Today's Message Index:
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1. 05:31 AM - Re: 2005 Firestar KXP (kolbflyer)
2. 10:28 AM - Re: 2005 Firestar KXP (Jay Dub)
3. 10:33 AM - Re: getting sharpie off Kolb factory powder coat (B)
4. 04:31 PM - Re: 2005 Firestar KXP (kolbflyer)
Message 1
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| Subject: | Re: 2005 Firestar KXP |
Thank you very much and I'll look into making some of those. I bring the plane
home tomorrow and will be going through it and replacing some worn out hardware.
This one has a Rotax 447 with about 30 hours on. I'd love to put a 503 on
it, but am trying to keep the weight down as much as possible. I'll try to
post some pics when I get it home.
do the ailerons fold to the inside of the wing towards the boom when folded or
do they extent from the trailing edge? the firefly video I saw shows them folded
inside the wing. I'll be doing a lot of learning and coming up with methods
to make it so that I can efficiently fold and unfold by myself at the airport.
I'll also have to make a special trailer also and saw an older post here for some
interesting designs.
Thanks again and can't wait to get some airport permissions, trailer set up, and
some taxi testing done to get a feel for handling.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=509687#509687
Message 2
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| Subject: | Re: 2005 Firestar KXP |
Hi Jeremy,
Welcome to the group. Congratulations on picking up a bird. While I've been here
a few years, and I own 2 Firestar IIs, I've not flown one yet. One I bought
was almost complete and had flown with a total of 12 hours on a 447 with a 2 blade
ground adjustable ivoprop but when I got it it was missing a fuselage. The
second FSII is a new kit that was partially completed without an engine/prop/instruments.
I'm currently in the process of finishing the kit and I hope to
start fabric covering next week. The engine, prop, and instruments from the first
one are going onto the kit. I replaced the engine seals and put in new ceramic
coated pistons since I had it all tore down. I'm on track to be flying by
early Spring, depending on when I can get a DAR. I've started the process for
paperwork with the FAA.
I do have over 450 hours in a CGS Hawk I built in the early 90s with a 447 and
I've flown a few Hawks with the 503 DCDI. I'm not tempted to have a 503 on my
Kolb unless I was planning on flying often with 2 people, personally. The reason
I say that is my 447 Hawk, turning a wooden 40" x 70" pitch prop, would cruise
at 55-60 mph (I don't recall the RPM but the engine was comfortably loafing
and not screaming) would only use 1.5 gallons per hour consistently. When I
ran a 40" x 68 prop it burned closer to 1.8-2 gallons an hour. My Hawk weighed
in at 305 lbs but with a 447 it was a rocket and literally the most fun flying
I've ever done. I have around 2,400 hours in GA (flying some nicely modified
bush planes) not including the 450 in my Hawk but beyond a doubt the Hawk was
the most fun. The Kolb appears it should fly similarly to the Hawk. The dual
carb 503 was a bit more of a rocket but not as much as I expected the difference
to be. That was partly due to a higher empty weight of the craft and it had
to carry more fuel. The fuel burn though went upwards of 4 gallons an hour.
The one I had the most experience with that was burning around 4gph though had
a 3 blade, in-flight adjustable Ivoprop but there was no way to consistently
dial it in and that might have been part of the problem with fuel burn because
the engine was either underloaded or overloaded, in my opinion. For me, the fuel
burn wasn't worth the extra power that wasn't really necessary in a single
place but to each their own. Flying 2 up would certainly be beneficial to have
the extra hp at the higher cost of carrying more fuel and burning more. I might
change my tune though as I don't live 700' above sea level anymore as I'm
at 4,600 and summer days are really hot so the density altitude might change my
opinion quickly.
