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Thread: Project 5 build thread

  1. #401
    Senior Member bbs428's Avatar
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    Thats one big, beautiful chunk of hardware Alex. NOTHING sounds as sweet as a radial!
    Somebody said that carrier pilots were the best in the world, and they must be or there wouldn't be any of them left alive. — Ernie Pyle

    Brett Butler
    Flying: 1998 Model 5 Outback, 912ul Zipper 110hp, G3x avionics, ss7 upgrades

  2. #402
    Senior Member
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    Nov 2019
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    Leavenworth WA
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    Yeah I am going to pile onto this one!! That is one beautiful piece of kit. You've been teasing us with it over the last few months but seeing it all mounted up is sweet. Nice work Alex.

    Gary
    Gary (Geek) Phenning
    Leavenworth (Not the Prison), WA
    Kitfox STi in Building Stage

  3. #403
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    My latest low budget video (rambling thoughts of a madman):
    Kitfox 5 (under construction)
    Commercial SE/ME, CFII

  4. #404
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    PXL_20230327_223621267-01.jpg
    PXL_20230327_232712729-01.jpg
    Got some hangar neighbors to help me get the wings back on today. I'm getting my butt ribs ready to install and of course I'll mock up all the parts i have on hand so I can do an accurate weight assessment and preliminary W&B before I continue to cover the tail.

    I placed a few orders for aircraft wire and tools so I can get through that task. Eric Page's thread on the subject has been indispensable.
    Kitfox 5 (under construction)
    Commercial SE/ME, CFII

  5. #405
    Senior Member Eric Page's Avatar
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    Thanks for the kind words, Alex. Your plane looks fantastic!
    Eric Page
    Building: Kitfox 5 Safari | Rotax 912iS | Dynon HDX
    Member: EAA Lifetime, AOPA, ALPA
    ATP: AMEL | Comm: ASEL, Glider | ATCS: CTO
    Map of Landings

  6. #406

    Join Date
    Mar 2022
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    Granbury, TX
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    I've spent the morning reading this entire thread and watching several of the videos. Great work! Thanks for sharing your experience. I've been contemplating a Kitfox build for quite some time, and you have motivated me to stop pondering and start doing.
    Kliff Black
    STi project purchased April 2023
    RV-7 completed 2016

  7. #407
    Senior Member Kitfox Pilot's Avatar
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    Aug 2019
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    Spring Garden Illinois
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    Welcome to the forum Kliff. This is the best place to be if you want to build a Kitfox. I look forward to your build! Harlan
    Harlan and Susan Payne
    Sold Piper Archer
    Flying FarmFox STI Kitfox N61HP
    Rotax 915is, Airmaster prop
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5A...oCVUP15G0uB-Yw

  8. #408
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    Quote Originally Posted by kblack View Post
    I've spent the morning reading this entire thread and watching several of the videos. Great work!...
    Thanks for the kind words Kliff. Other than my choice of engines my plane is pretty average compared with some of the really nice builds on this forum. I agree with Harlan, this is a great place to get inspiration and to answer the many questions you'll have along the way.

    Enjoy your build!
    Kitfox 5 (under construction)
    Commercial SE/ME, CFII

  9. #409
    Senior Member
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    A sneak peek at the pile of stuff between the firewall and the back of the engine:
    PXL_20230330_003039503.jpg
    View from the left side. That is one of the coil packs near the firewall, and you can see the location of my dual fuel pumps assembly, on top of the footwell portion of the firewall.
    PXL_20230331_231141775.jpg
    Close up of the fuel pump assembly. Only two of the Adel clamp locations have been drilled. Also visible, the black 90 degree 6AN bulkhead fitting going through the existing hole on the firewall. The fuel will go from there to the capped fitting on the fuel pump inlet. It would be a simple U shape 6AN hose except for...
    PXL_20230402_003018573.jpg
    ...the required fuel filter. This shows the theoretical location of the main fuel filter supplied by Airflow Performance. Exact location not yet cast in stone, but definitely somewhere near this location. I want to make sure I can reach it during condition inspections.
    PXL_20230402_003027018.jpg
    Still spit balling these locations. Shown here are my battery contactor and starter contactor up high on the firewall. They are being held in place by magnets on the back side of the firewall. The rectifier/voltage regulator from the motorcycle type alternator is visible up on top of the engine mount. It is temporarily located with two Adel clamps. I thought it would be too wobbly and that I would need to fabricate a small aluminum plate for more anchor points but it may be just fine like it is.
    PXL_20230330_004046097.jpg
    Over on the right side of the plane you can see my two fingers pointing to where fuel comes from the fuel pump assembly and into the throttle servo. This would be another short U shape hose except that the Airflow Performance manual says that you need a 25 micron filter on this piece if you have composite fuel tanks (which of course, we do).

