What does POA think of the Kitfox?

texasclouds

texasclouds

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Seen them up close but never ridden in one. Looks like a ton of fun if you have easy access to unpaved surfaces.
 
There have been a lot of different versions... it's kinda like asking what you think you Cessna. I'm general they (at least the original avid clones) are a bit on the cramped size.

Also take a look at the Rans designs.
 
I would also consider the Bushcat. They are a little cheaper but being manufactured over seas may make parts availability a little more difficult. Kitfox has done a nice job of rebuilding their brand especially with the new wave of STOL plane interest. I know the flaperons are their trademark thing but I wish they would offer an option that didn't take up so much baggage space.
 
I am sure the Kitfox is just the right fit for some people.

Frankly, I was a little disappointed in the video. I am more interested in what it can do at max gross weight instead of what it can do empty in ideal conditions.
 
I have a tri-gear Aerotrek A240, which is essentially a version of the Kitfox. It's built in the Czech Republic, and it's sold in Europe as the Eurofox. It's been a fantastic airplane, lots of fun to fly, and a reasonable X/C machine for my wife and I.

BTW, I'm selling it because we bought a Flight Design CTLS. On the snowball's chance in heck that you might have some interest in checking it out, let me know. It has 480 hours and just underwent an extensive annual which included the mandatory 500-hour hose and rubber change on the Rotax 912.
 
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Is there a lower cost of ownership in LSA vs GA planes/avionics? Are there less mechanical maintenance restrictions on LSA than GA?
 
Zeldman said:
I am sure the Kitfox is just the right fit for some people.

Frankly, I was a little disappointed in the video. I am more interested in what it can do at max gross weight instead of what it can do empty in ideal conditions.
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texasclouds said:
Is there a lower cost of ownership in LSA vs GA planes/avionics? Are there less mechanical maintenance restrictions on LSA than GA?
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I assume that by "LSA" you mean "S-LSA" and/or "E-LSA".

65.107 outlines the requirements for a repairman certificate (light-sport aircraft) – you can get an inspection rating (16-hour class) or a maintenance rating (80 to 120 hour class depending on aircraft type). The inspection rating lets you perform the annual condition inspection for an E-LSA. The maintenance rating lets you perform maintenance / inspections on S-LSA and E-LSA aircraft. Note that this does not authorize you to sign off on maintenance of an aircraft with a standard certificate that meets the definition of Light Sport Aircraft. E-AB aircraft that fit into the LSA hole are maintained / inspected as E-AB aircraft.
 
They seem awesome. Especially with the new Rotax 915iS
 
Zeldman said:
I am sure the Kitfox is just the right fit for some people.

Frankly, I was a little disappointed in the video. I am more interested in what it can do at max gross weight instead of what it can do empty in ideal conditions.
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He has plenty of videos with him and a friend and camping gear in the plane. He is upgrading to the 915iS so it will be a beast
 
Its funny that guy only got his pilot training to legally fly commercial drones, next thing he knows he loves it and has a youtube channel. That is his first and only plane he has owned.
 
The STI with the 915 is a nice ride for the money. As of last week, they were out until June 2019 to get just the kit. Add to that build time, and you are a ways out from being in the air. I’ve moved on to looking at carbon cubs.
 
MtnMarcus said:
The STI with the 915 is a nice ride for the money. As of last week, they were out until June 2019 to get just the kit. Add to that build time, and you are a ways out from being in the air. I’ve moved on to looking at carbon cubs.
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Carbon cubs are a whole different league though in terms of price.
 
Kitfoxes, like the Avids they copied, are great planes. I've never met a Kitfox owner who didn't love his plane. That said, it depends on what you want... a lot of the people here on POA, the "go fast on instruments and spend a lot of money to do it" crowd, would not be at all happy in a Kitfox. Me, I could definitely see myself in a Kitfox... except I like open cockpit biplanes even more...

Maintenance, especially if you're mechanically skilled, is a LOT cheaper with an experimental.
 
texasclouds said:
Its funny that guy only got his pilot training to legally fly commercial drones, next thing he knows he loves it and has a youtube channel. That is his first and only plane he has owned.
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I was a little surprised to hear this.... He has a good head for off airport and mountain flying. In this video I was impressed on a couple of the small things he talked about.
 
texasclouds said:
Would this make a good time builder for a fresh PPL?
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Buying a new airplane for time-building seems rather strange. But as far as tube-and-fabric LSAs go, a Kitfox V rates highly in my book. One thing I noticed though, it is always more expensive than its knock-off, Aerotrek nee EuroFox, for the airplanes of a similar vintage and condition. Another worthy competitor in this class is RANS S-6 Courier II.
 
Haven’t flown an actual KitFox, but delivered an Avid Magnum once which is pretty much a KitFox 4 as I understand it.

Good takeoff performance and pleasant to fly in cruise, but the goofiest airplane I’ve ever flown in the traffic pattern.

The airplane I flew had flaperons that I didn’t use because they weren’t rigged properly.

The airplane was a tailwheel, but had the rudder throw/effectiveness of a PA28. In other words trying to slip it in without flaps was a royal pain because you’d get the rudder to the stops and the damn thing would start to pick up speed. Then it had this goofy float over the runway. I don’t know how much of the issues were the design or the builder, but it was one of the few airplanes I have flown that I genuinely disliked.

I was glad to hand the keys to the new owner.
 
I contacted the company and was told that they do occasionally have used planes available that they sell for customers, but they usually sell within 48 hours. I guess if you want one of these planes you have to get on a waiting list.
 
Clip4 said:
About the same quality of LSA, much lower quality than the rest of the production aircraft fleet.

I guess it comes down to your money, but I would not purchase one.
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You would not purchase any LSA vs a GA? Fair enough, i do agree GA is built more heavy duty and for more serious applications. LSA planes are built to be light and mainly for fun flying in good weather. I reckon they cost so much due to r&d and safety testing. That and the production rate is pretty low.
 
Home built airplanes are unsafe.

Everyone knows that?!?
 
Dana said:
Whose "over all opinion"?

Quality depends on the builder, some do better than others.
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No kidding. Always love it when a single internet expect declares ‘everyone’ agrees with me!

It’s true that build quality with any home built can vary, but that doesn’t mean that you can find quality out there if you look.
 
I've flown 2. One with a Rotax 912, the other with the Rotec radial.
I have nothing bad to say about either of them. In fact, I have only good things to say about them.
I will add this bit of factual information:
When you arrive in a Kitfox people notice.
When you arrive in a Kitfox with a radial, everyone notices, even the ladies.
 
texasclouds said:
You would not purchase any LSA vs a GA? Fair enough, i do agree GA is built more heavy duty and for more serious applications. LSA planes are built to be light and mainly for fun flying in good weather. I reckon they cost so much due to r&d and safety testing. That and the production rate is pretty low.
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I think you'll find that ELSA and SLSA are built to fit within the parameters required to quality as Light Sport Aircraft... nothing more nor less. They're built light because they have to be. They cost so much because they're fairly new airplanes. Have you priced a factory produced non-LSA of the same age compared to an SLAS or ELSA? If you buy a new airplane, it's going to cost more. No surprise there.
 
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