Phase I Maximum Gross Weight Test

**jiott** · 03-19-2014, 04:14 PM

I just finished my Phase I maximum GVW testing. I loaded the plane with full fuel, and two 50# sand bags in the passenger seat and one in the baggage compartment. This got me to 1320 lbs and most aft CG at 16". I'm glad its over because there is no real good way to secure the sand bags other than seat belts and some tie downs in the baggage. Anyway, everything went well with only a slightly longer takeoff roll, no real differences in flight characteristics, nearly the same stall speeds, good handling in slow flight and steep turns. Could hardly tell the difference in landing; I expected a steeper approach but hardly noticed any change. Since I tuned the wing rigging for hands-off level flight with just me in the left hand seat, I wondered if I might get a heavy right wing with a sand bag passenger but it stayed straight and level. All in all I am very pleased with my 38 hours of testing and look forward to 2 more hours and then FREEDOM! What a great airplane. I will try to post some detailed performance numbers when I get all the test results boiled down.

**jiott** · 03-20-2014, 07:06 PM

Finished my 40 hours Phase I today and took up my first passenger (guinea pig). Woo Hoo! What fun to finally have a fully useable airplane. Keep at it you builders, it is well worth it.

**Flybyjim** · 03-20-2014, 07:09 PM

Good for you, plane looks great, so who was your passenger

**jiott** · 03-20-2014, 07:23 PM

A friend of mine I will be flying with. He owns a Super Cub and was delivering it to a different airport for some maintenance, so I followed him in the Kitfox and then gave him a ride back to our home airport. By the way he is 6'4" and 250 lbs (I believe we were about 50 lbs over gross with the fuel I had onboard). He fit in the plane fine and it flew fine with this load.