dallas on a commercial bird I would be willing to take you up! Best of luck!

[SkyPirate]

Paul ..have you been practicing slipping your kitfox? kitfox's slip like they live for it ..you can feel her get into the slip notch like she is on a rail
ride her out till she is about 50 AGL flatten her out apply a little flap ..she'll set down like your landing on a pillow

[Paul Z]

I have landed quite a few slips. I was surprised how easy this plane lands. You hold off on the flaps until 50 feet AGL? I'll have to try that. My biggest problem is slowing it down. I pull back full on the throttle and it doesn't seem to want to get much slower than 75 miles per hour, I keep trimming the nose up and then flair for landing. I need to try some landings with my approach in the 65-75 range

[SkyPirate]

a good practice for anything new is to land on the invisible runway at 1500 agl first I know it's not the same as seeing the ground come up ..but practicing anything new at altitude aclimates you to the airplanes characteristics before your at the committed stage of an actual landing. get a feel for the sink rate change from slip config to flap ,..the trick is to figure out where the "Burp" is on your flap position,.once you know where it is after coming out of slip..to flat and applying flaps ... you set the flap to just before the "burp" and as she comes down..right before touch down put the flaps to the position of the burp,..this is at just above idle throttle position too ,..I say burp ..it's when your on approach and set your flaps and gain altitude instead of sink with flaps, the speed will depend on your planes weight and the position will depend on your speed..the trick is to find that sweet spot "the burp" at touch down speed and touch down at the same time you put the flaps to that spot,. then flatten your flaps to zero .your roll will be minimal once on the ground,..

for stol take off you basically reverse the process,.. set your flap to the "Burp" position,..power up get her in the air as she speeds up and climbs above 50 agl flatten your flap slowly as your speed increases to climb out without flap speed ,.. you'll notice as you climb and speed up,.. your actually letting the stick go forward to hold climb out atitude as you lose flap and your still climbing if you don't let the stick go forward your nose will climb more to the point of past the best climb out atitude,..which is not good it will seem like you need 3 hands at first ,..that's why you practice at altitude first