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Thread: First flight.

  1. #1
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
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    Default First flight.

    8C09384B-DE96-40A4-B770-CE1C89E53376.jpg
    Well she flew for the first time today. 😀
    Short flight by the time I was all ready but it did great. Will give it another go tomorrow.
    This thing is going to be fun!
    200’ takeoff, 1700’ per minute climb and without trying 120 mph indicated in the down wind. Busy pattern so couldn’t open it up without running down a Cessna 172. Controls felt great. Engine, perfect. That EarthX battery real spins the prop fast. Fastest Rotax starts I ever experienced. 👌

    Couldn’t find any buddies at the airport to capture the first takeoff on video. 😢

    More soon.

    Keep building guys. It is so worth the effort.😀😀😀😀😀


    DesertFox4
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  2. #2
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Default Re: First flight.

    Congratulations DF4! We will have to get out for some air to air video in the near future. Desert background works great with bright paint schemes. 😎
    Eddie Forward
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Garmin G3X

  3. #3
    Senior Member jrevens's Avatar
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    Default Re: First flight.

    Congrats, Steve!!! Those are great numbers! I'm curious... I realize how much of a difference light weight makes, but to get that 1700 fpm climb, what was your flap setting, RPM, and airspeed? Do you have an IFA prop?
    John Evens
    Arvada, CO
    Kitfox SS7 N27JE
    EAA Lifetime
    Chap. 43 honorary Lifetime

  4. #4
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    Default Re: First flight.

    Sweet! I can’t imagine indicating 120. I would have to be in a dive with power and I would still have trouble hitting that.
    Dustin Dickerson

    Building 7ss STI x 2
    Oratex
    29" shock monster
    EP912STI 155hp
    Garmin
    N33TF......FLYING!
    N53TF......FLYING!

  5. #5
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
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    Default Re: First flight.

    Eddie, would love flying this beautiful part of the U.S. with you. Tangerine will be on display at Kitfox Aircraft’s CopperState fly in booth this Feb. along with the Monarch Butterfly Kitfox. Lots of orange will be the theme I guess.

    John, thank you. Finally got her off the ground. I always tell people about to fly their new Kitfox for the first time to be prepared for the Kitfox to be ready to fly way before expected. Well, this one kind of surprised even me. I rolled the power in kind of conservatively the first time. It was off before full power was reached. Had about 7 mph right down the runway. Max static ground run up RPMs was 5150 in today’s 63 degree air. Ivo Lite ground adjustable prop. I’m Light Sport John so at this time no in-flight adjustable prop allowed. I always take off with 1/2 flaps for max take off performance. Had a heck of a time getting rid of the flaps before hitting 80 mph. In fact I didn’t get it done before 89 mph showed up on the airspeed tape. Try to climb out at 80 mph or so to keep speeds up for all the fast airplanes in the pattern. 80 mph showed 1700’ per minute in this nice cool air. Well, cool for here.
    If traffic permits tomorrow, I’ll try to see what wide open top speed in level flight will show. I’m sticking close to the airport for a couple hours just to make sure everything is working properly.

    Shadowrider- thank you. Your STi wing compared to my “standard” wing with Laker Leading Edge makes them two very different aircraft. The STi with the 915 is a hoot.😀. Can’t imagine it with 155 hp. Wicked.


    DesertFox4
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  6. #6
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    Default Re: First flight.

    Fantastic Steve , its going to be fun for the rest of us to see what kind of performance numbers you can achieve thru your flight testing. Sounds like Your attention to detail and membership in weight watchers is going to pay off in spades. Congratulations , a big day in your life. Bruce N199CL

  7. #7
    Senior Member efwd's Avatar
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    Smile Re: First flight.

    5150 huh? That's a CRAZY number.
    that is where my prop was set for first flight. I found that to be a good cruise setting and I showed similar indicated airspeed. I wonder if you will find better takeoff performance should you take your static rpm up to 5400. I don't recall seeing any better takeoff performance but I suppose there was. I preferred it when I had a cruise pitch. It was more difficult to overspeed the engine then. Thanks for the heads up on Copperstate. I didn't realize it was coming so soon. I need to check my schedule. Sounds like one I need to attend, this time with my plane.
    Eddie Forward
    Flying
    SS7, 912iS, Garmin G3X

  8. #8
    Senior Member Dave S's Avatar
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    Default Re: First flight.

    Steve,

    Congratulations on your first flight and safe event. It's hard to describe the feeling of taking an airplane you built for it's first trip into the air.

    Many happy hours.
    Dave S
    Kitfox 7 Trigear (Flying since 2009)
    912ULS Warp Drive

    St Paul, MN

  9. #9
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
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    Default Re: First flight.

    Eddie, I’ve found 5200 RPMs to be a good static ground setting for best cruise. Like you said, anything much higher and cruise suffers slightly. When on those long cross country flights, an extra 10 mph helps a little. Take offs suffer slightly but I’m usually operating off longer hard surface runways so achieving the shortest distance take offs is rarely needed. Even when I was flying in Idaho back country strips with my model 4 with the same prop and engine, the same prop settings worked well but most times I was solo.
    In- flight adjustability would be better but Light Sport yet does not allow this but who knows, maybe someday down the road the FAA will wise up and allow those props.


    DesertFox4
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  10. #10
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default Re: First flight.

    way to go Steve. I'm glad you like your airplane there is nothing like being at the beginning of the runway with a new airplane and hitting the throttle and lifting off for the first time in a brand new airplane. One thing to think about, you can put the motor in your IVO and wire the switch up under the cowling, it will still be considered a ground adjustable, it will just be easier, like put the switch at the oil door. just a thought.
    steve
    slyfox
    model IV 1200-flying
    912uls
    IVO medium in-flight
    RV7A-flying
    IO-360
    constant speed prop

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