Neat video, Alex. I haven't flown over the Narrows cliff in many years. I would guess the last time was probably practicing the old NDB approach from the Graye NDB, and that was sometime in the mid-90s. Can't wait to fly in there again!
Eric Page
Building: Kitfox 5 Safari | Rotax 912iS | Dynon HDX
Member: EAA Lifetime, AOPA, ALPA
ATP: AMEL | Comm: ASEL, Glider | ATCS: CTO
Map of Landings
One other thing you may want to check that I missed is the rudder horn length. My 5 has pretty short horns and I had to put some Teflon on the fuse under the cable to keep them from rubbing.
Jeff
KF 5
340KF
Look what followed me home tonight. Where most builders seem to start with building a shed (and I've still got to do that), my must-do project was getting a motorcycle engine put back together, installed, running and any issues complete before I could move both bikes to my hangar and bring my fuselage home.
IMG_20200831_181327.jpg
Well we can check that box off. The white and black bike is a triumph tiger 1050 that I rode for 100k miles and gave to one of my sons. He rode it for about six months and it swallowed a valve. I was able to source a fresh cylinder head but it was a ton of work.
IMG_20200825_121929.jpg
The blue bike is my Moto Guzzi that is loaded and ready for WABDR (Washington backroad discovery route), 591 miles of dirt. Departing on 9/14.
I haven't rearranged the garage for access yet but I plan on getting the fuselage as close to cover ready as I can while my Citabria is getting it's annual. Then I'll hall the fuselage back and build wings
Kitfox 5 (under construction)
Commercial SE/ME, CFII
Wow! That’s some serious miles.
Dustin Dickerson
Building 7ss STI x 2
Oratex
29" shock monster
EP912STI 155hp
Garmin
N33TF......FLYING!
N53TF......FLYING!
AlexM. PM me if your interested in a virtually new Triumph Tiger 1050 low, seat. I had a 2009 or 2010 Tiger 1050. You can have it for the box and shipping cost if you think you could use it.
Eddie Forward
Flying
SS7, 912iS, Garmin G3X
Did the original builder get to making the flap and adj. rudder pedal detents that mount to the underside of the console? If not, I suggest that you buy the premade the brackets from KF. I just went through this and it takes a long time! Like 2 days worth of work to get them right. I didn't have the templates so I was old school using a protractor and dividers. Was rewarding in the end because they turned out nice, but it costs a lot of time.
flap 1.jpgadj rud 1.jpgconsole 1.jpgadj rud 2.jpg
The original builder did make the flaperon detent brackets. They're installed and work perfectly. I definitely like the way the rudder pedals can adjust so quickly with the option but I have elected not to add them to my plane for two reasons: They add weight and the center tunnel apparently gets pretty crowded with all the stuff that has to go through there. My plane will be flown pretty much 100% by me, with some flying duties passed off to people roughly my size (through the miracle of DNA). They are adjustable through the links if needed so it's not the end of the world.
I do see that making those brackets by hand would take some time. I would order the prefab brackets for sure. If they weren't available, then being that most of my career has been in CAD/CAM I would draw those up and send the files to a friend of mine to cut out and mail them to me.
And yes, even a few ounces has to "buy its way" onto this plane. No carpet, no auto pilot, the lightest possible ELT, my COM radio will have a built in intercom, no 29" (or larger) tires - I'll stick with the 8.50 Dessers thank you. Right now I'm casting a jaundiced eye at my not-Grove-but-they-sure-look-like-them landing gear. Having removed them from the fuselage a couple of times I'm shocked how much they weigh with the wheels and brakes installed. I'm a big fan of the simple once piece design but if cabane gear is lighter it might push me that direction.
I will Alodine my spars and inserts but I will not be priming them. Oratex all the way. I'm considering the flat plate STI style wing tips to ditch a few more pounds.
Kitfox 5 (under construction)
Commercial SE/ME, CFII
I appreciate the kind offer. Right now I can't get that bike out of my hangar quick enough so I can concentrate on airplanes. It has a Rich's custom seat on it which is the first thing I do to any motorcycle. It was a bit tall for my son so as part of the refresh I installed lowering links and dropped the fork tubes. Hopefully he gets some more miles out of the bike. It was super reliable right up to the valve breaking. Even then it was an exhaust valve that broke and the piece went right out the pipe, and it made it home under its own power.
Kitfox 5 (under construction)
Commercial SE/ME, CFII
"I will Alodine my spars and inserts but I will not be priming them."
Curious to know how to do this. I was planing on epoxy but alodining might be the way to go. How do you do the inside of the spars?