Best engine for Kitfox Mk2?

[av8rps]

If it were me, I'd do all I could to try and reduce weight elsewhere on the airplane so I could install the 912. That would be an awesome combination for a Kitfox, as it would be light and powerful.

Not sure how much you want to do to try and lower weight, but there are a lot of areas you could bring it down.

Fabric done with a dope finish is very light.

If it uses the fibreglass seat, replace it with a fabric sling

If it has big fibreglass tanks, eliminate one, install a port to add a portable tank for cross country work when needed, and even contemplate the necessity of a header tank, or at least consider a smaller/lighter one

Go with one of the new super lightweight batteries

Eliminate any heavy radio equipment and instruments. With modern technology you can save a lot of weight over the old stuff. Maybe even consider just using a handheld radio?

Run the lightest tires you can

Replace the turtledeck with a lighter version (many are way too heavy for what they need to be) Light aluminum with no glass.

And if that all doesn't still get you to the number you need, buy yourself some scales that read to your advantage

Fwiw; I have an early Avid Flyer that with a 532 Rotax (much like a 582) weighed empty 396 lbs. So putting a 912 in there would be no issue keeping within the numbers you need. And since a Model 2 Fox is only a bit heavier than the Avid if built comparably, it should be do-able to stuff a 912 in there. But for the record, my old Avid Flyer uses a sling seat, a fuselage 9 gallon tank, no electric, mechanical brakes, small tires and tailwheel, no lights, a handheld radio and no transponder, bare minimum instruments, butyrate dope finish, no trim system, etc, etc. But it is a little rocketship with that 532. Climbs solo 2500 fpm in cool weather, stalls around 20 mph, doesn't even need 100 ft to takeoff, and goes over 110 mph wide open with a fixed pitch 72-37 wood prop. If it had a 912 it would only be better.

I still wonder why people buy those ultra expensive Carbon Cubs when they could just buy an early Avid or Kitfox and 912 or 914 it, and probably outperform the Carbon Cub for about 1/10th the cost. And if you got really bored of beating up the Carbon Cub / Super Cub crowd, you could probably take it to Valdez and give the lil' Cub a run for its money .

Hmmm??? Lets say you do a super light airframe like my old A-model Avid and then you hang a big bore turbocharged 912s Rotax on it that pumps out 130+ hp, and install the new Catto 84 inch prop they just created for the 912 that puts out over 500 lbs of thrust... hmmmm????? Oh, and after you do all that, there's still nitrous...

I think the Valdez guys would be getting a real run for their money and probably wouldn't like seeing you show up regularly.

Oops, got a bit carried away...but it sure is fun to think about what one can all do with our early, light airplanes