Does your Kitfox spend much time outdoors?

[beeryboats]

Except when flying, does your Kitfox sit out side for any length of time? I have my own grass strip and a nice barn to keep it indoors, but I would have to fold and unfold the wings every time I wanted to fly. I received a flyer from Bruces aircraft covers Friday and that got me thinking about leaving it out in the summer.

[jtpitkin06]

The adage is: It doesn't matter if your airplane is indoors or outdoors. Either way, eventually, you will pay for a hangar.

[tommg13780]

I'm expecting this to be a valid alternative to the hangar rental. The airport manager where I fly is willing to let me park the trailer for tie down fee which is $65/mo. Being in a more transient rental state I do not have to certify insurance. I don't have any particular objection to having a hangar but there's an almost permanent waiting list here.

[jiott]

I agree with J. Pitkin. Everything I have read seems to indicate that outdoor storage substantially reduces the life of paint and fabric due to UV rays. No matter how well you apply the silver UV coat it still doesn't protect the final paint. And small things like a slightly shrinking finish tape (in hot sunshine) will cause it to pull back from its original edge, revealing a very thin line with no silver UV protection and subsequent weakening of the fabric along that line. Interior fabric is also very vulnerable.

I found a small grass strip with crummy plywood hangars and leaky roofs, but they are cheap, ($140/mo.) and keeps it under cover. I think the hangers that only have a roof but no sides are also far better than nothing.

I originally was going to trailer mine back and forth the the airport, but found out early on how much of a deterent that was to spontaneous flying. It is so nice to be able to head to the airport after work or on the spur of the moment and get in an hour or two of flying without the hassle of hooking up a trailer, loading, unloading, folding/unfolding wings, fueling, etc. I know I am fortunate to find cheap hangar space and many of you can't do this, that is why the Kitfox with its folding wings is such a good choice. I still think as John's adage says, you will eventually pay the same with or without a hangar. Just my 2 cents worth.

Jim

[akflyer]

Mine lives outside all year round unless I have it in the shop for maintenance work.. A roof over its head at the local airports start out around 750 a month. It has been outside for the last 3 yrs with no damage to it. It is a pain to get someone to go clear the snow off the wings when I am 800 miles away from it at work and we get a big snow storm, but other than that, I dont have any issues.

[rogerh12]

FYI;
In my previous post: That thing under the cover was my buddies car, which fit fine in this size hanger. For about 3 years, we spit the hanger rent. That's right, it cost me $50 a month to have my own hanger, electricity included....
Kansas, it's not just for growing corn anymore !!!
Roger

[akflyer]

I will take the plane living outdoors and have my big mountains, awesome fishing and freedom of flying here. You can keep the Kansas wind and flat nothingness to view LOL

[beeryboats]

If you store it in a trailer, you still have to pull it out and unfold the wings. So far, to me, that is a two person job. Not to mention getting it out of the barn. I was stuck in traffic tonight on the way home and saw something that gave me an idea. We have these strange open sided carports at some apartment complexes. Instead of paying big bucks to modify the barn for a huge opening and folding door, why not build a semi enclosed lean-to looking hangar?

[Geowitz]

I've got about 80 hours on my plane so far. I keep it in my garage and would never consider leaving it outside for extended times because of rain, sun, birds, nosy people, etc... Every time I fly I tow it down a rural road about 2 miles to a private grass strip(which presents its own risks, but manageable). From the house to take off is never more than 30 minutes. Out of that 30 minutes, unfolding takes 5 minutes tops by myself. Actually, if anyone is ever there they usually offer to help, but I always politely refuse as helping just messes up my rhythm and makes me forget things. I know guys who take longer pushing their Cessnas out of a hanger.

Granted, my largest concern is cost. I would love to have a hanger, but a hanger would be about $275 here. That's a car payment to me.

My point is it's certainly possible to do the wing folding thing by yourself. To me 5 minutes of work is a small price to pay to keep the plane well protected from the elements etc.

[rogerh12]

For awhile, I did use to store my model 2 outside with the wings folded, and just unfold them for use. At first, it took two guys and 15 minutes to do, but after awhile I could do it alone in 5 minutes. The trick was to grease the front wing bolts a little, and just barely insert them into the fuse wing attachment. The grease would keep the bolt from sliding down all the way. Then, I would swing the wing forward until it met with the fuse bracket, and give the wing a good giggle, which let the bolt drop down and lock the wing. Install the nut, and I was good to go !!!

