Keith The design specs are in the adds for the KR on their website, which clearly spell out a gross design weight of 1050 for the S model and I believe 980 for the KR2. Don't remember the KR1 specs. I believe Mark Langford's site also recaptures this information as well.
I will try to make this clear. The KR is NO different than any other airplane: if you get it too slow, it stalls, period. My example with Diehl wing skins, and standard KR2 taildragger configuration gives plenty of warning prior to stalling, with all the buffeting and sloppy controls you expect from the old reliable trainers and such. It will also remind you that it does not like secondary stalls, those stalls entered while still recovering from the first stall, by showing its aggravation with MUCH larger responses, and slower recovery. I am not sure if Dana Overall has compared to his Bonanza, but I have compared the KR2 to a Mooney production airplane, and both the speeds and stalls, climbs etc... are very similar. None of them stall safely anywhere close to the ground, so the monitoring of airspeed throughout the pattern is very important. Getting slow in ANY plane in the pattern is dangerous and can be deadly, due to not having the altitude necessary to recover from the stalled condition prior to striking an obstruction or the ground. This is why several KR builders recommend taking your KR out for the first time and climbing to a safe altitude, say 3000' above your airport, and then getting to know your plane through slow flight and stalls, prior to making any approach to land. As with all light weight planes, the addition of weight requires more lift which can require more speed, so pattern speeds at gross weight will probably be higher than at solo half fuel weight. Recently a Bonanza from Louisiana was attempting to land after running out of fuel at Flying Baron Airpark just southwest of Leesburg City Airport. The pilot attempted to stretch the glide too far by using a speed better for solo flight than with 4 on board, as was his loading that day. They spun from about 200 to 300 feet up, just a 1/2 mile from the end of the runway, all on board lost. Respect for airspeed is not just for the KR. A better procedure than trying to land "crooked" on the runway, is one I got from AOPA Air Safety Foundation. Make your first approach with NO intention of landing to become familiar with the winds and how they change from approach into ground effect. Fly down the runway within a few feet, maybe 2 to 5 feet to get a feel for in ground effect, but leave sufficient power in for good control and climbout when nearing the other end. Then plan the next pattern to end up with the aircraft on the upwind side of the centerline, like you are trying to land as if the runway was only as wide as the space between the centerline, and the runway edge on the crosswind side. This allows for the accidental drifting of the plane in ground effect towards the downwind side, as you transition into ground effect and do the "rudder dance" with room to spare to the downwind edge of the runway. It is possible for the mains to be down, and the tail high, and still have the plane "skipping" towards that side due to the speed still being high enough to prevent full airplane weight from "planting" the mains. This is unsettling to say the least if you touchdown on the centerline, and then watch it skip to the wind side as the plane gets pushed away from it. Also remember that you should always add at LEAST half the gust factor/speed to your approach speed in winds, and limit flaps to lower settings if your style flaps make significant amounts of supplemental lift. Belly boards should not be effected since they probably make next to no lift and just drag. As a reference, I typically will reduce flaps by 10 degrees (depending on the plane) for every 5 knots over 10 knots in wind, regardless of direction. This will normally allow me to make the same pattern and approach with the wind, that I make on a calm day. With the KR2, I delay use of the belly board until close final so that the extra lift compensates for the wind. I also practice what I teach, which is a stabilized approach below 300' or simply no more crab, but wing low, opposite rudder on final. I do not teach nor practice the "kickout" method of landing in winds. Large planes, air carriers can do this easy, but I have found in small planes below say 6000# takeoff weight, it makes for far too much going on just above the runway. My opinion here, not intended to start a thread on the merits or problems with using a kickout. If it works for you, use it. Being consistent here in winds and ground effect is as valuable as technique, as long as it is a good technique based on sound procedures. FLY SAFE!! Colin & Beverly Rainey Apex Lending, Inc. 407-323-6960 (p) 407-557-3260 (f) www.eloan2004cr.com crai...@apexlending.com
