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turboprop Introduction Project Desciption


36 posts in this topic

Posted (edited)

Hello Everybody,

I am from Greece and i just purchased a used Avid Flyer Mark 4. I am about to strip down the fuselage and inspect the wind for any damages and wear. I concern for the screws, bolt and pins, especially those which hold the wings in-place. The aircraft is equipped with a Rotax 912 (80hp) but probably i will sell it out. The main idea is to fit a Turboprop on it and run some tests. I will appreciate to have some tips from experience people on this plane.

Thanks

 

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Edited by Alex Vro

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Posted

Welcome to the forum Alex.  What kind of turboprop?  EDMO

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Posted (edited)

Hello EDMO,

The engine is in per-production stage and hopefully it will be released next year. 

I found and download the building instruction manual for the plane and am going through it. Is something that i have to be more careful or anything that wear more to take care?

Thanks

Edited by Alex Vro

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Posted

You should not trailer it very far sitting on the tailwheel.   EDMO

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Posted

It looks as though your tailwheel spring is already badly deformed.

Take care there is no structural damage to the rear of the fuselage from the trailering.

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Posted

Turboprop in a fabric airplane? What could possibly go wrong.

It will be an interesting project keep the photos coming.

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Posted (edited)

Turboprop in a fabric airplane? What could possibly go wrong.

It will be an interesting project keep the photos coming.

Dusty,  I think that is for winning the STOL-VTOL contest, then throttle back to idle for cruise.  :lol: 

He said he would strip and recover it - maybe it will have an aluminum skin now?  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

All tips and ideas are welcome! I will keep posting.

Already am looking for tailwheel replacement. Is any place to order the wing pins and screws?

The exhaust gasses temperature are well and extensively measured and there is not such a case to damage the fabric. I will keep this in mind and see during the static tests if any other modification will be needed.  

How I have to hauling it? do i have to fabricate a mount to sits on? do you have any example to get an idea?

Is here the right place or have to move on another section?

 

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Posted (edited)

You are going to need a new tail spring - You might be able to buy one from one of our members who has Avid or Kitfox parts for sale if you put a Wanted ad in the For Sale section, or get a spring company to make springs for you.  Some of these planes were made with only one spring, and the heavier ones had 3 springs.  

With the wings in flying position, you might have a tail weight of about 50 pounds, but with the wings folded, depending on how much gas is in the tanks, you might have as much as 300 pounds weight on the tail.

Some of the members have bought the large pneumatic Matco tailwheels.   Most of us buy bolts and nuts from Aircraft Spruce in the USA.  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

I got a single leaf spring for sale 25 bucks and a double leaf spring for sale 50  let me know there both brand new

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Posted

Here is half of the double spring,  see how it compares to yours,

 

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100_1086.JPG

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Posted

Avid tail spring is different than this one.  My Kitfox 4 looks like this one so it seems the Kitfoxes have always used the same shape.  I'll try to get a picture of the Avid later today.  JImChuk

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Posted

Avid tail spring is different than this one.  My Kitfox 4 looks like this one so it seems the Kitfoxes have always used the same shape.  I'll try to get a picture of the Avid later today.  JImChuk

Wonder why they would be different shapes for same tailwheel?   EDMO

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Posted

The angle is different on the back end of the fuselages.  When I broke a tail spring on an Avid once, I bolted the spring on from my Kitfox 4 project, and the tailwheel castor was way off.  JImChuk

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Posted

Thank you for your replies,

I have to consider the weight of the tailwheel because mine is about 7 pounds, so i am thinking to make a carbon or kevlar one. otherwise I will take TJay's offer. At the initial scale measurement i had almost 70 pounds on the tailwheel with empty deployed wings. The new engine is at least 90 pounds lighter that the previous so i have to take as much weight as i can out from the tail of the airplane.

I am going to adapt your idea 1avidflyer to haul it! Easier and more solid!

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Posted

Here are pics of my Avid MK IV tail spring.  Way different than a Kitfox.  One thing about the Avid, is they are usually a bit nose heavy, even with a light 2 stroke engine.  Loosing weight may not be quite such a concern, especially depending on how far forward the engine is mounted.  How much do you think your engine will end up weighing?  JImChuk

 

Photo0951.jpg

Photo0952.jpg

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Posted

Yeah, send some info on the powerplant and prop when you can.  Nothing better than having beta range!

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Posted (edited)

The engine is approximately 60 pounds and the length is 32in. At this moment I am designing the engine mount and calculate how far the prop will be and the proper angles - line of thrust. The prop is a 3 blades 68in Warp Drive.

 

and a pic from the progress

prog1.jpg

Edited by Alex Vro

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Posted

Here are pics of my Avid MK IV tail spring.  Way different than a Kitfox.  One thing about the Avid, is they are usually a bit nose heavy, even with a light 2 stroke engine.  Loosing weight may not be quite such a concern, especially depending on how far forward the engine is mounted.  How much do you think your engine will end up weighing?  JImChuk

 

Photo0951.jpg

Photo0952.jpg

Thinking ahead again aren't ya, gonna be easy to change that tail spring bolt if you ever need to.

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Posted (edited)

Just a guess, and I shouldn't maybe even say, but the Avid 582 with the Avid cheek radiators  is probably 100 lbs at about 20" to engine CG.  I should go measure before I post, but I just got back from the hangar after flying and don't feel like going out right now.  (still have half a beer;-)  Just grabbed the calculator, and 100 lbs. at 20 = 2000.  60 lbs at 32" is 1920.  Almost the same.  Then with a heavy warp 3 blade, may not be much difference.  Then again, maybe I'm all wet!  Plenty of people would agree with that I'm sure.  Anyway, that's my story (for now) and I'm sticking with it.  JImChuk

PS  lot easier to have a little cover there then try to reach in to the bolt (or try to get my wife to do it with her much smaller arms)

Edited by 1avidflyer
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Posted (edited)

So, how much HP from this 60 pound jewel?   What will be max prop rpm?  How are the rpms reduced?   Guess it will run on Jet Fuel, or kerosene? 

Jim, that Avid bolt is a lot easier to get to than my Kitfox - The head is nestled between the two lower tubes, and held with 9460....Think mine will get an extension tube added.    EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted (edited)

Hello people!

sorry for the long time away but things moving fast here.

1avidflyer you are right but i have to consider the engine CG to do the maths and the distance deference are not that much. I will send a photo with the carbon fiber tailwheel structure tomorrow that is 1/3 of the weight.

EDMO This engine output power is more than the indirect competition, it uses a planetary gearbox to reduce the rpm to 2500. As turbine nature it run with many types of fuel as, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel, red diesel, biodiesel etc.

At this time I am designing the engine mount and need some help with it. How many degrees of down and right thrust your airplanes have? and where is the level point of reference?

What is the best way to measure that fuselage and wings are straight?

Thanks

Alex

Edited by Alex Vro

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Posted

The 582 mounts I have and the 912 mount that I made have 2° down thrust and 0 left or right thrust.

:BC:

 

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Posted

The 582 mounts I have and the 912 mount that I made have 2° down thrust and 0 left or right thrust.

:BC:

 

you got reference on the firewall?

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