Oh. Good to know. Thanks
Oh. Good to know. Thanks
My limited experience without a cover, parked in some light rain:
No water inside in cockpit seat or panel area. Maybe just a tad bit from the butt rib area, dribbled down the inside of the doors. I do have my boot cowl to windshield joint well sealed with silicone.
The only appreciable water inside was in the baggage area, coming from the slots in the turtle deck.
Didn't see it but assume there was also water entry in the tail area from the slots in the stabilizer access panels. Do have drain hole in the back bottom fabric.
Jim Ott
Portland, OR
Kitfox SS7 flying
Rotax 912ULS
Agreed Jim - on our recent trip I checked to make sure the tail was not full of water after heavy rain - there was none so I am not sure if it did get in or if it just drained out.
Also, I noticed that the flapperons had water in them despite me drilling drain holes in them - closer inspection showed that where I drilled the drain holes along the rear edge of the flapperon, there was a thick bead of sealant or glue - although I drilled through the aluminium it did not act as a drain as hole drilled into solid 'sealant'. I re-drilled them on an angle and all is good now. I only found this out on the trip as normally the plane is hangered and not out in rain.
cheers
Ross
Mt Beauty, Vic
OZ
Sold to Richard and Scott Taubman in OZ, 2019. Kitfox SS7,Rotax 912is Sport, Airmaster CSP 75" blades.
Landcruiser and Cub off road camper (doesn't get any kudos on this forum!)
That's a good thing for all of us to check, Thanks Ross.
Jim Ott
Portland, OR
Kitfox SS7 flying
Rotax 912ULS
I found a cup of water in the strut fairing intersections. I noticed a small drip there after several rainy flights, so I drilled a hole in the PVC and out it came! I suspect water enters at the jury strut clamp areas and collects down there.
Wow, thanks Floog; I never thought of that. Will check mine, although I don't fly much in the rain like you do. After draining, might be good to squirt some silicone sealer around those jury strut openings.
Jim Ott
Portland, OR
Kitfox SS7 flying
Rotax 912ULS
Those are very pertinent points, as my understanding is that one could easily experience devastating flutter, should the water freeze in the flaperons.
Does anyone have a pattern for a cover that they can publish here so that we can make it up?
Reid