At 10:44 PM 4/13/2012, you wrote: >You could not pay me to do it again nor would I add it during building (what >a waste of time, money and worst of all, weight). Barry Kruyssen +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Barry, I was surprised to read such a negative opinion on something that works so well for me on my KR. I was also amazed to see how complicated your system is when I looked at the photos on your web page. I was also surprised that you seem to be getting lift from a flat plate exposed to the slip stream. My "belly board" is a simple 1/4" foam board covered with a couple layers of glass, hinged at the front, full of holes, with a single jack screw for deployment. I once saw a belly board on another home built that was hinged at the rear and deployed with a rope attached to the front with a tee handle in the cockpit. The rope had knots at several points on it length that would fit in to a notch that allowed for several settings of deployment. My setup http://myplace.frontier.com/~flesner/02092593.jpg is actually a bit heavier than necessary. I'm using a Cessna flap motor that I got for free. If I would let loose of a few hundred dollars I could get a jack screw and motor ( such a Vans sells for the RV) that probably weighs half or less than the unit I'm using. My considered opinion is that the KR, being such a slick airframe, needs some added drag to give it comfortable handling characteristics in the landing mode. A good set of flaps like Mark Langford or Jeff Scott installed, that also benefit with some lift at lower settings, would be nice but add to the complexity of the install. If my system experienced a total failure of some type, I'd not hesitate to build another. Larry Flesner
