Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 12:59 AM - SV: Thanksgiving (Michel Verheughe)
2. 03:45 AM - Re: Useful load (Robert Orsolits)
3. 09:07 AM - Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages (kurt schrader)
4. 09:10 AM - Re: Thanksgiving (kurt schrader)
5. 09:16 AM - Re: Useful load (Michael Gibbs)
6. 10:33 AM - Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages (clemwehner)
7. 11:47 AM - Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages (AMuller589@AOL.COM)
8. 11:55 AM - Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages (Ron Liebmann)
9. 12:05 PM - Re: Re: Useful load (John Perry)
10. 01:44 PM - Re: Re: Useful load (ron schick)
11. 02:20 PM - Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Paul Seehafer)
12. 02:46 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Don Pearsall)
13. 02:49 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (John Perry)
14. 02:58 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Michel Verheughe)
15. 03:12 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Torgeir Mortensen)
16. 03:17 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Fred Shiple)
17. 03:25 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (jdmcbean)
18. 03:29 PM - Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages (John King)
19. 03:42 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Tim Vader)
20. 04:03 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Clifford Begnaud)
21. 04:44 PM - Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages (Don Pearsall)
22. 05:51 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Donna and Roger McConnell)
23. 06:20 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Flybradair@cs.com)
24. 06:25 PM - Progress and Root Fairings (Guy Buchanan)
25. 06:43 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an (Guy Buchanan)
26. 10:30 PM - Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... (Marco Menezes)
Message 1
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--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Michel Verheughe <michel@online.no>
> From: Clem Nichols [cnichols@scrtc.com]
> I hope your day has been happy one.
Amen, brother Clem!
Michel
PS: we don't have Thanksgiving over here, but ... It's always nice to thank for
what we got, have, and hope to have in the future.
do not archive
Message 2
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--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Robert Orsolits" <rorsolits@bankownedservices.com>
Marco, John & Neil,
Thanks for the info on the useful loads.
Rob
----- Original Message -----
From: "Neil" <nfrance@avnet.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Kitfox-List: Useful load
> --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Neil" <nfrance@avnet.co.uk>
>
> Rob, I operate a mk1 Kitfox with 532 65hp engine from a 250 yard field
> at
> 1000' asl in the UK.
> I regularly carry a passenger , the combined weight of him and me adds up
> to 382 lbs , and with full fuel, that is with a fuselage mounted tank
> only
> (9 gals total I think).
> It performs well enough at this weight, but it is very cosy in the cockpit
> !
> On a completely still day , it still gets off without worry of going
> through the stone wall at the end of the strip, and gets back in safely.
>
> Neil.
>
> <rorsolits@bankownedservices.com>
>>
>> Hey all you experienced Kitfox flyers out there. Can I get a few
>> knowledgeable real life cases of useful load capability including fuel
>> for
>> the Kitfox11 with the 65hp engine? I am trying to determine if it is
>> really a 1 person plane or if possible two person.... say pilot and
>> passenger being 200# each.
>>
>> Any advice is helpful
>> Thanks
>> Rob
>>
>>
>> --
>> dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
>> believed to be clean.
>>
>>
>
>
>
Message 3
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| Subject: | A new UPS plane for hauling small packages |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: kurt schrader <smokey_bear_40220@yahoo.com>
I can't read the writing on the plane, but I wondered
if this was where our oil money was going?
Would they work as boosters for short field KitFox
work? Probably the most expensive way to do it.....
:-(
Kurt S.
Do not archive
--- Donna and Roger McConnell <rdmac@swbell.net>
wrote:
> Don,
> In all likelihood they are actually miniature gas
> turbine engines that run on kerosene or maybe Jet-A.
> Four of them probable cost as much or more than
> the engine on my Kitfox.
> Roger Mac
__________________________________
Message 4
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| Subject: | Re: Thanksgiving |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: kurt schrader <smokey_bear_40220@yahoo.com>
Like Clem, I am also thankful that I am not always in
charge of my life. I have become well aware that
someone has to be watching and fixing my decisions for
the better. There are too many examples of that for
me. Now what is it that I am supposed to do with my
life? It seems to have a purpose I have yet to
find....
Kurt S.
--- Clem Nichols <cnichols@scrtc.com> wrote:
> Before the day is over, I'd like to publically give
> thanks to God, Allah, or my guardian angel for
> getting me back on the ground safe and sound all
> those times during the past year. I wish I could
> say that it was my piloting skill that did it, but
> there's been a few times when I must have had a
> little help with the controls. I daresay that some
> of you can say the same thing. I hope your day has
> been happy one.
>
> Clem Nichols
Just $16.99/mo. or less.
dsl.yahoo.com
Message 5
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--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Michael Gibbs <MichaelGibbs@cox.net>
John sez:
>NO problem I have a kitfox 2 S#718 582 c box ,2:62-1 ,3blade gsc and
>also have a ivo electric . I have had 24 gallons of 100ll and me at
>185 and a pilot friend who weighs 275... Yes this is a 2 person
>plane.
By my calculations you had a load of 605 pounds on board for that
flight. Since your plane weighs 467, you had a gross weight of 1071
pounds against a maximum gross weight for a model 2 of 950 pounds.
Keep in mind that any insurance you may have on the plane could be
worthless if they discover that you were not within the airplane's
operating limitations at the time of an accident, regardless of how
well she flies. And of course the FAA will be looking into a
violation of the FARs as well.
Just food for thought.
Mike G.
N728KF
Message 6
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| Subject: | A new UPS plane for hauling small packages |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "clemwehner" <clemwehner@sbcglobal.net>
Could someone please send me the link for the airbus RC model. I
accidentally deleted the email before I got to watch the video portion.
Thanks,
Clem
KFIV-912
Lawton, OK
Message 7
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| Subject: | Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: AMuller589@aol.com
this has to be one of the largest scale model radio control planes ever.
_www.funmansion.com/html/Airbus-Remote-Control-Plane.html_
(http://www.funmansion.com/html/Airbus-Remote-Control-Plane.html)
Message 8
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| Subject: | Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Ron Liebmann" <rliebmann@comcast.net>
The engines are pure turbojet engines that can put out about 29 pounds of
thrust each. They cost about $3500 each now as their prices are coming down
from about $4900 each. A picture in Sport Aviation a couple years back
showed a Cri-Cri experimental French plane with two of these engines mounted
on the pylons in place of the single piston 2 strokes. The caption said that
the plane was cruising at 120 mph......I would think that it would need a
long smooth runway though.
Ron N55KF (and RC flyer)
>
> I can't read the writing on the plane, but I wondered
> if this was where our oil money was going?
>
> Would they work as boosters for short field KitFox
> work? Probably the most expensive way to do it.....
> :-(
>
> Kurt S.
>
> Do not archive
>
> --- Donna and Roger McConnell <rdmac@swbell.net>
> wrote:
>
>> Don,
>> In all likelihood they are actually miniature gas
>> turbine engines that run on kerosene or maybe Jet-A.
>
>> Four of them probable cost as much or more than
>> the engine on my Kitfox.
>> Roger Mac
>
>
> __________________________________
>
>
>
Message 9
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--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "John Perry" <eskflyer@pld.com>
Dur to the fact the weak link has been replaced with heavier lift stuts and
fittings The plane now has a gross weight 1200 . So no I am not in violation
of any FAR'S. As far as insurance goes i do not carry any hull insurance
just liability non flying for in the hanger in case of fire it will cover
the damage to hanger NOT THE PLANE . why pay for insurance that most of the
time the lawyers find something to nulify it anyway on it in 5 years i would
have paid as much iinsurance as the plane cost me originaly , so i dont
think im really losing out anything .
take care fly safe fly low fly slow
John Perry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Gibbs" <MichaelGibbs@cox.net>
Subject: Kitfox-List: Re: Useful load
> --> Kitfox-List message posted by: Michael Gibbs <MichaelGibbs@cox.net>
>
> John sez:
>
>>NO problem I have a kitfox 2 S#718 582 c box ,2:62-1 ,3blade gsc and
>>also have a ivo electric . I have had 24 gallons of 100ll and me at
>>185 and a pilot friend who weighs 275... Yes this is a 2 person
>>plane.
>
> By my calculations you had a load of 605 pounds on board for that
> flight. Since your plane weighs 467, you had a gross weight of 1071
> pounds against a maximum gross weight for a model 2 of 950 pounds.
>
> Keep in mind that any insurance you may have on the plane could be
> worthless if they discover that you were not within the airplane's
> operating limitations at the time of an accident, regardless of how
> well she flies. And of course the FAA will be looking into a
> violation of the FARs as well.
>
> Just food for thought.
>
> Mike G.
> N728KF
>
>
>
Message 10
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--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "ron schick" <roncarolnikko@hotmail.com>
As the builders we determine and apply for a specific gross weight. I set
my upgraded Avid A model at 1050 so I would never be in violation. It was a
real pain test flying it with all those bags of cement inside, but now I
know it will handle any obese American that will fit through the door.
Ron NB Or
>From: "John Perry" <eskflyer@pld.com>
>Reply-To: kitfox-list@matronics.com
>To: <kitfox-list@matronics.com>
>Subject: Re: Kitfox-List: Re: Useful load
>Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2005 14:06:58 -0600
>
>--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "John Perry" <eskflyer@pld.com>
>
>Dur to the fact the weak link has been replaced with heavier lift stuts and
>fittings The plane now has a gross weight 1200 . So no I am not in
>violation
>of any FAR'S. As far as insurance goes i do not carry any hull insurance
>just liability non flying for in the hanger in case of fire it will cover
>the damage to hanger NOT THE PLANE . why pay for insurance that most of the
>time the lawyers find something to nulify it anyway on it in 5 years i
>would
>have paid as much iinsurance as the plane cost me originaly , so i dont
>think im really losing out anything .
