Brad and netters, I have a belly board like Larry Flesner's and would not trade it for the world! My belly board acts as well or better than any set of flaps I have used. I found that on my first flight, that my KR2 would not slow down on downwind, even at idle, and I thought I was going to have major problems getting it to land. When I deployed the belly board to first setting, 25 degrees relative to the bottom fuselage surface, I had a pronounced down pitching moment, giving better view, and a definite slowing of the plane, making me add power to maintain a constant glide. Once I turned base leg, and added the 50 degree setting, my KR2 came down on rails, just as smooth and straight, and constant descent. I was able to make an approach just like I could in a Piper Seminole. I could not have done that without the belly board, and stock flaps are just not effective enough. Mark Langford and several others have designed better flaps, I think Orma Robbins re-designed both the flaps and the ailerons by moving their hinge points to the rear spar to increase their overall area and effectiveness (see his picture of "Tweety" in past KR Gatherings).
Brad if ground clearance is an issue, then mount it to the front/main spar. Once into a landing position/attitude, you should have adequate clearance. Mine is mounted to the rear spar, but I have Diehl conventional gear, so I sit a little higher. Larry sits even higher with his longer legs ( I think, sorry if I am wrong Larry ). My point is this: the stock KR2 or KR2S develops plenty of lift, too much when landing, more if Dan Diehl wing skins are used (longer wings). When landing the idea is for YOU to be able to determine when the flare occurs, not the plane. Mark L talks about it on his site and is the reason why he used split flaps instead of Fowler or standard flaps (among other considerations I know). I want to develop a simple but effective speed brake for the top of the wing also later. I used them on a Mooney and I fell in love with them. But that is another story. In my mind the speed brake/belly board makes the KR not just more flyable, but safer. More pilots are hurt or killed during takeoff and landing than any other phase of flight, and possible all other phases of flight combined. To be able to make the landings more consistent, predictable, and slower/more manageable, I see no reason not to have one. As Larry F says, your results may vary (ALOT!).... Colin Rainey brokerpi...@bellsouth.net
