Extended Baggage

[Esser]

I am starting to plan for my extended baggage area and after searching through the threads here I am wondering what floor thickness I should use.

Would you go birchply or aluminum with some angle on the bottom? Also does anyone have any fabric suggestions or tips?

Thanks

[jiott]

I used 1/8" birch ply with no reinforcing angle on the bottom. You certainly wouldn't want to put anything heavy back there so a strong floor isn't necessary. I am sure light aluminum would also be fine.

Per ideas from this forum, I am going to put a zipper, or probably a velcro opening in the back of my baggage sack to access the extended area for longer items like fishing poles, etc.

Jim

[MotReklaw]

I think the fabric in the Kitfox is cordura. We bought and old sack from a KF 5 and extended it with fabric gotten off the web. We're using thin plywood as the floor to rest the baggage sack on. If you are good at sewing you could make your own. Here's a link to cordura fabric.

http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/performance/tear-resistant.htm?s_kwcid=TC%7C1027047%7Ccordura%20nyl on%20fabric%7C%7CSM%7Ce%7C12736240573&gclid=CIi50sS_p7MCFQq0nQod4zwAsg

[Esser]

Thanks Tommy, sewing isn't my strong suite but I may be able to make some thing work. As for the link you supplied me, what is the difference between 30 and 1000 denier? Is that similar to cotton weight?

Also thanks for the info about the floor boards Jim. I guess 1/8th birch ply should do. Next time I fly home I'll try to measure up how much I need to order. I may do the sides with the birch ply as well instead of fabric. Something to think about. I do like the zipper idea for a number of reasons too.

[Dick B in KY]

If you do the cordura fabric go with the 1000 denier (heavier weight). Also go to sailrite.com, they have a video showing how to sew a zipper on a radius and sell oversize zippers. Not too hard to make a cargo bag, I did it.

Dick B

[War Eagle]

I made an aluminum angle frame for my extended baggage area. It is made to fit the various tabs that were welded on the baggage area tubes.

The frame is then bolted to the tabs. Inside the frame I use two pieces of an aluminum honeycomb sheet (about 3/16 inch thick) that is cut in the shape of the angle iron frame.

The floor is made of two pieces (cut lengthwise) so I can easily remove them when it is time for my annual.

The weight of the whole assembly is about one pound heavier than the balsa honeycomb floor that came with my kit.

The honey comb is strong enough for me to stand on, which I often did when I had the turtle deck removed and was working on attaching the windshield.

I couldn't find a picture of the honeycomb but I have a picture of a balsa honeycomb that fits the frame I built but is used in another Series 7 with the extended baggage area.

[HighWing]

Josh,
My project is a IV so the baggage area is a bit smaller and max. baggage wt. is a bit lower. I used a foam fiberglass lay-up for the floor, but you have to like to work with fiberglass for that. The frame is similar to WarEagles, but I cut slots in the angles about every five inches so I could strap the side fabric to the floor using velcro straps. I have an upholstery sewing machine so sewed my own. My goal was light as possible and though I used cordura, I found it came in three weights and bought the lightest. I have done some significant air camping in the past and never had anything back there that would puncture the light weight stuff. Then one other thing I did was make some tabs cut from some 4130 strap that fit under the screw heads that secure the floor. I drilled holes in each end of inch an a half lengths and bent them about 45° This will enable me to use nets or straps to secure the heavier items forward in the baggage area and the light stuff like the down sleeping bag will go in back. I modified my W/B spreadsheet to have two arms in the baggage area to be able to calculate W/B based on where various things are stored and secured. This is how it is done in the really big birds.
Lowell

[Esser]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Gives me some ideas to work with.

[Esser]

Hey WarEagle. What size and thickness angle did you use for that?

[War Eagle]

I used 3/4" x 3/4" x 3/32" aluminum angle.

I needed 3/4" on the horizontal in order to have enough meat for anchors to the airframe tabs. I wanted 3/4" on the vertical to get the strength for resistance to bending. I wanted to be able to stand on the extended baggage area floor when the turtle deck was off and I was working on the plane.

[Esser]

Thanks, and what thickness is your honeycomb? I havent been able to find any honeycomb online like that with the aluminum on the top and bottom. Your cargo area sure looks sharp.

[War Eagle]

I believe it is about 1/4 inch but it might slightly thicker.

When I go to the hanger again I'll try to remember to measure it.

Would you like a source? I bought it locally but maybe I can get some info about the manufacturer etc.

[ken nougaret]

I'd like to know the source and/or manufacturer.
Thank, ken

[Steves142]

Hi everyone. This is my fist attempt at posting but I wanted to share what I did for an extended cargo area on a classic 4. Aluminum tray for the bottom and front, canvas for the sides and back. A standard awning track attaches the canvas to the aluminum tray and to the tubing at the top.
It ended up weighing about 12 oz more than the factory bay with the plywood floor.

[DesertFox4]

Hi Steve. Glad to see you building and posting. Nice looking baggage compartment. You will love it on those long cross country excursions.
In your photos the very first thing I looked for was cross bracing under your floor. I can't see any in the photos other than the back end. When I built mine, and I think Dan B's is similar, we put aluminum angle side to side under the floors front and back of the control mixer per our Technical Advisers advice. With heavy baggage and some turbulence or a hard landing, he was concerned about collapse of the flooring onto the mixer and push/pull tube for the elevator that could cause loss of control of the aircraft. When building our aircraft we always want to consider induced loads on items attached to the aircraft not only static loads. OK - off my safety soap box.;)
Looking forward to more posts. Keep at it and soon you'll be enjoying the stellar performance of the Classic Model 4. Hope to learn soon what engine you chose, cowlings, did you opt for the wide body mod, ect.

[Steves142]

Hi Fox. Thank you for the comments. I was pretty confident that the floor was strong enough but after reading your reply I took another look and I will be adding another angle Just aft of the mixer. It's an airplane, pretty confident should never be good enough.
I made my own wide body out of aluminum, I hope Murle W doesn't mind.
I have a 912 uls with the smooth cowl and I chickened out and bought a nose wheel. That's what I was trained in and I didn't want to go through more training before I flew my own KF.
The wings and tail feathers are done and painted and I hope to paint the fuselage next week end.

[Av8r3400]

I might as well add my custom baggage area to the list. I'm not a big fan of the fabric bag in my flying plane, so this is all made from .032 aluminum. My design goal was to be able to fit two folding lawn chars in it...

[DesertFox4]

Steve142- With the 912S you will have a real performer. Keep it as light as possible. Great looking baggage compartments in this thread.

Larry, that is cavernous.:cool: Looks good.


With our large baggage areas we need to always remember the C.G. when loading. Heavy items in the front just behind the pilot/passenger and light bulky in the rear.
I pondered many times putting a cargo net over the top of my baggage area to retain stowed items in case of turbulence or evasive maneuvers.