Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

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Paul Z
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Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 9:54 am

Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by Paul Z »

Hello, I’m new to this Forum, I fly a Kitfox SLSA, it is 703KA the first SLSA built by the Factory. I have owned it since purchasing it from John McBean in 2010. In August of 2014, I flew it from Texas to Homedale Idaho to have it converted from a TriGear to a Tail Dragger, all I can say is much better! I went to Rainbow Aviation to take the Light Sport Repairman Training, I took the 120 hour class to become a LSRM-A, so now I have no worries about maintenance, or annuals. This year I replaced my Advanced Flight 3500 EFIS, with an Advanced Flight 5600. I had the communications card with the magnetometer go belly up, and opted to upgraded. Both the Tail Dragger, & the AF5600 are options that are available and approved so I did not need to get a LOA for the upgrades.

I just got the STOL Magazine, and they just put a small picture of my plane in the magazine a short intro as a new subscriber.
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Paul Zimmermann LSRM-A
Kitfox SLSA
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by SportPilot »

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Last edited by SportPilot on Mon Aug 10, 2015 10:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wm.Ince
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by Wm.Ince »

Welcome aboard, Paul. :)
Bill Ince
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MrMorden
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by MrMorden »

Nice Kitfox!
Andy Walker
Athens, GA
Sport Pilot ASEL, LSRI
2007 Flight Design CTSW E-LSA
Paul Z
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Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 9:54 am

Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by Paul Z »

Here is a Before & After Photo. I personally think it looks better as a Tail Dragger. I also attached a photo at Promontory Point in Utah flying home after having the plane converted, and yes that is me with my retirement beard.

The location of “Promontory Point” was made famous in 1869,when the "Golden Spike" was driven to join the Central Pacific & Union Pacific Railroads, forming a transcontinental link spanning the United States. The location of the railroad linkage was actually 30 miles north of Promontory Point. "Point May 10, 1869 the Union and Central Pacific Railroads joined their rails at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory and forged the destiny of a nation. Golden Spike National Historic Site shares the stories of the people and settings that define the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad.”

At some point in the 1920s or 1930s, an airfield was constructed on the very tip of Promontory Point, which juts out into the Great Salt Lake.
The Promontory Point airfield was one of the Department of Commerce’s network of Intermediate Fields, which were constructed in the 1920s & 1930s along airways between major cities. It is a Gravel Airstrip, there were two Shrimp Spotters working that day. It was a very interesting stop.

http://www.nps.gov/gosp/index.htm

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/UT/Air ... promontory
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Paul Zimmermann LSRM-A
Kitfox SLSA
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by SportPilot »

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Wm.Ince
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by Wm.Ince »

Good looking airplane!
Bill Ince
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drseti
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by drseti »

Paul Z wrote: I personally think it looks better as a Tail Dragger.
I've never flown one with a nosewheel, but can easily speculate that it flies better as a taildragger. (So does the AeroTrek, which is based upon the Avid Flyer, upon which the Kitfox was also based. They make them both ways, but every one I've flown or maintained was a conventional landing gear.)

Great plane. Fly often, fly safely, and enjoy!
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by drseti »

Paul Z wrote: I went to Rainbow Aviation to take the Light Sport Repairman Training, I took the 120 hour class to become a LSRM-A, so now I have no worries about maintenance, or annuals.
Excellent move, Paul. I've taken four different courses from Brian and Carol (LSRM-A, -GL, -PPC, and -WSC), and can't say enough good things about them and their training program.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
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Nomore767
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by Nomore767 »

Very nice airplane.

Can you switch back and forth from taildragger to trike or is a one time thing? Just thinking you could go tailwheel on a camping trip and then go back to trike for other activities.

My mechanic has a tailwheel KitFox but he just bought a Just Aircraft plane to replace it. His KitFox doesn't have the 912ULS.

What kind of speed do you get from the 912ULS with the 3-blade prop? I have an RV-12 SLSA and have thought about a 3-blade although I'm not approved and actually I've heard you lose a few knots due to drag although I like the look.

Just flew 5.2 hours today and got average of 4.5 gph wil 5250-5300 rpm and 119KTAS, how does this compare with your KitFox?

