Has anybody done flight training in a Kitfox?

[TreeTopFlyer83]

Thoughts on doing flight training in a Kitfox for a PPL? Pros and cons? I'm close to pulling the trigger on a Kitfox STI but want to own the plane that I use for flight training (you know, cheaper). I am also considering different engine options. Possibly a Continental 0-200D or a Rotax 912 ULS. Any information or thoughts provided are greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Find an examiner who can/will do the checkride early in the process.

 

[TreeTopFlyer83]

Find an examiner who can/will do the checkride early in the process.

Noted. Thanks for the advice.

 

[mondtster]

In addition to finding an examiner, you’re going to need to find a flight instructor who is familiar with the aircraft type and is comfortable flying and teaching in one.

Just something to note. A friend of mine owns a Kitfox. I haven’t flown it yet so i can’t give you first hand knowledge but he was telling me yesterday that it is probably one of the squirrliest handling tailwheel airplanes he’s owned. He’s got a lot of time (almost all of which is tailwheel) and has owned a lot of stuff, much of which you’d expect to be more demanding than a little kitfox.

 

[RyanShort1]

I used to teach down at 5C1 in an Apollo Fox, which is basically a Kitfox knock-off and it was a fine little trainer, if not quite as tough as a Cessna 150.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

you’re going to need to find a flight instructor who is familiar with the aircraft type and is comfortable flying and teaching in one.

Hasn't been an issue for me (not a brand name Kitfox, but close enough...)
For the initial checkout before I few it home, I contacted the guy who had done the previous owners flight reviews.
Flight reviews since, finding a guy who was comfortable in a small, homebuilt, taildragger was a non-issue. Yes, I was not a brand new student, but for the checkout, I was a geezer that hadn't flown a taildragger in 30 years and the only recent flying was a flight review in a Cessna 152.

Ask around.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Oh, another thing, if you want to fly yea olde Kitfox, I believe that it is easier to learn in a taildragger from the get-go (my experience) than to learn with a nosewheel then have to transition to a tailwheel and unlearn all the bad habits (My observation).

 

[Witmo]

I used to teach down at 5C1 in an Apollo Fox, which is basically a Kitfox knock-off and it was a fine little trainer, if not quite as tough as a Cessna 150.

I agree with Ryan that the Apollo Fox/Kitfox could be a good trainer with the stipulation that like most every LSA, the light construction makes for a relatively delicate airframe. While a Cessna 150 might be used and abused by a multitude of students over thousands of hours, LSAs will get bent much easier. 5C1 had a beautiful Bristell LSA on an instructional flight that bit the dust (totaled) on a crosswind takeoff before the new airplane smell had worn off. Good useful loads with a max gross weight capped at the light sport limit means some sacrifice has got to come from somewhere and it's often from the airframe.

 

[mondtster]

Hasn't been an issue for me (not a brand name Kitfox, but close enough...)
For the initial checkout before I few it home, I contacted the guy who had done the previous owners flight reviews.
Flight reviews since, finding a guy who was comfortable in a small, homebuilt, taildragger was a non-issue. Yes, I was not a brand new student, but for the checkout, I was a geezer that hadn't flown a taildragger in 30 years and the only recent flying was a flight review in a Cessna 152.

Ask around.

The OP is going to want a real tailwheel pilot/instructor, not some kid with 10 hours tailwheel time and an ink wet endorsement who thinks they can fly one. That was my only point.

He is indeed going to need to ask around. Some areas have a ton of good instructors who could help and others dont. Of the active instructors in my area, of which there are few to begin with, I think there is maybe only one who is current in a tailwheel airplane.

I’d put finding a willing and qualified instructor at the top of the priority list. If the OP finds someone willing to instruct in the plane, odds are that that instructor knows an examiner that might be willing to give a checkride in it.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

like most every LSA, the light construction makes for a relatively delicate airframe.

Which is why nobody, but nobody, takes a Cub (or a Kitfox) into the back country. Ever.

The OP is going to want a real tailwheel pilot/instructor, not some kid with 10 hours tailwheel time and an ink wet endorsement who thinks they can fly one.

true dat

 

[Witmo]

Which is why nobody, but nobody, takes a Cub (or a Kitfox) into the back country. Ever.


true dat

Lots of people are flying LSAs successfully and enjoyably. I see 10 172s for every new LSA being used for primary training. I love flying a Cub and think it's a fine training aircraft but it was designed back in the 30s. The newer LSAs share more of their lineage with ultralights than anything else. I think LSAs would be much safer if designers didn't have to keep the weight down to an arbitrary number.

 

[brcase]

In addition to finding an examiner, you’re going to need to find a flight instructor who is familiar with the aircraft type and is comfortable flying and teaching in one.

Just something to note. A friend of mine owns a Kitfox. I haven’t flown it yet so i can’t give you first hand knowledge but he was telling me yesterday that it is probably one of the squirrliest handling tailwheel airplanes he’s owned. He’s got a lot of time (almost all of which is tailwheel) and has owned a lot of stuff, much of which you’d expect to be more demanding than a little kitfox.

I did some training in an Avid Model IV a couple years ago, very similar to early Kitfox’s. I will agree it is probably the squirrliest tailwheel I have flown and I have flown quite few. I did get the guy soloed, but then he had some medical issues and had to take a break, once his medical issues were resolved I was to busy to finish him up.

I haven’t flown the new Kitfox models but have been told the new ones (Model 7’s) and maybe a bit earlier are much more docile. Also may vary from airframe to airframe.

Reminds me I am pretty sure I have the opportunity to fly a Model 7, I should take advantage of that offer.

Agree finding and instructor that will Teach in the kitfox should probably be you first Challenge to get resolved, they may be able to advised about which models to consider or stay away from.

I am currently teach a guy that bought a decathlon because they couldn’t find an instructor to teach him in his RV-6. I probably would of done the RV-6, but we did not get together until after he bought the Decathlon.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL