Speedster Tail Kit and Chromoly Struts

[caleb1]

Selecting options for an STi kit.

Probably been asked before, but I've tried a search and I'm not getting much good info. Maybe I don't know what to search for...
Anyways, I'm pretty sure I know what options I'm going with, except for a few which I'm unsure about:

Speedster Tail Kit. I'm wondering about the pros and cons of this option on an STi. Less drag I'd presume... But bad for a STOL plane?

Also the Chomoly Streamline Wing Struts. Are they worth $3500 in your opinions?

Just interested in hearing your thoughts.

Thanks,
Caleb

[Eric Page]

Speedster Tail Kit. I'm wondering about the pros and cons of this option on an STi. Less drag I'd presume... But bad for a STOL plane?

The speedster tail is purely an appearance option. It adds symmetrical wood ribs to the vertical stab, rudder, horizontal stab and elevator to fill them out and make them look aerodynamic. There's no effect on performance. In the grand scheme of building a Kitfox, installing them is fairly trivial; a few days at most.

Also the Chomoly Streamline Wing Struts. Are they worth $3500 in your opinions?

Depends what your time's worth (the PVC fairings take time to fit, install, prep and paint), how concerned you are about weight (the chomoly struts are heavier), whether you want to be able to push your airplane around by the struts, and how price-sensitive you are. I'm putting $2 "NO PUSH" decals on my PVC fairings and using the $3,500 for fuel.

[Shadowrider]

Eric when we where ordering, kitfox claimed the tail is not purely cosmetic. They claimed that without the speedster tail there is more of a dead zone on rudder control.

[jiott]

I also believe the airfoiled horizontal will perform somewhat better in holding off a tail stall.

[jrevens]

Yep, the airfoils increase elevator & rudder control authority. This has been demonstrated on Cubs. Some have increased elevator size when the same results can be realized with an airfoil-shaped horizontal.

[Dave S]

I concur that the airfoiled tail is functional rather than simply cosmetic. Back when I was trying out various kitfoxes before I bought a kit, it was pretty clear that the airfoiled rudder eliminated a dead spot that the slab sided rudder had. I questioned the demo pilot at the time and he confirmed that I was not imagining the effect.

I am sure if a person could see both tails in a wind tunnel with smoke streams - the disturbance caused by the tubing without an airfoiled form would have some eddies that the airfoiled form would smooth out.Gets back to the issue that a small round rod/tube perpendicular to the airstream disturbes more air than the diameter of the tube.

[Shadowrider]

If I where to build another I would do a speedster elevator just like the rudder. It would be built-in gap seals for the elevator. The gap seals on my plane added 2 mphs topend, and can land slower/shorter because I have more elevator effectiveness. I would just do it out of carbon before covering then cover them like the rudder.

[Eric Page]

OK, I swear I read the opposite on here somewhere, but given my lack of Kitfox flying experience, please listen to the other guys here. Oops!

[caleb1]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Sounds like the Speedster Tail is the way to go and well worth the $350.

(the PVC fairings take time to fit, install, prep and paint)

You talking like an extra 5-10 hours? Much longer?

If so, I don't see that as much as an issue and will likely opt for PVC struts and save the $3250. I'll still probably go with the chromoly struts for the tail since the price isn't too crazy for those.


Thanks,
Caleb

[tjohnson]

Something else to consider when ordering kits...
There is usually a delay shipping things like struts.
Very expensive to ship those. $1600 for.mine and.I.live in Missouri. Just fyi