Beautiflul Fall flying days

[akflyer 1427]

Got a chance to go burn some sky for a few hours yesterday with the kid. Could not ask for a nicer fall day here as there should be snow on the ground already!

[saskavid 47]

Got a chance to go burn some sky for a few hours yesterday with the kid. Could not ask for a nicer fall day here as there should be snow on the ground already!

Hey Leni:

Great video! Still swearing at the brakes huh? That I've seen video of both yourself and Joey Myers doing loops on rough unimproved ground I'm going to make a comment about the steering and release mechanisms of matco tail wheels with compression springs.According to what I've read compression springs are supposed to be setup to provide lite tension loading on the rudder hinge bushings so they don't wear prematurely.Problem with this setup on a matco tail wheel is that the steering arms need to be under continuious spring tension in order to work properly.As the tail wheel spring compresses to obsorbe load the tension on the steering arm springs lessens and does dissappear alltogether. On rough ground the right combination of bounce giggle and gosel can let one of the seering arms get out of position and the tail wheel then comes unlocked.And you can then step on opposite rudder all you want to correct a swing caused by the tail wheel turning to the spot the steering arm is supposed to be, nothing happens, cause it's unlocked!

My answer to this was to run a lite tension spring up the center of the compression spring setup to keep the steering arms under continious tension no matter the load or articulation the tail wheel spring is at.I don't know if this is what happened to you or Joey but you are both running matco tail wheels. It happened to me once and adding the extra spring means it hasn't happend since.

Mike

[C5Engineer 1170]

Nice vid Leni! I been thinking about tossing my compression springs for some tension springs and trying that out. The releasing is not a huge deal..a lot of off airport guys don't even run springs at all. The problem with the Avid is it wants to swap ends really bad anyways. I have the old style straight rudder which is less than adequate in certain situations. In the case of my piroette my TW was not even on the ground so it would not have really mattered.

[Av8r3400 1179]

Great video, Leni.

Nice cabin with a landing strip.

The strip where you made your "clearing turn"-- Is that a man made strip for something or is that some type of natural feature used as a landing field??

I had a fun outting this past Friday. Went to 68C for one of their weekly Friday Lunch feeds. Such a cool little airport.

[akflyer 1427]

Hey Leni:

Great video! Still swearing at the brakes huh? That I've seen video of both yourself and Joey Myers doing loops on rough unimproved ground I'm going to make a comment about the steering and release mechanisms of matco tail wheels with compression springs.According to what I've read compression springs are supposed to be setup to provide lite tension loading on the rudder hinge bushings so they don't wear prematurely.Problem with this setup on a matco tail wheel is that the steering arms need to be under continuious spring tension in order to work properly.As the tail wheel spring compresses to obsorbe load the tension on the steering arm springs lessens and does dissappear alltogether. On rough ground the right combination of bounce giggle and gosel can let one of the seering arms get out of position and the tail wheel then comes unlocked.And you can then step on opposite rudder all you want to correct a swing caused by the tail wheel turning to the spot the steering arm is supposed to be, nothing happens, cause it's unlocked!

My answer to this was to run a lite tension spring up the center of the compression spring setup to keep the steering arms under continious tension no matter the load or articulation the tail wheel spring is at.I don't know if this is what happened to you or Joey but you are both running matco tail wheels. It happened to me once and adding the extra spring means it hasn't happend since.

Mike

Great info on the tailwheel. That is the first time I have EVER had that happen on this plane. I loosened up the tail chains cause the brakes suck and I could not get it to unlock before, but it makes perfect sense! I will tighten them back up and get a set of the brake pedals that Joey bought.

Nice vid Leni! I been thinking about tossing my compression springs for some tension springs and trying that out. The releasing is not a huge deal..a lot of off airport guys don't even run springs at all. The problem with the Avid is it wants to swap ends really bad anyways. I have the old style straight rudder which is less than adequate in certain situations. In the case of my piroette my TW was not even on the ground so it would not have really mattered.

I had tension springs on mine to begin with and hated them. Maybe a combination of the two will be the ticket! Did you have to send in your old brake pedals or does he make the whole set up from scratch The stock pedals suck and you cant lock up the tires. I should have plenty of brake power to be able to hold this biatch straight without having any springs on the tail wheel. I'm thinking it's a good thing I have the wide gear or it may have gotten a lil uglier!

Great video, Leni.

Nice cabin with a landing strip.

The strip where you made your "clearing turn"-- Is that a man made strip for something or is that some type of natural feature used as a landing field??

