are these kitfox with 100 hp rotax hard to fly. on our field here in florida, my friend sold a nearly new kitfox to a guy from further north. he arranged for an instructer to check him out and before he could make a full go around they wrecked it and turned it upside down. now i have seen it flying before without a lot of drama. it sure was a pretty, low time aircraft, well built. it was a shame to see it wrecked. anyone with kitfox experience, tell me if it has something inherent ot make it difficult to fly.

I have now flown a Kitfox twice out of Boise this past month. I have gone with Paul Leadabrand and his LSA kitfox. The first time we flew to Nampa and landed a few times and then back to Boise for a total of 1.2 hours. Last Friday I got to fly to the backcountry and landed at Johnson Creek, Big Creek, Reed Ranch and Garden Valley and I have to say that it was a blast. It was for 3.4 hours of pure pleasure. I have done some time in a supercub and would have to say that the Kitfox has been easier for me. I am seriously looking at starting building a Kitfox

Dan B

A buddy with a couple thousand hours flying time in his C182 sold it and didn't fly for a few years. This year he bought a 80 horse 912 Kitfox, used. He got checked out in taildragging by a very respected and knowledgeable instructor, and signed off to solo. Later the same day, in good conditions, he ground looped it and took out 1 flaperon, 1 gear leg, and a wing tip.

This does NOT mean it's hard to fly, it ain't . It does mean you better wake your feet up, you tri gear pilots! This all happened in the last 10 days, so I thought it was timely to relate it. It is in the shop and he will give it another go round (poor choice of words) when it's fixed.

Like all tail draggers it depends.. It the gear is out of alignment it can be a bitch. If it is on the narrow gear, it can be a little more demanding or your attention, but its not at all dangerous. If it is a pre- model IV the adverse yaw due to the geometry on the flaperons makes you use your feet ALOT more than most planes, but it makes you a better pilot.

Most of the older KF and Avids had crappy geometry on the brake pedals so your braking power was marginal. If it ever started to get away from you on the ground, there was not enough brake to pull it back. I had that issue last summer (first time in 500 hrs in type) when the tail wheel unlocked and I could not hold it with the brake. Things got a little exciting for a minute, but I went home and ordered the new brake pedals and masters that everyone had been preaching about but I thought I was good enough to not need! It is amazing how much more fun it is with good brakes!

Bottom line, NO there is nothing wrong with the plane, but if you think your gonna go from a 172 to a TD KF or Avid, your in for one hell of a ride!

.

PE... if your landing set up sucks, dont push it. These planes are so light there really is no time lag in power application and them climbing like a home sick angel.

I got a ride in a KF II that went on its back when a gear leg folded up do to a weld failure. That was when I decided I like 4 point harnesses much beter than 3 point! I ripped the 3 point out of my plane before I ever flew it and put a 4 point in. The 3 point in the pacer didnt do much for me when I stuffed that one in.

Sucks that happed on an intro flight and you did not get to fly the plane, they are more fun than about any other plane I have ever flown!

One thing that seems to take some getting used to is that on the kitfoxes with bump cowls, the cowling tapers towards the center. People tend to get fixated on lining up the runway with the cowling if you do that you won't be straight. I've flown with very capable tailwheel pilots who on short final needed to be told to add some rudder. I'm not saying that is the case here just throwing that out there.
Nick

Landing with the standard gear on stuff less than pavement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uknEfc2z-KQ

And landing on pavement with the standard gear and 21's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVe5KU-Xhjk

After speaking with John McBean who has trained many people on flying the Kitfox he brought up a very important point and backed it up with experience. Kitfoxes/Avids should really be considered a HIGH PERFORMANCE airplane. CFI's think...hmmm 100hp I can handle that no problem..what they forget is they are getting into a plane that weighs less than 800lbs in most cases. I've heard that these airplanes rival a Pitts in ground handling.

I'm not trying to scare anyone away from one as it's not hard it's just DIFFERENT and requires RESPECT. Things happen Super fast in these airplanes and it requires your full undemanded attention to land one especially on pavement.

