First Flight

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Posted (edited)

So I'm getting ready to take my Kitfox 1 for it's first flight since it's I've had the project. It's been a while since I've regularly flown so I'm hoping to get to some suggestions and advice in how to knock off the rust and prepare for flying the Model 1. My tailwheel experience is 20 or so hours in a Cessna 140 and another 10 in a Glasair Glastar/Sportsman. I know the Kitfox is a different animal being high lift/high drag so I'm expecting it to be different. I'm memorizing the airspeeds given in the POH for the Model 2 since they should be similar.

My plan is to fly solo in a different airplane and rehearse the actual first flight, i.e. emergency procedures, stalls, and maneuvering. My airport is KEAT and we have an uncontrolled 7,000 ft long runway with another inactive intersecting runway as well so I'm confident this will give me lots of options if something goes wrong. I'm also looking at receiving some dual instruction in a Wag Aero J3 as well.

Let me know your suggestions and insight, I want to be prepared as I can.  Also I'm using the Advisory Circular on Phase 1 test flying as reference as well.

Edited by Brodstol

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Posted

7000' runway, you can crow hop a good ways to verify control operation, even practice landings with that length. You can verify a lot by short hops and test the ground handling. If everything checks out, including you, then eventually you'll have to bite the bullet.

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Posted

Find a grass runway if possible.  They are a lot more forgiving for untrained feet.  JImChuk

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Posted

I second the sod strip recommendation. 

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Posted

I wish grass was an option here. It use to be until our airport started to favor the regional airline. 

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Posted

Don’t forget the p-factor if you have a left turning prop. It got my attention fairly quick!

 

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Posted

7000' runway, you can crow hop a good ways to verify control operation, even practice landings with that length. You can verify a lot by short hops and test the ground handling. If everything checks out, including you, then eventually you'll have to bite the bullet.

I would not crow hop it. Good way to break things. 

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I think there are lots of ways to do it. I didn’t have any instruction or tailwheel time but tons of helo time, so I just did slow taxis, fast taxis, crow hops, fast patterns...then I got a cfi to make sure I didn’t kill myself. But you know, I could have easily bent metal by doing it that way.

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The three rules of flying. AIRSPEED, AIRSPEED, AIRSPEED. With my Kitfox, I carry a little power until the main wheels are on the runway. At idle the airplane has lots of drag. And when the main wheels are on the runway, keep those rudder pedals moving. It will bite you if you don't keep on top of it. I learned to fly in a 47 Champ, owned a 41 Luscombe and 46 Cessna 140. My Kitfox is by far the most fun that I have had in any airplane. Good luck on your first flight.

Rick

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Posted

I'm with Bandit. Crow hopping is a good way to tear up a perfectly good airplane that you know very little about. I use to be on the crow hop band wagon until I personally watched three people bend up new planes trying to play in that area between flight and no flight. Now if you have some time in the plane and want to do some power failure practice in this arena then I feel you are at more of an advantage because you understanding of the aircraft's flight envelope. But to each their own......

I recently went through this with my Avid this last summer. The FAA site has a great publication on first flights in an experimental aircraft. Whoever wrote it even installed some humor. It is well worth a read. I did not follow every suggestion in the article but I did take some very good things out of it.

I did three days of ground handling practice around the airport. I started slow and increased the speed. This was one of the better things I did before flying it.

Spend some time doing a very detailed pre-flight with your condition inspection checklist the evening before your first fight. Do this alone without any distractions. I found that I had not secured the back of my seat. If you have someone else you trust have them double check the airplane.

I made a first flight checklist. This was basically a detail list of the actions I wanted to complete and at what stage I was going to complete them. The list took me through every aspect of the flight from pre-flight to post-flight. It helped with getting my brain ready for the overload that was about to happen. I had a knee board to keep notes on. 

Watch your EGT temps during all phases of flight. It's really important. Remember that temps are automatically going to climb on decents. Reduce your RPM to keep them under 1150. I assume you are running a Rotax 582. 

Carry a fire extinguisher and make a mental plan on what actions you will take in the event you have a smoking wire or in-flight fire. 

I had a wingman who flew with me. Most people wont have that option. It's good to have someone on the ground with a radio, cell phone and a fire extinguisher. They can also help feed information to you off of the first flight checklist and recording data for you.

I stayed in the pattern for three circuits (I did not land) then flew out to an open area where I could fly for awhile to get a feel the plane and watch instruments. After about an hour I started testing roll rate,speed ranges, rpm ranges, climb rates, power off and on stalls and slow flight. I did find issues with my aileron adjustment. 

