Feb. 2010 Kitfox of the Month Paul Zimmerman

[DesertFox4]

Paul, Congrats to you and Dorothy. I hope you have many fun years in 703KA. It's a nice part of Kitfox history and couldn't have found a better home. Enjoy every flight.

Here's a couple more photos of her that wouldn't fit on the KOTM post.

703KA interior.jpg

703KA panel.jpg

[SkyPirate]

just georgous Paul ,.. I know you will be the envy of Texas

[Agfoxflyer]

Congratulations Paul. All it needs now is an ATm on the Turtle Deck Skylight to make it perfect. By the way my brother and I borrowed from 703KA a few details for the paint scheme for our RV-9A that is currently in the paint shop. Saw 703KA at Osh and loved the paint.

Gig Em

[Paul Z]

The ONLY way the plane could have been nicer is for it to have been Painted Maroon & White, versus Blue and White.
I like the idea of a Block ATM on the Turtle Deck. I would bet I could make that happen .

Your RV - 9A is going to look Awesome, especially if you got the colors right!

Have you resolved your hanger issue?

Congratulations Paul. All it needs now is an ATm on the Turtle Deck Skylight to make it perfect. By the way my brother and I borrowed from 703KA a few details for the paint scheme for our RV-9A that is currently in the paint shop. Saw 703KA at Osh and loved the paint.

Gig Em

[Agfoxflyer]

Paul, no the 9 will not have the right colors (maroon). My brother is paying for the paint job, so I guess he gets to pick the colors. We have a hanger in Calhoun. My Kitfox is coming home to tear down the engine. The 9 should be ready this week and go in the hanger the Kitfox is in.

[Paul Z]

John McBean and I did a little less than 2 hours of flight Sunday with 10 or so Touch and Goes, and one “Emergency Landing”. I had some good landings and some poor landings, but all in all, I felt pretty good. Dorothy and I dropped him off at the Hotel Sunday afternoon, and John departed Monday. John all I can say to you and Debra is THANKS!!!!!!!

Juan who works for the FBO was impressed that Dorothy jumped in the plane and went flying. He commented, I was going to have to fight her to get to fly the plane. I didn't have the heart to tell him she has no flight experience, and that John McBean was giving her a ride. He always rides shot gun!

Monday, was ugly so I didn’t get to do anything. However, today was the big day. I went in to work and it was overcast. However, later in the morning, it cleared up, it was cool, and with low winds. I decided to take a LONG lunch. I left work at 11:00am in McKinney, and drove down to the Mesquite International Airport, I removed the cabin cover, I pulled 703KA (Kick Ass) out of the Hanger, locked the door, did a pre-flight, and then taxied down to put some fuel in the tanks. By the time I got all of that done it was already 1:00 PM (Note 45 minute drive from McKinney to Mesquite on a good day!). I have a work related meeting every Tuesday at 4:00, and I knew I had at least a 1 hour drive back to McKinney. I finally decided I had enough time to fly the patch and at least get on TAKE OFF and LANDING Solo in N703KA. I was surprised how much traffic there was at 1:00, on a Tuesday afternoon. I taxied from the Fueling area, all of the way to the South end, Runway 35. Man that is a LONG Runway. I announce my intentions, and put the petal to the metal, and was airborne shortly. Man, does that thing climb SOLO. I climbed to pattern Altitude, Cross Wind, Down Wind, Base, and Final to touch down. I actually touched down on the Numbers, and made the first turn off. I was surprised how hard it was to get the plane out of the air and back on the runway, with only one fat guy on board (sorry John!)! I didn’t make the prettiest landing, but it was Solo, in my new Kitfox! After landing I taxied back to my hanger, and put Kick Ass home. Pushing a Tri Gear into a hanger, is definately a learning experience, back and forth, back and forth. . . . . ! I drove back to work and got there about 2:40 PM. Hummm that was a long lunch!

Now that I got that out of the way, we can start flying!

Paul Zimmermann

[Slyfox]

So tell us Why the Emergency landing? Now that is one nice bird. Ok, tell us, how did it make it to your home? Sound like you will be taking some lunch breaks up in the air. Have fun.

[Paul Z]

David,

I like the paint scheme for the RV. You can never make Red, White and Blue look bad!

Paul Z

Paul, no the 9 will not have the right colors (maroon). My brother is paying for the paint job, so I guess he gets to pick the colors. We have a hanger in Calhoun. My Kitfox is coming home to tear down the engine. The 9 should be ready this week and go in the hanger the Kitfox is in.

[Slyfox]

I remember when my instructor 5 years ago did the same with me in the kitfox. He pulled the throttle and said dead stick, I shot down to a clearing in the trees except when he said go around I continued going through the trees, power pack in a little and had a bunch of fun, he didn't, he kept saying go around, I said I am, around this tree and that tree. I finally pulled out of it, but the poor ol boy was white from fear. I never forgot that one.

[Paul Z]

Well it is about time the weather cleared enough the last two days that I finally got to get some flying time. Wednesday (2/17/10), I got to the Mesquite airport and did a couple of touch and goes in. Today (2/18/10), I took a short cross country about 50 miles to Van Zandt, Canton and back to Mesquite. I was at 80% power, cruising at approximately 110. It was a nice flight there were a lot of frustrated pilots in the air, I was surprised how busy Mesquite Airport was. I made an EXCELLENT landing on my return to Mesquite. I definitely like the AFS 3500 Moving Map GPS! You dial in the airport ID, select go to, and away we go. Then I put away the plane and drove to work. My next excursion is from Mesquite to Norman OK.