Messenger asked:

are these kitfox with 100 hp rotax hard to fly.

I don't think 100 hp rotax has anything to do with a proplem landing. It could catch a pilot that had never flown a kitfox by supprise on take off though. An accomplished tail wheel pilot should have no problem flying a Kitfox.

This is a real shame. That kitfox would come up for sale on barnstormers occasionally...for about 38K I think...and I would admire it each time and think to myself...I wish I had 38K...I would buy that airplane.

I have about 100 hours in a Kitfox and it was a little twitchy due to it's relatively short fuselage and narrow main gear, but it was NOT difficult. I got my tailwheel sign off in it. I once landed it in a 60 degree crosswind at 19 gusting to 22 with little problem. It never surprised me, but it did demand that I always paid attention to the pedals.

Here's the catch...it's an experimental so all the horror stories could be attributed to poor maintenance, previous damage not properly fixed, misaligned gear, improper hardware, etc etc etc. There is nothing wrong with a Kitfox. It is an awesome plane. In fact it is the most fun I ever had in a small plane and I occasionally regret selling it.

I got my tailwheel endorsement in my Kitfox 1 and later when I bought my Tailwind (conventional gear) I just did half a dozen landings with the previous owner. The Kitfox is a piece of cake compared to the Tailwind. Now with the Tailwind landing at 70 MPH things happen fast.
Here is a link to a resent flight I videoed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXoOP238uCA

kitfox should not be feared. Like all tail wheel airplanes it demands full focus on landing and all the way to tie down. It slips beautifully. Again like all tail wheel airplanes the airplane AND your direction of travel must be aligned with the runway on touchdown. Forward slip to landing.

Not hard at all. I have owned two Kitfoxes, a Model 3 with the narrow bungy gear and a Series 7 with the Grove spring gear. Both where no harder to fly, land or takeoff than a Citabria. I had over 60 hours in each plane and landed them on multiple differing surfaces (grass, rocks, pavement, dirt, concrete, etc.) Both planes had 8.50x6 tires which really liked to lock up on pavement but nothing that was overly hard to control.

I got my private license in April of 2006 and had already purchased my first Kitfox (the model 3). It was sitting in the hangar so obviously, I was hellbent on getting my TW Cert. I flew a Cessna 140 for 3 hours with a great instructor and then we did one flight in my Kitfox and he turned me loose. I had a whopping total of 41.5 hours to my name in all aircraft (did my license in 38.5 at a part 141 school).

A Kitfox is a very good aircraft, a hoot to fly and should not be something to be afraid of. It is like any taildragger, or airplane for that matter.... if you become complacent, you get bitten eventually. You need to pay attention and keep your feet moving but I think that is the case with any aircraft.

Darin,
Sent you a PM

i have some more info on this accident working , but it will have to wait until i have a legal opinion.

There is a new airplane on my home airport-- a bright red Kitfox 4 with a Rotec radial. I'm not too sure I'd want that engine but the combination sure does look good. The owner/builder had some engine troubles in just the first bit of flying, and hasn't flown it again yet since getting that squared away. I'm looking forward to seeing it fly, should be soon.

I know this post is 4 years old, but I figured I'd add a comment. I have a Kitfox 7SS Grove Gear. I put about 150 hours as a TriGear, very easy to fly, and land. I recently had her converted to a Tail Dragger. I probably have 70 hours in it as a Tail Dragger. I've got Dresser Smoothies 8.5 X 6 tires, man they are nice. If you slow it down for landing it is not hard to land. It stops in less tha 200 feet without much trouble. I cruz at 110 mph to 115 mph. I flew to and from Boise Idaho, from Dallas Texas. Without a doubt the longest cross country I have ever gone on. On the way up it was a TriGear, on the way back a Tail Dragger. I landed on a very rough weeds & dirt strip and also on a gravel strip. I had no issues with it. I would highly recommend it.