"Are the KR's aerobatic?"
Hello Brian, The simple answer is yes. Now go beyond that and the simplicity ends. As Larry said and you implied, you are not going to go out and do any "competitive" aerobatics in a KR. And that is not because the airframe can't handle it but a lot of other reasons that need to be considered. I can't wait to finish my KR, I am close to engine start, because I think it will be an excellent airframe to get an introduction to aerobatics. When I look at my KR it screams "energy management". It has the wing area but not the excess power that is required for serious aerobatics. So any vertical maneuvers are going to be extremely limited if I don't maintain good energy. This is especially true for the "typical" KR that is heavier than stock. On the other side of the coin, when that same rotund KR's nose goes below the horizon it is going to accelerate very quickly and it won't be very long before VNE comes into play. Again, energy management. By the way, I recently completed the preliminary W&B and my Subaru KR is not fat. It does however posses a massive potential energy quotient! I also just finished a good article about flying aerobatics and the author made the point that just because the airframe was designed to be aerobatic doesn't mean everything in that airframe is. This is especially true of a plans built (KR) type airframe. What about all the little brackets that you built and installed in the airplane? What about your instrument panel, seat, engine mount, etc.? I have no concerns whatsoever about the structure of the airframe in general. But my instrument panel is loaded. I am 6'-5" 215 lbs. Do I really believe my seat is going to withstand 1290 lbs! Most people have no appreciation of the forces that a propeller generates in normal flight let alone aerobatic flight. Do I really think my engine mount, that I fabricated myself, is capable of withstanding these forces? Make no mistake I am very happy with my mount and I think it is going to work very well but the reality is that if I am wrong it will have a significant impact on the length of my life. All of this boils down to the fact I will do no snap maneuvers under any circumstances. Steep turns, rolls, inside loops, with just me aboard, no baggage, half a tank and hopefully all under positive G. Stephen Teate Paradise, Texas ************************************************************** The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not an intended recipient, you should delete this message. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorized, and any disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken or omitted in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful. **************************************************************