>
>take care fly safe fly low fly slow
>John Perry
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Michael Gibbs" <MichaelGibbs@cox.net>
>To: <kitfox-list@matronics.com>
>Subject: Kitfox-List: Re: Useful load
>
>
> > --> Kitfox-List message posted by: Michael Gibbs <MichaelGibbs@cox.net>
> >
> > John sez:
> >
> >>NO problem I have a kitfox 2 S#718 582 c box ,2:62-1 ,3blade gsc and
> >>also have a ivo electric . I have had 24 gallons of 100ll and me at
> >>185 and a pilot friend who weighs 275... Yes this is a 2 person
> >>plane.
> >
> > By my calculations you had a load of 605 pounds on board for that
> > flight. Since your plane weighs 467, you had a gross weight of 1071
> > pounds against a maximum gross weight for a model 2 of 950 pounds.
> >
> > Keep in mind that any insurance you may have on the plane could be
> > worthless if they discover that you were not within the airplane's
> > operating limitations at the time of an accident, regardless of how
> > well she flies. And of course the FAA will be looking into a
> > violation of the FARs as well.
> >
> > Just food for thought.
> >
> > Mike G.
> > N728KF
> >
> >
> >
>
>
Message 11
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| Subject: | Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
And the first flight happened in the nick of time I may add. Because I was
so insistent that this 'Fox was going to be a seaplane, I spent a lot of
extra time struggling with the installation details for the Aerocet
amphibious floats. And while I struggled with working in the backyard (the
'Fox sat too high on the floats to fit in the garage any longer),
Wisconsin's winter was nipping at my heels. Brrrr... But having 7,000
acres of water runway right in front of my house, I really wanted to do the
initial flight off the water. Well, I got lucky. Saturday brought a warm 58
degrees and clear sunny weather (incidentally, that's twice as warm as our
normal average for this time of the year). And it was without question my
last opportunity to do the flight off the water, as the weather turned windy
and cold by late Saturday afternoon! By the following Saturday we had 4
inches of snow on the ground, and ice on the lake. Whew! That was close.
I really did get that flight in at the last opportunity.
I assembled a 45 second mpeg video (3.5 mb) of the first flight. It is
available for viewing on the Lazair Kitfox website. Just click on this link
http://kitfox.lazair.com/movies/paulfloats.wmv and with any luck you will be
able to see it. Also. make sure to check out the other cool videos, pics,
and forum stuff on that site. Their direct address is
http://kitfox.lazair.com/ I will post still pictures on
www.sportflight.com under the completions section, and will also put some
pics up on the Lazair Kitfox site.
For any of you that are interested in more of the specific flight details,
here's my "mini-book":
After launching the Kitfox in the water and making sure it wasn't going to
sink, I water taxied for about an hour at all various speeds. This allowed
me to make sure the engine and the airframe were operating as intended, and
gave me a very good feel for the airplane (on water at the higher speeds you
essentially are "flying" the airplane, using all the controls and engine
power much like you would when flying at lower air speeds. So it is a very
good way to get a good feel for an airplane). And I learned quickly that
this Fox wanted badly to fly anytime the speeds approached the 40 mph mark.
That was very encouraging, and I at times found it very difficult to resist
letting it lift off. But since me and my safety crew had spent a lot of
time preparing a "first flight plan", I slowed things down a bit and stuck
to the original plan of just step taxiing for now (that served well to keep
my wife Ann, and my friends on the safety boat happy).
The Aerocet amphibious floats handled beautifully, and exhibited no unusual
handling characteristics. And the 81 hp Rotax 912 engine ran flawlessly,
easily bringing the Kitfox up on the step immediately after full power
application. It seemed to have plenty of power, even though my IVO
in-flight adjustable prop at minimum pitch wouldn't allow for more than
5100 rpm static the day before when tied to a tree wide open. Other than
the lower than desired static rpm issue, from a seaplane pilots viewpoint,
it felt like everything was right for the first flight. So after refueling,
and then giving everything one final look over (hoping to avoid using any of
that emergency plan stuff), I taxied back out into the bay. Once the safety
boat gave me a thumbs up to say they were in position and ready, I radioed
my intentions to takeoff past the boat, and lined up into the wind. Both me
and the Kitfox were ready!
Making a final cockpit check, and rethinking one last time the worse case
scenario emergency action plans, I looked left and right making sure my
takeoff area was clear. One last radio call, and it was time. Applying
full power while holding full up elevator, the little yellow Kitfox amphib
plowed through the water as the bows of the floats raised their way up to
the surface of the lake. Within seconds, the water spray was all behind me
and I was planing across the surface with the speed building steadily. Man,
it felt good! Smooth and stable. No porpoising, and no effort to keep her
in the right attitude for takeoff. Finding the sweet spot was so easy (the
position on the float bottom where the airplane balances hydrodynamically,
and allows the wing angle of attack to be adjusted for liftoff with stick
back pressure). Only gone a third of the distance I expected liftoff to
occur at, the speed was nearly 40 mph already. Without even trying, at a
little over 40 mph she lifted off all on her own. Wow, what a rush! It
flies! Concentrate, concentrate Paul... ok, ok. The Fox was flying very
steady and stable at 80 mph at 5000 rpm so I climbed a few hundred feet.
Knowing I had miles of water in front of me if I needed to set her back down
was a reassurance that ran through my mind just momentarily, as the Fox flew
so well that I was able to proceeded with the original plan of circling the
large island in front of my house so that everyone on the safety boat could
keep an eye on my position should something go wrong. But after making 6
circuits around the island at various altitudes and speeds (of course while
also providing the boat with a lot of photo & video opportunities), and
verifying good engine temps and pressures, as well as overall airframe
controllability and handling, I climbed a couple thousand feet (at 1,000 fpm
according to my VSI), and then slowed the Kitfox down to explore more of the
flight envelope.
After slowing to 50 mph I put on flaps one notch at a time, checking for
aileron effectiveness (the gear up handle limits right aileron movement
somewhat due to squashing ones right knee between the stick and the handle
when full right aileron is needed and the gear is up. But it turned out to
not be a problem as there was plenty of aileron authority in all settings.
Significantly better than the earlier models I had flown). That Model
IV-1200 aileron setup has a really nice roll rate. Crisp and quick. But
not too quick. Very, very nice control feel!
Seeing how things were working out so well thus far, I decided to be brave
and see how fast this little Fox could go straight and level. So I
firewalled the throttle handle, and bumped the IVO prop pitch up a bit as
soon as I realized I was hitting 5800 rpm. That brought the rpms down to
5500 and shortly afterwards it brought the airspeed to 110 mph! Wow! I
didn't think it would go that fast. At least not on floats. Wanting to
test it multiple directions to verify those numbers with my GPS, I changed
my mind when realizing how much I was getting bounced around by the ever
increasing strong and gusty winds. Go easy there Paul, there will be plenty
of time to verify top speeds some other day.
So I decided it was time to get to the airport, where the Kitfox would have
a nice hangar to keep it out of the elements. Of course, that meant I had to
prepare for a wheels down landing. Even though I retracted that landing
gear in the back yard I swear a thousand times, and everything was working
perfectly, I will admit there was a little lump in my throat the first time
I reached over and pushed the gear extension (Johnson-Bar) handle down.....
Seconds later, just like the doctor ordered, I could see all four wheels
down-and-locked in the float mirrors. Ahhhh... Much more at ease after
that first in-flight gear test, I flew past the boat one last time so they
could make a final inspection of the airplane before I headed towards the
airport twenty miles away. After verifying there were no loose parts
hanging down, smoke trails, or flames (chuckle), I turned north and climbed
to 3,000 ft agl. As promised I gave my wife a radio report of my location
in relationship to "the plan" we had made earlier whereas I would follow
highways and roads that had landing areas next to them should I need them,
and I would give her a report every couple minutes as she drove to the
airport in her car (was an easy thing to do for her peace of mind).
Wanting to stay in radio contact range with her, and really enjoying flying
the Kitfox, I intentionally made the flight last as long as possible. Even
though it was now getting exceptionally windy, I decided to play around with
some of the goodies I had installed. Particularly that IVO prop. So I
slowed the engine down to 4200 rpm and bumped the prop pitch up one
finger-flick at a time. You hardly had to move it to feel the change in the
pull. And so smooth. This is one sweet prop. And apparently very
efficient. At 4200 rpm (somewhere around 50% power and 2.5 gph?) I was still
able to maintain altitude, and fly at 75-80 mph. Talk about fuel economy...
And so quiet too. Kind of nice way to go if you're not in any hurry.
Incidentally, I was flying with 20gallons of fuel, me (180lbs), and a 775 lb
Kitfox for a total weight of 1,075 lbs. Of course, it was only 58 degrees,
and it was windy. But overall, I was really impressed with how well that
IVO prop and that 912ul could handle the bulk and weight of this amphibious
Kitfox.
Before I knew it, I was entering the airport traffic pattern for my first
wheels-down landing. While doing my last minute cockpit check, and calling
out loud "this is an airport landing, the landing gear is down" and
verifying landing gear position again, I heard a familiar voice call a base
to final turn on the same runway I was setting up for. It was my friend
from the neighboring town flying his Sube powered Model IV Kitfox (small
world). Seeing him bounce around I came to realize not only did we not have
a good runway choice that was into the wind, but it was gusty and there
appeared to be some wind-shear issues as well. Why today? Why couldn't it
be nice? Oh well, since when did complaining about weather do anything to
improve it? So I reminded myself that even though I've not had a go-around
in an airplane in years, that I should plan for one on this day. And if it
takes me ten go-arounds before I get one good landing, so be it. So I
continued on my approach. It was gusty, but overall the Fox was handling
things better than anticipated. Keeping the approach speed a little higher
at 70 mph gave me a nice smooth descent right down to the runway threshold.