I have an idea of why your ailerons don't fold down because I am building my kit
and just rigged the ailerons over a week ago. I don't like the piano hinges
for the ailerons. To me, it seems any loading on the aileron (when it is turned
up or down) is loading the hinge in a way that it's as if the hinge is trying
to pry out the rivets, again just my opinion. I won't come out and say they
are dangerous as I have never heard of Kolbs having hinge problems so it must
not be dangerous and is fine. I have built my wing and ailerons to accept eyebolts
for hinges even though the previous owner of the kit has it set up for the
piano hinges. The CGS Hawk used the eyebolt hinges. With the piano hinges the
ailerons will fold down because the hinge point is far enough back to allow
it (there is a 3/4" gap between spars). If the previous owner of yours built it
or converted over to eyebolts, the ailerons won't fold down because the rear
spar of the wing will be in contact with the front spar of the aileron at a certain
point because the hinge point is so much closer together. I don't know
if that is the reason or perhaps they mounted the piano hinges on the top of the
rear wing spar and top of the aileron spar. It could be the hinges are mounted
on the bottom but there isn't a 3/4" gap. These are just guesses but something
you could check.
I'm curious as to what hardware is "worn out"? That sounds strange to me unless
there are corrosion issues like with the galvanized cables.
I have the Firestar plans and book but I don't have them digitally. I would tell
you to call, text, or email Kolb directly for information, but I have tried
all 3 methods of contact with questions and have never gotten any response, so
much so I'm guessing if they aren't out of business they must be close to it.
At one point not long ago I was looking to buy the fabric covering kit from them
and some other stuff but I figured stuff out instead since I couldn't get
any response from them. I have decided to go with the wienerdogaero method of
fabric coverings and my glue just came yesterday.
The group here has answered many questions I have had so ask away. Stuart's website has a lot of good photos and information of Firefly stuff at http://www.harnerfarm.net/serenity/serenity.html and much of it is similar. Stuart has also been good about answering my many questions.
I hope that helps with information. I guess I felt like rambling this morning.
Now to get back to the project, putting in floors, seat, and nose cone.
Jay in WY
Sent:Saturday, December 17, 2022 at 6:31 AM
From:"kolbflyer" <j-lauer@live.com>
To:kolb-list@matronics.com
Subject:Kolb-List: Re: 2005 Firestar KXP
Thank you very much and I'll look into making some of those. I bring the plane
home tomorrow and will be going through it and replacing some worn out hardware.
This one has a Rotax 447 with about 30 hours on. I'd love to put a 503 on it,
but am trying to keep the weight down as much as possible. I'll try to post
some pics when I get it home.
do the ailerons fold to the inside of the wing towards the boom when folded or
do they extent from the trailing edge? the firefly video I saw shows them folded
inside the wing. I'll be doing a lot of learning and coming up with methods
to make it so that I can efficiently fold and unfold by myself at the airport.
I'll also have to make a special trailer also and saw an older post here for some
interesting designs.
Thanks again and can't wait to get some airport permissions, trailer set up, and
some taxi testing done to get a feel for handling.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=509687#509687
Message 3
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| Subject: | Re: getting sharpie off Kolb factory powder coat |
Try carb cleaner... Spray a tiny bit on a paper towel.
It has cleaned permanent marker off metal, if you are going to try on
powder coat,,, try on a spot that won't show.
On Thu, Dec 15, 2022, 5:41 PM Jay Dub <bearhawk@gmx.com> wrote:
>
> My kit that I am finishing has some sharpie marks from the previous owner
> on the powder coat from the factory. I use fine sharpies myself so I'm not
> critical of him. Since MEK is hard to get now (Home Depot now sells an MEK
> Substitute), I've tried the substitute but it smears the colored sharpie
> all over the powder coat but not removing it. I now have clouds of blue and
> red. The substitute does take it off bare aluminum but the powder coat is
> another story.
>
> Has anyone found something that takes it off of the powdercoat without
> removing the powdercoat?
>
> Thanks,
> Jay
>
>
Message 4
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| Subject: | Re: 2005 Firestar KXP |
Thanks for the feedback and I'll take a look at the hinges.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=509692#509692
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