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Thread: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

  1. #1
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Default 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    I'd heard from other folks that live near me about a Kitfox that lived on a farm about 5 miles from my house. It had not flown for about 5 years from what I heard. Well, about 3 weeks ago we had some bad storms roll through the area. My weather station recorded a peak gust of 68 mph and while the storm was going on I consistently saw it reporting 50+. We lost a huge oak tree in our front yard, and it turns out the shed the Kitfox was in partially collapsed on it. A friend of mine was in the group of guys that helped the farmer pick the roof of the shed up and get his stuff out. That friend told me about the kitfox and I decided to go talk to the guy. Well, one thing led to another and I bought the airplane.

    20211004_110529.jpg

    Here is the list of what I saw needing repair.
    1. One prop blade chipped (Will replace all 3
    2. A bit of upper forward cowl damage
    3. Bent aft fuselage
    4. Bent rudder and vertical tail
    5. Left forward wing strut tube bent
    6. Tip rib on left wing cracked
    7. Left fiberglass wingtip needs repair
    8. Windshield and cabin root ribs cracked


    I already started on the aft fuselage repair by cutting out a section of the top fabric and peeling the side fabric off the longerons. Then I used my straightening tool to pull the upper longerons back closer to shape. Unlike the other 2 fuselages I have straightened, this one will require cutting out a section of one longeron and welding in a splice. That one is the S-shaped one in the pictures below. I still have some tweaking to do of the other tubes in that area but they should be okay.

    20211004_175238.jpg

    20211004_175245.jpg

    The shed roof landed on the rudder and pretty much mangled it and that bent the fin slightly to one side. I could straighten the fin, but am going to take the opportunity to enlarge it and make a larger rudder too because this is an early Kitfox 4 with the smaller tail. It is a 1050 gross weight model.

    20211004_103201.jpg

    The airplane had a custom trailer as shown in the picture above, but I didn't buy that. I told him I would put it on the forums to see if anyone was interested in buying it. It was too high priced for me at $3000 but maybe someone else doesn't think so. It is well built and works well. The way it is built, without modification, it would only work for standard gear like the Kitfox 4 came with. It is in Morris, IL, if anyone is interested.
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
    Sonerai IIL (Single Seat)
    Kitfox 3/4 1050 - Rotax 582 (Back Flying and sold)
    Kitfox IV 1050 - Rotax 582 (sold)
    Kitfox IV 1200 Speedster - Rotax 912 UL (rebuilt and now flying)
    Piper Twin Comanche (Sold)
    Glasair 1 FT (Waiting to start)

  2. #2
    Senior Member Eric Page's Avatar
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    I'm glad to hear you're giving it a second chance. You better update your signature to add a fifth airplane!
    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

  3. #3
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    So while working on this project, I discovered that the static line for the instruments are just open to the back side of the instrument panel. I know many do this, but since I have the aft end fabric off of the fuselage I was thinking this is a good time to add static ports to the side of the fuselage. My preference would be a dual tube pitot static setup on the wing but am not going there on this one. I don't know if this airplane will ever get a transponder but if it does, I'm wondering about transponder checks. So, a few questions:


    1. how do those with cabin static sources get your transponder encoder checked?
    2. Any pushback from the shop on using cabin air for transponder encoder.
    3. If I do a fuselage mounted static, where is the location recommended by Kitfox?


    I did find this picture online showing one builders location. Is this where kitfox say to put it?


    Thanks.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
    Sonerai IIL (Single Seat)
    Kitfox 3/4 1050 - Rotax 582 (Back Flying and sold)
    Kitfox IV 1050 - Rotax 582 (sold)
    Kitfox IV 1200 Speedster - Rotax 912 UL (rebuilt and now flying)
    Piper Twin Comanche (Sold)
    Glasair 1 FT (Waiting to start)

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Pittsboro,NC
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    I installed the dual static ports just like those pictured per the Kitfox manual. They work!

  5. #5
    Senior Member Delta Whisky's Avatar
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    Amissville, VA
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    John - regarding the transponder test: if you are talking about the 91.413 test, the transponder connection to a static source isn't an issue. (It refers the reader to FAR 43, appendix F which can be done on a bench.) If you are referring to 91.411 - well that is a different issue BUT my experience is that the bigger issue is finding maintenance personnel that agree only a 91.413 is required. 91.411 is required for IFR flight and adds appendix E of FAR 43 which is where the altitude accuracy comes in. I've experienced several test stations and personnel that think compliance to 91.411 test is required. Others say not it ain't!! Find one of them. (Disregard all of the preceding if you fly IFR.)

