OK. After my idealistic rants about building an airplane because of satisfaction, pride, blah, blah, blah, I took a real hard look at life. With Crazy Ivan Junior on the way, starting a masters degree, and a possibility of having my happy a$$ being shipped to the mid-east some time in the next 5 years, I realized that building right now is a pipe dream.

Look on Barnstormers' experimental section under Kitfox. There is (was!)a sweeeeet white/red Kitfox IV Speedster for sale in NH. I took a quick run down to New Hampshire yesterday, test flew it out of a 1500' strip cut into a corn field and we cut a deal.

My impressions:
--At first glance it seemed small but it was 100 times more comfortable than a freaking 152.
--It climbs like a sonuvagun.
--If you sneeze then you need to adjust the rudder (not really, but compared to a 4-engine turboprop that rudder demands much more attention).
--A taildragger goes where it wants to on the ground. She's not tame like a nose wheel, but I guess you guys know that already.
--Flying with the doors open is about as good as it gets.
--Flying out of a corn field with the doors open is even better.
--It ain't no Maule, but hauling 530 lbs, 110 mph at 4 or 5 gph of auto gas, I won't break out in sweaty panic attacks.

Thanks for all of your opinions/suggestion on my previous post. They were ALL helpful in making this decision.

Dave

Good job Ivan! Welcome to the "little wheel" crowd no matter what you fly. We will need some pictures of course!
Kurt

It has the Rotax 912 80hp.

Sounds like an awesome little airplane, and i don't mean that in a belittling way (no pun intended). Fun to fly, STOL capable, and LSA-compliant to boot--sounds great to me! That airplane would meet the requirements for most if not all of my flying-- unless the gal I'm chasing (the one with 2 kids) succumbs to my charms. That's when the old 170 starts looking pretty good again.
Congrats on your new airplane.

Eric

zero.one.victor wrote:unless the gal I'm chasing (the one with 2 kids) succumbs to my charms. That's when the old 170 starts looking pretty good again.

Uh oh! You might end up going the other direction if it works out....like C180????

I put a picture of the Kitfox in the gallery. It's the Seller landing uphill on a 1500' strip cut in the middle of a corn field.

Hey, that Kitfox has a lightning bolt!

It's got more on the wings. They make it go really, really fast.

I'm "shocked"!
Sorry, couldn't pass it up......
Pretty plane Ivan, good for you.