Right Rudder needed!!

[Steve_P]

All,
Let me first say that this is my first experimental airplane, coming from flying nose wheel Cessna 152.
I have a general question: I have a Kitfox IV - 1200 with a 912ULS. While flying, my right rudder input is significant, to the extent that when I bank for left turn I apply no left rudder, only a slight reduction of right rudder. Understanding that all aircraft are different and each will fly different, my question is "in general do Kitfox have a stronger need for right rudder to fly straight and level" than other experimental aircraft? I am considering a rudder trim tab. Does anyone have any experience with one of these that will work best on a Kitfox? Or if adjustments are suggested what might they be?
What I am hoping is that this is SOP for Kitfox (and perhaps many other experimental aircraft) and I just need to learn to fly my plane accordingly.
Steve

[Dave S]

Steve,

Sounds about right to me.

Although we have an S7 with the 912ULS, I have flown in a IV. Its pretty clear to me that both planes are "rudder airplanes" and I don't think your experience is unusual at all.

Took me a few (very few) hours before I decided to attach a trim tab to the rudder.

The tab took off the constant pressure needed in cruise flight and deletes some, but not all, of the pressure needed for climb.

Photos attached.

[jiott]

Ditto Dave S.

[avidflyer]

I have a small trim tab on my Kitfox 4 rudder as well. The other night when I was running on the auto pilot, I thought, "I'm going to bend that tab a bit more" JImChuk

[mmadigan]

How is that attached to the rudder? What thickness of Al did you use? I’m in the same boat, maybe to a lesser degree. Kitfox 7 w/O-200. It needs a smidgen of R rudder in cruise. Been planning on putting a tab on it.

Thank you,
Mike

[Dave S]

Mike,

The aluminum I used was 0.020" to the best of my memory (it has been a while!). It is attached with 3M double sided auto trim tape - takes several strips since the tape is 1/2" wide and I used 2" overlap on the rudder. Also made sure to have one end of the tab stuck over one of the intercostals to best assure there would be no flapping in the wind. As long as the paint/finish has been applied properly, should be no issue with paint delamination.

[mmadigan]

Thank you Dave. Now I need to find the time to get some work done!

[RoyHelsing]

I have a Model IV I purchased recently and it required huge right rudder input all the time. When I say huge I mean more than my Turbo Cirrus needed on take-off, and this Kitfox has a prop rotation that should require left rudder. It has a trim tab I adjusted until it now trims nicely. Trim tab is similar to the one ina response below, but has a 90 degree bend to an about 1/2 in band that is then riveted to the rudder vertical tube. Works well. 9bend is slightly less than 90 degrees once I got it trimmed.