Trim Assist Kit Option

[jiott]

Kitfox sell an optional Flap/Elevator Interconnect Trim Assist Kit to "help reduce aft stick forces when making slow landing approaches". John McBean seems to recommend it. It fits 5, 6, 7, and SS.

How many of you guys are using it? Is it so-so or greatest thing since sliced bread? Should I get it for my SS7? Its not too expensive at $85. I will soon be covering the fuse and need to make a decision.

Jim

[Dorsal]

I have it and really like it.

[jiott]

I suppose I better get it. Its ending up with my buying just about every option offered by Kitfox. Its nearly impossible to build one of these things for the base price that gets you hooked at first. I am not complaining mind you, just stating a fact. If a guy is going to go to all the work of building you kind of want it to be the best you can make it, so you just keep adding the options. I'm loving every minute of it though.

Jim

[kitfox812]

Can anybody tell me how it installs and what it looks like? I have an s7 with electric trim. Thanks in advance

[Dave S]

Hi Jim,

I am another satisfied purchaser of the trim assist kit. another vote in favor.

I flew off the test period and ran some months later without the trim assist. Bought it - and installed it before morning coffee break. You have to get under the baggage bay & at the mixer & elevator idler just behind the seats - John designed it for an easy retrofit if the plane is already assembled.

While not having it is not a great issue in any case - it is a refinement that one will truly appreciate.

What it does is permit a person to trim off the remaining nose down when flaps are applied at slow speeds like on final approach since full nose up trim doesn't quite quite do that in the landing config. None of the control forces on the elevator are very high in any case on a Kitfox but, it is really nice to be able to trim for neutral elevator stick pressure on final.

BTW - my understanding is that the trim assist is very good for a tailwheel configuration - in any case I have never been able to bury the tailskid in the runway grass with our trigear but I can come darn close.

Our plane has the trim tabs on the elevator rather than the electric stab jackscrew for pitch trim - this configuration benefits from the trim assist greatly.

Cheers,

Dave S
KF7 Trigear
912ULS Warp Drive

[airlina]

Can anybody tell me how it installs and what it looks like? I have an s7 with electric trim. Thanks in advance

Note in the photo the forward attach point of the spring to the elevator idler to provide your up elevator "tug" with flaperon deflection. Aft attach point is flap control horn on the mixer assembly. Bruce N199CL

[kitfox812]

Great informative picture. I ordered the kit from Debra. I have about 900 hrs on my s7 since it was DAR'ed in 2007. I had gotten away from using any flaps on landing because of the excess back pressure required. It will be fun to try this out. Thanks again.