David M. wrote: > How likely are KR2S owners going to be to allow me just to sit in one > and see if I fit, please? :)
I doubt anybody would have a problem with you sitting in their plane. No two KRs are alike, but legroom is almost cast in stone for any normal person, because your backside has to fit in front of the aft spar...otherwise you'll need a VERY tall canopy. Rudder/brake pedal is another issue...it must be kept compact. The only "easy" way to get more legroom is to add 2-3 inches inches in between the main spar and firewall during construction, which will likely rule out heavy engines unless you also put some weight in the tail, or can keep the engine very close to the firewall. Mine has a Corvair with an alternator pulley that's about 1/2" off the firewall, but I compensated by putting heavy stuff like the ELT in the back. If you're heavy, you may not have that problem...it's all a matter of planning and what the weight and balance sheet says in the end. If you are considering buying one, there's no easy way to figure out if you'll fit other than trying it out or comparing yourself to somebody similar. The beauty of the KR is that you can make it as tall as you want when you build it. In fact, the overall height of the canopy is not even defined in my copy of the plans...I measured it off the plans drawing and the Dragonfly canopy came pretty close to that (it was something like 17.5" above the longerons at the highest point). If you're over 5'-10", you won't fit in my plane from a height standpoint. Buying a flying KR2S is almost a moot point...they rarely come up for sale. Larry Flesner's plane is at the other end of the scale. He's a tall guy, and he even has a few inches of headroom with headset and hat on, but his canopy is completely different from mine, as are most KRs. Build it to fit, and it will fit you. Mark Langford ML at N56ML.com http://www.n56ml.com