I had a fun outting this past Friday. Went to 68C for one of their weekly Friday Lunch feeds. Such a cool little airport.

That is a forest service cabin they built a couple years ago.. We rent it in the winter as a cool snowmachine destination. You can look out across Turnigan arm and watch the lights of Anchorage about 8 miles away.

That is a runway out on a gas pipeline.. not spose to use it but we had a lil issue that we had to land and take care of that would not wait for the 30 min ride back to the airport

[Av8r3400 1179]

A cautionary landing is the proper thing to do if you suspect a potential problem...

[akflyer 1427]

A cautionary landing is the proper thing to do if you suspect a potential problem...

Actually was a real issue.. We were flying along then smelled fire. Not good. Turns out we had flown over a camp hidden in the trees and I did not even see the smoke just got the smell. Since I had just been landing in tall grass that was raking the belly, I thought I might have gotten some around the muffler and it had ignited... I hate lil moments like that in a plane!

[C5Engineer 1170]

I wish I had that wide gear on my airplane!

[Trackwelder 12]

Been tying to get my cross country done but the winds have been gusting to 60 mph, at taxi speed even an ercoupe would be airborne, you guys are making me jealous at least I am getting more work done on my Avid.

[akflyer 1427]

I wish I had that wide gear on my airplane!

I have been seriously thinking about ordering a set of the bush gear so I dont have to mess with bungies anymore. I was certain that I needed 8 wrapps with this gear, but they are sagging with me and the kid in it, so I will have to add one more wrap and try that ( I should ahve logged how many wraps I put on it before). If I do go with the bush or spring gear, I will make you a hell of a deal on my wide gear.

[Trackwelder 12]

I heard somewhere that the wraps were supposed to be 13 and 1/2 inches each, is this correct and would you suggest 9 wraps as a start?

I have been seriously thinking about ordering a set of the bush gear so I dont have to mess with bungies anymore. I was certain that I needed 8 wrapps with this gear, but they are sagging with me and the kid in it, so I will have to add one more wrap and try that ( I should ahve logged how many wraps I put on it before). If I do go with the bush or spring gear, I will make you a hell of a deal on my wide gear.

[akflyer 1427]

I heard somewhere that the wraps were supposed to be 13 and 1/2 inches each, is this correct and would you suggest 9 wraps as a start?

If you have the wide gear, then yes, I would go for 9 wraps.. Of course, you have to take into account how long the bungees are. I think they sent them out with varying length bungees because some use 7 or 8 wraps and dont have an issue, mine with 8 wraps will sag. I think on my brothers KF with the avid wide gear, his bungees were shorter and 7 wraps were OK on his.. Kind of a crap shoot depending on bungee length.

[C5Engineer 1170]

I have been seriously thinking about ordering a set of the bush gear so I dont have to mess with bungies anymore. I was certain that I needed 8 wrapps with this gear, but they are sagging with me and the kid in it, so I will have to add one more wrap and try that ( I should ahve logged how many wraps I put on it before). If I do go with the bush or spring gear, I will make you a hell of a deal on my wide gear.

I'm going to be ordering a set of the bush spring gear from Highwing LLC this winter sometime. They just raised their price $200 recently though to $1495. They make it just over an hour away from me. It's basically the same thing Kitfox is selling but probably a little bit better product.

http://www.highwingllc.com/landinggear.html

[Trackwelder 12]

I have bought 1/2 inch (I think, I would have to pull them out of the box) in bulk and will be making my own does anyone remember the length needed?

If you have the wide gear, then yes, I would go for 9 wraps.. Of course, you have to take into account how long the bungees are. I think they sent them out with varying length bungees because some use 7 or 8 wraps and dont have an issue, mine with 8 wraps will sag. I think on my brothers KF with the avid wide gear, his bungees were shorter and 7 wraps were OK on his.. Kind of a crap shoot depending on bungee length.

[C5Engineer 1170]

An Excerpt from Steve Widner off the Yahoo group several years ago that I saved....

The LATEST bungees that AVID Made --post 1993 were different than

earlier types. Mainly because the empty weight and gross weight

INCREASED.

We in the Uk, found that the earlier bungees, a kind of SILVERY Outer

with Black flecks in them, were commercial Bungee cord as found in

sports stores etc. and very very weak / inconsistent in "stretchiness"

The book /manual just stated something like put as many wraps on as

you could get...not good---some people managed 6 others 8 and some

even 9--the more wraps the LESS stretch till finally no stretch and

then solid gear- heavy landing no stretch so they bent and broke the

seat truss, propeller, wing tip flaperon etc $$$$

We found that the OLD cord was too lightweight to comply with landing

gear loads and we found that a Mil Spec cord met all the requirment

necessary---- Kitfoxes went the same way!!