Once over the runway I just pulled back power some, raised the nose some,
and bled off speed gradually. Amazingly, the turbulence was minimal and
things were steady and stable. Before I knew it, I heard a double-squeak
out of the main gears. Now all I had left to do was to gradually lower the
nose at the slowest possible speed so as not to create any undue stresses on
those small castoring nosewheels out front. Squeak, squeak....I was down on
the ground on all four wheels. Hallelujah!
Taxiing in I announced "Experimental Kitfox Amphib clear of all runways".
My grin was ear to ear. I could feel a warm flush feeling come over me as I
taxied up to the hangars. I was feeling better than good. Just as I shut
the mags off and the prop stopped turning, before I unbuckled and opened the
door, I reflected for just a second. Only one thing came to my mind. So I
said it out loud. "Far Out!" I had just completed quite an
accomplishment. And I will be the first to admit I'm not typically very
emotional. But that day, I caught myself being a little teary eyed when it
was all over. What a thrill to see that all my hard work had paid off.
My wife always says that a man flying an airplane for the first time has to
be the closest thing to a man being able to experience giving birth.
Obviously, us men wouldn't have any way to really know that. But what I do
know is that I now have a new baby to show off...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
912ul Model IV-1200 on Aerocet Amphib floats
Message 12
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| Subject: | Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Don Pearsall" <donpearsall@comcast.net>
Paul, what a great first flight story! I watched the video too, and you did
well! I will take your word for it that the landing was "nearly perfect."
110 mph with a 912 and floats is real good. Congratulations! I hope you get
to fly it more before the bad weather gets to you.
Don Pearsall
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Paul Seehafer
Subject: Kitfox-List: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian...
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
And the first flight happened in the nick of time I may add. Because I was
so insistent that this 'Fox was going to be a seaplane, I spent a lot of
extra time struggling with the installation details for the Aerocet
amphibious floats. And while I struggled with working in the backyard (the
'Fox sat too high on the floats to fit in the garage any longer),
Wisconsin's winter was nipping at my heels. Brrrr... But having 7,000
acres of water runway right in front of my house, I really wanted to do the
initial flight off the water. Well, I got lucky. Saturday brought a warm 58
degrees and clear sunny weather (incidentally, that's twice as warm as our
normal average for this time of the year). And it was without question my
last opportunity to do the flight off the water, as the weather turned windy
and cold by late Saturday afternoon! By the following Saturday we had 4
inches of snow on the ground, and ice on the lake. Whew! That was close.
I really did get that flight in at the last opportunity.
I assembled a 45 second mpeg video (3.5 mb) of the first flight. It is
available for viewing on the Lazair Kitfox website. Just click on this link
http://kitfox.lazair.com/movies/paulfloats.wmv and with any luck you will be
able to see it. Also. make sure to check out the other cool videos, pics,
and forum stuff on that site. Their direct address is
http://kitfox.lazair.com/ I will post still pictures on
www.sportflight.com under the completions section, and will also put some
pics up on the Lazair Kitfox site.
For any of you that are interested in more of the specific flight details,
here's my "mini-book":
After launching the Kitfox in the water and making sure it wasn't going to
sink, I water taxied for about an hour at all various speeds. This allowed
me to make sure the engine and the airframe were operating as intended, and
gave me a very good feel for the airplane (on water at the higher speeds you
essentially are "flying" the airplane, using all the controls and engine
power much like you would when flying at lower air speeds. So it is a very
good way to get a good feel for an airplane). And I learned quickly that
this Fox wanted badly to fly anytime the speeds approached the 40 mph mark.
That was very encouraging, and I at times found it very difficult to resist
letting it lift off. But since me and my safety crew had spent a lot of
time preparing a "first flight plan", I slowed things down a bit and stuck
to the original plan of just step taxiing for now (that served well to keep
my wife Ann, and my friends on the safety boat happy).
The Aerocet amphibious floats handled beautifully, and exhibited no unusual
handling characteristics. And the 81 hp Rotax 912 engine ran flawlessly,
easily bringing the Kitfox up on the step immediately after full power
application. It seemed to have plenty of power, even though my IVO
in-flight adjustable prop at minimum pitch wouldn't allow for more than
5100 rpm static the day before when tied to a tree wide open. Other than
the lower than desired static rpm issue, from a seaplane pilots viewpoint,
it felt like everything was right for the first flight. So after refueling,
and then giving everything one final look over (hoping to avoid using any of
that emergency plan stuff), I taxied back out into the bay. Once the safety
boat gave me a thumbs up to say they were in position and ready, I radioed
my intentions to takeoff past the boat, and lined up into the wind. Both me
and the Kitfox were ready!
Making a final cockpit check, and rethinking one last time the worse case
scenario emergency action plans, I looked left and right making sure my
takeoff area was clear. One last radio call, and it was time. Applying
full power while holding full up elevator, the little yellow Kitfox amphib
plowed through the water as the bows of the floats raised their way up to
the surface of the lake. Within seconds, the water spray was all behind me
and I was planing across the surface with the speed building steadily. Man,
it felt good! Smooth and stable. No porpoising, and no effort to keep her
in the right attitude for takeoff. Finding the sweet spot was so easy (the
position on the float bottom where the airplane balances hydrodynamically,
and allows the wing angle of attack to be adjusted for liftoff with stick
back pressure). Only gone a third of the distance I expected liftoff to
occur at, the speed was nearly 40 mph already. Without even trying, at a
little over 40 mph she lifted off all on her own. Wow, what a rush! It
flies! Concentrate, concentrate Paul... ok, ok. The Fox was flying very
steady and stable at 80 mph at 5000 rpm so I climbed a few hundred feet.
Knowing I had miles of water in front of me if I needed to set her back down
was a reassurance that ran through my mind just momentarily, as the Fox flew
so well that I was able to proceeded with the original plan of circling the
large island in front of my house so that everyone on the safety boat could
keep an eye on my position should something go wrong. But after making 6
circuits around the island at various altitudes and speeds (of course while
also providing the boat with a lot of photo & video opportunities), and
verifying good engine temps and pressures, as well as overall airframe
controllability and handling, I climbed a couple thousand feet (at 1,000 fpm
according to my VSI), and then slowed the Kitfox down to explore more of the
flight envelope.
After slowing to 50 mph I put on flaps one notch at a time, checking for
aileron effectiveness (the gear up handle limits right aileron movement
somewhat due to squashing ones right knee between the stick and the handle
when full right aileron is needed and the gear is up. But it turned out to
not be a problem as there was plenty of aileron authority in all settings.
Significantly better than the earlier models I had flown). That Model
IV-1200 aileron setup has a really nice roll rate. Crisp and quick. But
not too quick. Very, very nice control feel!
Seeing how things were working out so well thus far, I decided to be brave
and see how fast this little Fox could go straight and level. So I
firewalled the throttle handle, and bumped the IVO prop pitch up a bit as
soon as I realized I was hitting 5800 rpm. That brought the rpms down to
5500 and shortly afterwards it brought the airspeed to 110 mph! Wow! I
didn't think it would go that fast. At least not on floats. Wanting to
test it multiple directions to verify those numbers with my GPS, I changed
my mind when realizing how much I was getting bounced around by the ever
increasing strong and gusty winds. Go easy there Paul, there will be plenty
of time to verify top speeds some other day.
So I decided it was time to get to the airport, where the Kitfox would have
a nice hangar to keep it out of the elements. Of course, that meant I had to
prepare for a wheels down landing. Even though I retracted that landing
gear in the back yard I swear a thousand times, and everything was working
perfectly, I will admit there was a little lump in my throat the first time
I reached over and pushed the gear extension (Johnson-Bar) handle down.....
Seconds later, just like the doctor ordered, I could see all four wheels
down-and-locked in the float mirrors. Ahhhh... Much more at ease after
that first in-flight gear test, I flew past the boat one last time so they
could make a final inspection of the airplane before I headed towards the
airport twenty miles away. After verifying there were no loose parts
hanging down, smoke trails, or flames (chuckle), I turned north and climbed
to 3,000 ft agl. As promised I gave my wife a radio report of my location
in relationship to "the plan" we had made earlier whereas I would follow
highways and roads that had landing areas next to them should I need them,
and I would give her a report every couple minutes as she drove to the
airport in her car (was an easy thing to do for her peace of mind).
Wanting to stay in radio contact range with her, and really enjoying flying
the Kitfox, I intentionally made the flight last as long as possible. Even
though it was now getting exceptionally windy, I decided to play around with
some of the goodies I had installed. Particularly that IVO prop. So I
slowed the engine down to 4200 rpm and bumped the prop pitch up one
finger-flick at a time. You hardly had to move it to feel the change in the
pull. And so smooth. This is one sweet prop. And apparently very
efficient. At 4200 rpm (somewhere around 50% power and 2.5 gph?) I was still
able to maintain altitude, and fly at 75-80 mph. Talk about fuel economy...
And so quiet too. Kind of nice way to go if you're not in any hurry.
Incidentally, I was flying with 20gallons of fuel, me (180lbs), and a 775 lb
Kitfox for a total weight of 1,075 lbs. Of course, it was only 58 degrees,
and it was windy. But overall, I was really impressed with how well that
IVO prop and that 912ul could handle the bulk and weight of this amphibious
Kitfox.
