Possible Kitfox Flight Training in AL?

[Aeroengnr]

Hey everybody I am a new poster to the forums but have been quietly reading them as a guest. I intend to start flight school in the spring once the weather gets a little bit more comfortable around here. I have been fascinated with flight ever since I can remember and I'm in my senior year of college finishing my Aerospace Engineering degree. After countless hours of reviewing flight tests and airplane designs I have decided that the Kitfox fits what I think I want in a plane down to the T.

Now that the intro is out of the way I've got a few questions you guys might be able to answer for me. Are there any kitfox/(Kitfox clones) around the Northern Alabama/So. Tennessee areas that might be possible to get a ride in or any schools that are offering lessons in?

And secondly I am wanting to finish flight school and own my own plane before my intern is done (1 1/2 years). My budget is allowing around the 20 grand mark but I am pretty good in a shop and not opposed to working on a near finished or damaged plane. I guess my second question is what are some of the pros and cons of the different versions of the kitfox as their obvious designs dont seem to give me much of an idea of their different flight flaws/characteristics.

[SkyPirate]

welcome to the forum Aeroengnr,..

I don't think their are any flaws in the kitfox line for flight characteristics
it will all depend on your personal preferences ,..you build the plane to your specs ,..long wing or speedster,..65 HP or 100 plus HP,..tricycle or tail dragger,..bare bones or decked out ,..
I'm sure there is someone in your area you can hitch a ride with in a kitfox ,..that will convince you for sure

Chase

[Aeroengnr]

Thanks for the welcome! I may be guilty of looking at things a little to analytically haha. Probably a product of being forced to look over designs by teachers who wont ever set foot in an airplane not made by Boeing . What would be the best way of getting in touch with an owner of a Kitfox since I know that all of ya'll owners/builders seem to be a pretty friendly group that really likes promoting the design.

[SkyPirate]

Up on the kitfox forum tool bar is Community ,..click on that ,.and the bottom of the list is a members list ,..you could scroll thru the list and find someone close to you ,..look all the way to the right on their nickname ,..flying or intentions should be listed last, ..click on their name to go to their profile,..in their profile will be contact member by their name on the left side of the profile page ,,, click on that and choose your method of contacting them.
Some will have different options on how to contact them,..I ussually opt for e mail if it is listed.

Chase

[Pilot4Life]

Aeroengnr,
John McBean is also a great source to find a KF Nut in your area. He helped me to find some and he'd be glad to do the same for you, no doubt. He'll probably catch wind of this, seeing that he's a member of this forum as well. Just give it a day or two and you'll have the information you want. And yeah, Flying in a KF really will sink that hook in deeper.

[HighWing]

I find your questions insiteful. I am also a new poster on this forum. I built my first Kitfox, a Model IV from a factory kit I bought in 1993. I ruined it after 900 hours in a rather rough emergency landing two years ago and have been working on a previously owned but unfinished Model IV.

First, I can't help with the training and ride as I live in the west.

I do have some thoughts on some of the other questions. First off, althought there are no bad flight characteristics in the different models, there are differences. The early models have smaller tail surfaces, an undercambered wing and unsymmerical flaperons and their pilots learn a different flight skill set than those of the later models. Beginning with the Model IV-1200 the rudder was enlarged and both model IVs introduced a different wing design with higher speeds possible but sacrificing a bit of short field performance and a differential flaperon control system that reduced adverse yaw. Beginning with the Series 6 the flaperons were re-designed to reduce control sensitivity and increase control forces, to give a more solid feel and of course the later models were disigned for heavier payloads and are as a result, heavier from the get go (with the same wing).

Then there is the engine choices and their various issues - two cycle engines requiring more TLC in flight and on the ground, the auto conversions, usually heavier and affecting payload and performance, the certified engines with generally the same issues as the auto conversions and of course the Rotax 9XX series engines with their higher cost factor. There are passionate advocates for all the designs and modifications with valid arguments to support those choices.

The cost factor? Not sure how to help here, except to give my experience. My partially started kit with firewall forward came in at about $8500, I found a used 150 hour Rotax 912 UL - 80 HP for around $9,000. Add to that paint, Prop, radios, instruments, lights and misc. items, I expect to have maybe $23 or $24 thousand in the airplane (I figure I had about $30,000 in my first one. Time wise, it looks like maybe a year and a half taking off for goof off time added to the previous owner's time (I am mostly retired). The fact that I am building another Model IV with 912 gives away my personal preference.

Have fun.

[catz631]

Aeroengnr,
I own a Kitfox 4-1200 and live next to Pensacola ,Fl which would probably be about a 6 hour drive for you. I would be willing to take you for a ride in my plane plus show you all the "nuts and bolts' about it. The ride would of course depend on your size. I weigh about 230 so if you are a big guy(weight and height) the ride might not work (usefull load) . As you can see from the two pictures,I have done some modes to my aircraft to improve it
Dick Maddux
Milton,Fl

[cap01]

catz631, nice looking plane/paint job . noticed the tapered warpdrive . wondering if you flew it before the tapers and if much diff. mine has the square tips simply because they look cool
cap
kitfox IV 1050
912ul warpdrive
yelm, wa

[SkyPirate]

cap01 ,..not to jump in line here ,..but the square tips will pull slightly harder then the tapered tip,..I'd say about a 2 mph difference,..
from the ground ,,the squared tips are slightly louder then the tapered tips

Chase

[SkyPirate]

nice looking plane catz361,..what 's under the hood?

Chase