Hello fellow netters, I have been reading the recent posts concerning the Kr-2 both the original and stretched version and the concerns for training and operation limits.
First, I would like to say, that I have built and flew my Kr-2, which is really just a Kr-1.5, myself with it’s first flight occurring on Dec.7, 1991. My input concerning what I think fellow builders should ALWAYS do prior to their first attempt at flight is to ACCURATELY determine the CG of said aircraft under the full range of planned operations of said aircraft. Here are my suggestions on what should be done: Perform a very accurate EMPTY weight CG calculation. Pick your reference point ie the leading edge of the wing, the fire wall, the front of the propeller hub etc. level the aircraft on your weighing scales and add the weights and calculate the moments for the aircraft to determine the CG. Note have another set of (qualified) eyes to double check your measurements and calculations. Next fill the fuel tanks completely and any other cargo that is planned to be on the aircraft on each flight, such as flight books, or any other paper work, emergency supplies ie water, fire extinguishers, radioes etc. Repeat the weight and balance computations again using the same reference points as in the empty weight calculations. Next Repeat the calculations with the owner/pilot with full fuel and the above mentioned cargo. You now should have a good number for single pilot/owner under full cargo minus passenger and be able to see where the CG will START for take off. Next one can easily add differing amounts of weights in the seat to simulate the different size of passengers you plan on carrying and see what that extra weight does to the CG. Just to see where the cg will be when close to running out of fuel, you may want to calculate the CG with the tanks at their lowest point that you are willing to fly with and do another calculation and record that in your handbook. If one does this simple but critical procedure prior to attempting to fly the Kr-2, or any other aircraft, they will quickly see the range over which their cg will travel, as fuel is burned off and for carrying passengers. One other important but often overlooked critical perimeter that many pilots forget, is to CALCULATE YOUR DENSITY ALTITUDE prior to attempted take off. First flights of a newly built aircraft is delving into the unknown and can quickly turn disastrous IF the pilot does NOT assure him/her self that these two important parameters are ACCURATELY determined. Long straight runways/dry lakes, with few to no obstructions make test flights LESS stressful and MORE safely conducted. It is always good to have TRAINED personal/friends/fellow pilots as ground observers equipped with first aid, communication, and equipment just in case. You do NOT need a lot of LOOKY LOOS to encourage a take off and put stress on an already stressful/Exciting situation, many people just want to see something extraordinary happen at someone else’s EXPENSE! My first flight was conducted after numerous hours of taxi testing on an uninhabited large dry lake here in southern Nevada. My crew consisted of several family members, a fellow pilot/experimental/A/P/EAA advisor equipped with aircraft radio and two different video camera setups. Most of these individuals were trained in emergency procedures, my dad was an ex police officer, my cousin was a registered nurse etc. My first flight was uneventful other than being somewhat nerve raking due to it being the FIRST time this aircraft had left mother earth AND was my FIRST flight as a TEST PILOT! My background is a commercial rated pilot, who worked for over six years on flight simulators for the USAF and Delta Airlines with over 4000 hours of jet simulator time as well as over three hundred hours of personal flying time on many different type and sizes of airplanes. One last suggestion from my personal experience: Make your first flight short, under an hour if possible. Once you accomplish the basic control tests and a couple of slow flights/stalls to familiarize yourself with the new bird do a complete check of the aircraft once back on the ground. Check for loose bolts, loose wires, leaks, prop hub bolt torque, spider cracks, canopy cracks/latches, engine mounts, wing attach fittings and in general check everything as should have been done prior to the first flight. Vibration and stress from the first flight can show up soon after the first landing. Even ENGINEERING flaws have a tendency to cause problems during the first few flights, I found out the hard way that Rand Robinson designed the gear leg attachment bolts TO SMALL and also, on a later flight, after several hundred hours of flight, that their down locks for the retractable gear WAS NOT GOOD! I hope these simple and maybe obvious suggestions may be of some help to new builders/test pilots of the Kr-2 family of home built aircraft, they are general but important reminders for all pilots that are planning on flying a new aircraft where the cg and flight characteristics are either unknown or undetermined! Thanks A Vietnam era veteran Parley Byington N54PB Kr-2 with original retracts 1835 turbo VW Henderson Nevada. byington1...@cox.net <mailto:byington1...@cox.net> ________________________________ -Please see LIST RULES and KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html -Change list delivery options at https://list.krnet.org/list/krnet.list.krnet.org/ Affinity List Info Board -Search recent KRnet Archives at https://list.krnet.org/empathy/list/krnet.list.krnet.org/ -Search John Boyea's decades of archive at https://www.mail-archive.com/krnet@list.krnet.org/