Before I knew it, I was entering the airport traffic pattern for my first
wheels-down landing. While doing my last minute cockpit check, and calling
out loud "this is an airport landing, the landing gear is down" and
verifying landing gear position again, I heard a familiar voice call a base
to final turn on the same runway I was setting up for. It was my friend
from the neighboring town flying his Sube powered Model IV Kitfox (small
world). Seeing him bounce around I came to realize not only did we not have
a good runway choice that was into the wind, but it was gusty and there
appeared to be some wind-shear issues as well. Why today? Why couldn't it
be nice? Oh well, since when did complaining about weather do anything to
improve it? So I reminded myself that even though I've not had a go-around
in an airplane in years, that I should plan for one on this day. And if it
takes me ten go-arounds before I get one good landing, so be it. So I
continued on my approach. It was gusty, but overall the Fox was handling
things better than anticipated. Keeping the approach speed a little higher
at 70 mph gave me a nice smooth descent right down to the runway threshold.
Once over the runway I just pulled back power some, raised the nose some,
and bled off speed gradually. Amazingly, the turbulence was minimal and
things were steady and stable. Before I knew it, I heard a double-squeak
out of the main gears. Now all I had left to do was to gradually lower the
nose at the slowest possible speed so as not to create any undue stresses on
those small castoring nosewheels out front. Squeak, squeak....I was down on
the ground on all four wheels. Hallelujah!
Taxiing in I announced "Experimental Kitfox Amphib clear of all runways".
My grin was ear to ear. I could feel a warm flush feeling come over me as I
taxied up to the hangars. I was feeling better than good. Just as I shut
the mags off and the prop stopped turning, before I unbuckled and opened the
door, I reflected for just a second. Only one thing came to my mind. So I
said it out loud. "Far Out!" I had just completed quite an
accomplishment. And I will be the first to admit I'm not typically very
emotional. But that day, I caught myself being a little teary eyed when it
was all over. What a thrill to see that all my hard work had paid off.
My wife always says that a man flying an airplane for the first time has to
be the closest thing to a man being able to experience giving birth.
Obviously, us men wouldn't have any way to really know that. But what I do
know is that I now have a new baby to show off...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
912ul Model IV-1200 on Aerocet Amphib floats
Message 13
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| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "John Perry" <eskflyer@pld.com>
Way to go Paul . fly safe fly low lfy slow and enjoy your new baby.
John Perry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
Subject: Kitfox-List: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian...
> --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
>
> After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
> finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
>
> And the first flight happened in the nick of time I may add. Because I
> was
> so insistent that this 'Fox was going to be a seaplane, I spent a lot of
> extra time struggling with the installation details for the Aerocet
> amphibious floats. And while I struggled with working in the backyard
> (the
> 'Fox sat too high on the floats to fit in the garage any longer),
> Wisconsin's winter was nipping at my heels. Brrrr... But having 7,000
> acres of water runway right in front of my house, I really wanted to do
> the
> initial flight off the water. Well, I got lucky. Saturday brought a warm
> 58
> degrees and clear sunny weather (incidentally, that's twice as warm as our
> normal average for this time of the year). And it was without question
> my
> last opportunity to do the flight off the water, as the weather turned
> windy
> and cold by late Saturday afternoon! By the following Saturday we had 4
> inches of snow on the ground, and ice on the lake. Whew! That was close.
> I really did get that flight in at the last opportunity.
>
> I assembled a 45 second mpeg video (3.5 mb) of the first flight. It is
> available for viewing on the Lazair Kitfox website. Just click on this
> link
> http://kitfox.lazair.com/movies/paulfloats.wmv and with any luck you will
> be
> able to see it. Also. make sure to check out the other cool videos, pics,
> and forum stuff on that site. Their direct address is
> http://kitfox.lazair.com/ I will post still pictures on
> www.sportflight.com under the completions section, and will also put some
> pics up on the Lazair Kitfox site.
>
> For any of you that are interested in more of the specific flight details,
> here's my "mini-book":
>
> After launching the Kitfox in the water and making sure it wasn't going to
> sink, I water taxied for about an hour at all various speeds. This
> allowed
> me to make sure the engine and the airframe were operating as intended,
> and
> gave me a very good feel for the airplane (on water at the higher speeds
> you
> essentially are "flying" the airplane, using all the controls and engine
> power much like you would when flying at lower air speeds. So it is a
> very
> good way to get a good feel for an airplane). And I learned quickly that
> this Fox wanted badly to fly anytime the speeds approached the 40 mph
> mark.
> That was very encouraging, and I at times found it very difficult to
> resist
> letting it lift off. But since me and my safety crew had spent a lot of
> time preparing a "first flight plan", I slowed things down a bit and stuck
> to the original plan of just step taxiing for now (that served well to
> keep
> my wife Ann, and my friends on the safety boat happy).
>
> The Aerocet amphibious floats handled beautifully, and exhibited no
> unusual
> handling characteristics. And the 81 hp Rotax 912 engine ran flawlessly,
> easily bringing the Kitfox up on the step immediately after full power
> application. It seemed to have plenty of power, even though my IVO
> in-flight adjustable prop at minimum pitch wouldn't allow for more than
> 5100 rpm static the day before when tied to a tree wide open. Other than
> the lower than desired static rpm issue, from a seaplane pilots viewpoint,
> it felt like everything was right for the first flight. So after
> refueling,
> and then giving everything one final look over (hoping to avoid using any
> of
> that emergency plan stuff), I taxied back out into the bay. Once the
> safety
> boat gave me a thumbs up to say they were in position and ready, I radioed
> my intentions to takeoff past the boat, and lined up into the wind. Both
> me
> and the Kitfox were ready!
>
> Making a final cockpit check, and rethinking one last time the worse case
> scenario emergency action plans, I looked left and right making sure my
> takeoff area was clear. One last radio call, and it was time. Applying
> full power while holding full up elevator, the little yellow Kitfox amphib
> plowed through the water as the bows of the floats raised their way up to
> the surface of the lake. Within seconds, the water spray was all behind
> me
> and I was planing across the surface with the speed building steadily.
> Man,
> it felt good! Smooth and stable. No porpoising, and no effort to keep
> her
> in the right attitude for takeoff. Finding the sweet spot was so easy
> (the
> position on the float bottom where the airplane balances hydrodynamically,
> and allows the wing angle of attack to be adjusted for liftoff with stick
> back pressure). Only gone a third of the distance I expected liftoff to
> occur at, the speed was nearly 40 mph already. Without even trying, at a
> little over 40 mph she lifted off all on her own. Wow, what a rush! It
> flies! Concentrate, concentrate Paul... ok, ok. The Fox was flying very
> steady and stable at 80 mph at 5000 rpm so I climbed a few hundred feet.
> Knowing I had miles of water in front of me if I needed to set her back
> down
> was a reassurance that ran through my mind just momentarily, as the Fox
> flew
> so well that I was able to proceeded with the original plan of circling
> the
> large island in front of my house so that everyone on the safety boat
> could
> keep an eye on my position should something go wrong. But after making 6
> circuits around the island at various altitudes and speeds (of course
> while
> also providing the boat with a lot of photo & video opportunities), and
> verifying good engine temps and pressures, as well as overall airframe
> controllability and handling, I climbed a couple thousand feet (at 1,000
> fpm
> according to my VSI), and then slowed the Kitfox down to explore more of
> the
> flight envelope.
>
> After slowing to 50 mph I put on flaps one notch at a time, checking for
> aileron effectiveness (the gear up handle limits right aileron movement
> somewhat due to squashing ones right knee between the stick and the handle
> when full right aileron is needed and the gear is up. But it turned out
> to
> not be a problem as there was plenty of aileron authority in all settings.
> Significantly better than the earlier models I had flown). That Model
> IV-1200 aileron setup has a really nice roll rate. Crisp and quick. But
> not too quick. Very, very nice control feel!
>
> Seeing how things were working out so well thus far, I decided to be brave
> and see how fast this little Fox could go straight and level. So I
> firewalled the throttle handle, and bumped the IVO prop pitch up a bit as
> soon as I realized I was hitting 5800 rpm. That brought the rpms down to
> 5500 and shortly afterwards it brought the airspeed to 110 mph! Wow! I
> didn't think it would go that fast. At least not on floats. Wanting to
> test it multiple directions to verify those numbers with my GPS, I changed
> my mind when realizing how much I was getting bounced around by the ever
> increasing strong and gusty winds. Go easy there Paul, there will be
> plenty
> of time to verify top speeds some other day.
>
> So I decided it was time to get to the airport, where the Kitfox would
> have
> a nice hangar to keep it out of the elements. Of course, that meant I had
> to
> prepare for a wheels down landing. Even though I retracted that landing
> gear in the back yard I swear a thousand times, and everything was working
> perfectly, I will admit there was a little lump in my throat the first
> time
> I reached over and pushed the gear extension (Johnson-Bar) handle
> down.....
> Seconds later, just like the doctor ordered, I could see all four wheels
> down-and-locked in the float mirrors. Ahhhh... Much more at ease after
> that first in-flight gear test, I flew past the boat one last time so they
> could make a final inspection of the airplane before I headed towards the
> airport twenty miles away. After verifying there were no loose parts
> hanging down, smoke trails, or flames (chuckle), I turned north and
> climbed
> to 3,000 ft agl. As promised I gave my wife a radio report of my location
> in relationship to "the plan" we had made earlier whereas I would follow
> highways and roads that had landing areas next to them should I need them,
> and I would give her a report every couple minutes as she drove to the
> airport in her car (was an easy thing to do for her peace of mind).
>
> Wanting to stay in radio contact range with her, and really enjoying
> flying
> the Kitfox, I intentionally made the flight last as long as possible.
> Even
> though it was now getting exceptionally windy, I decided to play around
> with
> some of the goodies I had installed. Particularly that IVO prop. So I
> slowed the engine down to 4200 rpm and bumped the prop pitch up one
> finger-flick at a time. You hardly had to move it to feel the change in
> the
> pull. And so smooth. This is one sweet prop. And apparently very
> efficient. At 4200 rpm (somewhere around 50% power and 2.5 gph?) I was
> still
> able to maintain altitude, and fly at 75-80 mph. Talk about fuel
> economy...
