Looking for a S5 or newer near CA...

[NinerBikes]

I'm in the process of doing my my ground school work at home and buying a S5 or newer trike, already built, for getting my Sport Pilot License.

What I am most interested in is how I will fit in the cabin, being 6'5" and 250 #'s in a Kit Fox.,

If there is anyone local, or say within 400 miles of Santa Clarita ,CA area that I could drive to or go visit for a seat in a Kitfox to see how I fit, it would be greatly appreciated, as I want to test for my pilots license in my own plane, not some poorly maintained rental.

I live very close to both KVNY and KWHP, and I'm retired, if you would happen to be in the area, sometime, I could meet you there. Me driving to your local airport is also an option.

If anyone has any ideas, feel free to PM me or post here.

Randy

[efwd]

Hi Randy
My 7SS is at Chino airport. 951-two one two-5606. Hasn't flown yet. My Tech Counselor/DAR and I will be weighing it Saturday morning Dec. 8. If you are inclined we will be there. Well within 400 miles.

[NinerBikes]

Sounds good, weather and rain permitting...

[NinerBikes]

Well,

I am getting discouraged with this whole new LSA class of plane.

Being 6' 5", I tried to fit in efwd's SS 7 today..... No dice, I am not limber enough or small enough to fit, short of moving the whole seat back a good 3 or 4" so my legs can get access.

I did fit myself in a Sling2, and my knees were right up against the dash.

I guess the pilots of these LSA's have different dimensions than I do. I know I fit into German sedans just fine, between a Touareg, a Passat and even a little tiny VW e-Golf all electric 4 door compact car, that I own.

Any suggestions on something that is LSA that I will fit in comfortably, and that I can easily get in and out of too? Or am I doomed to fail in a LSA category aircraft?

What to do? Suggestions from the bigger taller 6'5" or larger pilots and passengers out there?

efwd's 7SS looks spectacular... very, very nicely done, LED's in the front tips of the wings, the weight balance left and right was perfect, I think he came out at around 806 pounds. Gorgeous interior and dash, state of the art, the console too. Nice full Grove landing gear and brakes package, too! Drooling, midlife crisis is looking ready to rock and roll, shortly.

Thanks Ed, for helping me out with this.

Randy

[Esser]

I’m surprised. I’m 6’3 (but quite thin) and fit no problem. I didn’t think 2” would make it a deal breaker.

[av8rps]

Try a Just Aircraft Highlander or Super Stol. I once saw a huge man get in it with the designer and go flying together just fine. The big guy thought initially it would have to be modified for only one seat, but was pleasantly surprised when he fit with another adult.

I think the Just Aircraft models have much larger cabins than any of the Rans models. And having seats that slide back provides gobs of legroom. I have a Highlander as well as a Kitfox. They are from similar lineage / design, but the Highlander cabin is huge by comparison (almost too huge for me at 6 ft and 190 lbs). . So find one of those to try on. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

They have a forum at www.wingsforum.com if you want to find someone in your area.

[Charliebravo]

Randy, how much do you weigh, and was that a factor? I’m 6’6” and 215 lbs. I have yet to try on a Kitfox but I did have my heart set on a trip out to stick and rudder in ID. May need to find one to try on in Virginia.

[NinerBikes]

Randy, how much do you weigh...

60 yrs old, a little stiff, 6'5" and 250 to 260#'s depending on if I am in winter coat mode or not. Most of my height is in my legs, 36" inseam.

Don't fit in Japanese cars too well, always fit in German cars well, mainly because Germans and Dutch are some of the tallest nationalities around, so they build cars to fit that demographic.

You may be more flexible than me, it just seemed that with his setup and the pedals, getting my knees stuffed into my chin seemed to be a bugger and problematic for entrance. Perhaps a longer door? Or a 3 to 4" longer access opening to the side would do it, or seats more aft, although that would really screw with where your weight sits under the wings and the CG balance.

[Charliebravo]

Thanks. 37" in seam here. Sounds like getting in and out is the issue. Once seated you were ok. There may be hope me:)

[NinerBikes]

Door length is part of it, front to rear, just really tight, and , getting around the joystick.