FYI, just because Kansas is not on every TV channel like Alaska is these days, doesn't mean we won't be, just as soon as BBQing becomes a national sport (are cows are corn fed) !!!
Roger

[dynomike]

one thing nice about the lsa crowd is the variety of plane configurations. Hangers here in northwest Montana run 200 a month for a t hanger on our city airport. I have my t-bird amphib hangered with a challenger 11(a pusher) and my avid with a challenger 11 and gyrocopter .split up that's 100 and 67 for the other.

[t j]

Except when flying, does your Kitfox sit out side for any length of time? I have my own grass strip and a nice barn to keep it indoors, but I would have to fold and unfold the wings every time I wanted to fly. I received a flyer from Bruces aircraft covers Friday and that got me thinking about leaving it out in the summer.

If you are going to just fold the wings it takes only about 5 minutes. Loading and securing it on a trailer is a lot more monkey motion. It is also real easy to fold...and spread...the wings and you don't have to drain the wing tanks if the tail is elevated a little.

Here's a photo of an idea. Using a "tail wheel trailer" to make folding the wings easier and then pulling it into the barn easy too.
5873

If you don't have room to tow it into the barn with a tractor or something you could use a trailer hitch dolly. Cheap from harbor freight
http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty-trailer-dolly-69898.html

[beeryboats]

I've only had the chance to fold/unfold the wings a couple times so far, so it's really a challenge for one person. Give me time I guess. Part of my issue rolling the plane around with the wings folded is the tailwheel. I keep having to crawl under the tail to pop the release so it will caster 180deg.

[Slyfox]

my wife just went by and saw the post here. she said of course yours does, when you go fly.

[t j]

I've only had the chance to fold/unfold the wings a couple times so far, so it's really a challenge for one person. Give me time I guess. Part of my issue rolling the plane around with the wings folded is the tailwheel. I keep having to crawl under the tail to pop the release so it will caster 180deg.

Some kind of dolly under the tail wheel helps a lot to move the plane with the wings folded. My model four tail wheel weighs 175 pounds wings folded.

Off pavement tail wheel scoop. Swing the wings back then just scoop up the tail wheel and pull it into the shop. The shovel will pivot any direction under the tail wheel to swing the tail around.

[ackselle]

Beeryboats....you'll get faster at folding/unfolding with time. I can roll my IV out of my shed with folded wings, unfold, put turtle deck on all in about 5 minutes.....I ALWAYs do a thorough inspection before flying, warm it up, do the normal run up, and I'm flying. It's much easier to fold the wings after flight....I don't think it takes any longer than 2-3 minutes, and I've got the plane back in the shed...... After I put her away, I always check the oil (burp the 912), and I put a bungee strap around the flaperon controls sticking into the cabin so the flaperons stay upright and don't damage the tail feathers.

Tom...... You tail wheel shovel is brilliant!

Cheers,
Ackselle

[Jerrytex]

I made a tail stand with caster wheels for my 4. It made moving it in and out of a shared hangar a breeze. Like you mentioned, it is hard to get the tailwheel to to caster with all the weight on it. This takes the tailwheel out of the equation and also makes folding the wings very easy.

[Av8r3400]

I have a buddy with an Avid Flyer who made a very similar stand to yours, Jerry. Since his is a gravel floor hangar on a grass strip he used 6" pneumatic casters from Harbor Freight. His also hooks to the trailer tongue mounting points.

With the big tires in it, it even works well in the winter snow.... :eek:

[rbsj3]

I got a "Tailwheel Transporter" from a guy in Chandler, AZ (see their site) it works great, even in muddy conditions. The handle should be longer and a bit lower to miss the droop tips, but once you press down on the handle and the tailwheel raises, it is easy to navigate into and out of the garage.

[beeryboats]

I checked out the tailwheel transporter videos, and it looks like a great gizmo for when the wings are folded out. But my issue is that with the wings folded the rudder can't turn full travel and release the tailwheel pivot lock. I have to crawl under the tail every time I need turn the tailwheel 90 degrees to spin her around.

[SkyPirate]

Before you fold the wings grab the tail handle and pull to unlock your tail wheel :) then fold your wing

[beeryboats]

That works fine until I need to go forward to jockey it around in the barn. Then the darn wheel locks again. So I crawl under, unlock, push it back, etc...

Someday, when I win the Lotto, I want a 40' bifold door in the side of the barn so I don't have to go through this.

[SkyPirate]

In my profile photo's there is a tail wheel stand that connects to the tail of a tail dragger or trike, it uses a standard tow bar like a 150, a solid or pneumatic tire could be used

[t j]

The tail wheel scoop shown in post #18 will pivot under the tail wheel making it easy to push or pull the tail any direction with the wings folded.