    BTW - discussion for another day is: if you have ADS-b, why isn't an inflight test report sufficient (in lieu of a 91.413 test)?

  6. #6
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    Mine is open to the cabin. I have an avionics shop do the verification. No problems.
    Eddie Forward
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Garmin G3X

  7. #7
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    Thanks for the responses on the static port.

    I got a bit more done yesterday but momma had a honey-do list. I did have time to get a friend over to get the wings off and also got some patching done on the wings and stab.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
    Sonerai IIL (Single Seat)
    Kitfox 3/4 1050 - Rotax 582 (Back Flying and sold)
    Kitfox IV 1050 - Rotax 582 (sold)
    Kitfox IV 1200 Speedster - Rotax 912 UL (rebuilt and now flying)
    Piper Twin Comanche (Sold)
    Glasair 1 FT (Waiting to start)

  8. #8
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Morris, IL
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    Got more done this week. Tubing finally arrived and I got the longerons fixed and side covering on.

    20211013_183223.jpg

    20211014_185858.jpg

    Also had a crack at repairing the busted upper cowl. To fix this I simply used a cutting wheel on a dremel to open the cracks and allow the pieces to be pulled back into position. From there I used bits of tongue depressors and hot melt glue on the outside to hold the cowl in proper position. Then a right angle air grinder with roll-loc disks to grind down to bare clean glass and layed up glass on the inside. Used mostly 2 layers, but sometimes more depending on the area. Amazingly a trial fit shows it worked.
    20211012_134119.jpg

    20211012_134125.jpg

    20211014_211837.jpg
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
    Sonerai IIL (Single Seat)
    Kitfox 3/4 1050 - Rotax 582 (Back Flying and sold)
    Kitfox IV 1050 - Rotax 582 (sold)
    Kitfox IV 1200 Speedster - Rotax 912 UL (rebuilt and now flying)
    Piper Twin Comanche (Sold)
    Glasair 1 FT (Waiting to start)

  9. #9
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Morris, IL
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    Well, I met my goal of having fabric on the fuselage by this past weekend. The fabric was attached using Ekobond and I'm using the latex paint method on the patches. I decided to do this after checking a spot of old fabric by cleaning it with acetone. There is obvious darkening of the paint over the years so even though I know the polyfiber color, new paint would not match well. Anyway, I've now got the weave filled and starting on color. Before anyone says anything the color on it in the picture below is too dark. This was a computer color match but doesn't match. Since I'm using latex I went to the paint store and rather than refund my money, I got them to sell me another quart at 1/2 price that was tinted too light. I've been experimenting with different ratios of dark and light paint and am pretty close to a perfect match using 2/3 light and 1/3 dark color. I'll get the exact ratio I need after a few more tries. In the meantime the dark paint is on as a base since yellow is such a pain to cover.

    20211018_144609.jpg
    20211020_172235.jpg


    I also moved on to enlarging the vertical tail to match the size of later model 4s. I didn't know the fin leading edge tube was 0.049 wall thickness, so I had to order a new piece. Rudder was enlarged and instead of rounded corners I went with squared off corners.

    20211020_195627.jpg
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
    Sonerai IIL (Single Seat)
    Kitfox 3/4 1050 - Rotax 582 (Back Flying and sold)
    Kitfox IV 1050 - Rotax 582 (sold)
    Kitfox IV 1200 Speedster - Rotax 912 UL (rebuilt and now flying)
    Piper Twin Comanche (Sold)
    Glasair 1 FT (Waiting to start)

  10. #10
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Morris, IL
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    Default Re: 109JB stumbled on another Kitfox IV project

    Tail modifications are done and fabric and tapes applied.

    20211024_165323.jpg
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
    Sonerai IIL (Single Seat)
    Kitfox 3/4 1050 - Rotax 582 (Back Flying and sold)
    Kitfox IV 1050 - Rotax 582 (sold)
    Kitfox IV 1200 Speedster - Rotax 912 UL (rebuilt and now flying)
    Piper Twin Comanche (Sold)
    Glasair 1 FT (Waiting to start)

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