What Have You Done Today To Your Kitfox?

[Av8r3400]

Added STOLSpeed VGs.

IMG_4896.jpg

[airlina]

Hey Larry, how about a before after report on your VG's once you get to flight testing. Thinking of doing the same . Thanks Bruce N199CL

[Kahle76]

Started fabricating back deck.

[redbowen]

What are you doing to your baggage are?

Started fabricating back deck.

[Kahle76]

What are you doing to your baggage are?

I’m building a shelf and then covering it with some velour that matches the the Kitfox upholstery. Decided not to use it for a baggage area.

[desertdave]

With expert help from Desertfox4 today I got my spinner installed.

[desertdave]

Replaced the jumper wires between my circuit breakers with copper bus-bars. Definitely cleaned up a lot of wires and crimp on connectors.

[Auster]

In the past days I've learnt a lot about the Bing carburettors on my 912ULS. On start-up the engine ran very rough. I shut down and after some investigation a friendly Rotax expert found one of the rubber carburettor mounts (between carb and manifold) had cracked.

We removed both carbs and disassembled them then ordered new mounts, new membranes, new float frames plus gaskets and o-rings. The floats
tested ok i.e. floated nicely and weighed within limits so were re-used. A few days later another friend and Rotax expert helped me assemble and mount the carbs and then demonstrated his method for balancing them. I'd not been getting it right. The test run revealed a very smooth running motor. The next day the airfield closed due to Corona Virus restrictions so I'm grounded but very happy to have my motor running again.

Why did the rubber mount fail? I blame age and winter starts. My maintenance schedule calls for an annual inspection but that would not have revealed this crack which started from inside. The schedule will be changed to call for replacement every 5 years along with an annual inspection. Winter starts are always a bit rough with the use of choke and of course the cold temps will make the rubber more brittle. Experience gained and lesson learnt.

[Auster]

Oh and I didn't mention the pic. Taken from the Kitfox flying past Venice lagoon last year. On the return trip we landed at the famous Venice Lido airfield and had a nice evening in Venice. Aren't planes fun?

[Maverick]

Welcome Bob. There are those of us that try to get it done on the cheap. I have $46,700 invested in my KF5. Allot of the cost of most Kitfoxes besides the initial kit is in the engine choice and Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS), and/or an Engine Information System (EIS), and Avionics. Like Eric, I lucked into an abandoned kit for $8750. I went with a used engine w/800 hrs on it, a Grand Rapids EIS and used steam gauges. Avionics are modest, a new GTR200, a used GTX327,uAvionics Echo UAT, Area660 GPS. I bought other things off other members of TeamKitfox like strobe lights, landing lights, etc. I got many parts from Kitfox, Inc. As Eric said, Heather and Debra are great. If you ever go see them, take some Snickers. Likely, they have the KF4 as a PDF but, I don't know that they do however, this is the right place to get help and surely someone out there has an inventory list.

Given your skills and apparent time to work on it, there is nothing on the Kitfox that you could not make yourself if you had to. The advantage of the kit is time to build but, having built a couple of planes from scratch, it just takes the desire, time and, effort to make what you need. Although, there are so many KF4s out there you shouldn't have to make anything.

Flight instruction is going to vary on a lot of things, i.e. what the local CFIs are charging. I paid $60/hr last week to get current and do the flight review. We used a Remose Light Sport plane that was $120/hr. I have no idea what the going rate might be elsewhere but the school that I used had a private pilot package for $13,500 and a Light Sport pilot for $9,500. Good luck.
Fred

P.S. Eric, you're most welcome.