> And so quiet too. Kind of nice way to go if you're not in any hurry.
> Incidentally, I was flying with 20gallons of fuel, me (180lbs), and a 775
> lb
> Kitfox for a total weight of 1,075 lbs. Of course, it was only 58 degrees,
> and it was windy. But overall, I was really impressed with how well that
> IVO prop and that 912ul could handle the bulk and weight of this
> amphibious
> Kitfox.
>
> Before I knew it, I was entering the airport traffic pattern for my first
> wheels-down landing. While doing my last minute cockpit check, and
> calling
> out loud "this is an airport landing, the landing gear is down" and
> verifying landing gear position again, I heard a familiar voice call a
> base
> to final turn on the same runway I was setting up for. It was my friend
> from the neighboring town flying his Sube powered Model IV Kitfox (small
> world). Seeing him bounce around I came to realize not only did we not
> have
> a good runway choice that was into the wind, but it was gusty and there
> appeared to be some wind-shear issues as well. Why today? Why couldn't
> it
> be nice? Oh well, since when did complaining about weather do anything to
> improve it? So I reminded myself that even though I've not had a
> go-around
> in an airplane in years, that I should plan for one on this day. And if
> it
> takes me ten go-arounds before I get one good landing, so be it. So I
> continued on my approach. It was gusty, but overall the Fox was handling
> things better than anticipated. Keeping the approach speed a little
> higher
> at 70 mph gave me a nice smooth descent right down to the runway
> threshold.
> Once over the runway I just pulled back power some, raised the nose some,
> and bled off speed gradually. Amazingly, the turbulence was minimal and
> things were steady and stable. Before I knew it, I heard a double-squeak
> out of the main gears. Now all I had left to do was to gradually lower
> the
> nose at the slowest possible speed so as not to create any undue stresses
> on
> those small castoring nosewheels out front. Squeak, squeak....I was down
> on
> the ground on all four wheels. Hallelujah!
>
> Taxiing in I announced "Experimental Kitfox Amphib clear of all runways".
> My grin was ear to ear. I could feel a warm flush feeling come over me as
> I
> taxied up to the hangars. I was feeling better than good. Just as I shut
> the mags off and the prop stopped turning, before I unbuckled and opened
> the
> door, I reflected for just a second. Only one thing came to my mind. So
> I
> said it out loud. "Far Out!" I had just completed quite an
> accomplishment. And I will be the first to admit I'm not typically very
> emotional. But that day, I caught myself being a little teary eyed when
> it
> was all over. What a thrill to see that all my hard work had paid off.
>
> My wife always says that a man flying an airplane for the first time has
> to
> be the closest thing to a man being able to experience giving birth.
> Obviously, us men wouldn't have any way to really know that. But what I
> do
> know is that I now have a new baby to show off...
>
>
> Paul Seehafer
> Central Wisconsin
> 912ul Model IV-1200 on Aerocet Amphib floats
>
>
>
Message 14
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| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Michel Verheughe <michel@online.no>
Thanks for the PIREP and congrats on the first flight and nice video,
Paul! Yes, I could see the video, even on my Macintosh! :-)
Cheers,
Michel
do not archive
Message 15
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| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Torgeir Mortensen <torgemor@online.no>
On Fri, 25 Nov 2005 16:19:55 -0600, Paul Seehafer <av8rps@tznet.com> wrote:
> --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
>
> After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
> finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
Hi Paul,
Outstanding, -congratulation with the maiden flight.
Great "midnight" video, great sound from the 912 -and very good report.
(Hmm. As usual) :)
Way to go.
Torgeir
--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/
Message 16
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| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Fred Shiple <fredshiple@sbcglobal.net>
Congratulations, Paul! Glad to hear things went so
well. Hope to get more performance numbers once you've
had more air time.
Fred
> And the first flight happened in the nick of time I
Message 17
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| Subject: | Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "jdmcbean" <jdmcbean@cableone.net>
Paul,
Congratulations !! It is one absolutely great feeling... and you got one
better.. to do it on floats !! I'll look forward to flying with you !
I Love the IVO's... Please re-torque your prop before the next flight.. You
may want to after the next few flights.. they do seat. After about 2 or 3
times it should be fine.
Fly Safe !!
John & Debra McBean
www.sportplanellc.com
"The Sky is not the Limit... It's a Playground"
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com]On Behalf Of Paul Seehafer
Subject: Kitfox-List: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian...
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
And the first flight happened in the nick of time I may add. Because I was
so insistent that this 'Fox was going to be a seaplane, I spent a lot of
extra time struggling with the installation details for the Aerocet
amphibious floats. And while I struggled with working in the backyard (the
'Fox sat too high on the floats to fit in the garage any longer),
Wisconsin's winter was nipping at my heels. Brrrr... But having 7,000
acres of water runway right in front of my house, I really wanted to do the
initial flight off the water. Well, I got lucky. Saturday brought a warm 58
degrees and clear sunny weather (incidentally, that's twice as warm as our
normal average for this time of the year). And it was without question my
last opportunity to do the flight off the water, as the weather turned windy
and cold by late Saturday afternoon! By the following Saturday we had 4
inches of snow on the ground, and ice on the lake. Whew! That was close.
I really did get that flight in at the last opportunity.
I assembled a 45 second mpeg video (3.5 mb) of the first flight. It is
available for viewing on the Lazair Kitfox website. Just click on this link
http://kitfox.lazair.com/movies/paulfloats.wmv and with any luck you will be
able to see it. Also. make sure to check out the other cool videos, pics,
and forum stuff on that site. Their direct address is
http://kitfox.lazair.com/ I will post still pictures on
www.sportflight.com under the completions section, and will also put some
pics up on the Lazair Kitfox site.
For any of you that are interested in more of the specific flight details,
here's my "mini-book":
After launching the Kitfox in the water and making sure it wasn't going to
sink, I water taxied for about an hour at all various speeds. This allowed
me to make sure the engine and the airframe were operating as intended, and
gave me a very good feel for the airplane (on water at the higher speeds you
essentially are "flying" the airplane, using all the controls and engine
power much like you would when flying at lower air speeds. So it is a very
good way to get a good feel for an airplane). And I learned quickly that
this Fox wanted badly to fly anytime the speeds approached the 40 mph mark.
That was very encouraging, and I at times found it very difficult to resist
letting it lift off. But since me and my safety crew had spent a lot of
time preparing a "first flight plan", I slowed things down a bit and stuck
to the original plan of just step taxiing for now (that served well to keep
my wife Ann, and my friends on the safety boat happy).
The Aerocet amphibious floats handled beautifully, and exhibited no unusual
handling characteristics. And the 81 hp Rotax 912 engine ran flawlessly,
easily bringing the Kitfox up on the step immediately after full power
application. It seemed to have plenty of power, even though my IVO
in-flight adjustable prop at minimum pitch wouldn't allow for more than
5100 rpm static the day before when tied to a tree wide open. Other than
the lower than desired static rpm issue, from a seaplane pilots viewpoint,
it felt like everything was right for the first flight. So after refueling,
and then giving everything one final look over (hoping to avoid using any of
that emergency plan stuff), I taxied back out into the bay. Once the safety
boat gave me a thumbs up to say they were in position and ready, I radioed
my intentions to takeoff past the boat, and lined up into the wind. Both me
and the Kitfox were ready!
Making a final cockpit check, and rethinking one last time the worse case
scenario emergency action plans, I looked left and right making sure my
takeoff area was clear. One last radio call, and it was time. Applying
full power while holding full up elevator, the little yellow Kitfox amphib
plowed through the water as the bows of the floats raised their way up to
the surface of the lake. Within seconds, the water spray was all behind me
and I was planing across the surface with the speed building steadily. Man,
it felt good! Smooth and stable. No porpoising, and no effort to keep her
in the right attitude for takeoff. Finding the sweet spot was so easy (the
position on the float bottom where the airplane balances hydrodynamically,
and allows the wing angle of attack to be adjusted for liftoff with stick
back pressure). Only gone a third of the distance I expected liftoff to
occur at, the speed was nearly 40 mph already. Without even trying, at a
little over 40 mph she lifted off all on her own. Wow, what a rush! It
flies! Concentrate, concentrate Paul... ok, ok. The Fox was flying very
steady and stable at 80 mph at 5000 rpm so I climbed a few hundred feet.
Knowing I had miles of water in front of me if I needed to set her back down
was a reassurance that ran through my mind just momentarily, as the Fox flew
so well that I was able to proceeded with the original plan of circling the
large island in front of my house so that everyone on the safety boat could
keep an eye on my position should something go wrong. But after making 6
circuits around the island at various altitudes and speeds (of course while
also providing the boat with a lot of photo & video opportunities), and
verifying good engine temps and pressures, as well as overall airframe
controllability and handling, I climbed a couple thousand feet (at 1,000 fpm
according to my VSI), and then slowed the Kitfox down to explore more of the
flight envelope.
After slowing to 50 mph I put on flaps one notch at a time, checking for
aileron effectiveness (the gear up handle limits right aileron movement
somewhat due to squashing ones right knee between the stick and the handle
when full right aileron is needed and the gear is up. But it turned out to
not be a problem as there was plenty of aileron authority in all settings.
Significantly better than the earlier models I had flown). That Model
IV-1200 aileron setup has a really nice roll rate. Crisp and quick. But
not too quick. Very, very nice control feel!
Seeing how things were working out so well thus far, I decided to be brave
and see how fast this little Fox could go straight and level. So I
firewalled the throttle handle, and bumped the IVO prop pitch up a bit as
soon as I realized I was hitting 5800 rpm. That brought the rpms down to
5500 and shortly afterwards it brought the airspeed to 110 mph! Wow! I
didn't think it would go that fast. At least not on floats. Wanting to
test it multiple directions to verify those numbers with my GPS, I changed
my mind when realizing how much I was getting bounced around by the ever
increasing strong and gusty winds. Go easy there Paul, there will be plenty
of time to verify top speeds some other day.