After 1993 Avid used Mil spec cord TOTALLY--we have done so ALL the time.

This cord is a Beigeish Outer Cottony braid with colored flecks in

it--the color could be just one color or maybe two--this is a date

code of manufacture so varies from batch to batch.

On all Avids, with these cords, the wraps are 7 and Seven only--you

cannot physically get more than 7--it just won't stretch that far.

(It is 8 full wraps on OUR WIDE Gear)

The way to wrap the bungee is to measure the overall length first.

Loop to Loop...should be around 90"

Divide this number by 7 (approx 13") (= number of wraps)

Start at one end of bungee and use a pencil/marker and measure/mark

6.5" ' ish

Then mark again at 19.5", 32.5", 45.5" and so on till end.

Last mark will be abouit 6.5" 'ish from loop

To install use two people... or Adult + Child

Put child inside cockpit and have them feed the cord thru the gap.

2nd person underneath..Hook cord on peg in cockpit and feed down thru gap.

Pull to first mark on bottom of gearleg..easy----about 3/8" stretch

put thumb on mark on gear leg--feed back up thru gap and get helper to

loop around seat truss and feed end back.

Pull end thru and get second mark on gear leg---

[Lonnie 0]

beautiful day on nearby river sandbar hopping

[SuberAvid 617]

beautiful day on nearby river sandbar hopping

Looking good Lonie; an Avid dooing what it is supposed to be doing. That looks like some pretty fine sand from your TW track.

[Lonnie 0]

yea it was however I have a real narrow about 5" tail wheel. I feel like I need a wider more bush tail wheel. any advice on that? Also today I was changing the plugs on my plane and I will be honest I have not been fully aware of what needed to be done on the 582. I have about 265 hours on the engine and haven't had it took down or decarbed. I noticed a little bit of oil on the front of the engine but it was not gear oil. I called the local Rotax dealer Ronnie Smith (South MS Aircraft) and he told me that I need to at minimum tear down and inspect and put new seals and gaskets in it. He said generally at 300 that's TBO and would run around $2600 or just tear down inspect and new seals and gaskets around 1K. I am not sure what to do If the new seat gives me the room I need to be comfortable I will plane on putting a 912S in it and fix it up and keep it. However if its still puts my leg asleep I will prob just OH the 582 and put up for sale and fly it till I do and then get something that is more comfortable. So any advice on this.

[SuberAvid 617]

yea it was however I have a real narrow about 5" tail wheel. I feel like I need a wider more bush tail wheel. any advice on that? Also today I was changing the plugs on my plane and I will be honest I have not been fully aware of what needed to be done on the 582. I have about 265 hours on the engine and haven't had it took down or decarbed. I noticed a little bit of oil on the front of the engine but it was not gear oil. I called the local Rotax dealer Ronnie Smith (South MS Aircraft) and he told me that I need to at minimum tear down and inspect and put new seals and gaskets in it. He said generally at 300 that's TBO and would run around $2600 or just tear down inspect and new seals and gaskets around 1K. I am not sure what to do If the new seat gives me the room I need to be comfortable I will plane on putting a 912S in it and fix it up and keep it. However if its still puts my leg asleep I will prob just OH the 582 and put up for sale and fly it till I do and then get something that is more comfortable. So any advice on this.

Lonnie,

You could do like I did and build an Avid Plus; use your wings and other needed parts off your Avid and put the 912 in it. Meanwhile keep the Avid with the 582 to fly while you are building so you don't go nuts. I really enjoyed the building process a lot more than I thought I would, but I think a lot of the reason was becuase I still had my Avid to fly right up until the last 3 months. The A+ gives you plenty of leg room since the seat back position is adjustable. I had problems with my leg going to sleep in my Mk 4 also but have not had the problem with the A+ and don't think I will. The seat position is higher and you are able to get a much longer distance to the rudder pedals. I don't know if you fly in heavy winter boots but the A+ is also easier to fly with big boots on since the foot space is wider and the firewall is flat so you don't snag your boots in the firewall bump out or tubing.

I am using an 8" Maul TW with a standard tire, I think it is about 2.5" wide. It does pretty good for river gravel bars but I have never been in any real fine sand with it. Still, for an Avid, it seems to be plenty big. It is a great improvement over the 6" hard rubber Maul TW in the rocks and gravel. I think you would like the 8" pnumatic TW if you like to play off airport.