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Posted

Well today is cold and wet with the wind blowing sideways as what's left of Hurricane Patricia blows through. It's pretty miserable out, as miserable a day as any I suppose to come clean.

I sold my KF4. :(

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Posted

For lots and lots of dollars I hope!

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Posted (edited)

I'll never know how much, if any, I left on the table Joey. It was an 'unadvertised' sale, obviously at a fair price to each but I wanted it to go to someone I felt good about and stay somewhat local so I could see and fly it again (cheesy maybe, but I get emotionally attached to things after putting a lot of sweat equity into it). New owner is a great guy from a flying family and I really think he will enjoy and treat it right. Besides, after recouping somewhat from my back injury, I had decided to get off my ass and finish the Aerotrek before next spring. I can't think of a stronger motivator than to sell my only flying airplane. And let's face facts, there is no competing with Jim Chuk on # of projects in the barn. He is the King! :)

Edited by dholly
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Posted

At least it didn't go far.  I'll allow you visitation if you'd like.

I really do appreciate your help with everything and I'm looking forward to participating more on the forums as I get to know this new lady in my life.

It was certainly an interesting ride home.  I thought it was going to cause an accident with all the people slowing down to take pictures of it.

20151019_171813_zpsh76dqig5.jpg

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Posted (edited)

OH SNAP! It's following me! :ph34r:

Wait, that was your 1st post here.

:welcome:

Edited by dholly
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Posted

It's bitter sweet.  I got a lil of the sentimental side to me as well.  I find it very hard to turn loose of something that has brought me great pleasure (except for the wives) :lol:  Sowmachines, boats, airplanes.. I tend to hang onto forever. 

 

Glad it went to a good home and that you will still get visitation! 

 

Welcome to the forum, looking forward to hearing your adventures and thoughts on flying the bird.  I too get lots of looks when I am hauling my plane.  Stopping at the gas station to fill up jugs with the plane behind me always turns into a long BS session with someone at also at the pumps.

 

:BC:

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Posted

I'm certainly going to take good care of it.  I've had my eye out for the right one for a few years now.

I grew up in the co-pilot seat of a pressurized Cessna Centurion.  My father would fly quite a bit for business and I would tag along.  He ended up selling the plane about 20 years ago due to medical issues and I've missed flying ever since.

I decided to start flying about 5 years ago thinking I would go the private pilot route.  I just didn't realize how expensive it was going to be.  It wasn't much fun at $110 an hour plus instructor costs.

I decided I would go the light sport route to get in the air but there are no LSA planes around here to rent so I started looking for one.  My instructor mentioned a kitfox and there is another gentleman around here that had a couple model IVs that was nice enough to let me fly with him.  I fell in love with the plane and started keeping my eye out for the right one.

So here I am now... 

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Posted

. And let's face facts, there is no competing with Jim Chuk on # of projects in the barn. He is the King! :)

I'm going to have my wife look at this message just so she can see that she really did hitch her wagon to a star!!!!   I can hear it now, me saying, really, really, dear, you did.  I actually did finally get the rest of the finish tapes on the second wing in the last few days.  If I could just stay working on the projects instead of getting sidetracked, maybe I could reduce the # of projects I have.   Hope you have lots of fun with your new plane Greg.  Jim Chuk

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Posted

Doug, I hope your beautiful upholstery job didn't go with the plane.  That alone is a work of art.

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Posted

Yeah but now I know what I'm doing, wait till you see the new seats!

It was not an easy decision but that 100hp is calling...

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Posted

Welcome GREGPRO50.  Handle sounds familiar.  Not a Hydrostream guy as well by chance?  If you every fly out towards the Southern Adirondacks make sure you stop in to see the folks at EAA602.  www.eaa602.org.  The area is very FOX friendly.

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Posted

Same guy.  I think I met you at the romp a few years ago.  You had the Vking with the bruiser color scheme if I remember.  I still have my Voyager but I thinned my herd of other boats to pursue this interest.

Actually my end goal is to have this plane on floats and operate it out of Raquette in the summer which would be central Adirondacks.

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Posted

I decided I would go the light sport route to get in the air but there are no LSA planes around here to rent so I started looking for one.

That was my approach also. I looked for nearly a year before finding mine.

Unfortunately I've not yet had it in the air.

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Posted

Same guy.  I think I met you at the romp a few years ago.  You had the Vking with the bruiser color scheme if I remember.  I still have my Voyager but I thinned my herd of other boats to pursue this interest.