    Throttle linkage looks easy. The mixture operates backwards from how I would like it to, but not impossible to deal with. However, reading the Airflow Performance manual I found that they offer the mixture assembly in reversed format. I'll be inquiring with them about that and taking them up on their offer for design assistance on proper air flow into the throttle servo.

    Not shown here:
    MGL RDAC unit for engine monitoring
    "Forest of tabs" electrical ground
    Oil tank (working on the mounting design now)
    Oil cooler (may/may not need one)

    Not in the picture (because they don't exist):
    Any form of ECU
    Magnetos or distributor
    Radiator, coolant hoses, water pump
    Kitfox 5 (under construction)
    Commercial SE/ME, CFII

  10. #410
    Senior Member
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    Feb 2020
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    Default Re: Project 5 build thread

    I've had four days at my hangar which translates to about three good days of work on the plane.

    I'm being bit by what my former employer called "integration". You can't just install the fuel system and then move on to electrical. There just isn't room to just slap things on in a way which is optimum for each system without making something else impossible to work on.

    My pitot and AoA tubing had been coiled up inside my left wingtip, so I fed them through the rear spar and also a chunk of wire which I'll use to pull the actual shielded wires through very soon (more later).

    I'm on revision B of the conduit to the tail of the plane, and I pulled the appropriate shielded wires for both my stab trim motor and my stab trim indicator. Today I actually hooked those wires up. I did not mount the stab trim sensor because I need to power up the jack screw to make sure it's in the right position before I permanently mount the sensor.

    I've gone random directions to check things off my list. A few of those have been to complete the install of the header tank. I had to mount the flange thingy to the fabric and insert the rubber hose. After the adhesive was dry I cut the hole in the belly fabric. I had lost my fuel sealant so I had to expedite another tube of that stuff so I could install the sump drain. When I had the header tank out I realized that I never installed the fat cotter pins which keep the rudder cables from jumping out of the pulleys, so I got that done.

    I drilled up the COM antenna plate and riveted those pieces in place (a series 5 thing, not done on the series 7).

    Back to the firewall, because I'm trying (not doing a good job) to focus on the FWF. I drilled the hole for the 3rd fuel pump clamp. I had some theoretical locations for my battery contactor, starter contactor, engine management device, fuel filter, etc. But when it came time to actually pick up the drill I got really cautious.

    I decided I should locate them accurately and then re-install my engine for about 10 minutes just to make sure I hadn't created myself an interference condition that needed fixing. While waiting for help to arrive I realized I didn't need to re-install the engine. All I had to do was pull the firewall off the plane and pin it to the motor mount which was super easy.

    In the end a few things did move around a bit and I was much happier with the locations. I drilled and installed my battery contactor. When I did my starter contactor I thought I would do something efficient and rotate it 90 degrees to make the cable path better, which it definitely would have - if I didn't promptly rotate it 90 degrees the wrong way and drill the holes. That was towards the end of the second day and my cue to put my tools away and go home. It's not even a real setback. It will cost me about 1" of cable.

    I drilled the firewall and mounted my MGL RDAC engine monitoring LRU. I drilled and installed a B&C "Forest of Tabs" on the engine side. I'll install another one on the exact opposite aft side of the firewall. I then celebrated by attaching the connectors on the ground wires for the fuel pumps and connecting them to the Forest of Tabs.
    PXL_20230608_231815067.jpg
    And after considerable struggling with the fuel filter location I finally drilled up the location for those clamps. I have some fuel fittings and supplies on the way which will allow me to build up the various lines ahead of the firewall.

    My "fuel servo" (aka throttle body) came back from Airflow Performance with the mixture direction reversed. I completed the installation of the adapter/injector housing, the 90 degree elbow and the servo. Everything is now torqued and/or cotter pinned in place. I adjusted the lever arms on the mixture and throttle to give near optimum throws for the push/pull cables.
    PXL_20230604_205340232.jpg
    (Yes, I cleaned that flange surface thoroughly before installing the gasket.)

    PXL_20230605_002805831.jpg

    I finished the day by making the wiring connections for my ELT switch.
    PXL_20230608_231800695.jpg
    New skill and very slow going at this point. The wires are coiled up waiting to be routed to the rear of the plane. To wire up the ELT I need the two wires off the switch and a wire from my SkyFX GPS before I make up the 15 pin RS232 connector which goes to the ELT.

    PXL_20230608_213202951.jpg
    Today, besides the previously mentioned wiring connections for the stab trim motor and position sensor, I designed, fabricated and installed a mounting plate for my Safety Trim device.
    In the way-back machine I created a cardboard mockup to mount my headless COM, headless TXP and my Echo UAT behind the left seat. Since I was in metal fabrication mode I made up the aluminum plate to replace the cardboard. And just because the contraption I was using had a crude form of press brake, I bent a pair of return flanges to stiffen the thing up. I haven't even deburred it yet, let alone drill any holes or test fit anything. That will be tomorrow.
    Kitfox 5 (under construction)
    Commercial SE/ME, CFII

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