So I decided it was time to get to the airport, where the Kitfox would have
a nice hangar to keep it out of the elements. Of course, that meant I had to
prepare for a wheels down landing. Even though I retracted that landing
gear in the back yard I swear a thousand times, and everything was working
perfectly, I will admit there was a little lump in my throat the first time
I reached over and pushed the gear extension (Johnson-Bar) handle down.....
Seconds later, just like the doctor ordered, I could see all four wheels
down-and-locked in the float mirrors. Ahhhh... Much more at ease after
that first in-flight gear test, I flew past the boat one last time so they
could make a final inspection of the airplane before I headed towards the
airport twenty miles away. After verifying there were no loose parts
hanging down, smoke trails, or flames (chuckle), I turned north and climbed
to 3,000 ft agl. As promised I gave my wife a radio report of my location
in relationship to "the plan" we had made earlier whereas I would follow
highways and roads that had landing areas next to them should I need them,
and I would give her a report every couple minutes as she drove to the
airport in her car (was an easy thing to do for her peace of mind).
Wanting to stay in radio contact range with her, and really enjoying flying
the Kitfox, I intentionally made the flight last as long as possible. Even
though it was now getting exceptionally windy, I decided to play around with
some of the goodies I had installed. Particularly that IVO prop. So I
slowed the engine down to 4200 rpm and bumped the prop pitch up one
finger-flick at a time. You hardly had to move it to feel the change in the
pull. And so smooth. This is one sweet prop. And apparently very
efficient. At 4200 rpm (somewhere around 50% power and 2.5 gph?) I was still
able to maintain altitude, and fly at 75-80 mph. Talk about fuel economy...
And so quiet too. Kind of nice way to go if you're not in any hurry.
Incidentally, I was flying with 20gallons of fuel, me (180lbs), and a 775 lb
Kitfox for a total weight of 1,075 lbs. Of course, it was only 58 degrees,
and it was windy. But overall, I was really impressed with how well that
IVO prop and that 912ul could handle the bulk and weight of this amphibious
Kitfox.
Before I knew it, I was entering the airport traffic pattern for my first
wheels-down landing. While doing my last minute cockpit check, and calling
out loud "this is an airport landing, the landing gear is down" and
verifying landing gear position again, I heard a familiar voice call a base
to final turn on the same runway I was setting up for. It was my friend
from the neighboring town flying his Sube powered Model IV Kitfox (small
world). Seeing him bounce around I came to realize not only did we not have
a good runway choice that was into the wind, but it was gusty and there
appeared to be some wind-shear issues as well. Why today? Why couldn't it
be nice? Oh well, since when did complaining about weather do anything to
improve it? So I reminded myself that even though I've not had a go-around
in an airplane in years, that I should plan for one on this day. And if it
takes me ten go-arounds before I get one good landing, so be it. So I
continued on my approach. It was gusty, but overall the Fox was handling
things better than anticipated. Keeping the approach speed a little higher
at 70 mph gave me a nice smooth descent right down to the runway threshold.
Once over the runway I just pulled back power some, raised the nose some,
and bled off speed gradually. Amazingly, the turbulence was minimal and
things were steady and stable. Before I knew it, I heard a double-squeak
out of the main gears. Now all I had left to do was to gradually lower the
nose at the slowest possible speed so as not to create any undue stresses on
those small castoring nosewheels out front. Squeak, squeak....I was down on
the ground on all four wheels. Hallelujah!
Taxiing in I announced "Experimental Kitfox Amphib clear of all runways".
My grin was ear to ear. I could feel a warm flush feeling come over me as I
taxied up to the hangars. I was feeling better than good. Just as I shut
the mags off and the prop stopped turning, before I unbuckled and opened the
door, I reflected for just a second. Only one thing came to my mind. So I
said it out loud. "Far Out!" I had just completed quite an
accomplishment. And I will be the first to admit I'm not typically very
emotional. But that day, I caught myself being a little teary eyed when it
was all over. What a thrill to see that all my hard work had paid off.
My wife always says that a man flying an airplane for the first time has to
be the closest thing to a man being able to experience giving birth.
Obviously, us men wouldn't have any way to really know that. But what I do
know is that I now have a new baby to show off...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
912ul Model IV-1200 on Aerocet Amphib floats
Message 18
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| Subject: | Re: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: John King <kingjohne@adelphia.net>
B-52 Giant R/C Model:
Check out the movie link below to see the first flight. A remarkable
model airplane
This is a labor of love! Actually has 8 "real turbines" at about $1500
each! It took over 2 years to build. It takes multiple pilots, as
there are so many things to control. Think they are nervous during the
maiden flight? Unbelievable that someone would make this - all real
turbines! Check out the movie link below to see the first flight.
Also see its demise.
http://www.mcgirt.net/RC/VIDEOS/Giant_B52
--
John King
Warrenton, VA
kurt schrader wrote:
>--> Kitfox-List message posted by: kurt schrader <smokey_bear_40220@yahoo.com>
>
>This is not a KitFox, but thought it would interest
>some on the list.
>
>Question: What has 4 jet engines and can fly off of a
>grass runway?
>
>http://www.funmansion.com/html/Airbus-Remote-Control-Plane.html
>
>Kurt S. S-5/NSI
>
>Do not archive
>
>
>
>
>
>
Message 19
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| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Tim Vader" <vadert@telusplanet.net>
Congratulations Paul
What a great looking plane. Great video. Many hours of fun yet to come.
Tim Vader
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
Subject: Kitfox-List: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian...
> --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
>
> After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
> finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
>
>
Message 20
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|
| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Clifford Begnaud" <shoeless@barefootpilot.com>
Congrats Paul!
I hope you have many great adventures with your new plane.
Cliff
Message 21
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|
| Subject: | A new UPS plane for hauling small packages |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Don Pearsall" <donpearsall@comcast.net>
That B-52 WAS so cool. It flew great, then a mis-control and it was all over
in a few seconds. Very sad.
Don Pearsall
----Original Message-----
From: owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of John King
Subject: Re: Kitfox-List: A new UPS plane for hauling small packages
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: John King <kingjohne@adelphia.net>
B-52 Giant R/C Model:
Check out the movie link below to see the first flight. A remarkable
model airplane
This is a labor of love! Actually has 8 "real turbines" at about $1500
each! It took over 2 years to build. It takes multiple pilots, as
there are so many things to control. Think they are nervous during the
maiden flight? Unbelievable that someone would make this - all real
turbines! Check out the movie link below to see the first flight.
Also see its demise.
http://www.mcgirt.net/RC/VIDEOS/Giant_B52
--
John King
Warrenton, VA
kurt schrader wrote:
>--> Kitfox-List message posted by: kurt schrader
<smokey_bear_40220@yahoo.com>
>
>This is not a KitFox, but thought it would interest
>some on the list.
>
>Question: What has 4 jet engines and can fly off of a
>grass runway?
>
>http://www.funmansion.com/html/Airbus-Remote-Control-Plane.html
>
>Kurt S. S-5/NSI
>
>Do not archive
>
>
>
>
>
>
Message 22
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|
| Subject: | Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Donna and Roger McConnell" <rdmac@swbell.net>
Paul,
Congrats' great first flight story. Hope mine goes equally as well.
Roger Mac
N619RM (waiting on the FAA)
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Paul Seehafer
Subject: Kitfox-List: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian...
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" <av8rps@tznet.com>
After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
And the first flight happened in the nick of time I may add. Because I was
so insistent that this 'Fox was going to be a seaplane, I spent a lot of
extra time struggling with the installation details for the Aerocet
amphibious floats. And while I struggled with working in the backyard (the
'Fox sat too high on the floats to fit in the garage any longer),
Wisconsin's winter was nipping at my heels. Brrrr... But having 7,000
acres of water runway right in front of my house, I really wanted to do the
initial flight off the water. Well, I got lucky. Saturday brought a warm 58
degrees and clear sunny weather (incidentally, that's twice as warm as our
normal average for this time of the year). And it was without question my
last opportunity to do the flight off the water, as the weather turned windy
and cold by late Saturday afternoon! By the following Saturday we had 4
inches of snow on the ground, and ice on the lake. Whew! That was close.
I really did get that flight in at the last opportunity.
I assembled a 45 second mpeg video (3.5 mb) of the first flight. It is
available for viewing on the Lazair Kitfox website. Just click on this link
http://kitfox.lazair.com/movies/paulfloats.wmv and with any luck you will be
able to see it. Also. make sure to check out the other cool videos, pics,
and forum stuff on that site. Their direct address is
http://kitfox.lazair.com/ I will post still pictures on
www.sportflight.com under the completions section, and will also put some
pics up on the Lazair Kitfox site.
For any of you that are interested in more of the specific flight details,
here's my "mini-book":
After launching the Kitfox in the water and making sure it wasn't going to
sink, I water taxied for about an hour at all various speeds. This allowed
me to make sure the engine and the airframe were operating as intended, and
gave me a very good feel for the airplane (on water at the higher speeds you
essentially are "flying" the airplane, using all the controls and engine
power much like you would when flying at lower air speeds. So it is a very
good way to get a good feel for an airplane). And I learned quickly that
this Fox wanted badly to fly anytime the speeds approached the 40 mph mark.
That was very encouraging, and I at times found it very difficult to resist
letting it lift off. But since me and my safety crew had spent a lot of
time preparing a "first flight plan", I slowed things down a bit and stuck
to the original plan of just step taxiing for now (that served well to keep
my wife Ann, and my friends on the safety boat happy).
