2 stroke vs 4 stroke questions

[szicree]

This is only my own humble opinion, but I like to think of airplane purchases as parking my money rather than spending it. Building is another story, but a well-purchased airplane can be resold for the same price. With this in mind, I'd say try to find the much more marketable 4 stroke.

[cap01]

If the flying is going to be done mostly around western Washington , the 912 would be my best choice , hands down . Lots of water and lots of hills and if the fire goes out you may be at a loss for a place to put down . The cascades can provide some really fun flying , if a person likes that kind of flying , its not for everyone . sadly there are not a lot of airstrips in the hills like idaho . Flying in the Midwest it may be a different story .

[DesertFox6]

I certainly agree with everything already said, having had a Rotax 2-stroke on my Model !V for just about a year before swapping it out for a 912. The "just about" was an unexpected development but typical of why 4-strokes are favored more these days, so I'll interject it here as an OBTW offering.

The "just about" was brought on by a carburetor fire started by a float bowl overflow condition on takeoff (!) that resulted in some quick diving-turn stuff from the downwind to extinguish the resulting cowl fire and maintain an even takeoff-to-landing ratio. Not tidy at all!

I was really P.O.'d after all the constant TLC fiddling I had to do with that engine and this is how it paid me back?? Our local engine wizard (Rotax calls HIM for the tough rebuild stuff) allowed as that cantankerous 2-stroke issues like mine are why most "experimenters" were switching to the "new" 912 4-strokes (1999-2000) for the reliability and non-fiddle-ability issues. He fixed the engine like new and then bought it from me!

Other members of the Desert Fox Squadron immediately (two hours after landing!) lined me up with a 912 donor (Thank you, DesertFox3, wherever you are...) and I never looked back. "Turn-key" flying had finally arrived at my hangar!

Av8r_Sed perfectly nailed all the salient points earlier, and, as a Puyallup, WA native myself, cap01 brings up an issue near and dear to my heart both in western/northern WA as well as over the southwest deserts of AZ: "How close-up do you want to view that gorgeous, rugged terrain beneath you?"

"E.T."

[Aviator]

Thanks everybody, I can only afford to buy once, so Ill save extra for the 912, there are alot of nice used planes with them on barnstormers for fair prices. Hopefully toward the end of this year I can get into one!

[Monocock]

Good answer!!!

[av8rps]

A 912 powered Kitfox is a match made in heaven. Just an absolutely wonderful combination.

But I've flown hours and hours with 2 strokes before getting a 912 powered Kitfox, and don't regret any part of my 2 stroke hours. The 2 strokes are just a simpler and less expensive way to get into your own Kitfox sooner. But if you can stand to hold out for the 912 powered Fox, by all means do that. The most important part is to get into a Kitfox Engines can be changed later if need be...

[Aviator]

Yeah I hear you. Hopefully in the fall or next spring Ill be zipping around the sky in one!

[cap01]

If fall is a target then you should be able to make it to the Arlington flyin and the concrete flyin and kick some tires

[Aviator]

I am there every year! Never rode in a kf yet either. Hoping to find a ride someday too.

[cap01]

Last year was the first concert flyin I made , was fun . Not a bunch of kfs but some interesting airplanes . The highlight was a couple of Paul Allen's planes , a spitire and a b model p-51 made several high speed low passes . A real treat .
Some really pretty country up there .