Larry that is an excellent report....just gets my blood boiling. I just came in from working on my KR to check e-mail and wow, now I have got to get back to the garage. Larry, I am coming to join you!!!!
Mark Jones (N886MJ) Wales, WI USA E-mail me at flyk...@wi.rr.com Visit my KR-2S CorvAIRCRAFT web site at http://mywebpage.netscape.com/n886mj/homepage.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "larry flesner" <fles...@midwest.net> To: "KRnet" <kr...@mylist.net> Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2004 7:52 AM Subject: KR>Progress report (long) > > (Written Friday PM - mail server down) > > Netters, > > MY KR IS BACK IN THE AIR !!!!!!! Who says > Friday the 13th is unlucky? > > Tank leak: I seem to have the leak fixed in the left tank. I took > the wing home, cut open the bottom of the wing from the > 48 inch rib to the 36 inch rib and 12 inches behind the forward > spar. I then removed the foam and exposed the entire bottom > of the tank. I ended up cutting out the bottom of the tank, doing > some re-sealing work and then re-attaching the bottom. I replaced > the removed foam, sanded to shape, glassed and finished the > wing skin through primer. I also had a small area on the top of > the wing I had to close back up and re-skin. It held gas for 2 hours > with the tank bottom and one end exposed with no visible signs > of dampness or leaks. That's when I drained the fuel and closed > up the wing. I managed all this while going through a bout with > the flu. Bed rest for a day, work on the wing for a couple of hours, > back to bed for a day, work on the wing, bed rest, part time > at the laundry, bed rest, work on the wing, and on and on. > > Prop: The 4 inches of pitch that Ed Sterba took off the prop seems > to have made little if any difference. I'm still pulling about 2300 > static and 2500 at flat out cruise. I'm not going to make any more > changes to the prop at this time and get some hours on the engine. > It is a high time engine and may be a bit weak. I don't want to take > too much off the prop just in case. The prop is a 60" X 68" and was > repitched to a 60" X 64". > > Speeds: I replaced my "KPH" ASI with a "SMPH" ASI. Flat out > cruise I'm seeing between 150 and 160 depending on how > straight and level I hold it and for how long. I'm tending not > to do any long straight and level runs just yet, more turns, climbs, > slow flight, etc. Also, I still don't have wheel pants on those 30" > Diehl gear legs with the 600X6 wheels and brakes hanging out > in the breese. At 2500? rpm I'm only pulling maybe 85 hp out > of the engine also so I look to get another 10 mph or so at some > point which should give me a strong 160mph+ cruise. Remember, > I do have a big (and heavy) KR. > > > Handling: I'm actually starting to move the control stick in flight now.:-) > I'm getting more aggressive with ailerons, stick, and rudder and > exploring some of the yet unknown areas of handling. I flew a bit > deeper into the stall also and it is very gentle. On the first attempt > the ASI was bouncing on the peg at 40MPH when I felt a slight > buffeting (I think) and the left wing did a gentle drop of about 20 > degrees. The KR was flying again as soon as I released back > pressure. I flew right back into the second stall and this time > the right wing dropped first, a little quicker and maybe to 30 degrees > or so. Again the KR was flying as soon as I released back pressure. > With it breaking left on the first stall and right on the second stall > I'm inclined to think maybe I didn't have the ball centered either or > both times. I'll try it again and watch for more clues. > > Slips: My first real surprise, and I must admit the first time I've > puckered real hard and real quick, was when I tried a couple of > slips. Holding about 80mph indicated I kicked some left wing > down and right rudder for a side slip. At about 20 degrees wing > down and 15+ degrees nose right the nose did a rather quick > nose down pitch of about 20 degrees. (or so it felt) It caught me > by surprise and I neutralized the controls. It came right out of the > slip. I tried it again, not believing what just happened, and it did it > again. Expecting it the second time, it felt to me as if at some > point the elevator blanked out. Any of you guys flying "standard" > KR's ever notice anything like that? I'll check it out further and > keep you posted. I'll have to make sure I'm not doing something > with the controls to cause it. Everything I've ever heard is that KR's > slip like a dream. I'm glad I didn't try my first slip on a landing and > close to the ground. It probably wouldn't have been a problem > but I'll bet it woud have scared the @#$%^&* out of me! > > Problems? I noticed oil on the belly after the flight. I'm guessing > it's coming from my oil quick drain which sticks out the bottom > of my cowl about 1/2". I may put a solid plug in it tomorrow and > see if that is where the oil is coming from or if I need to look > further. > > Speed brake: I probably need to hook up some LED's or some kind > of indicator for my speed brake. At least a full up and full down > LED. Right now it's a bit of a guessing game. I have limit switches > so I'm not loading it at either extreme but it would be nice to have > an indicator. With 5 landings now I'm sure glad I installed it. It > helps to stabilize the speed on landing and gives a bit better nose > down pitch for visibility. I suspect it helps kill the float also but > I have yet to try a landing not using it. Maybe tomorrow. > > Speaking of landings, this thing is AWSOME! We won't discuss the > first land but the last four have been "squeakers". I probably shouldn't > even call them "squeakers" as the tires never make a sound, they just > start rolling. No bounce, no nothing. I just flare to a tail low attitude, > I hold it off, and then the tires just start rolling. It touches down > smoother > then the Tripacer. Yes, I know, this will all change when I start flying > with a bit of wind but for now it's making me feel like a real pilot. > > Final thought: My wife timed her visit to the airport perfectly today. > She was out shoping and stopped by just as we were rolling the > KR out to the apron. My friend Bill followed me up in the Tripacer > with my wife flying right seat so she got to see the KR in flight. > She couldn't get over how small it looked after seeing it in the > garage for 13 years. Funny thing is the Olds looks bigger in the > garage that on the driveway too. :-) > > I may try to get in some "fun flying" tomorrow (my 59th birthday) > and then settle down to some serious testing with timed > climbs and decents, speed brake numbers, etc. > > Larry - grinning from ear to ear - Flesner > > > > _______________________________________ > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
