Kitfox 7 Apex Build Episode 70 Kitfox 7 Piggyback STOL Wing Installation and Flight Testing

[@challenger2ultralightadventure]

Fly faster, land slower, take off and land in under 100 feet. Wow! I'm impressed. Cheers from Winnipeg.

[@joelborgan6511]

I look forward to watching these videos. I'm a few years behind you in terms of aircraft ownership and building, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the way you blend higher performance with simplicity, affordability, and the capability of doing these things yourself. The testing is fun to watch too. I have enjoyed watching you dial in this awesome aircraft for the past few years. I very much appreciate your approach to how much of this aircraft you have done on your own, and it is inspiring to me and others to see that if you do your homework, test a little, and go slowly, there is almost nothing you can't do on your own build. Thank you and happy flying.

[@ayrwynharrison898]

I really appreciate your thought process and building methodology . I have followed your videos since you brought this kitfox home and wanted to thank you for taking the time and effort to continue posting your building and flying adventures. Whether things went according to hoyle or they felt - I am sure- like a lot of work to just go backwards ( like the coolant getting into the engine), you have always stuck with it and found away to come out with an improved finished product

[@ayrwynharrison898]

Ps. And great respect for showing us both!

[@jessecalder]

I am SO excited about this wing Bryan! Loving it. You keep saying 'faster wing' but I'll I hear you saying is 'Gold Class 2023'! Thanks for all the hard work and the vids sir can't wait for the next one!

[@FlyingNDriving]

I love the "I don't know who ""we"" is!" One man wonder!

[@jeremykemp3782]

I will be building a jig for my standard ss kitfox wings next week hopefully if I can get my doors fitted ok by then. Trent and a very good friend of mine is to blame for the purchase of the kit, and Bryan project kitfox has been my go to guy for build tips content. So thank you Bryan in giving me some extra confidence in being able to get this far by myself and hopefully to finish. UK builder

[@thompsonjerry3412]

Speed increase may be due to the fuselage being at a more aerodynamic angle when the wing is making the correct lift

[@steveshaw8003]

Love the comparison data. Very nice to have real world testing for all of the changes you have been trying! Keep up the awesome progress on your plane!

[@86309]

Left and right....LOL. I really enjoyed this series. Very well done. I really like the improvement over the STI wing, and that if I can find a SS KitFox then I can go for this kit. Cant wait to see how the slats weigh in on the equation.

[@jncdi1535]

Kudos on the thoughtful and engneerng approach to developng your plane to the fullest for your mission. i honestly dd not think that 40+ minutes would keep me interested but I was wrong.

[@Jack-ne8vm]

26:07 fabric on rudder & vertical stabilizer flutters. Nice improvement, makes it feel like a new airplane again.

[@BowenAero]

That’s what 160hp of thrust does to the tail fabric.

[@dandaly7305]

@@BowenAero Should tighten up when it's warmer?

[@jimjanke3415]

I have followed this Project since you hauled the partially built Kitfox off the truck and have enjoyed the whole journey following you. Your constant innovation to make the end product better in a professional manner and explaining as it develops made this series a must see. Thanks, I am sure this series encouraged others to try to do the same.

[@donady341]

Great project. I think you enjoy the development and building more than the flying. Great talent you have.

[@StuPierce77]

Great video and explanations Bryan.

[@AviationWP]

Thank you for sharing this. Can't wait to watch the slats video!

[@ayrwynharrison898]

I love the Monster wings I have really been looking forward to seeing their performance.

[@brendaanddangray7328]

Let us know how it handles turbulence. I fly a Taylorcraft. It is a fast wing, a big wing and OMG a little bit of turbulence makes for an exciting ride!

[@theflyingfool]

Awesome work Bryan! I always look forward to your videos & this is a great one.

[@Aphthous]

Even incremental improvements will keep pushing the envelope for success. Great work Bryan!

[@albatross9873]

Great project and feedback. Enjoy the nuts and bolts of your videos. I swear you get more done in a few days than I get done in a month. Bravo Zulu Bryan. By the way - I'm loving the Beringer wheels and brakes I installed on my Kitfox 5! I saved a bunch of weight, and my brakes are much better.

[@cropduster48sady46]

I am glad to see you getting good results out of that wing. Some one did there home work when it came to airfoil choice. It would be interesting to see what airfoil that is. It kinda looks like a old NACA 4415. Flies like it too. I tell you, airfoil selection is kinda a black art, but I bet the guys that designed the wing knew what the end results were going to be even before they tested it. Dan Somers formerly at NASA was my mentor. He was a wizard with low speed airfoils.

[@BowenAero]

Keeping the specific airfoil under wraps for the owner of Snake River Bushplanes

[@cropduster48sady46]

Ok. I understand.

[@Jamiehello1]

I was OG with this love it from Cairns Australia

[@tallenc22]

Thanks for doing all the hard work for us so we can just fly!

