August 2000

Final assembly:

After the ailerons were installed the pushrods were fabricated from 4130 tube (5/16 x .095" wall). The ends were drilled and tapped to receive Aurora mm-3 (10-32) rod end bearings. 

Ailerons were then rigged and control travel checked 20 deg up 10 deg down.

Nav lights, landing/taxi lights were installed, aligned and tested. Panel lights (4) were installed under the glare shield. Shades for these were made from light brass stock.

The firewall was checked for leaks using a light under the cowl. High temp silicone was used to seal around wire/tube bundles.

How do you fit a 23 foot wingspan through a 16 foot door into a 20 x 20 hanger. Hello dolly... (sorry, bad pun).

There is just enough room to walk around one wing tip when the door is closed.

Engine tests:

The first airport tests (engine runs #3 and #4) were to check general engine operation and the vacuum system. Overall everything was acceptable including the vacuum pump operation. Both runs were approx 5 min in length. The Ts and Ps were as follows

Oil Temp - 110 F after 5 min.

Oil Pressure - 50 -60 psi

Cylinder Head Temp - 250-275 after 5 min.

Egt - approx 800 F @ 2000 RPM

Max RPM reached approx 2400 RPM.

Suction - 5 in Hg (took about 2 min on the first run to stabilize)

AMPS - within 1 needle of 0 on the positive side @ 1400 RPM.

Idle - 800 - 900 RPM

The carb is a Rev-Flow (Posa) supplied standard on the Revmaster. The needle was set out 6 turns from the seated position for the first run. This was found to be too rich at idle so it was turned in 1 (to 5 out). The engine still runs rich at idle (the mixture must be leaned to smooth the idle) however throttle response is good (no stumbling on advance). The full power adjustment will be started from this position. The adjustment procedure as shown in the Rex Taylor video will be used.

Manual:

To download a copy of my a/c operations manual right click on the file name below and select "save target as", depending on your browser.

The file is in Excel format.

Oil Door Access:

A standard Hartwell type latch was floxed into position with a short piano wire hinge.

Registration Marks:

If 12" letters are used on fuselage sides the 20" high marks under the wing can be omitted (Great White North rule). It looks like a tacky billboard ad, but it fits.

The letters can be easily made by printing first on computer printer then tracing on self-adhesive vinyl sheet. This sheet can be found  in the local dollar store masquerading as shelf/cupboard lining paper. Total cost - $4.

Spinner:

This was purchased from UHS Fiberglass. The only work required to install is to grind out the prop blade profile from the front plate and dome. The prop bolt pattern and dome fasteners are already there. Total time to install - 2.0 hours (conservative).

Having the dome fasteners factory installed not only saves time but more importantly eliminates the potential for mis-aligning the dome. This mis-alignment gives you the spinner wobble effect and is really noticeable when the engine is started.

Weight and Balance:

I was surprised to find out how scarce, good scales are. You would think that most RAA/EAA chapters would invest in a set ($500 at Aircraft Spruce). In my area (Greater Toronto) that is not the case.

Instead of going with the bathroom variety I chose to rent a set of industrial bench units. I found a company which delivered a set of 3 350lb units accurate to within .05 lb. Their rep even helped with the weighing (takes about 1 hour if you're ready to go) for $200.

The empty weight came out at 663lbs with the empty c of g at 17.1 inches aft (firewall datum). This is heavy for a KR2 (but not unusual). Unless we raise the gross weight above 1000 lbs the a/c is above the maximum allowable empty weight for a 2 seater. The calculation is required for the issue of a Canadian special C of A and looks something like this...

I chose to certify the a/c as a single seater rather than give up all the goodies like electric start, full panel, lights and coffee maker.

My aircraft was intended to be a high speed, long range, and economical personal transport. I believe The KR2 design can meet those requirements quite well. Looking realistically at the design however, I feel it is ill suited to comfortable 2 person operation or training and should not be considered by those who wish to use it frequently in either capacity. Always try to choose the right tool for the job at hand.

Compass Swing:

Much like above the tough part was finding a master compass. Once this is located the swing takes only about 1/2 hour (including the paperwork).

Interestingly, there was little error even though my compass is located in the panel (not above). I was careful to use aluminum, brass and stainless steel whenever possible in the panel area to minimize interference.

Fuel System:

It's amazing how much crap can come out of a new fuel system (I think I just found Hoffa). Keep flushing fuel through until it's clear, then dispose of the fuel used in the cleaning process (as a Scot this was a difficult time for me).

Paperwork:

I am certain that the total weight of paperwork involved in the building process now exceeds the empty weight of the a/c.

Transport Canada is to be commended for their quick turn-around for the C of R (now required for the inspection). I can remember when their response time was measured in months, not days.

The paperwork required for the application for C of A is formidable. Follow the checklist provided in the RAA (Canada) builder's manual and you will not be far off when the inspector arrives.

Final Inspection:

The final was held on Aug 29 and The Gadget passed with only 3 minor squawks. These were quickly dispatched and the paperwork returned to the inspector. This paperwork will be audited and then forwarded to Transport Canada for the special C of A. This process will likely take a month.