Jeff Scott just mentioned about increasing stability by making the horizontal stab longer but still having issues with the pitch sensitivity of the plane. I cannot say for other pilots, but I have flown more than 15 different models of aircraft and find that there are quite a few aircraft that could be considered to be pitch sensitive depending upon what part of the flight regime you are referring to. ALL planes are sensitive at speeds above 120 mph or approx 105 knots. I think where the KR seems to get a bad rap is that by comparison to a basic trainer, i.e.: J3 Cub, or Cessna 152/172, the KR is much more sensitive. However, there is a whole list of planes that display the same sensitivity and increased elevator authority that the KR has. The Extra 300, Pitts S1 & S2, Glasair I, Thorp T-18, Sidewinder, Mustang II, just to name a few.
Builders can dampen this tendency to over control by using what I have documented on my website, taken from illustrations on Adrian Carter's website. Between the 2 sites you can find how to de-tune the elevator to require more or larger inputs from the stick to get the same motion at the elevator. I have flown behind this arrangement for over 30 hours and love it. It also has the effect of balancing the elevator response to the aileron response for better control harmony. I also followed a suggestion from Larry Flesner and re-drilled the pivot locating hole in the aileron bell crank inboard by 1/2 an inch to get the full 20 degrees up and 10 degrees down deflection from the ailerons. By doing this and what Dan Heath suggested about spacing the pushrod down to make it level so that it is actuating in a straight line, accomplishes this. By improving the aileron motion and de-tuning the elevator, I believe that our KR has excellent control authority and harmonizing. As good as any plane I have flown. All these things can be accomplished by a builder at any stage of construction, and with very little extra effort over the original assembly, just changes. Obviously use at your own risk as any suggestion found on the KR Net, but it is working for several builders. To throw out one more answer, Mark L already posted a more elaborate answer but suffice to say that a VW or Corvair will probably stop turning, not windmill. crain...@cfl.rr.com http://kr-builder.org/Colin/index.html KR2(td) N96TA Sanford, FL Apex Lending, Inc. 407-323-6960 (p) 407-557-3260 (f) crai...@apexlending.com
