Kitfox V new project build

[TRegli]

Thanks for all the responses! You guys rock!

I am definitely considering covering the rudder and elevator back here. Looks like there are a lot of kitfox builders in WI/IL/IN/MN so hopefully I will be able to check out some other projects to pick at some ideas.

As far as avionics, does anyone have advice as to where to start for designing electrical schematics? I have some manuals Ive been reading through, but man it is tough to decipher them when I dont have the physical product(s) sitting in front of me.

[desertdave]

Nice find! Looks like an awesome project. Glad to see it has all the tires and wheels in the proper location.

[jmodguy]

As far as avionics, does anyone have advice as to where to start for designing electrical schematics? I have some manuals Ive been reading through, but man it is tough to decipher them when I dont have the physical product(s) sitting in front of me.

Start with the basics, i.e. the aircraft electrical system. Battery, starter, alternator etc. Next radios and lighting, Then move to the EFIS/autopilot.

Congrats on the Series 5 score. I built from a 5 project and they fly just as nice as a shiny new 7.
Check the wall thickness on your spars. if they are .050' your gross wt will be 1420, if .060, then 1550. Your build manual should have the details.

[Eric Page]

Check the wall thickness on your spars. if they are .050' your gross wt will be 1420, if .060, then 1550. Your build manual should have the details.

I don't believe that's correct, at least not for all Series 5 Kitfoxes. As Debra explained it to me, there were a number of early Series 5s that were shipped as 1,400# aircraft. Some, including mine, had the thicker spar tubes but lacked other modifications that were part of the 1,550# upgrade. Debra could not divulge what those other modifications were, but comparing the Series 5 and Series 7 build manuals, I believe one of them may have been a change from AN to NAS shear bolts to attach the wing struts.

The upshot is that some early Series 5 aircraft like mine are penalized with an extra ~20# of aluminum in the spars, from which they gain no benefit. Debra told me that my kit was six serial numbers short of the cut-over to 1,550# MGW. If I had been a SkyStar customer at the time and found out that this issue affected my kit, I would have been mighty upset. But, that company is long gone and the current Kitfox operation bears no blame.

Bottom line: if you call Kitfox and give Debra your serial number, she can tell you whether your kit was built for 1,400 or 1,550#.

[Eric Page]

...does anyone have advice as to where to start for designing electrical schematics?

A good place to start for a solid foundation in light aircraft electrical system architecture is The AeroElectric Connection, by Robert L. Nuckolls III. The book covers the waterfront on aircraft electrical systems and includes a bunch of sample designs for various types of airplanes and engines. It's available for free download, and large-format versions of the system schematics are available in DWG format and in PDF format.

Mr. Nuckolls helps builders with questions on the AeroElectric List forum. He has also written a number of articles for Kitplanes magazine.

[TRegli]

A good place to start for a solid foundation in light aircraft electrical system architecture is The AeroElectric Connection, by Robert L. Nuckolls III. The book covers the waterfront on aircraft electrical systems and includes a bunch of sample designs for various types of airplanes and engines. It's available for free download, and large-format versions of the system schematics are available in DWG format and in PDF format.

Mr. Nuckolls helps builders with questions on the AeroElectric List forum. He has also written a number of articles for Kitplanes magazine.

Eric,

A good friend of mine (Bearhawk builder) loaned this same book to me last week. It has already been very helpful in clarifying and simplifying the electrical process. Seeing other builder's panels and even small glimpses of behind the panel has also been very helpful.

Tyler

[jiott]

The questions about whether to mount the floor under the baggage sack or inside (as Kitfox recommends) keep coming up on a regular basis. Here is my take on it:
I definitely recommend doing as Kitfox says and mount the floor board inside the baggage sack; then when the floor is screwed down to the mounting tabs you can firmly pull up the sides and velcro them to the upper tubes and have nice looking fairly rigid sides to your baggage compartment. Doing it the other way will give you saggy-baggy, wrinkled sides that look very poor.

Another thing to note is that you almost NEVER need to unscrew and remove the baggage floor IF you install a round inspection cover in the belly fabric right under the elevator pushrod swing arm. For annuals there is nothing else to inspect under the floor. The swing arm can be easily inspected and lubed thru the belly inspection cover, as well as rudder cables and pitot static tubing. By just pulling off the velcro at the top edges of the baggage sack the sides, front and back can be folded down (without disturbing the floor) to gain access to flaperon pushrods, ELTs, ADHRS, etc.

If you do ever want to remove the baggage sack floor, it is really not that hard to do. Access to the two front hold-down screws is quite easy with the seat removed. The two rear screws are more difficult, but not bad with some patience. Some folks have put nutplates on these two rear tabs to make it easier-sounds like a good idea to me.

All these comments apply whether or not you have an extended baggage compartment.

That's my 2 cents FWIW.

[TRegli]

A little update + some ideas/questions....

All you guys updating your Series V builds on the forums makes me feel like a slacker!
closeout2.pngcloseout.png

I really liked AlexM's brackets w/nutplates for holding onto the seat pan:
seatbracket.png

I was also planning on running a 1" conduit or PVC pipe under the seat pan to run wires through as additional security for something the seat would 'collapse' onto instead of falling on a control rod.


This was my idea for my panel layout:
panel1.png
This is how it is turning out so far:
panel2.png
The GDU460 and switches can all be reached by my thumb with my hand "hanging" off of the top of the panel. It was recommended to me by my good friend who flies for the airlines, he advised to make sure you can easily hit switches in turbulence by having something to rest your hand on... we shall see how it works when I decide to investigate some thunderheads..

The panels were powder coated as well as the control sticks and brackets for the headset plugs.

Sewing the baggage compartment was one tasks that proved to be long and tedious, Looking back I almost wish I would have got the one from Kitfox... but a handheld sewing machine and a solid 5 days of measuring once, cutting thrice, and sewing twice made a product I think I could live with.
baggae.png
I also Decided to rivet the baggage compartment to the floorboards to make getting it all 'in and out' much easier as I have read that it can be a pain putting the bag in before the floorboards. Any thoughts as to if this was a poor decision?

[TRegli]

Start with the basics, i.e. the aircraft electrical system. Battery, starter, alternator etc. Next radios and lighting, Then move to the EFIS/autopilot...

Jeff,
Thanks for the response. Definitely doing my research on this as I want to make it look clean and simple.

As far as the spar thickness, I measured my spar and it was the thinner .052. So I believe this makes it automatically the 1400GW model.

Thanks for the help!

[Jerrytex]

Mine has the .52 spars as well and according to the serial number it's 1400#. (1200# with the shorter wings) I went ahead and replaced the lift strut bolts with the NAS higher sheer strength bolts. Figured it Can't hurt. Also extended the baggage area around a cross bar because the baggage area on this model was very small. Pretty easy mod. Just requires a new, or modified baggage sack and some aluminum angle. Also did the razor back and the longer turtle deck which required welding tabs. Added the larger elevator too.

I plan on making my gross weight limit 1320# so the 1400# is not a problem. Can always go up in weight, just not down... so if the LSA rules change, I'll go to 1400#

I switched from the 912 UL to a ULS.

I am using the Round Cowl.

Most of the firewall forward is the same. However, the motor mount is different for a ULS and will have to be replaced. If you use a ULS, the starter is longer and will hit a brace on the original motor mount. If the ULS has a heavy duty starter with the lugs, you'll have to replace the motor mount, and cut off one of the lugs to make it fit.