700 foot good flat grass runway, would you land?

[kitfox2009]

Hi guys
This is slightly off topic but just another example of how versitile these ac are. When I returned from Nelson on Sunday the wind at our airport was directly across the runway at 22 gusting 28 knots! Fortunately it is 200 feet wide. By coming in clean , a bit faster than normal and angling , utilizing the full width I managed to land smoothly in about 300 feet.
Not sure exactly how but even the controller was impressed!
Anyway I am sure some of you guys do this all the time but normally here in the Valley with 2 long lakes at either end of the runway we don't get much practice at cross wind operation.. These are amazing little aircraft
Cheers
Don

[tx_swordguy]

I by no means am an expert but in my limited flying experience (less than 150 hrs) my difficulty is more on landing and hitting the mark you intend to despite wind changes etc. With a limited amount of space it becomes quite demanding to get down and stopped within a specific point. Reasons being that you are coming in and must be down and under control by a specified point that might require hitting the brakes quite hard which can bring in a whole different set of circumstances. Take off is basically hammer down and if you are not off the ground by your go-no go point you shut it down. I think it is doable but dont count out having to land at a nearby airport and wait out any wind changes before landing back home. I am currently looking for a kitfox/avid for a 1100 foot strip. My north end currently has electric lines at the end that I will have to slip over to land 18. I will be eating up 300' of that before touch down and will really have to practice T&G on it before committing to a landing. Good luck

[Slyfox]

This morning, yes I love to fly in the morning, at 5:30 I went flying. I did my usual thing. I love low flying, I won't say how low here, may have some ears or eyes that shouldn't be looking. but anyway, on my way back the tower was open and I noticed the winds were blowing from the north east. I called in for my normal landing on the sod and was asked if I wanted 04. I said sure. I came in real short and followed 04r all the way down to delta and then did a flat turn over to the sod, this is fun by the way, then I held off for the end, the winds were 010@3 nothing much, I noticed I was holding 60mph, it did not want to come down, I didn't expect it to, I was approaching the vasi lights off the right on the other side of the asphalt runway, that's 600' to the end, so I knew I had to get below 50, so I pulled some power and 50 right now, I'm still holding about 3 ft off and I said now or never. I was beyond the vasi lights, I pulled all power and pulled the stick back, beautiful landing, added a little brake not much and stopped right at the end. I figure that was 400ft from touch to stop. very nice predictable landing.

You may be asking, what is a flat turn, that is where you keep the wings level and use the rudder to turn the plane. I use this on take off and landing, sometimes I like to play around and us it on a turn like crosswind or base. this has saved me from hitting birds on runway and in the air. before I get into things, I do have vg's . they do help a bunch on many things, I have speedster wings, I will never go back to the long wing, I love mine. I have a bit more dihedral than most kitfoxes. I feel that helps with a more stable airplane, in turbulence and just all around control. I get very crazy with my plane, I can go down a track and put it on it's side and turn this thing and come right back on the opposite direction on the same track. this is very helpful when stuck in a bowl in the mountains, yes I have used it. just be under 90mph or it will tear your head off, I like 60. again, I practiced this at altitude first. never stalled. even with the power off.

[charosenz]

I by no means am an expert but in my limited flying experience (less than 150 hrs) my difficulty is more on landing and hitting the mark you intend to despite wind changes etc. With a limited amount of space it becomes quite demanding to get down and stopped within a specific point. Reasons being that you are coming in and must be down and under control by a specified point that might require hitting the brakes quite hard which can bring in a whole different set of circumstances. Take off is basically hammer down and if you are not off the ground by your go-no go point you shut it down. I think it is doable but dont count out having to land at a nearby airport and wait out any wind changes before landing back home. I am currently looking for a kitfox/avid for a 1100 foot strip. My north end currently has electric lines at the end that I will have to slip over to land 18. I will be eating up 300' of that before touch down and will really have to practice T&G on it before committing to a landing. Good luck

Sword guy,

That part about picking your spot to land and being able to hit it, is a reoccurring theme, that really stands out. It something that all of us can grasp and use as a goal for knowing our limits and abilities (plane and pilot).

Hope to hear more about that airstrip and your experiences at it when it works out. Share what you accomplished and learned.

Thanks.

