Tall Pilot

[SteveAllen]

I'm considering a series 7 but I was curious about how comfortable I'll be in the plane. I'm 6' 4" tall and weigh in about 225. So far in my research I haven't fit very well in many experimentals, RV's included.

Any one with experience to share?

Thank you.

[mobilemb]

Steve I have the same considerations as you. I am 6.4 215, my legs are 37 in inseam and sit normally. ( I have longer legs). Girls like it but sucks for kitplanes. I sat in a KF 7s last weekend. And surprisingly comfortably I might add. I should be able to sit for long periods without discomfort but I will have to modify the placement of the throttle more to the right of center, make sure I get completely full aft adjustments on the rudder pedals and install the brake cylinders with line out facing 90 degrees to the firewall vice toward the firewall to insure additional throw on rudder pedal adjustment. I will also have to add a little more padding on under the leg pads of the seat to insure better leg support. I also recommend the bubble windows. Otherwise I fit comfortably!!

Mike

[Paul Z]

Call Paul Leadabrand at Stick & Rudder, he's got to be at least 6' 1" or 6' 2".

[SkyPirate]

I have taken guys 6'4" 6'5" 230 240 lbs for rides in my model 5 ,,they fit well,..I don't have the adjustable pedals

[Esser]

I'm 6'3" but quite thin. For the most comfortable leg position and natural ankle angle, I actually moved my rudder pedals towards me about 1.5". I know it sounds backwards but it you think about it, your knees are already bent so at that point, it is about making sure that the angle your ankle to your foot makes is natural. With the base of the rudder pedals closer to me, I can have the top of the rudder pedals closer to the firewall which makes the pedals have an obtuse angle instead of a right angle.

I hope I didn't confuse you more. If you need more clarification let me know.

[inzersv]

I had a Murphy Rebel jocky sit in my SS7 the other day and he was blown away with how much room he had. He is 6'4" and about 235 lbs. It looked to me that he still had about 2" of head room. He used to fly a Model 4, so he is familiar with the kitfox.

[rocketman2tm]

I'm 6'4". I've been flying around in Stick and Rudder's airplane without any problems. One thing I would suggest though is to get the thinner seats. I was using the standard seats and clearing fine, but it gets a little tight with a headset on. Also I want to be able to add some thing for lumbar support.

[SteveAllen]

Thank you all for the good: information. I really appreciate it. Now I need to find someone on the central coast of California that has a 7 for me to sit in.:D

[GuppyWN]

I'm 6'4" 240lbs 36" inseam. I was out last week and saw Stick and Rudders new addition with the 912is. Preston allowed me to jump in with him. He closed the door and we had ample cross room. I wish the rudder pedals went another 2"'s aft but it was very doable stock.

[mobilemb]

8986Thoughts I drew up that may work. Experts please critique:

1 modify the peddal assemble feet. By clipping off an inch on the back side and adding an inch to the front side
2. Turn the breaks sideways
3. Slide the pedal assembly forward 2 inches.
4 bend the firewall out forward To compensade for rudder peddel change
5. Move the pilot side pedal adjustments forward two inches
Make a seat pillow leg support extension. .

[Esser]

You won't have to move your pedal adjustments, you can just crimp the cable at a different length. This will make more sense when you do it.

I honestly think that modifying the firewall etc. won't be worth all the effort. That will be quite a bit of work but to each his own. Just remember that on the other side of the firewall there isn't much room for engine components depending what you are sticking up front so you may want to leave the final placement of your pedals until you hang your engine.

I would also hesitate to cut the back of the rudder mounting "feet" and extend it on the front. The rudder pedal force will now be trying to pull off the thin birch floor boards where as before you had a wide foot print pushing against it. You could get around this by custom making a large washer plate that goes on the backside of the birch.

Just my $0.02

[Paul Z]

I'm a short man 5'7 inches, I keep my rudder peddles one notch from the the firewall. If I were building I wouldn't waist the time or money putting in the adjustable peddles. Just my humble opinion.

[mobilemb]

Josh-thanks for good points on the feet and firewall. I had not considered the reduced distribution of pedal forces. washer/plates are a great idea. I won't know how much available play there will be between the firewall and pedal with the modification until I get there. I presume moving pedals that far forward may exceed rudder stops and cause firewall pedal strike. Time will tell. Your right lots of mental gymnastics would apply to modifying the firewall. If I can avoid it that will be a big win.

