Looks like I get to fly a IV- any tips??

[Paul Z]

I'll second the comment Kitfoxes are great flying airplanes.

[Az350x]

UPDATE-

First, I have a bit more info on the airplane than I knew when I started this thread. It's a IV-1200, with a non-blue head 582 on it and a non-adjustable 3-blade prop. Empty weight (from what I can find) is about 640. The gear is Grove (I mentioned that earlier) and it has a brand-new Matco single-arm pneumatic tailwheel (doesn't seem to be "locking" type- no detent either).

Question- when you guys mentioned "locking" type tailwheels earlier, were you referring to the type with a detent that keeps it relatively straight up to a certain amount of resistance, and then breaks free and allows the tailwheel to caster further (such as Scott- fairly common on production-built taildraggers)? I'm thinking now that's possibly what was alluded to earlier in the thread. It threw me for a loop (figuratively) because from my experience a locking tailwheel actually has a handle in the cockpit and a cable running all the way to the tailwheel, and you lock it straight for takeoffs and landings. I flew a Gull-wing Stinson (Reliant- BIG airplane with a feeble 300-hp Lycoming radial) from Virginia to Arizona once, and it had such a tailwheel setup. Just trying to clarify which type of "locking" tailwheel we were discussing.

So, I went to the airport yesterday with hopes of getting that flight in. Unfortunately, things didn't work out with the other gentleman's schedule, etc., and we weren't able to fly it yet. And now, darnit, I have to go to work next week for about 10 days. Bummer!

Anyhow, hopefully in a few weeks things will mesh better and I'll get to fly this thing. I did start it up and taxi around some. It's small! Fortunately, I'm not a real big guy at 5 9 and 170. Suffice it to say I'm excited to get to fly it one of these days, and hoping that it will lead to the CFO's approval for me to get one of my own, lol.

[t j]

Question- when you guys mentioned "locking" type tailwheels earlier, were you referring to the type with a detent that keeps it relatively straight up to a certain amount of resistance, and then breaks free and allows the tailwheel to caster further (such as Scott- fairly common on production-built taildraggers)?

Yes. The model 4 kits all came with a Maul tailwheel. Many on this site do not like the "Unlocking" feature. I like mine.

[beeryboats]

I would call mine a semi-locking type. It will only release when the rudder has full deflection. Both the Vagabond and Clipper dad owned were like this as well. This is a bit of a pain when the wings are folded back on my Kitfox as the rudder will not go full travel. So the tailwheel will not release unless you crawl under and manually trigger the locking catch. So made a dolly for not only the tail, but the mains as well. I can now spin or move the aircraft sideways in the barn. Very handy!

Now dad's Baby Great Lakes had a manual locking tail wheel. And it needed one! Google a photo and you will see the ultimate in short coupled tail dragger! Anyway, it had a cable release in the cockpit. It sat so nose high that you couldn't see straight ahead on the ground. You had to "S" taxi like a WWII fighter!
Jay

[av8rps]

The Maule tailwheel we talked about is not a locking tailwheel (as in one that you can lock so it stays straight). What we meant is that it moves left and right with rudder movement, but has the ability to "unlock" by locking a brake, allowing it to swivel up to 360 degrees for turning the aircraft in its own radius on the ground, or is used to push the aircraft backwards into a hangar. The problem with the Maule tailwheel is that ON SOME AIRCRAFT the full swivel feature will engage in flight from full rudder deflection (it shouldnt go full swivel in the air, only on the ground), and the tailwheel can then move left or right (typically 90 degrees) so as soon as the tailwheel touches the ground you are in a super hard right or left 90 degree turn, which ultimarely results in a abrupt and severe groundloop.

With all that said, if the Kitfox has a Matco tailwheel on it (vs a Maule), it is highly unlikely you will have any ground handling issues associated with the tailwheel.