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flyingkroeger
Unregistered
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 Posted Monday, December 8, 2008 @ 07:04 PM
G’day Fellow Fournier Aviators,
Yes, that’s right – aviators, not owners. I have now finally joined your rank after lengthy delays in getting VH-TKD, formerly known as N7720, into the air.
Yesterday I performed the evaluation flight under the GFA (Gliding Federation of Australia) rules in the presence of an official observer.
Enclosed you find a link to some photos of VH-TKD in its current state.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33676351@N00/
Hopefully I will be able to add some shots from the actual flight as well, the observer took some, but hasn’t sent them to me yet.
The flight was successful and included stalls, incipient spins, cycling of the u/c and a run up to Vne. Landing was uneventful, albeit a bit long. Due to a slight undershoot on short final I put the airbrakes away and didn’t want to re-open them a foot off the ground, not knowing whether the aircraft would plonk on the ground or not. Hence a slightly longer float in ground effect.
Also, my engine misfired once one on takeoff, she has never done that during the ground runs and taxi tests in the weeks leading up to the first flight. Power resumed instantly and with plenty of landing options there was no reason to discontinue the flight.
I will need an oil cooler though, but I guess this was to be expected. Oil temp reached 95 degree on the climb to 4000 feet AGL, despite the fact that OAT was a moderate 22 degree.
After shutting the engine down for debriefing I was unable to re-start it again. At this stage I presume I over-primed the engine when it was still hot. Maybe you can share some experience here.
Finally I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone here on the forum for heir help in getting this little plane into the air again.
BR
Tim
[Edit by flyingkroeger on Monday, December 8, 2008 @ 07:21 PM]
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Bob Grimstead
Unregistered
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Posted Monday, December 8, 2008 @ 08:33 PM
Many congratulations Tim, and a very warm welcome to our community of Fournier pilots.
I am delighted to hear you have flown TKD, and clearly after all your work and inspection, it is not only now in tip-top condition, but you know everything's good, which must put your mind at ease.
As to warm starting, I never use the choke or suck in at all when my engine is anything above ambient temperature (ie, within a couple of hours of shutting down). I just pull on the park brake, set the throttle about 1/8 to ¼ inch open (I have filed a tiny mark at the correct place for idle at 1,000 rpm cold) and swing the propeller from behind.
If very warm, it will often start on the first or second swing, but it might take a dozen swings if only lukewarm. If I had to swing it twenty times and it still didn't start, I would revert to the cold starting procedure, but that's never happened.
I wish you great times and many memorable flights in TKD.
Yours, Bob
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joethepro
Unregistered
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Posted Friday, December 26, 2008 @ 04:04 PM
congrats tim just in time for the winter/your summer flying season. All your efforts will be more than paid off this is a truly exceptional airplane it has everything flying should be. The only problem with the fournier is that there is not enough of them. stop reading and go flying !!!!!
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Jorgen
Unregistered
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Posted Friday, December 26, 2008 @ 07:04 PM
Hear, hear!
Take 5(b) just 4 fun/ Jörgen
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flyingkroeger
Unregistered
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Posted Friday, December 26, 2008 @ 10:02 PM
Merry Christmas Everyone,
I managed to put my first seven hours on VH-TKD last weekend, with wife and child already off to the in-laws for Christmas and a leave pass for myself for the whole weekend.
Nothing to report really, all normal. I am limiting myself to flying early in the morning and late in the afternoon due to the absence of an oil cooler (yet). Also, I haven’t rolled or looped her yet; my climbs have to be limited to about 2000 AGL. With these self imposed limitations, my oil temp stays around 90 degree C.
Have a good Christmas break everyone, see you next year!
BR
Tim
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Bob Grimstead
Unregistered
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Posted Saturday, December 27, 2008 @ 08:14 AM
Good on yer Tim,
Seven hours in one weekend!
Wow, can you uncurl into an upright posture?
Glad you're enjoying her, plenty of time for aerobatics later.
Only warning, don't let the nose get too low, speed builds up really quickly in such a low-drag airframe.
Happy New Year to everybody.
Bob
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flyingkroeger
Unregistered
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Posted Thursday, February 5, 2009 @ 06:25 PM
Hi Guys,
Enclosed a shot of TKD’s evaluation flight before Christmas – albeit a bit blurry. Note the non-standard outriggers. The are really neat, because the pivot points are outside the wing structure and nothing within the wing moves.
As for Bob’s comment, yes, it gets uncomfortable after about two hours of being curled up in he cockpit. To fit under the canopy, I am currently using a rolled up towel behind my lower back to slide forward and down a bit. This leaves my upper thighs unsupported and my bum goes numb after a while.