[@theresacaron4238]

I bet you wish you'd had those wings on for the Stol-Drag races in Reno, your short takeoffs would have put you in the same performance class as Steve Henry. Can't wait to see you race next year. Well done Bryan.

[@BowenAero]

Wasn’t able to make Reno this year, but the standard wing was good enough for first place in the Silver Class at the HSF World Championships. I look forward to testing the big wing in STOL Drag.

[@boydw1]

I like it! Look forward to seeing how the slats work out.

[@jimhumphrey]

Outstanding presentation. One of the best test-flying videos I've watched.

[@michaelr2656]

Amazing. Can't wait to see the results with the Slats

[@scottcummings8074]

I've been waiting to see this wing fly since you finished the plane. Well worth the wait.

[@donnorris1954]

Very interested in the slats versus VGs and the combination of both comparison results!

[@justme-n-gracie]

great video! looking forward to the next one! I would sure like to compare that wing root profile against my Slepcev Storch. There is very little info about the Storch wing. Storch is apart in my shop for complete rebuild and repower. Strongly considering Apex. What are the chances of getting a paper profile to compare to mine? I am not going to change or modify my wings I just would like a comparison for reference.

[@ChrisWerner-ri8cs]

Another great video! Keep up the good work. Subscribed!

[@bkairys]

Nice work! interesting to see all the numbers.

[@jking755]

Meticulous progress, awesome work!

[@randystern7870]

Anxious for the next video!

[@jaredjestice7937]

Sounds to me like you shoulda got a Kitfox 4. Those numbers are fairly similar to my speedster with no vg's. It is better though and wonder what that wing would do to my 4.

[@jeffbrowne6655]

Great video Bryan. Keep up the good work.

[@martinjnee3986]

Best video yet!!! 🇮🇪

[@michaelspunich7273]

AS interesting as your Apex comparison video. Both are well done.

[@Jsean56]

Exciting stuff.

[@eclipser2004]

How would this one do in a power off landing. I fly a Bushcaddy R-80 ultralight on floats and always practice those.

[@BowenAero]

Floats real nice and provides much more lift than the standard wing.

[@jamesclarkUndiagnosed]

Cool mod, great vid

[@jimhuskyflying]

Great video. Thank you.

[@rogerjohnson378]

Been waiting on this!

[@KeithShowalter445K]

I'd love to know what you want to see for your engine temps for warm up etc., How long does it take you to warm up on a cold day and so on. Sorry it's not a wing questions. My 912 takes forever to warm up when the outside temps start to come down.

[@BowenAero]

Temps for warm up are 120 on oil and it takes about 5 minutes on a cold day.

[@KeithShowalter445K]

@@BowenAero Thanks for the response. Much faster warm up than the 912 on a cold day for sure. Still dreaming about a Yamaha some day

[@KitfoxGrin]

That's a really exciting mod for a Kitfox. I'd be curious about several things: what CG did you end up with, and if tail ballast would get you the pitch authority you're looking for. Also, will adding the slats add enough lift as the front of the wing to cancel the need for aft ballast?

[@BowenAero]

No aft ballast needed or wanted. It didn’t change the cg much at all. It is nicely balanced favoring aft.

[@tannerhughes6274]

Really curious what the useful load is for this plane?

[@BowenAero]

682

[@doncatch1]

Enjoyed, good job.

[@patway4683]

Awesome! Are you still happy with the Apex engine? I may be using one for my airplane is why Im asking. Great video!

[@BowenAero]

I am. It is still the best power to weight option.

[@patway4683]

Thats good to hear. Hopefully more people start using the Apex. I have found that many people are against using anything but aircraft engines. I hope the Apex proves to be very reliable.

[@crazyflyer618]

Great job ,love that you are willing to try a bunch of different mods and give honest reports Good and Bad . What was the final Empty weight on your new Weigh , also what was your tail weight, with the Monster gear being forward and putting more weight on the tail ,what your tail weight is in the 3 point stance ?? Keep up the GREAT work and videos.

[@BowenAero]

Empty weight was 868 with 71 on the tail. That is in the flying position.

[@crazyflyer618]

@@BowenAero THANKS, if you ever think about it, I would love to know how much the tail weighs in three point with the Shock monster gear being forward compared to other gear, which should put more weight on the tail allowing harder breaking .

[@HookedOnUtah]

Very cool Bryan, super cool to see you tinkering and being the KF Mad Scientist again. Love it. The only thing that could make this a better video is if you had a Highlander...LOL...JK!

[@BowenAero]

Funny you should say that. Stay tuned

[@HookedOnUtah]

@@BowenAero I'm super excited to see what comes next.

[@builditright4666]

HaHa I just went through all of this building new wings for my Kitfox

[@portnuefflyer]

Stop by sometime, Henry's been into my place: 1ID9