The Aerocet amphibious floats handled beautifully, and exhibited no unusual
handling characteristics. And the 81 hp Rotax 912 engine ran flawlessly,
easily bringing the Kitfox up on the step immediately after full power
application. It seemed to have plenty of power, even though my IVO
in-flight adjustable prop at minimum pitch wouldn't allow for more than
5100 rpm static the day before when tied to a tree wide open. Other than
the lower than desired static rpm issue, from a seaplane pilots viewpoint,
it felt like everything was right for the first flight. So after refueling,
and then giving everything one final look over (hoping to avoid using any of
that emergency plan stuff), I taxied back out into the bay. Once the safety
boat gave me a thumbs up to say they were in position and ready, I radioed
my intentions to takeoff past the boat, and lined up into the wind. Both me
and the Kitfox were ready!
Making a final cockpit check, and rethinking one last time the worse case
scenario emergency action plans, I looked left and right making sure my
takeoff area was clear. One last radio call, and it was time. Applying
full power while holding full up elevator, the little yellow Kitfox amphib
plowed through the water as the bows of the floats raised their way up to
the surface of the lake. Within seconds, the water spray was all behind me
and I was planing across the surface with the speed building steadily. Man,
it felt good! Smooth and stable. No porpoising, and no effort to keep her
in the right attitude for takeoff. Finding the sweet spot was so easy (the
position on the float bottom where the airplane balances hydrodynamically,
and allows the wing angle of attack to be adjusted for liftoff with stick
back pressure). Only gone a third of the distance I expected liftoff to
occur at, the speed was nearly 40 mph already. Without even trying, at a
little over 40 mph she lifted off all on her own. Wow, what a rush! It
flies! Concentrate, concentrate Paul... ok, ok. The Fox was flying very
steady and stable at 80 mph at 5000 rpm so I climbed a few hundred feet.
Knowing I had miles of water in front of me if I needed to set her back down
was a reassurance that ran through my mind just momentarily, as the Fox flew
so well that I was able to proceeded with the original plan of circling the
large island in front of my house so that everyone on the safety boat could
keep an eye on my position should something go wrong. But after making 6
circuits around the island at various altitudes and speeds (of course while
also providing the boat with a lot of photo & video opportunities), and
verifying good engine temps and pressures, as well as overall airframe
controllability and handling, I climbed a couple thousand feet (at 1,000 fpm
according to my VSI), and then slowed the Kitfox down to explore more of the
flight envelope.
After slowing to 50 mph I put on flaps one notch at a time, checking for
aileron effectiveness (the gear up handle limits right aileron movement
somewhat due to squashing ones right knee between the stick and the handle
when full right aileron is needed and the gear is up. But it turned out to
not be a problem as there was plenty of aileron authority in all settings.
Significantly better than the earlier models I had flown). That Model
IV-1200 aileron setup has a really nice roll rate. Crisp and quick. But
not too quick. Very, very nice control feel!
Seeing how things were working out so well thus far, I decided to be brave
and see how fast this little Fox could go straight and level. So I
firewalled the throttle handle, and bumped the IVO prop pitch up a bit as
soon as I realized I was hitting 5800 rpm. That brought the rpms down to
5500 and shortly afterwards it brought the airspeed to 110 mph! Wow! I
didn't think it would go that fast. At least not on floats. Wanting to
test it multiple directions to verify those numbers with my GPS, I changed
my mind when realizing how much I was getting bounced around by the ever
increasing strong and gusty winds. Go easy there Paul, there will be plenty
of time to verify top speeds some other day.
So I decided it was time to get to the airport, where the Kitfox would have
a nice hangar to keep it out of the elements. Of course, that meant I had to
prepare for a wheels down landing. Even though I retracted that landing
gear in the back yard I swear a thousand times, and everything was working
perfectly, I will admit there was a little lump in my throat the first time
I reached over and pushed the gear extension (Johnson-Bar) handle down.....
Seconds later, just like the doctor ordered, I could see all four wheels
down-and-locked in the float mirrors. Ahhhh... Much more at ease after
that first in-flight gear test, I flew past the boat one last time so they
could make a final inspection of the airplane before I headed towards the
airport twenty miles away. After verifying there were no loose parts
hanging down, smoke trails, or flames (chuckle), I turned north and climbed
to 3,000 ft agl. As promised I gave my wife a radio report of my location
in relationship to "the plan" we had made earlier whereas I would follow
highways and roads that had landing areas next to them should I need them,
and I would give her a report every couple minutes as she drove to the
airport in her car (was an easy thing to do for her peace of mind).
Wanting to stay in radio contact range with her, and really enjoying flying
the Kitfox, I intentionally made the flight last as long as possible. Even
though it was now getting exceptionally windy, I decided to play around with
some of the goodies I had installed. Particularly that IVO prop. So I
slowed the engine down to 4200 rpm and bumped the prop pitch up one
finger-flick at a time. You hardly had to move it to feel the change in the
pull. And so smooth. This is one sweet prop. And apparently very
efficient. At 4200 rpm (somewhere around 50% power and 2.5 gph?) I was still
able to maintain altitude, and fly at 75-80 mph. Talk about fuel economy...
And so quiet too. Kind of nice way to go if you're not in any hurry.
Incidentally, I was flying with 20gallons of fuel, me (180lbs), and a 775 lb
Kitfox for a total weight of 1,075 lbs. Of course, it was only 58 degrees,
and it was windy. But overall, I was really impressed with how well that
IVO prop and that 912ul could handle the bulk and weight of this amphibious
Kitfox.
Before I knew it, I was entering the airport traffic pattern for my first
wheels-down landing. While doing my last minute cockpit check, and calling
out loud "this is an airport landing, the landing gear is down" and
verifying landing gear position again, I heard a familiar voice call a base
to final turn on the same runway I was setting up for. It was my friend
from the neighboring town flying his Sube powered Model IV Kitfox (small
world). Seeing him bounce around I came to realize not only did we not have
a good runway choice that was into the wind, but it was gusty and there
appeared to be some wind-shear issues as well. Why today? Why couldn't it
be nice? Oh well, since when did complaining about weather do anything to
improve it? So I reminded myself that even though I've not had a go-around
in an airplane in years, that I should plan for one on this day. And if it
takes me ten go-arounds before I get one good landing, so be it. So I
continued on my approach. It was gusty, but overall the Fox was handling
things better than anticipated. Keeping the approach speed a little higher
at 70 mph gave me a nice smooth descent right down to the runway threshold.
Once over the runway I just pulled back power some, raised the nose some,
and bled off speed gradually. Amazingly, the turbulence was minimal and
things were steady and stable. Before I knew it, I heard a double-squeak
out of the main gears. Now all I had left to do was to gradually lower the
nose at the slowest possible speed so as not to create any undue stresses on
those small castoring nosewheels out front. Squeak, squeak....I was down on
the ground on all four wheels. Hallelujah!
Taxiing in I announced "Experimental Kitfox Amphib clear of all runways".
My grin was ear to ear. I could feel a warm flush feeling come over me as I
taxied up to the hangars. I was feeling better than good. Just as I shut
the mags off and the prop stopped turning, before I unbuckled and opened the
door, I reflected for just a second. Only one thing came to my mind. So I
said it out loud. "Far Out!" I had just completed quite an
accomplishment. And I will be the first to admit I'm not typically very
emotional. But that day, I caught myself being a little teary eyed when it
was all over. What a thrill to see that all my hard work had paid off.
My wife always says that a man flying an airplane for the first time has to
be the closest thing to a man being able to experience giving birth.
Obviously, us men wouldn't have any way to really know that. But what I do
know is that I now have a new baby to show off...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
912ul Model IV-1200 on Aerocet Amphib floats
Message 23
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| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Flybradair@cs.com
Congrats' Paul,
Welcome to the great adventure!
Brad Martin
N232WB
Message 24
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| Subject: | Progress and Root Fairings |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Guy Buchanan <bnn@nethere.com>
All,
I'm coming down to the wire. Today I routed the fuel lines from
the wing to the header tank. I used hose for the first foot to accommodate
wing rotation and the rest was bent aluminum. I thought it was going to be
a nightmare, but it turned out to be clean and easy. The major outstanding
fabrication tasks are wing root fairings, flaperon bearings, and doors.
Regarding wing root fairings, I seem to remember an interesting
idea involving a modeling clay mold and a fiberglass part. My concern is
that I think I need to cover the forward spar pin access holes to eliminate
an entry point. (Unfortunately the sheet metal behind the pin was not close
fit to the window.) I need to fold the wings every time I fly so need a
really easy but waterproof system for the root fairings. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Guy Buchanan
K-IV 1200 / 582 / 99.9% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.
Message 25
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| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an |
Amphibian...
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Guy Buchanan <bnn@nethere.com> Amphibian...
At 02:19 PM 11/25/2005, you wrote:
>After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
>finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
Paul,
Congratulations! And thank you for the report; I enjoyed it very
much. I'll be flying mine for the first time soon, so relish any
opportunity to review a first flight.
Guy Buchanan
K-IV 1200 / 582 / 99.9% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.
Do not archive
Message 26
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| Subject: | Re: Another Kitfox Flies! And it's an Amphibian... |
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: Marco Menezes <msm_9949@yahoo.com>
Huzzah Paul! Great story. I know that grin. Wore it myself last July and every
hour aloft since.
Enjoy!
do not archive
Paul Seehafer <av8rps@tznet.com> wrote:
--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer"
After years of effort, and twelve million delays, my Model IV-1200 Kitfox
finally took to the air Saturday November 12th, 2005.
