My KR was built in 1982 had a removable front deck with the fuel tank yet I never had a bit of problem with the firewall or the sides flexing I put about 950 hours on it before I sold it I started out with a VW 1835 then a VW 2180 after that a 90 hp and finally an O 200 on the front
Sent from my iPhone > On May 10, 2016, at 11:41 AM, colin hales via KRnet <krnet at list.krnet.org> > wrote: > > I read what people write on here all the time, mostly none of it is > applicable because the way I built my KR is rather different to most, but > there are two issues I think I should add information on recently. > 1: Removable front cover. Having a removable rear cover is a lot more work > and I do not see it as necessary. There is nothing down there that you can't > check via a inspection panel at the rear and a removable seat back. If you do > want to have a removable rear deck there is lots of bracing so it doesn't > weaken the structure. If you want a removable front deck that is more of a > problem. The bonding of a front deck actually strengthens the front hull. It > ties it off. Having a piano hinge wire or just have it attach by a few screws > and as you push the sides of the fuselage apart where the instrument panel > would be, you can see the sides move in and out. If you have an aluminium > header tank, then with the flexing of the fuselage sides because of a > weakened front section, it may crack the tank if it is the sole fuselage > brace. So if you want to have a removable front decking, you would be wise to > brace the fuselage with two cross members and ply cover above the front spar > assembly area to stop the sides bowing. Without a brace, that is a big hole > with no bracing from the firewall to the seat back. I know plenty of people > will say that they have no problems and don't have anything bracing the > cockpit sides in that area. I've fitted one but I have a 20 gallon header > tank under my removable cover and I need one. > 2: I wear a parachute whenever I can. I have flown my kr2 for 850 hours with > a parachute, I wouldn't be without one if ever I can. Admittedly our European > airspace is much more crowded and condensed and mid air collisions are more > common than in the US. But I suggest that if you can afford the weight and > are not a big heffty guy and can design in a seat position that will allow a > chute to be worn, you should do this. I know three people who might be alive > today if they had worn a chute. What would be the state of affairs if the > designer of our beloved aircraft had worn one? My canopy is about 3mm 1/8 > inch thick. I can put my hand straight through it. Release the belts stand up > and pull the chord, the chute will inflate and rip you out of the plane if > you are struggling to get out. I'd be out before you could fart. > The only time you probably wish you had a shoot is when you need one and you > haven't got one, so don't be embarrassed about wearing one. I think it a very > sensible idea and not to be frown upon or joked about or be dissuaded. > I'm waiting for my Russian Visa to arrive before heading back out to Alaska > from the UK to try to continue on around the world with my plane. > Best regards Colin Hales. > <World tour logo.jpg> > _______________________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search. > To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html > see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change > options
