Radial Kitfox First Flight

[SaintAero]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYA5ySV9lk4
Fun Project,
Don

[Rodney]

Absolutely AWESOME - What a great looking and sounding airplane.

Congratulations

[Dick B in KY]

Hey Don, Congrats!!! The hard work has paid off. Enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Dick B

[Paul Z]

Don
I am disappointed, you didn't call me so I could fly over for the first flight! The wind sock showed it was dead Calm!
When did you find a day with no wind? Yesterday was a little windy & wet!
Was the video the entire flight?
Paul Z

[horsepower]

That is one good sounding airplane, you have a real eye catcher there. There is nothing like modern day barnstorming. This is the kind of stuff that will keep private aviation alive. Randy

[Paul Z]

Don

I was looking at your video again, I see you decided to do a wheel landing versus full stall for the first landing.

Paul Z

[SaintAero]

Thanks for all the comments. The fun meter is pegged hard right
I found that this airplane likes wheel landings; my test card called for any landing that got me back to the runway. Flying Paul's Kitfox was a big help for me to get a feel for the airplane.....Thx Paul. We had some extreme crosswinds that day. I plan to travel around a little once I get the 40 hours flown off. Even though I am within the CG limits, I am running out of trim with full flaps and have started landing with half flaps. Is that how most are flying? -

[Paul Z]

Don, FYI, I never land with full flaps. I am glad to hear you thought those were extreme crosswinds! In watching your video, I noticed the windsock was indicating NO wind! Did you look at the location of the horizontal stablizer after you landed??

[Paul Z]

I usually use one notch of flaps.

[Slyfox]

the kitfox has flaps? So that's what that lever in the middle is for.

[Paul Z]

After having learned to fly a taildragger in a C120, Flaps? I thought that is what a slip is for!

[Av8r3400]

Why are you guys all afraid of the flaps on these planes?? :confused:

It is a feature of the airframe design and works very well. Do you not take your car out of 1st gear ever, too?

I use full flaps when ever I want to come in real short, less flap for longer rolls and no flaps in high winds. My plane has no trim (yet) so I must use the armstrong method. I even use a burst of full flap to take off short.

I have never had an issue with inversion or any quirky handling...

[Paul Z]

Why are you afraid of a slip??

[Av8r3400]

I use the slip all the time WITH flaps deployed! I use all of the aerodynamic tools that this plane offers to get it to perform, not just one...

[Slyfox]

I don't like the feel of the flaps. Cuts down the effectiveness of the ailerons. If you saw the way i fly you would understand. I do a short approach on every landing. I can slow the plane down very well with out the flaps, I generally do a base to final just before the approach of the runway, I'll slip, well I call it a slice, and do it well, right through the trees, flying at it's best is what I call it. The flaps are just too much trouble, I spend all my thoughts and time flying the plane, I don't have any room in my brain for the flaps. If I'm a little to fast I level the wings and put in hard right rudder until slowed to what I want, than I staighten and hold 3ft off until it just about stalls and than pull the stick full back, it stalls and kind of floats down on all three, like landing in a pillow. Very fun.

[SaintAero]

I have found that with me and half tanks, I am flying near the forward CG limit. Using half flaps at about 60MPH approach speed I am also at the nose up trim limit. If I use full flaps, I am having to push about 5-10 lbs forward stick. I suspect that when I test other CGs, the trim will be more in range with and without flaps.

[Slyfox]

you don't happen to mean that you need to put in rear stick at 5 to 10lbs. Meaning that you need more rear stick to prevent nose drop. That's what happens when I use full flaps, the nose gets real heavy. I just assume use no flaps and full rear trim, electric in elevator, and use slight stick pressure for landing.

[Slyfox]

oh and to add. I have used flaps in all configurations. It does get off the ground real quick with full flaps, I just find that I don't need that, the airplane gets off real quick with flat prop and 100 horse rotax engine. Of course I'm a little guy that only weighs 175 and the plane weighs around 640dry, so I have no problem.

not to mention it is fun to take off from the sod with bringing the tail up and than bouncing the mains off a bump and run ground effect until the speed is up and pull up and out, this is real fun also.

GAWD I LOVE MY PLANE

[Av8r3400]

I Love Mine too!! :D

[SaintAero]

you don't happen to mean that you need to put in rear stick at 5 to 10lbs. Meaning that you need more rear stick to prevent nose drop. That's what happens when I use full flaps, the nose gets real heavy. I just assume use no flaps and full rear trim, electric in elevator, and use slight stick pressure for landing.

Right, I meant "pull with about 5-10 lbs aft stick" duh .....:confused:

[ME2]

CONGRATULATIONS! Good to see another round engine flying!
Bill P
419BM