I don't have any of these problems getting in and out of cars, well except maybe a corvette, too low to the ground, but the door on a corvette is plenty long enough to get my legs in, as it is on almost any 2 door coupe.

Interested in seeing how you get in and out of a SS7, let us know how it goes. How old are you? Age might be a factor also.

[Charliebravo]

Age 47.

Would love to find one on the east coast to sit in. Does anyone know of one around the Richmond, Virginia or Atlanta, GA area?

[896tr]

Door length is part of it, front to rear, just really tight, and , getting around the joystick.

If you use a removable pin at the bottom of the stick so it can be laid to the side it is so much easer to swing your legs in;)

[jiott]

I am probably saying what everyone already knows, but by far the easiest way to get into a Kitfox is, assuming on the pilot side, first back in and set your butt on the seat, then swing your right leg in over the stick, then last swing in your left leg. I have seen so many newbies try to first put their right leg in, then their butt, etc.-this just does not work well.

[NinerBikes]

Correct, and at 6' 5" with the tires on Joes 7SS, I was able to do that, get my rear in first, as Joe showed me how, and then get my right leg in. the trick was with the joy stick, getting the left leg in. It's a tight fit, with my long legs. Joe is maybe 5'8" tall, and removed the 3" foam cushion first, before I tried getting in.

[brjohnso]

The rumor is that the rules for LSA are going to be modified to include aircraft like the C-172, so you might want to hold off on buying something with a gross weight of only 1320lbs.

[NinerBikes]

Yep, I pretty much would only fly by myself. Much like how I drive. Now, it is seeming more and more impossible to buy a plane to take my pilot lessons in for a Sport Pilot license, and that I am bound to have to rent.

[efwd]

Hey Randy, when I first got in and out of the aircraft at Stick and Rudder, I had to be taught how to do it. Im only 5'4" 145#. I have all the room in the world:D
When I am flying I will make good on the promise to fly with you. You made one very short attempt at getting in. You got in as I do but I feel that you could have made it with a bit more patience. You had it right with the Sardine comment though. Im not sure how comfy you would be if we had tried again with assistance or even doing as was suggested (removable pin to remove the stick). You will need bare bones cushion thickness that's for sure.

[mr bill]

Instead of using a bolt to attach the stick, I used a self locking pin. The stick is detachable, making entrance and exit much easier. The wire harness has a little extra length to allow detachment. I don't bend as easily as I used to.

[NinerBikes]

Oh, good suggestion.... Mr. Bill, on the detachable stick.

It was pretty late when we tried to get on in, and as Ed says, the attempt was brief. Maybe it is possible... I felt kind of guilty, Ed's boy had work to do that afternoon, and I was preventing him from making some money... so, it was a little hastened.

I can tell you I did fit in to a Sling 2, but the knees were close to the dash on it. The owner there at The Flight Factory in Torrance said they could modify the seats/pans and move them back so I would fit in the plane, but the weight factor was even closer on a Sling 2 than a KitFox 7 SS, I would have needed a female Flight Instructor in the 130 lb range or less, and 14 gallons of fuel, max, while taking flight lessons. I felt it was just too close to the limit, despite the plane being designed for 1520 Lbs. LSA keeps the limit down to 1320.

[NinerBikes]

Door length is part of it, front to rear, just really tight, and , getting around the joystick.

If you use a removable pin at the bottom of the stick so it can be laid to the side it is so much easer to swing your legs in;)

Good point! Duly noted! Thanks for the suggestion!

[brjohnso]

If you’re going to fly by yourself, consider something with tandem seating like a Rans or a cub.

[mike92104]

https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/LSA-Weight-Limit-Increasing-To-3600-Pounds-231639-1.html

For your consideration. Looks like the LSA weight limit is going up.

[NinerBikes]

Will this then allow planes designed with 1520 # weight limits to still be flown under a Sport pilot license... That would sure help a couple of overgrown men still fly with a Rotax 912 ULS for a powerplant, or something normally respirated that makes 120 HP in a light weight Rotax power package.