Charlie

[Slyfox]

maybe I can find a picture of a straight on shot of my airplane. They are NOT flat by no means. I've been told that it is more then most. I do know that when I fly with other foxes they are having a bad time with turbulence and I am flying nice and smooth. I here it quit often. I still get hit, but I find I have a better time in the same air. click on my stats and look at my folder for my airplane, might give you an idea.

flat turn, imagine a hard turn from lets say the sod runway to the asphalt runway with flat or level wings and the plane with almost full rudder, yes it is, cross control, you don't want to look at the ball, it's way out of whack. I don't like to stay on the sod for any more time then needed, birds like to hid in the grass, so I move off the grass after takeoff and track out on the asphalt runway. the fox doesn't care about the ball being way off it keeps on flying. At least mine does, you have to try yours, again at altitude first. I also use that to slow down, I don't like flaps, might put in some wing to keep it straight. Now with that I never move my flaps. how can I do that and keep level flight, I have elevator trim. one of my favorite mods also.

Here is another thing about my airplane, it's light, it weighs in a 630 dry. I weigh in a 172. so my plane is very fun to fly. along with the 912uls and the ivo prop. I have a smile on my face when I fly that is real big.

when I fly local I only put in 10 gal of fuel, five in each side. I have a ball valve on each side and run on only one side, it goes empty I switch. I also have a low fuel warning light. the small amount of fuel saves weight also. I generally fly for an hour. so about half my fuel is used. I use auto fuel and using one tank at a time insures that I am putting fresh fuel in and I keep track of it. for one I leave the ladder on the side I just fueled, two the ball valve is usually on for the tank that is low, otherwise I just look at the tanks.

[Wheels]

Jimmy Dulin wrote about the flat turn for crop dusting in his book "Contact Flying"
Its a real technique, so is the stall spin which starts with the ball being out of the cage in a stall. The Parameters for those two maneuvers should be very far apart. I'm not an instructor, but I know one.
He told me not to let the ball be out of the cage close to the ground under 65 mph in my plane. Just saying.

[Slyfox]

Wheels, we still need to hook up some day. Do you know Jeff at latitude in CDA. Well I just did my flight review with him and I told him of the flat turn and he said he does it with his 170(think that is what he has) So... I think what you need to do is go up to and try it up high and see if your fox will do it. remember, mine has vg's , the plastic ones from the guys up their in sandpoint. anyway, it's a lot of fun and WILL get you out of trouble close to the ground. I mean one time I took off and a Canadian Goose popped up out of the weeds and I was just lifting, hit a full left rudder and kept wings level and missed that thing by inches. If I would have tried to bank any, I would have hit the ground with the wings.

[Wheels]

I do know that trick and its safe at speed. Dulin explains its use as a maneuver to keep from banking close to the ground like you said. just saying that a spin is precipitated by a stall with cross control input. I"m preaching to the choir, you have been flying your fox longer than me I think.
We'll get together this August at the fly in maybe.

[charosenz]

I do know that trick and its safe at speed. Dulin explains its use as a maneuver to keep from banking close to the ground like you said. just saying that a spin is precipitated by a stall with cross control input. I"m preaching to the choir, you have been flying your fox longer than me I think.
We'll get together this August at the fly in maybe.

Steve, Wheels, Fly-in? I hate to ask but .. would you be planning maybe to go to the Hood River fly-in?

[Wheels]

Greetings Kitfoxers,
My name is Jeff Joern. I own a Kitfox SS that I built and first flew in 2012. I am based out of Glacier Park Airport (KGPI) and my playground is NW Montana. John and Deb McBean have expressed interest in flying out to this corner of the country, and with their help and support, I propose hosting a gathering of Kitfoxer's this August. The dates would be: arrive Friday Aug. 19th, fly-out/play on Sat. the 20th and depart on the 21st...of course, people could come earlier...leave later as desired. It will be held at Ryan Field (2MT1). Ryan field is located about a mile from West Glacier, MT and is managed by the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) The caretaker has cleared the way to have a gathering there that weekend...see web site: http://theraf.org/ryan-field-pilot-info It would mean camping, unless individuals made arrangements to stay in nearby West Glacier, or flew back to Kalispell, either city airport (S27) or Glacier Park Airport, or even Whitefish(58S). Sat. fly-out opportunities include a back-country flight out to Schafer USFS(8U2), Spotted Bear USFS(8U4) or Meadow Creek USFS(0S1). Additionally, I have talked with the curator at Crystal Lakes Resort(01MT)...also known as the StoneHenge Air museum...see website: http://stonehengeairmuseum.org/ to possibly getting a tour of the museum. Others could fly to Whitefish...there are bikes at the field to borrow to ride to town, or go back to Kalispell for the day. Of course, being at the door to Glacier National Park has its own draw. Lodging (or camping) and groune transportation will be each individuals responsibility. With enough interest, for a nominal charge, I can coordinate/host a barbecue one evening and maybe have some coffee and pastries Sat. morning. Let me know your interest and later I will be soliciting commitments/reservations...