Kitfox V new project build

[TRegli]

Hey guys!

After lots of looking and watching everyone else's build on here, I was finally able to get myself an unfinished kit. It is a 1994 Model V Safari half way built.
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Briefly about me: I grew up on a farm, worked in the timber industry and construction while going to college, received a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in aerospace, worked as a manufacturing engineer for 3 years, and am now working as a field engineer on turbine engines while my wife attends school. I absolutely love God, my family, aviation, and working.

This forum is awesome and has an abundance of knowledge, however, I will be asking plenty of questions. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. As of right now, my basic plan is the following:

-Replace the left wing tank, put a new tank in the right wing (it has the storage locker)
-Replace the plastic header tank
-Build glass or carbon fiber farings for the struts (the PVC ones from the factory are HEAVY imo).
-The plane came with a 912uls FWF and I am a rotax fan so that is more than likely what I will go with.
-Whirlwind propeller
-Install a basic Garmin G3X panel
-Either order a S7 cowling from the factory (or if any one has one laying around for sale) or try to build my own as I have good experience with composites
-Replace the elevator with the S7 elevator (Rudder is a S7)

Anything else I am missing?
Also, I am currently temporarily in Wisconsin for a better part of the year and the plane is in my parents barn in CA. So being I have a builders itch, would it be wise to start working on my panel/avionics/wiring now so that it is ready to "drop into" the kitfox when I start on assembly?


Let me know your advice and opinions. I am all ears. Thanks everyone!
-Tyler

[WurlyBird]

Congratulations on the plane. I also feel the strut fairings from Kitfox are WAY to heavy, mine weigh 20 lbs and so have never been installed. I have been working on a mold (mostly in my head and in CAD) to make some fairings for 1" tube out of carbon fiber and estimate they will weigh about half a pound a piece. So about 90% lighter. Foam ribs will be cut by CNC and the carbon surface should be super smooth and aesthetic. I'll certainly keep this site updated when/if I can make them.

I am not sure how much changed between the 3 and the 5 but I would be hesitant to make a panel without being dead certain where the support tubes behind it are, you may have depth issues with instruments/radios. I know the garmin is shallow but something else you mount might not be.

Maybe order the elevator and cover that and the rudder where you are?

Have fun.
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[temecula50]

Congratulations on the project! I am just finishing the same era Safari in Ca.and can't wait to fly it to Wisconsin(Oshkosh).

[Birdseyeview]

Congrats on your kit - you will love this plane. I built a series 6 from a kit and loved building it and began flying it in Oct21. It is a real treat to fly. During my build I modified a few things from the original kit that you might also consider: Most of these items were discussed somewhere on the Kitfox forum but I'd be happy to elaborate on any of them in a follow up post.

Fuselage

Adjustable rudder pedals

Rudder pedal reinforcement gussets added (welded on)

Speedster tail

Baggage sack

Aluminum header tank

Merle Williams door latches

Elevator spring trim assist

Added 6 Seat pan tabs and cam-locs (welded on tabs)

Razorback chromoly tube

Windshield defrost air capture manifold

ID plate lanyard

Carbon fiber wrap on panel and center console

Wings

One piece gas gauge backing plate

LED bulbs in Whelen Nav lights

Firewall Forward (912 ULS)

Engine oil cooler

Oil Cooler Thermostat

T-handle turn to lock choke cable

Deleted Throttle return spring

Throttle cable stops added

[alexM]

Great score on a series 5! As Larry points out above, do the rudder pedal reinforcement gussets and seat pan mods ASAP.

BTW, I think that's not a series 7 rudder in those pics, it's the original series 5. I'm not sure when they made the change but the current 7 has a sharp corner at the top.

[Dave S]

Alex,

The early S7s made by skystar indeed did have the rounded rudder. When John Mc Bean reinvigorated the company to what it is today, the rudder top was changed to a squared off design to visually differentiate the new company's product from the product made by the previous ownership.

[alexM]

Thanks Dave, I was sure someone would have the real answer. All the 7s I've been around had the squared off corner.

[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.

[PapuaPilot]

It looks like you have the same Whelen wingtip lights and landing lights that came with my 1999 model V Outback, which I also picked up second hand.
-I upgraded the original HID landing lights to LED and used automotive off road lights. I got nothing against aircraft lighting, but I got the same specs for 1/4 the price.
-I decided to replace the Whelen lights, strobe power pack & heavy wiring with 3 in 1 LED lights and saved about 5 pounds. It also reduced the electrical load & wire size.

I kept the lower door fiberglass panels. Many people have opted for the full glass doors.

Did your plane come with cowlings and other FWF stuff?

If you are doing a Garmin G3X panel you can find sample schematics and interconnect information in the G3X Installation Manual. Chapters 26 thru 32 are where you need to look. First you need to finalize your choices for the avionics; screen(s)/size(s), COMs, NAVs, transponder, GPS, ADSB-Out & In, ELT, autopilot, AOA, etc. After this the schematic is made by putting a bunch of building blocks together from the chapters mentioned.