Confused?

8 posts in this topic

Posted

After reading everything I can find on the forum, I have pretty much decided to go with the upside down 582.  I am going to widen the fuselage as Jim has shown in his posts.  I am still confused as to whether or not I need to stretch the fuselage?  I finished building the extended aerobat and I now have the fuselage set up in the shop and I am ready to modify it as is needed.  I guess after reading all the info on here and other sites, I am on info over load.  I am going to add the gussets and strengthening that Jim and Tjay has posted about but is lengthening the fuselage necessary? Longer gear legs? I did enlarge the rudder and elevator,  I'm just confused about the rest.

Thanks,

Jim

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Posted

My thinking is if you are going with the 582, there is no reason to stretch the fuselage.  You may want to put the battery as far back as you can to help move the CG back a bit.  If you look at the link I'll post, you can see how I did mine.  JImChuk

www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/3415-ive-got-it-covered/&page=2
 

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Posted

Thanks Jim.  After looking at the way you did your's I think it will be easy to do thank.  Are you using a lawn mower battery or something heavier?  I am going out to the shop today to start on the widening of the fuselage.  I have the A model.  Can it be widened three inches per side or is that too wide?

 

Thanks,

Jim

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Posted

Generally in the building/ rebuilding process, one would do a pre W&B before final installation of the battery. It is one of the easy things to move to adjust the CG where one needs it. I have had some aircraft that was so CG sensitive that you had 2 battery locations, one for single place and a rear one for two people.  That comes into play a lot in some tandem seating aircraft where CG is limited. Side by side are a little more forgiving in certain aspects but still important.  Same applies to us skinny #&% pilots as well as some slightly heavier pilots, you know the ones who wear the new designer jeans, Lardache.

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Posted

Somebody on this site had a motor mounted right side up, why didn't that catch on? With most guys going to the taller gear I would think you could lower the engine to get it inside the cowl and mount the reduction drive spun 180 degrees. It surely can't be prop clearance issues can it?

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Posted

japowell,

The going battery for the 582 is a Group U1 lawn tractor battery, at about 25 lbs and about 35 AH, costs maybe $50 at Walmart . Some folks are now switching to Lion batteries at about 3 lbs (!!) but costing maybe $200.

If you are game to stretch the fuselage, I think it is a great idea if you are 6 feet or more, the headroom and leg room are pretty scoshy on a standard Avid. Adding maybe 2" of legroom and 2" of width, plus a little headroom would be great. But I am 5'11" and fit ok,.

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Posted

I'm using a lawn tractor battery that weighs about 12-15 lbs and it turns the Jabiru over good enough.  I think the 582 is easier to spin.   The Avids are known to be on the nose heavy side, so it's doubtful that you will be to far back on the CG with the battery mounted as far back as you can get it.  Kitfox engine is "right side up" but it is way harder to see over the nose on them then the Avid.  Lots of 2 stroke  engines have flown inverted for lots of hours.  I see no reason to go through the work of making a new mount and everything else to get the engine in the so called right side up configuration.  But this is experimental aviation, and so anyone can do what ever they want.  As far as widening the fuselage, I think I would remove the tube at the back of the door opening like was done on later models, install a new bottom door frame tube and then add the tubing like I did on my Avid and the Kitfox 4 to widen the fuselage.  I think you could go 2" on each side with no problem.  You would have to build new doors or remodel your old ones, but in the long run I think it would be worth it, especially when you give someone else a ride.  JImChuk

Photo0658.jpg

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Posted

Thanks guys.  I removed the lower tube and installed one like Jim shows in his photo. I also installed standoffs to widen it 4".  I think I'll do as Jim said and cut a couple of inches off.  Looks too wide at 4.  I am making templates for the gusset now and will weld those in tomorrow.  

Nlappas, I am 5'10" tall but at 71 not real flexible as before.  Only passenger would be the wife or the grand kids. So if I don't need to lengthen it I wont.  I have a Kolb also but it is too small for passengers.  I plan on using 1/2" 6061 tube down the sides instead of the wood stringers.  

Thanks to all,

Jim

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