I'm retired and didn't realise I could grow a beard…maybe I'll start working on it! :mrgreen:
Paul Z
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by Paul Z »

Nomore767, I also average of 4.5 to 5.00 gph at 5250-5300 rpm and I cruise about 115KTAS with the KitFox. I picked up about 5 to 10 MPH, by going to the Tail Dragger. I would have probably picked up more had I stayed with the Standard Tires, but I went to the Dresser Smoothies that are 21” diameter. I use to cruise at about 105 on my way up to Homedale, on the way back about 110 to 115. I had a problem with my EFIS my Advanced Flight 3500 did not read accurately, I upgraded to a Advanced Flight 5600, so I am looking forward to getting some better readings. However, I have been grounded for a couple of weeks after fin wishing the install of my 5600. I fractured the femur joint on my right knee, so I’m computer flying for the last two weeks.



I can convert it back and forth from a Tail Dragger to a Tri-Gear. It takes about 4 hours to do the conversion. I kept all of the Parts & Pieces so I could do that if I decided I didn’t like it as a Tail Dragger. Now that I am a Certified LSRM-A Repairman the conversion is a lot easier.
Last edited by Paul Z on Tue Jul 07, 2015 3:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Paul Zimmermann LSRM-A
Kitfox SLSA
Paul Z
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 9:54 am

Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by Paul Z »

drseti wrote:
Paul Z wrote: I went to Rainbow Aviation to take the Light Sport Repairman Training, I took the 120 hour class to become a LSRM-A, so now I have no worries about maintenance, or annuals.
Excellent move, Paul. I've taken four different courses from Brian and Carol (LSRM-A, -GL, -PPC, and -WSC), and can't say enough good things about them and their training program.
Prof. H. Paul Shuch, Ph.D., CFII, LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC, iRMT, man you’ve got enough Qualifications. Two of my Brothers are Professors, my brother Ray has a BS & MS in Mathematics, Doctorate in Law, Masters in Tax Law, and a PHD in Tax Accounting, and my brother Wayne a BS, MS, & PhD in Mathematics. Me on the other hand was the dummy of thew family, I only have a BS in Engineering & my LSRM-A. I am wanting to go back for the LSRM-GL rating.
Paul Zimmermann LSRM-A
Kitfox SLSA
Paul Z
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 9:54 am

Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by Paul Z »

Nomore767 wrote:Very nice airplane.

Can you switch back and forth from taildragger to trike or is a one time thing? Just thinking you could go tailwheel on a camping trip and then go back to trike for other activities.

My mechanic has a tailwheel KitFox but he just bought a Just Aircraft plane to replace it. His KitFox doesn't have the 912ULS.

What kind of speed do you get from the 912ULS with the 3-blade prop? I have an RV-12 SLSA and have thought about a 3-blade although I'm not approved and actually I've heard you lose a few knots due to drag although I like the look.

Just flew 5.2 hours today and got average of 4.5 gph wil 5250-5300 rpm and 119KTAS, how does this compare with your KitFox?

I'm retired and didn't realise I could grow a beard…maybe I'll start working on it! :mrgreen:
Actually I have had a beard going on twenty years, my dermatologist recommend I grow it because she was tired of caring out skin cancers, as was I. However, in January after I retired I quit trimming it. I had walked into the bathroom to do the every other week trim, looked in the mirror and thought what for, and walked out. I did that in January and February, and then in March I just forgot about it. The beard was about 6 month of growth.

I really like the Just Aircraft Super STOL, I love the near nothing landings. The only problem is the slow Cruise 95 to 100 from what I have read & the weight of the bird is about 900lbs.
Paul Zimmermann LSRM-A
Kitfox SLSA
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MrMorden
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Re: Howdy, I’m new to the Sport Pilot Talk

Post by MrMorden »

Paul Z wrote: I really like the Just Aircraft Super STOL, I love the near nothing landings. The only problem is the slow Cruise 95 to 100 from what I have read & the weight of the bird is about 900lbs.
I think the regular Highlander is a better choice than the Super STOL, unless you are really landing on gravel bars and such in Alaska. The airplane lands really short and slow, but it *must* be landed tailwheel first, which makes it easy to bounce on the big tires.

A local guy bought a factory built Super STOL, and he and his CFI went for training at Just. On their first landing coming back home the bounced the plane and put it on its back. :oops:
Andy Walker
Athens, GA
Sport Pilot ASEL, LSRI
2007 Flight Design CTSW E-LSA
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