Is the KR2 really a lot more sensitive than a KR2S? I got a little stick time in Joe Horton's and can say that its slightly lighter then a Sonex and slightly heavier then a Sonerai I. It was vastly more manageable than the Allegro that I flew.
I remember that the Sonex got a bad review in Kitplanes (or was it Sport Aviation?) for the something similar. Light control forces seem par for the course when it come to airplanes in this class. I loved the way Joe's KR felt in the air. Jeff Lange SI - N1463J On 10/17/10, Larry&Sallie Flesner <fles...@frontier.com> wrote: > At 01:10 PM 10/17/2010, you wrote: >>I later read on KR-net about Bill Rent who built a KR-1 and taxied >>it for ten hours to get the feel of the pitch and then flew it for >>20 years. I >>was sick because I could have done the same and had a barrel of fun. > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > Having nothing else to think about while doing yard work this > afternoon, my thoughts wondered back to flying the KR. I thought I > would offer some food for thought for those that have not yet flown a > KR so you can get back to building and not wonder if you're wasting > your time in the shop. Anyone having more than one hour in a KR is > beyond this advise. > > My first thought is that 10 hours of taxi testing is much too much > exposure to an accident but I'll get back to that in a > minute. Besides, taxi testing is not that good of a teacher for > pitch control, just directional control. Pitch control is MUCH LESS > SENSITIVE from 0 mph to tail up then after liftoff. > > Random thoughts for working up to first flight: > > 1. Never attempt to fly your KR unless you have enough recent flight > time to be totally comfortable in an airplane. You should be as > comfortable in the cockpit as you are in your pickup truck. > 2. Never take to the runway to do taxi tests unless the airplane and > pilot are totally ready to fly. You never know. > 3. When starting taxi test, don't just taxi in straight lines. The > airplane can probably do that on it's own. At speeds up to 20 mph > (GPS) on the runway do some MILD zig zags to see what control inputs > it takes and what it takes to correct. You'll be amazed how quickly > you get comfortable with directional control. > 4. Never look at the side of the runway for steering > information. Even though you can't see over the nose initially, look > ahead as far as possible, to the horizon even, down the side of the > cowl. You can immediately detect the slightest movement of the nose > left or right. If you start lined up on the centerline of the > runway, when the tail comes up you will be tracking the centerline > like an arrow. > 5. Progress slowly but don't wear out the airplane taxi testing. If > you are not getting comfortable after 2 hours, which should be 30 or > so passes up and down the runway, I'd suggest there is either > something wrong with the gear alignment or I'd suggest you get > someone to make the first flight for you. You do want to see the > airplane fly at least once, don't you.:-) > 6. Once you've progressed to running tail up down the runway use > caution. You are very close to flying !! > 7. Once you are comfortable running tail up you are ready to > fly. Just leave the power in for an additional 5 seconds, input a > VERY SMALL amount of back pressure and you'll be airborne. Make sure > your arm is locked at that point and only fly with wrist and thumb > and finger movements. If you don't induce oscillations in the first > 5 to 10 seconds you're probably home free. > 8. Climb to altitude staying close to the airport and don't over > control on the flare and landing. > 9. If you think a KR is sensitive ask Jack Cooper about flying > helicopters. :-) > 10. Two rules on landing. A. Never force a tri-gear to land using > forward stick and B., never try to force the tail wheel down with aft > stick after a wheel landing. Trying either is asking for trouble. > > It's unfortunate that all the chatter on control sensitivity keeps > people from building / flying a KR. If the C.G. of the airplane is > correct you will find it to be one of the most fun flying airplane in > the sky. The best analogy I can come up with having a few hours in > old tail draggers would be to imagine a Champ and a KR. You make a > control input on the Champ and it's response is "I'm sorry, I wasn't > listening. What was that you said?" Make a control input on the KR > and it's IMMEDIATE response will be "is that what you wanted?" It > doesn't get any more fun than that. > > Larry Flesner - 385+ KR hours and smiling bigger with every flight !!!!! > > > _______________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html >
