Kitfox Aircraft Stick and Rudder Stein Air Grove Aircraft TCW Technologies Dynon Avionics AeroLED MGL Avionics Leading Edge Airfoils Desser EarthX Batteries Garmin G3X Touch
Page 2 of 11 FirstFirst 123456 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 101

Thread: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

  1. #11

    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    San Rafael, CA
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    Thanks, I was thinking of building/acquiring a S7 STi and they don't seem that fast with the big tires and I don't know how much of this is the tires and how much of this is the wing.

    Just watching YT Video's such as Trent's and others with a 100 hp (minimum) engine and they are cruising in the 90-100 range and odds are more often closer to the 90 than the 100.

    I do not care about meeting the LSA requirements if this matters. I see a lot of comments on this site in reference to the LSA rules but I don't have a sport pilots license so I don't really care. I'm out for fun not a loop hole to allow it.

    I'm still in the planning stage and I don't even know if a KF is the best option for me. I want a STOL plane and I have a distaste for a tandem setup so side by side options tend to be between the KF and the JUST.

  2. #12
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    felts field, spokane
    Posts
    1,327

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    you got to understand, those guys don't give a care about what their top speed is. they want off fast. climb out is their game. basically. I do believe the sti wing is a low stall not so fast wing. that's what I heard anyway. you need to figure out your mission. the standard super sport in my opinion would cover 90% of what a person in reality would want and need. I know trent is getting everybody a hard on for the STOL flying that he and his friends are doing. You just need to figure out if it's what you want. like I said the standard super sport is a great airplane on it's own. best thing it will go 120 with the 912uls. still land short and have a ton of fun.
    steve
    slyfox
    model IV 1200-flying
    912uls
    IVO medium in-flight
    RV7A-flying
    IO-360
    constant speed prop

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    San Rafael, CA
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    This is kinda why I am asking. The 120 to get there and then the fun once you can get to a place to have fun. Not exactly a plane to travel 350 miles with but 100'sh seems ok and then the HP concern was that I could use that to get the plane to climb to compensate for the faster wing, ad VG's and such and be a decent compromise.

    I have a crazy engine plan but who knows

  4. #14
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    felts field, spokane
    Posts
    1,327

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    I think there is at least some things to think about for fun. Do you want to go out and lets say fly 20 off and zip around trees and play in the canyons. Do you want to go out and have fun landing and taking off in areas that have nothing but your guts to regulate where you land. Do you want to go out and land at grass fields in the back country and be satisfied with those type of landing areas with a seldom spot like a river bed. The middle one is extreeeem flying and can bite you real quick, the other two not so much. The first one you will do believe it or not just because you will be in the back country and it will happen. landing in the grass fields is really fun and you can do that with a standard kitfox along with the first example. now the middle one, not so much, like I said it can bite you. Now you need the freedom Fox type of machine. with some balls to go with it.
    steve
    slyfox
    model IV 1200-flying
    912uls
    IVO medium in-flight
    RV7A-flying
    IO-360
    constant speed prop

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    San Rafael, CA
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    The canyon flying seems like fun but I think more people get killed doing that as there's typically little speed involved, most of these planes have little hp to spare, and if the terrain closes in on you your done. This happend to ICON at Lake Berryessa. Couldn't get out of the way of the terrain.

    There are no rivers near me so it'd probably be more of landing in the desert areas after a sweep run to be honest. Stopping in 10-100' is bragging but not important, to me. Climbing like a rocket would be more fun too so that's why I asked about the hp.

    I'm new to these forums but it's easy to get confused as KF makes/made several versions and the forums are all inclusive of a K1 to k7 and people are coming from their experiences with different planes so it takes a while to get a grip on what a K3 is vs a k5 and so forth. I say S7 as it's what's made today.

  6. #16

    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Green River UTAH
    Posts
    140

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    So Rik, you could put a stock Subaru WRX-STI motor in a plane and have 300 horse power with 6 cylinders, great for a dune buggy (I had one) but more horse power will always mean more weight. Not great for a stol plane. Don't forget what vne means, velocity never exceed speed. Isn't the series 7 vne around 140 or 150 mph? you can call John or Debra at Kitfox and ask them for their recommendations based on your skill level and objectives they will always give you an honest answer, why would they want jeopardize their reputation and company with false or bad information. Better yet, make an appointment with Stick & Rudder for some instruction then make a decision on what you need. You could be in for a surprise when you actually have real time in a Kitfox. I have never read about or heard anyone complain that their Kitfox is a disappointment.

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    San Rafael, CA
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    I'm sure they are great planes. I'm not going to be considering a car engine in a plane like this. Very counter productive, yet I see they are putting a Yamaha Snowmobile engine in a Highlander, I have more exotic plans

  8. #18
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    3,562

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    The STi wing is a higher lift wing so that makes it slower than the standard wing by about 20 mph or so using the same engine in each for comparison. It does come with a lower stall speed.
    The standard wing is what Stick & Rudder uses on their training Kitfox’ and Stick & Rudder is the gold standard for back country flight instruction in some of the most challenging fields in Idaho. One has the 914 turbo and the other is a 912 fuel injected 100 hp.

    The vne speed is 140.


    DesertFox4
    Admin.
    7 Super Sport
    912 ULS Tri-gear


  9. #19

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Posts
    98

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    I'm going to blow your minds. I fly ALL the time (last 20 years) with just 19hp and it's an absolute blast. I fly more than anything in my area. I say just get out there and get GOOD at flying with whatever you have.... 80,100,115, 500hp who cares...HP is not going to make you a better pilot.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JvkTn8YGDaU

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    San Rafael, CA
    Posts
    89

    Default Re: What is the “highest” HP someone has put into a Kitfox?

    Quote Originally Posted by DesertFox4 View Post
    The STi wing is a higher lift wing so that makes it slower than the standard wing by about 20 mph or so using the same engine in each for comparison. It does come with a lower stall speed.
    The standard wing is what Stick & Rudder uses on their training Kitfox’ and Stick & Rudder is the gold standard for back country flight instruction in some of the most challenging fields in Idaho. One has the 914 turbo and the other is a 912 fuel injected 100 hp.

    The vne speed is 140.
    Yea, I was reading the VNE is 140, but VA is not listed which is more important.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •