My new project arrived!

[kmyfm20s]

Not a Mooney but thought some people might enjoy seeing my new project. I flew commercial up to Boise Idaho, rented a box van, loaded the Kitfox and made the 14 hour drive home this past weekend. This is what the bones of a Kitfox STi looks like. I was looking at the Cub variants but decided I really wanted side by side seating. This plane also attracted me because it has retracting wings and can be easily trailered. It will have 29” tires, Garmin G3X panel and a turbo charged Rotax engine. I’m sure many have seen the Trent Palmer YouTube videos which has exponentially increased the demand for these. I was lucky to have ordered before the waiting list got long. It takes well over a year to get a kit now. So far I’m really impressed with the quality and thoroughness of the kit. After finishing my inventory of the thousands of parts not one missing item. Very well labeled and organized. The components are incredibly light. I’m hoping to document the build and will keep those interested posted on the progress.

[carusoam]

Post pics early and often!

Best regards,

-a-

[Txbyker]

I watch Trent and Flying Cowboy videos and would love a Kitfox or Carbon Cub.  But in Texas we have a lot of open spaces but no place to land given it’s mostly private.  Hope you can keep us up to date on your build.

Russ

[gsxrpilot]

I've been thinking a Kitfox would be the perfect hangar mate for my Mooney 252.

Following...

[steingar]

I wouldn't emulate anyone who bought an airplane based on a Youtube video.  That said, Kitfoxes have been around for awhile, its a pretty well proven airframe.  Good luck with the build.  Definitely a good complement to a Mooney.  Is that really how the kit comes, with the wings and fuselage all assembled?

[gsxrpilot]

Come on... Youtube is the Encyclopedia Britannica of our time. 

[kmyfm20s]

17 minutes ago, steingar said:

I wouldn't emulate anyone who bought an airplane based on a Youtube video.  That said, Kitfoxes have been around for awhile, its a pretty well proven airframe.  Good luck with the build.  Definitely a good complement to a Mooney.  Is that really how the kit comes, with the wings and fuselage all assembled?

Im not sure I’m following you but I did quite a bit of research on the plane before purchasing it wasn’t based on the YouTube videos.  The videos just happen to come out when I was considering the purchase. The frame is just welded tubing, nothing is assembled yet. I did buy the factory quick build option for the wing. The place all th ribs but there is still plenty of work to be done. Supposedly save me 200 hours. The fuel tanks where place in the wing  just for transport. Even with purchasing as many quickbuild options as I could it will be plenty of a project for me.

[tigers2007]

I always wanted a Kitfox and a Mooney. Too bad I can’t have both. My latest obsession has been a 1/2 VW powered Legal Eagle. There is one for sale in Southern Michigan that I want to look at later this week asking 6 AMU.

 

Dream plane: Kitfox on Amphibs... like 35+ AMU. I’ve considered selling my M20D as my mission has changed since I moved; Skywest has a better dispatch rate than my Mooney.

 

Also, checkout Scalebirds.com. Their new LSA “Lightfighters” modular kit system sounds enticing; no price info yet. The SPA Panther full kit with major components assembled is 22 AMU (16 AMU for the kit alone). I like the easy folding wings as it would make it easier to store with the Mooney.

 

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[Yooper Rocketman]

1 hour ago, tigers2007 said:

I always wanted a Kitfox and a Mooney. Too bad I can’t have both. My latest obsession has been a 1/2 VW powered Legal Eagle. There is one for sale in Southern Michigan that I want to look at later this week asking 6 AMU.

 

Dream plane: Kitfox on Amphibs... like 35+ AMU. I’ve considered selling my M20D as my mission has changed since I moved; Skywest has a better dispatch rate than my Mooney.

 

Also, checkout Scalebirds.com. Their new LSA “Lightfighters” modular kit system sounds enticing; no price info yet. The SPA Panther full kit with major components assembled is 22 AMU (16 AMU for the kit alone). I like the easy folding wings as it would make it easier to store with the Mooney.

 

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You hitting the Wings Program tonight at KIMT?

[Yooper Rocketman]

I have always been fascinated with the Kitfox.  Look forward to progress updates!!

Tom

[Txbyker]

2 hours ago, kmyfm20s said:

Im not sure I’m following you but I did quite a bit of research on the plane before purchasing it wasn’t based on the YouTube videos.  The videos just happen to come out when I was considering the purchase. The frame is just welded tubing, nothing is assembled yet. I did buy the factory quick build option for the wing. The place all th ribs but there is still plenty of work to be done. Supposedly save me 200 hours. The fuel tanks where place in the wing  just for transport. Even with purchasing as many quickbuild options as I could it will be plenty of a project for me.

What engine are you planning, the turbo?  Any idea over the overall hours you will end up putting into it?

Russ

[kmyfm20s]

Supposedly 800-1000 hours. The quick build wing takes off 200 hours.  I’m leaning toward the Edge Power sport Rotax turbo 912STi, 150 hp. 

[Hank]

5 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

I've been thinking a Kitfox would be the perfect hangar mate for my Mooney 252.

Following...

I have zero experience with either, but find Just Aircraft over in Georgia to look quite amazing! They take off from "cleared" land, bouncing over the downed trees . . . . .

[Marauder]

The heck with the KitFoxes. I want one of those turbine powered Dracos that Trent is seen with once in a while!

[Dan208]

3 hours ago, Marauder said:

The heck with the KitFoxes. I want one of those turbine powered Dracos that Trent is seen with once in a while!

Mike Patey is an awesome guy . Him and his brother are inspiring for sure . Heck with Draco. I want Turbulence,  his record holding Lancair .  Alright enough day dreaming,  I am going back to work .

 

[tigers2007]

You hitting the Wings Program tonight at KIMT?

I just saw your message that is a negative. I didn’t know they had one there tonight but I’ll try to make the next one.


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[kmyfm20s]

5 hours ago, Hank said:

I have zero experience with either, but find Just Aircraft over in Georgia to look quite amazing! They take off from "cleared" land, bouncing over the downed trees . . . . .

Those are also great planes and were on my short list!

[kmyfm20s]

29 minutes ago, Dan208 said:

Mike Patey is an awesome guy . Him and his brother are inspiring for sure . Heck with Draco. I want Turbulence,  his record holding Lancair .  Alright enough day dreaming,  I am going back to work .

 

A fellow Mooneyspacer, Stinkbug is friends with him. We flew up to the high Sierra flyin about 4 years ago in our Mooney’s and we got to chat. Very nice guy! 

 

 

 

 

 

[bradp]

Mike is a whiz with composites. He’s a whiz bang get it done with seemingly unlimited resources.  A pretty inspirational fogure for GA. 

[Bryan]

22 hours ago, Dan208 said:

Mike Patey is an awesome guy . Him and his brother are inspiring for sure . Heck with Draco. I want Turbulence,  his record holding Lancair .  Alright enough day dreaming,  I am going back to work .

 

I just saw a video where he sold Turbulence!  But teaser on building something new... faster... possibly pressurized.  I agree, Turbulence looked awesome!

[Dan208]

9 hours ago, Bryan said:

I just saw a video where he sold Turbulence!  But teaser on building something new... faster... possibly pressurized.  I agree, Turbulence looked awesome!

I watched a video where he described getting the plane finished and how salt lake center had to get used to him. He said he would call for his ifr clearance and say climbing through five thousand or whatever altitude.  By the time they would respond he was way past that altitude,  so they would question it . By the 3rd interaction he was telling them level at 17500 . 

If memory serves he said greater than 6000 feet per minute in the climb. Got to love power.

The Lancair IVP turbine has to be unreal . I need to start begging for a ride from a certain MS member .lol

Edited March 7, 2019 by Dan208

[carusoam]

The Lanceair IVPT is awesome... Find the threads from Tom in the UP... he practiced ownership and piloting skills using a Rocket first...

Best regards,

-a-

[Dan208]

2 hours ago, carusoam said:

The Lanceair IVPT is awesome... Find the threads from Tom in the UP... he practiced ownership and piloting skills using a Rocket first...

Best regards,

-a-

I have , I dream of making it to ,a Rocket level pilot.   His airplane is amazing,  I can read about stuff like that for hours .

I am super excited about getting an E model ,and loging lots of cross country hours commuting. This summer is going to be awesome. I am also very fond of Kit Fox airplanes . I am partial to alot of things from Idaho.

I cant wait to see this build progress. 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Dan208
Spelling

[tigers2007]

The Lancair IVP turbine has to be unreal . I need to start begging for a ride from a certain MS member .lol

It feels like you’re sitting in a car with nitrous oxide as you’re held back in your seat from the the moment he pushes forward on the throttle until he levels off. And then you look out your window at the 45 degree climb and he says we’re still accelerating... Well I don’t remember what angle N994PT climbs at but it felt almost vertical and when you look at the airspeed tape it is still increasing. Such a unique experience. Maybe the FAA can create a prefix like “Super” for GA aircraft to signify turbine power under the hood.


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[gsxrpilot]

I was very privileged to fly this beast on my birthday last year. The best birthday present ever. 

We launched and climbed out with a ridiculous deck angle. Tom gave me a quick demonstration of the controls with some cautioning to keep it coordinated. Within just a minute or so, he leveled us off and said, "your airplane." We were at FL150.