Classic IV Restoration

[dholly 718]

I was wondering if you were going to stripe the doors or not, I like them clear. Me thinks you'll be bringing that Mangy-no-more to OSH next year. Looks great on the ground, here's hoping performance blows you away!

[Av8r3400 1179]

Sanded 827 layers of Krylon, laytex, polytone and what appeared to be asphalt driveway sealer off these damn things.

Now to properly prime and paint them yellow…  

[EDMO 1078]

Larry,

I was wondering how they seal those narrow slots for the hangers - the old flaperons had a large space there and they used heat to melt the foam and 9460 to seal the foam on each side of the slot.  My new ones will have the narrow slot too, but they are not foam-filled.

EDMO

Edited 14 Dec 2015 by EDMO

[Av8r3400 1179]

The slots are open.  They are not sealed or filled on any model Avid or Kitfox.  The build manuals call to drill drain holes in each "bay" of the flapperon to drain the collected water.

 

[TJay 1041]

Gee Wis your gonna have to do another w&B after that.

[Emory Bored 61]

Sanded 827 layers of Krylon, laytex, polytone and what appeared to be asphalt driveway sealer off these damn things.

Now to properly prime and paint them yellow…  

Are the blue gizmos counterweights?  Good point on doing a new balance but it can only be better than it was eh?

[Av8r3400 1179]

Yes, the blue parts are the counterweights. Kitfox went to using two on each flapperon with the IV-1200. This kept the flapperons from twisting at higher speeds and allowed (in part) an increase of the VNE to 145 mph. 

Once the plane is complete I will be doing a new weight and balance, yes. 

[nemesisnxt 12]

Do the flaperons themselves require balancing like most primary flight control's on faster aircraft do?  Are the counterbalances adjustable in either position or weight? Or is it a non issue on the Foxes?

[Av8r_Sed 82]

Do the flaperons themselves require balancing like most primary flight control's on faster aircraft do?  Are the counterbalances adjustable in either position or weight? Or is it a non issue on the Foxes?

Non issue.  They're not adjustable. You'd have to really lay on filler and paint to cause difficulty with Kitfox flaperons. 

[EDMO 1078]

It should be easy to check the balance of the flaperons, but I am fairly sure that they are made in an Over-balance condition to contend with any moisture, ice and dirt that could build up inside of them, not to mention too much paint.

EDMO

Edited 16 Dec 2015 by EDMO

[1avidflyer 1983]

With the Avids, there was a page in the manual that told how to balance the flaperons by fileing off some of the counterweight.  Don't remember if the Kitfox manual says to do that though.  Jim Chuk

[dholly 718]

Yes, Avid designed their Flaperon counterweights to be builder adjustable. Kitfox did not. Pretty sure I posted the Avid flaperon balance procedure here on AFF forums at one time.

[Av8r3400 1179]

I purchased one of the "crazed pilot" led controllers.  It's installed and working as advertised.  I will let everyone know how well it keeps up over time. 

Right now waiting on a fancy switch to operate it and some more odds and ends. Hoping to have everything but the flapperons, which are now prepped and painted, but no hangers, wrapped up this Saturday. 

Edited 18 Dec 2015 by Av8r3400

[KFfan 151]

You are using the controller with different, not crazed pilot, lights?

[Av8r3400 1179]

Yes. I am using the vision x lights referred to me by Leni a few pages back. 

The stand alone controller says it can handle 5 amps each channel. These lights are only 1/2 amp. 

[LSaupe 123]

By chance did you obtain the ski's Smitty had with that bird?  If so, any idea how they worked?

[Av8r3400 1179]

No. I have my own skis (see my YouTube videos). 

I didn't know he had skis for it. 

[thebriman 69]

This thing is seriously cool!  Cant wait to hear about the first flight as it sits now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Av8r3400 1179]

Wiring is finished!!  Lands lights and controller set up and functioning as advertised. 

Primed the oil system in the engine.  Made 60 psi of pressure on the starter.  (Was also able to configure the Dynon so it could read the pressure sensor!)

I finished the firewall to cowl seal today so now I can button things up and run the engine for th first time.  That may happen this week. 

Still waiting on powder coating of the flapperon hangers...

[akflyer 1427]

Damn your getting close mr!

:bc:

 

 

 

 

 

[Techteach 6]

[dholly 718]

Hello Dave (?), now that is some funny stuff!

BTW... I think you work way too cheap, that definitely looks like a 2x Cynthiana paint job to me.

Happy Holidays!

[Av8r3400 1179]

Techteach is actually Daves son, Jeremy.  He's been home helping on building (disassembling) wings for the J5/PA12 project Dave is starting now. 

A couple of characters, to be sure...

[Techteach 6]

Yep, it's Dave's son Jeremie. 

We spent three days pulling apart a Tripacer wing. How many dang screws do they need in those???

 

We just had to give Larry a hard time....we were hoping he'd have time to stop in for a few of those special mixers.

Larry, your plane is looking awesome. Can't wait to see how it flies! Keep up the great work!

 

Hmmmm. Do you think those flaperons would work on a J5/PA-12.... HA!

[Av8r3400 1179]

Powder coated small parts...

Flapperon Hangers

Pitot Mount 

Rocker Boxes

Edited 6 Jan 2016 by Av8r3400