I have a center console top of spar to spar and shortened my stick to 4" above spar. I flew my standard length KR2 holding console with 2 fingers on stick to only applying pressure to control pitch or roll. This avoided input from turbulence movement of plane. Originally had long stick and had big pio problems with first flight.
Steven W Plyler Plyler Construction and Design (408) 390-5971 Email: stevenwply...@gmail.com On Thu, Aug 28, 2025, 10:53 AM Adam Deem via KRnet <krnet@list.krnet.org> wrote: > I second everything Mark said about the handling characteristics. My > standard length KR is a good flying airplane, but by any conventional > standard lacks sufficient stick force at 1.3 lbs/g and easily demonstrates > neutral to slightly unstable dynamic pitch stability. I added an elevator > bobweight assembly to add nose down stick force and artificially increase > apparent stability and damping. This brought stick force to 3.1 lbs/g and > improved dynamic stability which has made it a more enjoyable airplane to > fly. > > Adam Deem > KR2, 3.0 Corvair powered > > On Thu, Aug 28, 2025 at 8:21 AM Mark Langford <m...@n56ml.com> wrote: > >> Jim Faughn's KR2 is about as "per plans" as they get, and once you get >> the hang of it, it's almost a "hands off" airplane. When I first bought >> it, releasing the stick was a death sentence....it headed straight to the >> ground while taking a hard left in the process! I thought I was going to >> die on takeoff the first time I flew it, which was on my way home after I >> bought it from Steve Bennett, because the runway was so incredibly crappy, >> but that wasn't the plane's fault. When I got some altitude I started >> feeling it out to figure out what it needed, which is when I discovered >> this was an airplane that needed 100% attention to fly! >> >> I'm saying this not to say that the KR2 is inherently unstable (although >> it certainly can be), but that it does take some getting used to, and some >> small tweaks. My first order of business was to add trim tabs to elevator >> and an aileron. Just a thin piece of bent aluminum held on with two #4 >> screws each. I started out with some really good tape, tried various >> angles and locations, within a week or two, it was a "hands off" airplane. >> It still is to this day. "Sensitive" yes, but there's no porpoising, left >> or right turning tendency, none of that. Of course even a small amount of >> stuff in the "way back" behind the seat can lead to a very exciting flight, >> so you have to keep that in mind too. >> >> See http://www.n56ml.com/n891jf/ for a lot more on Jim Faughn's KR2, and >> modifications I've made over the years to make it a pretty sweet flying >> plane, and as about an economical plane as there is to build and fly. I'd >> hoped to fly N891JF to the Gathering this year, but have been bogged down >> in other stuff that has slowed my progress on rebuilding the exhaust >> system. Instead, I'll be flying an RV-7, which was my wife's idea, so she >> can fit comfortably.....and because it has a "store bought engine" rather >> than a VW or a Corvair. It's a fine airplane, but it burns more than twice >> the fuel as the KR does, and isn't any faster. >> >> As for stick length, N891JF has fairly short sticks, and they work fine >> for me. That's probably a preference thing, and is easily altered once you >> figure out what you like. And yes, "moving the stick" is more like >> "exerting slight pressure on it" to persuade a slight change in direction >> or altitude, but you'll quickly get used to it, assuming the survive the >> takeoff! Moral of the story is "kid gloves".....only move it slightly, and >> you'll get better used to it shortly. >> >> Also, you absolutely MUST do a careful weight and balance on the plane >> (with and without pilot and baggage) before it's flown. Not doing that is >> asking for an early grave, maybe off the end of the runway..... >> >> Mark LangfordML@N56ML.comhttp://www.n56ml.com >> Huntsville, AL >> >> On 8/27/2025 10:25 PM, shafferj45...@twc.com wrote: >> >> Make your control stick as long as you can, without pinching your thumb >> under the instrument panel, when keying the mike button, if it is on top of >> the stick as mine is. My flight instructor flew my original length KR, and >> said it flew like a mini fighter, Very responsive. He did not consider it >> too pitch sensitive.. >> >> >> >> thx >> >> jg >> >> >> >> -- >> KRnet mailing list >> KRnet@list.krnet.org >> https://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet >> > -- > KRnet mailing list > KRnet@list.krnet.org > https://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet >
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