Cruise Speed

[Rodney]

I started thinking - ok - daydreaming ( thinking can be seriously dangerous in my case ) about how nice it would be to have a little bigger engine so I could cruise a little faster into those 30 mph headwinds that often seem to find me.

So, I went to the Kitfix website and found this information about the SS7

"Most noteworthy is a variety of engine system enhancements that have resulted in an airplane that can cruise at over 150 mph, fly 700 miles non-stop, and heft a useful load of 700 pounds."

Can we really cruise at 150 mph??? Anybody doing that? Is this true airspeed or indicated? I'd like to hear of anyone that has really done 150 tas or ias.

If a Kitfox can really go that fast safely,it would be awesome.

Rodney

[DesertFox4]

Rodney, the only place I saw these numbers used was with SkyStar when they put a 914 turbo on the 7 and a Hoffman constant speed prop. They were using altitudes above 18,000 feet and true air speeds. If I recall right, they did attain these numbers. Not many IFR equipped Kitfox to be at those altitudes but bragging rights I guess.

Now John McBean gets some pretty impressive cross country speeds and altitudes with his 7SS and 914 turbo with a constant speed prop. and oxygen on board but he doesn't fly in the flight levels, at least yet.

[jiott]

Never exceed speed is specified as 140 mph?

[DesertFox4]

The 150 mph claim was using TAS at high altitude ( above 18,000'), as I recall. That would keep them easily below the indicated never exceed speed of 140 mph.

[Rodney]

Ya Jiott. That's what I thought till I read the KF website. Thought I must be missing something here. (Not unusual)

DF4 - that is really interesting info. You sure know some interesting history when it comes to the Kitfox.

Ok - so now JM is hanging a 180 hp Titan 340X on a KF. Surely it can go past 150 in level flight.

So that brings me to the next question. Structurely - what is it on the KF that limits the Vne to 140? Or, is that the real limit?

Rodney

[jiott]

J. McBean can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that the 140 mph Vne was the highest speed tested at the time the Kitfox was going thru the certifications for SLSA, probably because that was all the power available for testing at that time. It may or may not be capable of more than that, but if you exceed 140 you are a test pilot on your own.

[Av8r3400]

The model IV-1200 has a VNE of 140.

Without wanting to offend, seriously if you want to go faster than 120 or at most 130, you really should consider something other than a Kitfox. There are airplanes that handle the speed you are looking for far better than a Kitfox. The Kitfox is a STOL design, not a high speed cruiser like an RV.