Actually my end goal is to have this plane on floats and operate it out of Raquette in the summer which would be central Adirondacks.

Yep that's me.  I did the same, though am now down to no boats at he moment.  Enjoy your new Fox!

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Posted

Well, my current seats aren't as nicely put together but they'll do for me.

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Posted

I'll never know how much, if any, I left on the table Joey. It was an 'unadvertised' sale, obviously at a fair price to each but I wanted it to go to someone I felt good about and stay somewhat local so I could see and fly it again (cheesy maybe, but I get emotionally attached to things after putting a lot of sweat equity into it). New owner is a great guy from a flying family and I really think he will enjoy and treat it right. Besides, after recouping somewhat from my back injury, I had decided to get off my ass and finish the Aerotrek before next spring. I can't think of a stronger motivator than to sell my only flying airplane. And let's face facts, there is no competing with Jim Chuk on # of projects in the barn. He is the King! :)

That is awesome!!! And I feel the same. I am still in contact with the family of the man that built mine. And if and when I sell, they will have first dibs. One has shown interest, but I am not done with it! ;)

Congrats Greg!!! What a beaut!!! :BC:

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Posted

I just moved it to it's permanent storage at Tri Cities airport KCZG.

I got talking to some guys there and there was someone willing to share a hangar.  This guy has 4 planes and just builds them but never flies them.  So I get a heated hangar with full electric and use of any tools I could ever possibly need and I will never have to fold my wings.  The rent is peanuts.  If I stopped drinking beer there would be no impact on my monthly expenses.

I would venture to say that it is probably the only kitfox in history to be sharing a hangar with a Rutan Defiant.  He has 30-years into the build and he's still not done.

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Posted

Whadda deal! And a very interesting hangar mate.

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Posted

I love the Defiant!  I have plans for a Cozy I'm going to build 'one of these days'. The Defiant is awesome, and what I'd build if the plans were still available.  I read a blog of a couple of guys that flew one to Australia and back from California.  Even with two engines (that will actually fly the airplane if one quits), that takes more stones than I've got.  They did get to spend time at various Pacific Islands on the way there and back, which would be fun.

Mark

 

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Posted

Here is at its new home.  I'm getting it ready for it's annual inspection.  And another picture of it's hanger mates. The Defiant, VariEze, and a Thorp T-18.

20151111_112121_zpsdgfnkuww.jpg

 

20151111_112148_zpswe508bmw.jpg

 

 

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Posted

Do a proper sync on the carbs, I had them off to inspect/clean this spring and never got around to borrowing my buddy's Carb Mate to do it. Check idle too, I had it set so low that the fan stopped on me once right at touchdown. Be ready to push on the power to arrest your sink rate, most Kitfox float like bitch if you're too fast but sink like a rock if you're not!  

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Posted

Got it.  Right now I am just going through and changing out some of the older looking rubber and changing the fuel pump vent line to metal where it goes over the muffler.  The guy that I am sharing this hangar with is the most picky and OCD guy I have met when it comes to this stuff but he was pretty impressed with your work.

I'm also going to change out the plastic lines that come out of the gear to the caliper to metal braided AN lines mostly because there are some there and it won't cost anything.

Just little things.

I'll have to get ahold of the carb sync tool and read up on how to do it.  I've only ran it up a couple times and while it runs good the idle does seem a tad low like you said.

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Posted

Some aircraft porn.  I got to put an hour of ground time on it last night after getting the carbs dialed in after the rebuild.  Runs great.  Everything in the green.  Insurance is all set as of today.  Flight later this week possibly?  Two of my CFI friends are going to fly it first.  The CFI giving me training wants to fly it first with another CFI who built a model 1 KF years ago.

20151205_160818_zpspd69qtju.jpg

 

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Posted

Suggestion:  

1.  Take off the cam plate on that maul tailwheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2.  get a good checkout for the CFI from someone current in the type and be sure all insurance covers them.  Make them fly landings and takeoffs for at least 5-10 hours.

I know of several instances where experienced tailwheel CFIs have wrecked these planes.   These planes don't tolerate cocky pilots.  

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Posted

Suggestion:  

1.  Take off the cam plate on that maul tailwheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think that is a great piece of advice.  I've been practicing slow tail down taxi the last couple days and the tail wheel has surprised me how easy it can break loose and have the whole thing start to pendulum around.

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