And the first flight happened in the nick of time I may add. Because I was
so insistent that this 'Fox was going to be a seaplane, I spent a lot of
extra time struggling with the installation details for the Aerocet
amphibious floats. And while I struggled with working in the backyard (the
'Fox sat too high on the floats to fit in the garage any longer),
Wisconsin's winter was nipping at my heels. Brrrr... But having 7,000
acres of water runway right in front of my house, I really wanted to do the
initial flight off the water. Well, I got lucky. Saturday brought a warm 58
degrees and clear sunny weather (incidentally, that's twice as warm as our
normal average for this time of the year). And it was without question my
last opportunity to do the flight off the water, as the weather turned windy
and cold by late Saturday afternoon! By the following Saturday we had 4
inches of snow on the ground, and ice on the lake. Whew! That was close.
I really did get that flight in at the last opportunity.
I assembled a 45 second mpeg video (3.5 mb) of the first flight. It is
available for viewing on the Lazair Kitfox website. Just click on this link
http://kitfox.lazair.com/movies/paulfloats.wmv and with any luck you will be
able to see it. Also. make sure to check out the other cool videos, pics,
and forum stuff on that site. Their direct address is
http://kitfox.lazair.com/ I will post still pictures on
www.sportflight.com under the completions section, and will also put some
pics up on the Lazair Kitfox site.
For any of you that are interested in more of the specific flight details,
here's my "mini-book":
After launching the Kitfox in the water and making sure it wasn't going to
sink, I water taxied for about an hour at all various speeds. This allowed
me to make sure the engine and the airframe were operating as intended, and
gave me a very good feel for the airplane (on water at the higher speeds you
essentially are "flying" the airplane, using all the controls and engine
power much like you would when flying at lower air speeds. So it is a very
good way to get a good feel for an airplane). And I learned quickly that
this Fox wanted badly to fly anytime the speeds approached the 40 mph mark.
That was very encouraging, and I at times found it very difficult to resist
letting it lift off. But since me and my safety crew had spent a lot of
time preparing a "first flight plan", I slowed things down a bit and stuck
to the original plan of just step taxiing for now (that served well to keep
my wife Ann, and my friends on the safety boat happy).
The Aerocet amphibious floats handled beautifully, and exhibited no unusual
handling characteristics. And the 81 hp Rotax 912 engine ran flawlessly,
easily bringing the Kitfox up on the step immediately after full power
application. It seemed to have plenty of power, even though my IVO
in-flight adjustable prop at minimum pitch wouldn't allow for more than
5100 rpm static the day before when tied to a tree wide open. Other than
the lower than desired static rpm issue, from a seaplane pilots viewpoint,
it felt like everything was right for the first flight. So after refueling,
and then giving everything one final look over (hoping to avoid using any of
that emergency plan stuff), I taxied back out into the bay. Once the safety
boat gave me a thumbs up to say they were in position and ready, I radioed
my intentions to takeoff past the boat, and lined up into the wind. Both me
and the Kitfox were ready!
Making a final cockpit check, and rethinking one last time the worse case
scenario emergency action plans, I looked left and right making sure my
takeoff area was clear. One last radio call, and it was time. Applying
full power while holding full up elevator, the little yellow Kitfox amphib
plowed through the water as the bows of the floats raised their way up to
the surface of the lake. Within seconds, the water spray was all behind me
and I was planing across the surface with the speed building steadily. Man,
it felt good! Smooth and stable. No porpoising, and no effort to keep her
in the right attitude for takeoff. Finding the sweet spot was so easy (the
position on the float bottom where the airplane balances hydrodynamically,
and allows the wing angle of attack to be adjusted for liftoff with stick
back pressure). Only gone a third of the distance I expected liftoff to
occur at, the speed was nearly 40 mph already. Without even trying, at a
little over 40 mph she lifted off all on her own. Wow, what a rush! It
flies! Concentrate, concentrate Paul... ok, ok. The Fox was flying very
steady and stable at 80 mph at 5000 rpm so I climbed a few hundred feet.
Knowing I had miles of water in front of me if I needed to set her back down
was a reassurance that ran through my mind just momentarily, as the Fox flew
so well that I was able to proceeded with the original plan of circling the
large island in front of my house so that everyone on the safety boat could
keep an eye on my position should something go wrong. But after making 6
circuits around the island at various altitudes and speeds (of course while
also providing the boat with a lot of photo & video opportunities), and
verifying good engine temps and pressures, as well as overall airframe
controllability and handling, I climbed a couple thousand feet (at 1,000 fpm
according to my VSI), and then slowed the Kitfox down to explore more of the
flight envelope.
After slowing to 50 mph I put on flaps one notch at a time, checking for
aileron effectiveness (the gear up handle limits right aileron movement
somewhat due to squashing ones right knee between the stick and the handle
when full right aileron is needed and the gear is up. But it turned out to
not be a problem as there was plenty of aileron authority in all settings.
Significantly better than the earlier models I had flown). That Model
IV-1200 aileron setup has a really nice roll rate. Crisp and quick. But
not too quick. Very, very nice control feel!
Seeing how things were working out so well thus far, I decided to be brave
and see how fast this little Fox could go straight and level. So I
firewalled the throttle handle, and bumped the IVO prop pitch up a bit as
soon as I realized I was hitting 5800 rpm. That brought the rpms down to
5500 and shortly afterwards it brought the airspeed to 110 mph! Wow! I
didn't think it would go that fast. At least not on floats. Wanting to
test it multiple directions to verify those numbers with my GPS, I changed
my mind when realizing how much I was getting bounced around by the ever
increasing strong and gusty winds. Go easy there Paul, there will be plenty
of time to verify top speeds some other day.
So I decided it was time to get to the airport, where the Kitfox would have
a nice hangar to keep it out of the elements. Of course, that meant I had to
prepare for a wheels down landing. Even though I retracted that landing
gear in the back yard I swear a thousand times, and everything was working
perfectly, I will admit there was a little lump in my throat the first time
I reached over and pushed the gear extension (Johnson-Bar) handle down.....
Seconds later, just like the doctor ordered, I could see all four wheels
down-and-locked in the float mirrors. Ahhhh... Much more at ease after
that first in-flight gear test, I flew past the boat one last time so they
could make a final inspection of the airplane before I headed towards the
airport twenty miles away. After verifying there were no loose parts
hanging down, smoke trails, or flames (chuckle), I turned north and climbed
to 3,000 ft agl. As promised I gave my wife a radio report of my location
in relationship to "the plan" we had made earlier whereas I would follow
highways and roads that had landing areas next to them should I need them,
and I would give her a report every couple minutes as she drove to the
airport in her car (was an easy thing to do for her peace of mind).
Wanting to stay in radio contact range with her, and really enjoying flying
the Kitfox, I intentionally made the flight last as long as possible. Even
though it was now getting exceptionally windy, I decided to play around with
some of the goodies I had installed. Particularly that IVO prop. So I
slowed the engine down to 4200 rpm and bumped the prop pitch up one
finger-flick at a time. You hardly had to move it to feel the change in the
pull. And so smooth. This is one sweet prop. And apparently very
efficient. At 4200 rpm (somewhere around 50% power and 2.5 gph?) I was still
able to maintain altitude, and fly at 75-80 mph. Talk about fuel economy...
And so quiet too. Kind of nice way to go if you're not in any hurry.
Incidentally, I was flying with 20gallons of fuel, me (180lbs), and a 775 lb
Kitfox for a total weight of 1,075 lbs. Of course, it was only 58 degrees,
and it was windy. But overall, I was really impressed with how well that
IVO prop and that 912ul could handle the bulk and weight of this amphibious
Kitfox.
Before I knew it, I was entering the airport traffic pattern for my first
wheels-down landing. While doing my last minute cockpit check, and calling
out loud "this is an airport landing, the landing gear is down" and
verifying landing gear position again, I heard a familiar voice call a base
to final turn on the same runway I was setting up for. It was my friend
from the neighboring town flying his Sube powered Model IV Kitfox (small
world). Seeing him bounce around I came to realize not only did we not have
a good runway choice that was into the wind, but it was gusty and there
appeared to be some wind-shear issues as well. Why today? Why couldn't it
be nice? Oh well, since when did complaining about weather do anything to
improve it? So I reminded myself that even though I've not had a go-around
in an airplane in years, that I should plan for one on this day. And if it
takes me ten go-arounds before I get one good landing, so be it. So I
continued on my approach. It was gusty, but overall the Fox was handling
things better than anticipated. Keeping the approach speed a little higher
at 70 mph gave me a nice smooth descent right down to the runway threshold.
Once over the runway I just pulled back power some, raised the nose some,
and bled off speed gradually. Amazingly, the turbulence was minimal and
things were steady and stable. Before I knew it, I heard a double-squeak
out of the main gears. Now all I had left to do was to gradually lower the
nose at the slowest possible speed so as not to create any undue stresses on
those small castoring nosewheels out front. Squeak, squeak....I was down on
the ground on all four wheels. Hallelujah!
Taxiing in I announced "Experimental Kitfox Amphib clear of all runways".
My grin was ear to ear. I could feel a warm flush feeling come over me as I
taxied up to the hangars. I was feeling better than good. Just as I shut
the mags off and the prop stopped turning, before I unbuckled and opened the
door, I reflected for just a second. Only one thing came to my mind. So I
said it out loud. "Far Out!" I had just completed quite an
accomplishment. And I will be the first to admit I'm not typically very
emotional. But that day, I caught myself being a little teary eyed when it
was all over. What a thrill to see that all my hard work had paid off.
My wife always says that a man flying an airplane for the first time has to
be the closest thing to a man being able to experience giving birth.
Obviously, us men wouldn't have any way to really know that. But what I do
know is that I now have a new baby to show off...
Paul Seehafer
Central Wisconsin
912ul Model IV-1200 on Aerocet Amphib floats
Marco Menezes
Model 2 582 N99KX
---------------------------------
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