[jiott]

Nothing you do up front at the pedals will cause you to exceed the rudder stops. Those stops are set back at the rudder and your pedal stroke only goes as far as those stops let it. However, FW pedal strike is definitely something you have to avoid.

[Dave S]

A person can also fine tune the redder pedal stroke after the fact by making the cable links back by the rudder a bit shorter ot a bit longer than standard. I believe some folks have installed turnbuckles for fine adjustments

Dave S
KF 7 Trigear
912ULS Warp drive

St Paul, MN

[jrevens]

Hi Dave,

Please correct me if necessary, but but changing the length of the links shouldn't change the stroke of the pedals, just their position. My kit came with links that have multiple holes to do just that (in my case, at the rudder pedals). That's all you're doing with the quick adjustable pedal option also - changing the effective length of the cables.

[Dave S]

John,

That is correct........it changes the position of the rudder pedals...i.e. where the pedal stroke stops...guess it is not possible to norwegian proof a computer keyboard:o

DS

[jiott]

When I was building my Kitfox I really started getting freaked out about setting up the rudder cable installation; thinking that small errors in cable length side to side would cause the plane to fly in a skid. Someone on this forum, maybe it was John Pitkin, finally convinced me that it was not that big a deal. In straight and level flight the rudder seeks its own position in the airstream and the only effect of slightly mismatched cables is the pedal position of one foot or the other will be slightly ahead of the other. Your feet cannot feel a small error like that. No real need for turnbuckles to tweak it in unless you are really anal about it. Just set the pedal adjustment at the most forward position; clamp a stick across both pedals to make them even; run the cables around the eyes back at the rudder connection links and clamp them together; then test at full pedal stroke both sides to make sure the pedal clears the FW by about 1/4"; if this is good, clamp the stick back across the pedals in neutral; go to the back and make sure the cables are still clamped tight and the rudder itself is dead centered; if all this is good mark across the clamped cables with a sharpie so you can repeat the same position later after you disconnect the link and the spring tension; then swage the cables permanently. This will get you as close as you need to be.

Later when you start flying, you will probably need to add some rudder trim tab to fly ball centered, which will slightly change your perfectly centered rudder anyway.

[TheFlyingDoc]

Hey everyone. This is my first time to post on the forum. I just bought a Kitfox 7 SS (N529DS). I am 6'2" and 210. Sitting on the standard seats (about 4" tall) I found that with a Bose A20 headset I am about 1-2 inches too tall. I am purchasing new seat cushions (boosters) that are only 2". Factory says it will be about 6 weeks to get them in, so I'll let you know when I get them how they work. I am currently using some small cushions from academy that are 1 " tall. Those are a little too short.
Incidentally, with the regular cushions I can see straight over the cowling when taxiing. with the 1 inch I can not and have to s-turn. I am hoping the 2" will let me both see over the cowling and not hit my head.

[jiott]

In my opinion, if I were you, I would get the standard 1" seat cushions. You need more than an inch or two clearance between your headset and the canopy roof. In bad turbulence you will be banging your head on the roof even with tight seat belts. The minor issue of visibility during taxi is just not that big of a deal. IMHO

[TheFlyingDoc]

That is a good thought. we certainly get our share of turbulence out here. Thanks for the fast reply to the post. Saved me a few bucks!

-Butch

[PapuaPilot]

Glad to hear you have the plane now Butch. I saw your plane flying at Nampa a couple of weeks ago and figured it might have been you. I was doing a maintenance test flight on my Zenair CH-2000 that day and you taxied by me.

Also, I wouldn't get too high in the seat with the cushion. Like was said, you will bump your head in turbulence.

[efwd]

Something to consider. Im short, 5'4", and when I was purchasing a couple extra seat cusions Debra brought up this fact. She stated that the rear seat cushion has a lot to do with how high you sit in the seat as well as it pushes you forward, therefore higher since the bottom is a ramp. Sure enough. I can sit in my plane with a 1" bottom and a 3" back cushion no problem. You may already have the thin cushion but for anyone else that might be considering an extra cushion for passengers I found this helpful as I only needed to purchase an extra back and not both. She saved me some $$