Happy 25th Anniversary Kitfox!

What a great turnout. Not sure how many the final tally will show but it has to rank right up there.
Weather over S.W. Idaho was picture perfect. Dan and I arrived late Thursday afternoon. A good flight up from Phoenix in a flight of three. Phil and Bill along with Mike and Stan decided to break up the trip by staying in Ely, NV. Thursday night. Dan and I pressed on from Ely. Dan's 396 was showing active thunderstorms along either side of our route in the Jackpot, NV. area.
We popped between a couple small widely scattered cells with ease and as we rounded the corner at Mountain Home we had dryer air and clear sailing right into Homedale. The Snake River brings such beauty to this area with the green fields and mountains fill horizons in almost every direction you look. Just a perfect place to play Kitfox.
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Warm greetings from our hosts and a look around shows me Dan and I are not the first arrivals. Final preparations were well underway and a high mounted time lapse camera would have captured a flurry of constant activity in every corner of Kitfox Aircraft LLC. This is going to be good!
A little afternoon/evening flying is always the answer to a hectic day. That was accomplished. Gorgeous evening and Friday morning would dawn a carbon copy of Thursday with perfect weather.
Ok, this has never been your ordinary fly-in event since John and Deb took the controls of this operation so no surprise when a Friday morning flight out to Smiley Creek was planned. One Kitfox took off early and a four-ship was launched shortly after with the same destination.
A flight over the Sawtooth mountains seems like it would be always be an inspiring event. This morning would not be an exception to my presumption.
My first time into Smiley Creek. All I can say is wow! A picturesque meadow surrounded by jagged peaks unveils itself to you as you crest the last mountain ridge west of the strip and let down over a high altitude reservoir. The amply long and very well maintained grass strip is at 7200' and had several aircraft , including Guy Buchanan's sweet model 4, tied down at the South end.

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Tents were pitched under several of the aircraft. What a morning. Several of us chose to have breakfast at the lodge just across the creek and across the highway from the airstrip. Couldn't stay as long as we would have liked as there was a fly-in about to happen back at Homedale.
Many aircraft arrived Friday and through Friday evening.
Saturday started early and by all appearances was going to outdo Friday for perfect fly-in weather. It did. Lots of folks filled the Kitfox hangar. Lots of Kitfox's filled the pattern and surrounding airspace with a constant joyous activity we all know so well. Fly-bys were plentiful and multi ship fly-bys mixed in often. Demo flights kept several of us busy throughout the day and isn't that painful duty?;)

Always a welcome honored guest at John and Deb's fly-in's, the father of all we know as Kitfox flying arrived in his unmistakably recongnizable Royal blue and Neon Lime green highly modified Model 4. Dan Denney and his daughter dropped in and of course were instantly and zealously greeted by many friends.
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Saturday evening was gorgeous and filled with good food and this year featured live entertainment by non other than our own Mark Smith. Mark plays a mean guitar and sang many songs while folks ate, talked , watched fly-by's and just enjoyed the pretty Idaho sunset. A special anniversary cake was unveiled and quickly dispatched commemorating this milestone in the life of a great aircraft. Those that flew in were adorned in a soon to be collectors yellow 25th anniversary shirt. They were everywhere. As with all the fun things in life this event went by way to quickly. Sunday morning lots of friends headed back to their lives , happy , rejuvenated and talking about next year already. Some went away seriously contemplating a purchase in order to fully join this great community with all it's rights, privileges and benefits. Who could blame them?
Like so many others at this fly-in, I spent as much time flying as I could. I apologize to any of our members who I did not get a chance to meet or visit with. I hope you were flying also. We'll meet next year.
Thanks again to Steve Wilson and his wife for the opportunity to take the controls of 85DD. What a great flying jewel of Kitfox history.
A big thanks to my wingman Dan Billingsley. After 3 years of attending this function I'll miss having him in the right seat next year but will enjoy seeing him and Wendy off my wing in their beautiful Model 4.

Of course I have to thank our gracious hosts John and Deb McBean along with Jud and Clarissa Parker , Mark and Renee Smith and everyone else that had a hand in making this the most exciting factory fly-in yet. I overheard many nice comments about the way this event is handled.
Also to all our members, if you want to experience the very best this "family" has to offer, just have an equipment problem at this event. You will soon learn why we enjoy being a part of this unique group of aviators. Dan and I landed with a minor problem Thursday afternoon and barely mentioned it and 6 fellow Kitfoxers were all over it. Tools and meters ect. came from every direction. Thanks so much guys. I know of this being repeated a couple times throughout the event. One incident involved a precautionary landing 40 miles out from Homedale. No injuries but a Kitfox in need of rescue and minor repairs. The calvary was dispatched and the aircraft and crew were brought in to Homedale on a flatbed trailer well after midnight and many folks pitched in to get the aircraft back in the air by the end of the next day.
If you couldn't attend we hope you have the chance next year. I'll try to gather more photos and post soon.

Wow what a fun time we had. My Son and I flew down to Idaho for our first Kitfox Factory flyin.

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We flew from Auburn WA, to Homedale ID, non stop 3.6 hours Friday evening, arriving about 30 min after dark under a full moon. Our trip back was a bit more adventurous as we ended up going via the Columbia river gorge and Portland before turning north to Seattle. At times we had headwinds of as high as 52mph! The trip home took 5.2 hours including a bit of a diversion via Walla Walla.

Quite a blast meeting everyone and seeing all of the great Kitfoxes.

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Here are some pictures we took during the weekend. You can download the full resolution versions if you want to print them or save them. http://www.flickr.com/photos/akarmy/...7622298344024/

What a great Fly-In.
Thanks John and Debra.
We look forward to attending many more.
Had to drive over since the IV is still under construction.
We met many wonderful people and got a lot of questions answered by the knowledgeable people present.
Thanks to Andy for the flight in his 7.

Great write up Steve~!! sounds like ya'll had a blast ~!! hopefully next year~!!,..I'll be sporting a model 4 there at the fly in :)


Great photo's~!!!

Andy ..sounds like you 2 had fun going to and from the fly in as well

Chase

Kitfox Factory Fly-in – SUCCESS
Celebrating 25 years of Kitfox !!

Thank you to all that helped make the Kitfox Fly-in 2009 a great success !!
Over 35 aircraft and almost 100 people descended on S66

We have the best kit aircraft in our class and it follows with the class of the individuals that choose to make the Kitfox their aircraft of choice. With almost 5000 kits sold worldwide, it is very exciting when one gets the opportunity to view one of the earliest Kitfox’s, N85DD, to the latest kit, the S7 Super Sport and the latest development the Kitfox S-LSA joined by Dan Denney and his “Special Effects” at the same time in one place. Followed by the individuals that offer their time and expertise to aid a fellow Kitfoxer get back in the air quickly when misfortune strikes. We had Kitfox’s fly-in from Southern California, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and as far as Austin Texas. All are home safe.

Local area flights to the Owyhees were abundant and flights into Smiley Creek and Sulpher Creek are trips not to be missed. The smoked bbq food was great, the live music a pleasure and most important the Kitfox family had a great time…

Great Fun!! Great Food !! Great Flying !!

Debra & I thank you for taking the time to join us in celebrating 25 years of Kitfox !!

More 2009 fly-in pics


Oh.. and Mark plays a mean Guitar !!
http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/att...1&d=1253111192

One of my highlights of the 25th Anniversary and Kitfox Factory fly-in was getting a chance to fly in Steve Wilson's historic 85DD. Not only did I get a flight in 85DD Steve let me have a turn at the controls. It handled very crisply in roll, pitch and with the larger tail took very little rudder input to coordinate a turn.
I found myself grinning several times at the thought of actually flying the very aircraft that launched hundreds of Kitfox dreams world wide, including mine. I literally wore out two Denney Aerocraft promo VHS tapes in the mid 80's and this little jewel was the star in both of them.
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Been waiting 24 years to do this.
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85DD floats over her birthplace.


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Steve turns 85DD over to me. I promptly turn 85DD up on her wing and get a feel for the handling. She flys GREAT!
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Steve and me in 85DD on left downwind for RWY. 31, full stop, Homedale.

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The gracious Steve Wilson with the World famous 85DD.

It was an honor to experience the joy of flying the little Kitfox that germinated the dreams of aircraft ownership for so many of us.
Thanks again Steve and enjoy every flight in 85DD.

Awesome,..just awesome :) ,.we are all going to have to talk to a physician about that dang grin the kitfox's cause ,..it might be a health issue in the future ya know ,..wonder if any insurance company's offer a "grin coverage" ha ha ha cuz DesertFox is gonna need some from the looks in the photo :D
you can't wash it off ,..ya can't pry it off,..is there an OTC ointment to help ease the facial tension that the grin causes? ha ha ha

aww heck with it ,..I know he is proud of that grin :)
I would be too~!!!
great looking kit Steve Wilson and wife :)

Chase

What a great time I had at the 25th Anniversary fly-in. I've never been to a fly in before and I was really excited about attending this one. My hangar mate (John Oakley) had problems with his plane and didn't get to fly to Homedale, but he drove there anyway.

My wife and I made our longest cross country to get there. I've only had my pilot ticket for a short time (123 hrs) so we headed out alone across part of Utah and Idaho. We had a great adventure both getting there are returning home via a different route each way. Landed at Twin Falls on the way home with a 12kt cross wind (that was fun) and saw some beautiful country.

Thank you John and Deb for a great fly-in. You guys are great and were very accomidating. Thanks Steve (DesertFox4) for making me feel so welcome. And thanks for flying 85DD. It was a true pleasure for me to see your enthusiasm for my plane. We met (and re-met) a lot of great people and I was very impressed that everyone was so positive and interested in each others' planes.

Here are a few more photos to enjoy.

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What a great event!

The Coyote Dawn Patrol came into Homedale with five aircraft. One landed 42 miles short with fuel problems and a blown tire but with the prompt and friendly support from John McBean and the tribe the plane and crew was recovered without incident and flying the next day.

There were so many beautiful planes to look at, good food, music, great conversations, innovative and meticulous construction techniques; it was inspiring.

The Patrol left Sunday morning bound for 7 Bays Washington where we continued our adventure by flying to Cavanaugh Bay and Sullivan Lake. Next we pointed southeast, spent two nights at Minam Lodge just east of La Grande, Oregon; a short grass strip at 4500' in a narrow valley with 7000' ridges. This is a unique destination with no roads. Supplies are either flown in or carried on horseback.

Next over to Johnson Creek, Idaho for two more nights. If you have never been there it is a must see. Gorgeous scenery, beautiful landing field and great accomodations. Idaho is setting the standard for back country flying adventures with a well maintained manicured grass strip, hot showers, firepits and wood stoves with absolutely no cost other than what you choose to donate.

We will be going back in August for their famous Harmonica Festival at Lone Pine. Over 120 aircraft attended this year.

We landed back in Paradise yesterday with over 2200 miles, 28 hours of flying. The rest of the Patrol had an additional thousand miles on their planes.

When I get settled down I will add more photos of our trip to my album on this site. Hope you enjoy looking at them as we did taking them.

Sincere thanks to the McBeans for their wonderful fly-in, their wonderful plane and for sponsoring such a great get together. We enjoyed meeting and talking with all of you.

Continue to fly safe with a grin on your face.

Look what we get to do!

Pete