For landing I followed my checklist on the pattern and altitudes I was going to maintain. I set up good long stable approaches to give myself time to manage the landing phase. I did use flaps the fist landing. Some say not to but I had a 11 hours in an Avid already and was comfortable using them. I made three landing to a full stop and called it a day.

After I got back to the hangar I pulled the cowlings and did a good look over the entire plane. 

Don't try and do to much the first day. All this was more than enough. I was wrecked when I got done.  Its more stress than you realize. A had a beer when I got home and passed out in my chair. :)

Good luck and if you have any other question feel free to shoot me a message or phone call. 

 

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Posted

Fly. Or don't fly,the area in between isn't a place for newbies. However, time spent taxiing at a brisk walking pace is invaluable as it lets a pilot get a 3 point sight picture firmly ingrained,and is good practice for getting more comfortable with the machine.I find the tapered cowl on a kitfox is one thing that really throws first time KF pilots,A small felt pen mark on the windscreen is a good aid for setting up a true approach.check whether  it is also legal to taxi an aircraft,as taxiing here is classed as p.i.c so needs to be authorised by a suitable instructor.

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The period between flight and the point of slow taxi is the most critical time. By crow hops I am talking about 1-2' AGL not 100'. If one can't stay on top of it at that speed, they probably should have some more practice. A Kitfox will fly in ground effect at 20-25 mph. A lot less chance of doing major damage than at 40 touching down. But hey, I do it my way, you do it your way. But either way, learn to handle it on the ground before going airborne.

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Get comfortable with fast taxiing.  Work your way up to it.  I needed to tighten up the rudder-to-tailwheel connection in order to have a controllable fast taxi.  If you have uneven springs on the tailwheel connection, it's intended to help reduce shimmy, but the stiffer spring needs to be on the side of the downward-moving blade, or you may have uneven steering authority when moving forward, and P-factor is in effect.  The just-post-touchdown phase is the scariest, and that's why I advocate getting comfortable with fast taxi.  In the air, it's just another airplane!  Good luck!

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Thanks everyone for the great advice and help. I just got done with my dual instruction in the J3 today and I've been taxing my KF1 around the 25-30mph range (almost lifted off once!) for the past couple of days. It's been a great help doing so and I'm feeling much more comfortable with the ground handling. First flight, weather permitting, will be this week. I'll check back once completed.

20190317_172914.jpg

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kitfox and just about any knowledgeable KF or avid pilot will tell you NOT to play around with high speed taxiing.,  it states it in the POH.  It is a great way to put your bird back in the shop for a full rebuild.  either keep the speed slow and the tail on the ground or give it the go and fly.  Playing around in between is a dangerous game that many many have lost.

:BC:

 

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And if at all possible find a grass strip.  You very well may come in crossed up a bit, of course in the Cub you are looking through the center of the prop, and subconsciously you may want to do the same thing with the Kitfox.  The round tapered cowl will work against you in the same way.  Put an aiming point on the windshield that you can line up when you look way down the field when you are taxing straight.  Use that aim point for landing at first and it will probably help you.  If you touch down crossed up on grass, you may slide and straighten out, on pavement, you are off to the races, (and the starting line is off in the weeds somewhere).  A quick glance at the ball will tell you that you are crossed up as well, but you have to look away from the runway to see it.  Have fun, and be careful!  JImChuk

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Posted

Agree with everyone else. Grass if at all possible. If you are at all nervous, it may even be worthwhile folding the wings and taking it to grass!

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kitfox and just about any knowledgeable KF or avid pilot will tell you NOT to play around with high speed taxiing.,  it states it in the POH.  It is a great way to put your bird back in the shop for a full rebuild.  either keep the speed slow and the tail on the ground or give it the go and fly.  Playing around in between is a dangerous game that many many have lost.

:BC:

 

That is the best advice you can get. 

There is speed where you transition from tailwheel to rudder authority (the other way around when landing) and it is not a sweet spot so don't seach for it. Taxi slow and full throttle when deciding to take off. At landing just let her roll straight until she slows down. If you have individual brakes - don't touch them... And yes, grass...

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Posted

Thanks everyone for the advice, the first flight was a success! Here I am afterwards with the Kitfox grin. I'm going to update my rebuild thread on some of the squawks but overall the plane did great.

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Posted

Nice work and you definitely have the grin

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Posted

It is a relief to get that first TO and landing accomplished safely. Great job!

Now it gets fun!

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Posted

Congratulations!  Nice looking bird!  

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