Shortfield landing tecnique

[RIVERFOX]

Okay all of you shortfield landing experts, walk me, er, fly me through your postage stamp landing routine. I could get my "champ" stopped in 200' or less with heavy braking but the KF4 won't let me brake nearly as aggresive as the "champ" and I'm only doing 200'-225' with my KF4. I know its me and not the airplane!

[catz631]

Me too riverfox. I can get off in a "postage stamp" but can't land on one !
Dick

[Newkid]

In the Rans I just hang it on the prop and three point it usually hitting the tailwheel first. Then full aft elevator and heavy breaking with the tail in the air. I balance on the mains during breaking by adding or relaxing pressure on the breaks. I only use this technique when I am landing on a flat "strip" that is 350' to 500' in length. Now If am landing on a hill or a strip with a slope say 10-20 degrees, I add another 5 mph onto my slowest approach speed and usually use very little braking. Typically the slope of the hill slows the plane fast enough. Get good at spot landing your plane, in three point and wheel landings. As long as you can put your plane right where you want it to be there shouldn't be any strip out there that you can't land on. Don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable, and like C-5 said just slow it down.

[RIVERFOX]

Guys,
Thanks for the tips, could you tell me how much flap and power settings as you get down to the last 20'-30' above ground? That last half of flaps really destroys any roll control and I only have tried it with no wind or steady wind straight on. I'm I pushing my luck using full flaps during final approach? I've done lots of slow flight, full flaps and 20-30 degree banks and feel l know when I'm pushing the edge.

[Newkid]

For the serious short field you want to use everything that is at your disposal. If you don't like the way the plane handles with full flaps don't use them but the slower the plane lands the better. I have always used flaps for takeoff and landings in the Rans and my dad used to use them in the kitfox. Experiment figure out what works best for you. Everyone has different opinions so make your own. I know what makes that Rans S-7 with that huge farm implement wing perform best. Alot of what I learned about that plane came from doing touch and goes in the evenings every now and then. I plan on doing the same thing in our new Kitfox IV when it is completed to get a good feel for it. Also if you don't have much time in the Kitfox you may not have the feel for it yet. A close friend told me it takes him about 100 hrs. to truly get the feel for a new airplane, and I would have to agree with him for myself. Another thing is you should be able to feel what the airplane is doing as far as speed. It will speak to you. On final, I don't usually look at the airspeed very often. This lets you focus on your touchdown point more. Anyway like I said before, it is where and how you are comfortable flying your airplane. One other thing in the Rans, I fly her in on the wing until short final then at 100' or so above the ground I start adding power and flying behind the power curve. Don't know how this will work in the Kitfox, but it works well in the Rans.

[sdemeyer]

Last month I did a real short landing. Probably around 75'. Only took a week to repair all the damaged tubing as a result.

200' with a normal approach doesn't sound too bad to me. It is a lot easier on the airplane.

[akflyer]

Guys,
Thanks for the tips, could you tell me how much flap and power settings as you get down to the last 20'-30' above ground? That last half of flaps really destroys any roll control and I only have tried it with no wind or steady wind straight on. I'm I pushing my luck using full flaps during final approach? I've done lots of slow flight, full flaps and 20-30 degree banks and feel l know when I'm pushing the edge.

I use full flaps on the KF and Avid unless it is a very heavy cross wind. With full flaps and power you can really drag it in slow! The rudder is pretty darn powerful and will help alot with roll control also.

I think we get pretty spoiled by the amount of stick movement needed for normal flight, and think that we are running out of roll control when flaps are used. Yes it does take more stick deflection and I have banged the insides of my legs more than once, but I have never run out of roll except on very gusty cross wind days. Try flying a cub in heavy turbulence if you want an excersize in stick movement! After that the Avid or KF will seem like a dream even with full flaps.

[flyingfox]

I just joined the TeamKitfox Forum today! There appears to be a wealth of information and great dialogue from many experienced Kitfox builders.

I have been out of flying for over 10 years now. (I know, what a real waste of one's life!) I just got back into it a couple of weeks ago and I am really excited about getting back into the air. In the past I own a third interest in a J-3 Cub and a Camp.

Now I am looking for a plane that has some of the features as my two past taildraggers but, with a little more speed.

I want to build a hanger and landing strip on my property, but only have 850 feet between some 30 foot tall trees on one end and a 25 foot obstacle on the other end.

I am looking seriously at the Kitfox 7, equipped with the new Lycoming IO-233 engine.

My question is this: Will this Kitfox 7 be able to safely fly into an out of this proposed runway? MSL: 350 feet

I posted here, due to the subject: shortfield land technique

[Newkid]

The Rans at 100 mph probably has less roll rate than a kitfox with full flaps deployed. Flyingfox, that Lycoming powered Seven should be able to do it but the lighter the plane the better and the Rotax powered foxes should slow down better. Takeoff shouldn't be a problem though.

[airlina]

I just joined the TeamKitfox Forum today! There appears to be a wealth of information and great dialogue from many experienced Kitfox builders.

I have been out of flying for over 10 years now. (I know, what a real waste of one's life!) I just got back into it a couple of weeks ago and I am really excited about getting back into the air. In the past I own a third interest in a J-3 Cub and a Camp.

Now I am looking for a plane that has some of the features as my two past taildraggers but, with a little more speed.

I want to build a hanger and landing strip on my property, but only have 850 feet between some 30 foot tall trees on one end and a 25 foot obstacle on the other end.

I am looking seriously at the Kitfox 7, equipped with the new Lycoming IO-233 engine.

My question is this: Will this Kitfox 7 be able to safely fly into an out of this proposed runway? MSL: 350 feet

I posted here, due to the subject: shortfield land technique

I have a Continental IO-240 powered Series 5 Kitfox that weighs 950 lbs empty and to be honest, I would feel very uncomfortable using a 850 foot strip especially with obstacles. With the heavier engines your STOL performance will take a hit, but to me it was worth the tradeoff. With lots of practice it could be done solo, but forget it at gross weight. My takeoff ground run off grass at gross is about 700 feet, so clearing an obstacle off of a 850 foot runway would be problematic. At gross I use a personal minimum of 1500' of runway if there are any obstacles and 1000'feet without obstacles. Like the guys are always saying on this forum, if you are looking for STOL build it Light, Light,Light. Bruce Lina N199CL