just got a kitfox 1

[TJay]

Hey guys just wanted to introduce my self and tell you I bought a kitfox 1. It looks to be an untouched kit, just got it in the garage today, I'm excited to start on it. bought it from Jim, nice guy and want to say thanks, not sure how much customizing I will do to this one, thinking about keeping it simple for once. Maybe some small stuff would like to beef up the lower carry thru, I guess, well that's all I got for tonight Ill post progress later.

[Av8r_Sed]

Hi TJay,
Congrats on your purchase! It should be a fun project and you've apparently got a nice shop to build in. We'll look forward to regular updates as you move forward and of course provide all sorts of advise.

The parts look to be in great shape for being stored for that length of time. What motor do you plan to use? Also, besides upgrading the carry through (and wing struts?), you might consider beefing up the bungee truss. Might as well get some use out of that Miller gear.

[t j]

912 on the bench?

[TJay]

912 on the bench?
That is a 912 uls I bought it for my sonex build last year, I was gonna go thru it because it has 2000 hrs, but the compression is exactly the same now as it was the day it was new, seems silly to me to tear it down. I think that one may stay on the bench might be a bit much for a kitfox 1 airframe ha.

[SkySteve]

My model I is powered with a 912A 80 hp. I love it.

[WWhunter]

Having owned a floatplane...there is NEVER a time when too much engine is a problem. ;)

[chetlongshooter]

Hello, I completed a M-1 KITFOX about 2 years ago, No. 88, N375KF. It was a barely started kit that had languished for many years. The kit had nothing firewall forward and was missing a few other parts. The current KITFOX company was very helpful when I needed something even though they had nothing to do with the early kits. They did not have everything but what they were able to do they willingly did. I used an HKS 700 E engine and firewall forward parts from GREENSKY ADVENTURES. Now that is a company worth knowing. The owner of the company owned a KITFOX III and had an HKS 700 E in it. Nothing quite like "been there done that" when it comes to having answers. In my mind the HKS 700 E is a good fit for the early KITFOX models.
I hope you enjoy the build. I sure did.
Chetlongshooter.

[Micro Mong Bldr]

My 'FoxII with an HKS doesn't have a whole heck of a lot of useful load - no complaint, it's just the nature of the beast. I have removed the ineffective cabin heat it had and simplified the interior to reduce empty weight and give it more useful load. Have you figured out your weights for a 'Fox I with the 4 stroke Rotax? Just sayin'.

Cheers,

L

[KFfan]

I considered an Avid with a EA81.
I then looked at the weight & balance and inquired about the compensation for the engine.
I said, "No thank you".

[TJay]

Oh I have a grey head 582 for it, just going to keep her simple and light, some day I will find a classic 4 to build with my 912uls. I would have started working on it today, but I pulled the motor off My Quad city challenger and put new crank seals in it, Oh well I got to looked at the kitfox frame alot today while I was doing the seals that was good enough,

[TJay]

Hey guys it looks like I only have parts of the assembly manual for my kitfox one do you know if I can buy a new one from somewhere I have not contacted kitfox yet. anyway I got a good start on thanksgiving installed all the control systems and landing gear then put my sweet looking tires on her, she is gonna be awesome.

[WWhunter]

What tires do you have installed?

[TJay]

21-12.00-8

[KFfan]

Same tire size as is on my 2

[avidflyer]

Wow TJay, good to see your making progress. Looks good, just keep picturing how it will look with clothes on. When I brought my first Kitfox project home, the wife said it looked naked. LOL I thought all of the manual was there, what parts are you missing? Jim Chuk

[TJay]

I have nothing about the firewall. I have the bolts rivets and aluminum and I have it all figured out how it goes together but I I was wondering how kitfox wants me to mount the bottom of the firewall I believe it is numbered E-14 to the steel tubing under the rudder peddles. Is it ok to rivet that up to the tubing or do I need to make a bracket to go up to my floor board instead. Just simple stuff like how many rivets to put where, it nice to see a description first.

[avidflyer]

On my Avids, I put a sheet of aluminum on the belly of the plane from the landing gear forward. Bent the bottom of the firewall back to match the belly aluminum, and ran some truss head machine screws down through the floor boards in front of the rudder pedals, and sandwiched it all togeather. I've seen where some have pop riveted to tubing, but I have a hard time bringing myself to drill holes in tubes if I can help it. You probably have as much of a manual as Kitfox provided to begin with. The manuals got better as they went along. Jim Chuk

[LSaupe]

What size tires are those?

[TJay]

thanks Jim

[TJay]

had a good Sunday here got the firewall put together and mounted

[sword181]

Pardon me, really none of my business. Did you construct the firewall and the foot boxes out of Aluminum ??

[TJay]

yeah is is 2024 it was supplied in the kit. Is that no longer acceptable. I had wondered why it was not stainless. what you think.

[Av8r3400]

You may want to discuss this with the DAR or FSDO that will inspect the plane.

They may or may not have a problem with an aluminum firewall.
(Personally, I'd rather have stainless…)

[jrevens]

The ASTM-2245 document regulating LSA aircraft mandates 0.015" SS "or
the equivalent - shown by test" or words to that effect for firewall material.

FAR 23.1191 section (h) states in part, 0.015" SS, 0.018" mild steel or 0.016" titanium.

Section (f) states that the material must be tested at 2000 deg. F and must resist flame penetration for at least 15 minutes. Aluminum in anything close to a reasonable thickness won't hack it.

Experimental builders are not necessarily bound by those regulations, but they are reasonable, and aluminum by itself is not an adequate firewall material.

[TJay]

Ill call my DAR next week and see what he says for experimental amateur built if he says I need to build a new one its fine it only took about an hour to build that one.