I will redo the set and back rest and possibly move the rudder pedals forward in due course.
Greetings from downunder,
Tim
P.S.: Isn't there some info on seat mods somewhere on this forum? Don't seem to be able to find it now...
[Edit by flyingkroeger on Thursday, February 5, 2009 @ 06:34 PM]
[Edit by flyingkroeger on Thursday, February 5, 2009 @ 06:40 PM]
[Edit by flyingkroeger on Thursday, February 5, 2009 @ 06:43 PM]
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jb92563
Unregistered
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Posted Friday, February 6, 2009 @ 11:41 AM
Congrats Tim,
Now you can really start enjoying your new bird with all that red tape behind you.
If you don't mind me asking, what was the price you paid for your RF4D?
I'm still looking and trying to get a fix on what an average price would be.
About that oil cooler, not sure what engine you have but if you are talking about the top mounted
"Dog House" VW oil cooler that is required I have a suggestion.
The stock VW "Dog House" cooler normally has 5 rows of cooling fins but it should be noted that you can get
7 row coolers as well, and are probably a better choice in your hot climate.
It adds about an inch to the stock height.
If you need dimensions I could measure mine.
If it over cools you could always block off some of the rows, but I doubt you will have that problem when its hot.
If space is tight a remote cooler will be your answer and can be had in many shapes and sizes, but probably would work
best with a higher volume oil pump and perhaps use 1 grade lighter oil to help overcome the extra flow resistance of all that extra
plumbing the oil has to traverse with a remote oil cooler.
Ray
[Edit by jb92563 on Friday, February 6, 2009 @ 11:46 AM]
[Edit by jb92563 on Friday, February 6, 2009 @ 11:49 AM]
[Edit by jb92563 on Friday, February 6, 2009 @ 11:50 AM]
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Jorgen
Unregistered
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Posted Friday, February 6, 2009 @ 02:54 PM
Hi Tim,
congratulations! You´ll find some tips on cockpit comfort issues in the "Maintenance-Fitting inside"-thread. I have similar problems and always fly with a sleeping bag behind my back- which isn´t all that bad, since that way I´m already packed for any eventual fly-in. I´m thinking of molding or carving a seat cushion like Bob describes and fitting wedge-shaped foam supports under my thighs fixed with velcro, but that´s just another one of all the projects I´m looking forward to finishing sometime in a forseeable future.
Nice looking RF 4 you have there, Tim. Don´t forget to put some locking wire or similar around the tailwheel arm so it doesn´t dangle down too much during flight. Your outriggers look really neat, would you mind snapping a few pics and post them on the "Modifications-Fit 4 outriggers"-thread?
Ray,
in the "Engines-Engine Cooling" thread there is quite a lot of pics and info on oil coolers for Fourniers. One main concern is fitting the oil cooler under that sleek cowling.
This forum is getting complicated to navigate, don´t you think? Collin and Steve, maybe we need to ask Google to beef up the local search engine here (just kidding of course!)
Take 5(b) just 4 fun/ Jörgen
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flyingkroeger
Unregistered
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Posted Sunday, February 15, 2009 @ 07:42 PM
Hi Jorgen,
Thanks for the comments. Is there a thread on the dangling tail wheel issue? How can I tell whether this is a problem or not?
BR
Tim
P.S.: I will take a close-up of my outriggers and post it as soon as I get back to the airfield. It has been rather hazy all over Victoria due to the bushfires, not nice...
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Jorgen
Unregistered
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Posted Tuesday, February 17, 2009 @ 04:26 AM
Hi Tim,
Yep there is, check the "Modifications-reduce your landing gear drag"-thread. And no, you can´t tell whether it´s a problem or not- until a Fournier colleague shows up and whip your ass in cruising speed.....
Can´t exactly say we have much of a bushfire problem in the South of Sweden at the moment, the wheather is about the same as two weeks ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJeNVD_TTiw
As the french say: "-Vive la difference!"
Take 5(b) just 4 fun/ Jörgen
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flyingkroeger
Unregistered
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Posted Sunday, March 1, 2009 @ 10:20 PM
Nice video, Jorgen.
Picture of my outrigger is posted in fit-4-outrigger forum as per your request.
BR
Tim
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Bob Grimstead
Unregistered
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Posted Thursday, April 2, 2009 @ 04:02 AM
Wow,
Is everybody else but me on this forum an adventure sports nut?
Jorgen's ice-boating, Sam's off surfing, Matthew's into motor bikes and I'm just sitting in front of this computer screeen.
And the sun's shining.
Makes me feel very guilty.
Maybe I'll go for a swim....
Yours, Bob
[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Friday, May 8, 2009 @ 02:56 PM]
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