Kitfox/Avid

[Ramos]

Would appreciate any help I can get in broadening my knowledge. Thanks to information on this site and the Kitfox book ordered from the McBeans, I feel fairly comfortable in my understanding of the various Kitfox models and the differences between them.
For those who know both Kitfox and Avid, how close can I compare each companies individual models. I don't mean which one is 'better'. Don't need to start any arguments. Rather, an Avid Mark IV (for example), is most like a KF Model (?) and so on. I don't know if Avid paralleled the various KF's or not. Just throwing the question out there.
For those who may be wondering, I do fully understand the benefits of sticking with a brand name that is currently alive and well. I am not buying an aircraft today. Just attempting to expand my knowledge as much as possible before that glorious day arrives. Thank you for your patience, I am sure I am one of many who have asked a similar question time and again. I will be bothering the guys on the Avid forum with this same question.

[av8rps]

Avid chose to use letters of the alphabet whereas Kitfox used numbers. So an Avid A model is equivalent to a Model 1 Kitfox. The B Avid the same as a Kitfox 2, the Avid C same as a Model 3 Kitfox. So of course the Avid Mk 4 is the comparable of the Kitfox 4.

The latest Avid is the Avid Magnum. It is a very large 160 -180 hp Lycoming version of the Mark 4, somewhere between capabilities of a Super Cub and a Maule.

Kitfoxes latest models (5, 6, and 7 Super Sport) are basically very nicely enlarged and improved versions of their hugely successful Model 4. They most definitely had their thinking caps on tight when they finalized the newest Kitfox into the Super Sport, as it is an extremely versatile, comfortable, practical, and refined culmination of all other Kitfoxes. And they didn't lose any of the fun in the process. It is a great product. That's why it continues to grow in popularity even after all these years.

I've owned and flown a large variety of Avids and Kitfoxes over the years, and even a Just Aircraft Highlander. I've been around these planes since 1983, when they first were introduced to the public. There were none that I didn't like, but each one was different from the others, having its own traits and personality. I really prefer the evolution and improvements of the later designs, as they really are significantly better than the early models in most regards. But the early models were so light they could really perform in the STOL environment. And today they can represent a huge value for the person that doesn't have a large budget, but still wants a versatile, safe, and exceptionally capable folding wing aircraft.

But today most like the more practical later models with the 4 stroke engines, better cross country capability, more carrying capacity, larger cabin, faster cruise, etc, etc. There truly is a Model for any taste and budget. And frankly, even if I won the lottery and could have any airplane I wanted, I'd still want one of these. This general design is still one of the most fun aircraft you can own. It might even be the single most fun airplane in existence .

I keep looking but have't found another aircraft design I like more.

[Ramos]

Thank you, av8rps.

On Edit: Care to share any thoughts on your time in a Highlander?

[av8rps]

Sure, I'm happy to share my thoughts about the Highlander.

As I said earlier, I've really not met any of these planes I didn't like. But of all of them the Highlander and the Kitfox I own currently are my favorites. Yet they are very different airplanes.

The Highlander reminds me so much of the Avid Flyers I've owned in the past that I find myself calling it "My big Avid Flyer". The Highlander much like the Avid Flyer is a really good STOL aircraft, and excels in that realm. The later model Kitfox by comparison is a better cross country aircraft because it flies faster having a lower drag wing. But yet the Kitfox will still do a better than average job in the STOL environment. Just not as good as the Highlander. That is the best way I can give a simple explanation for how the Highlander and the Kitfox would compare. (I'm putting on my flame-proof suit now just in case.. this is a Kitfox form after all ).

When people approach the Highlander sitting on the tall gear with 29 inch wheels it is a pretty impressive looking airplane. You can tell just by looking at it that it is a real bush plane. It appears rugged, and it is. The cabin is much bigger than most 2 seaters, and the baggage area is absolutely huge, especially when you consider that while the airplane looks large, it really is not a big airplane. And even though it only has a 100 hp engine, it takes off really short and climbs like crazy, much like the old super lightweight Avid Flyers do. But afterall, the Highlander has the old undercambered airfoil that Dean Wilson designed for the Avid Flyer, so we shouldn't really be surprised (for the record, Kitfox used that same basic airfoil on the Model 1 through 3 Kitfoxes, so they fly more like the Avid Flyers too).

And the Highlander will also fly really slow with that old Avid airfoil. So combine large standard flaps to that wing and you end up with an airplane that can land really, really short. By comparison to the Kitfox that utilizes flaperons instead of flaps, the standard flap the Highlander uses is significantly better for descent control, which helps significantly with landing short.

But the flaperon on the Kitfox gives it a much sportier and fun roll authority than the Highlander. Not that the Highlander doesn't have a nice roll rate, but the Kitfox is as I said, sportier. And again, I like both of these airplanes, but they are different.

Not sure what else I can say except to tell you this; Many times I think it is dumb for me to own both a Kitfox and a Highlander when they are so similar in so many ways. So I try to force myself to decide on which one to keep and which one to get rid of. But I just can't seem to bring myself to get rid of either one. While they are in fact many ways similar, they are yet very different. And I like certain things about both aircraft. So I'm really lucky that I'm fortunate enough to be able to keep them both, or I would have a really difficult decision to make