I am all excited!

[chefwarthog]

After sevreal months of waiting, Kitfox as done a Firewall kit to attache the Viking engine, in front of a Super Sport!!!! I can not wait to hear about the first impressions and flight performance on the mach between those two!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IojRESJrU6k#t=10

[DesertFox4]

They do nice firewall forward packages at Kitfox Aircraft.
I don't think anyone has more engine choices and firewall forward packages for their kit aircraft than Kitfox Aircraft.
Hope that Viking works great for them.

[chefwarthog]

Well, haved follow discussions on the forum of Viking Engine for several months now, and costumiers are very satified of the product and the implication of Yan, to make his his clients happy!

And now whit a 110HP, for 13K$ it´s deal!!!

Soon a Turbo version of 130HP will be avelable.....

Did John flew with a Kitfox+Viking combinaison?

I would love to hear about it......

[cap01]

eric , better do a little more research then decide . there are a lot of different sites about jan and his business practices, along with his previous attempt at a converted auto engine . he has even been kicked off the yahoo viking site . sounds like a promising engine but with his track record , too risky for me .

[chefwarthog]

Yes I know that Yan has a black & white record, and some of those old dissatisfied costomers, trying to tarnish his reputation. You know, do many good things... no one will tell, but do juste a bit wrong and people are going to have a field day!!!

One of my friend as a Subaru engine in his Kitfox 3... and he is very satisfied with it and if it was no for the bargin that it pay for that plan, he could not fly today.

My Garage is almost finish now, juste my 16' long workbench to do this winter and bring the tools in.

But will follow closely the development of Kitfox 7 + Viking engine combination and any clue that somone can bring in, before settling in on my engine choice.

For my Kit, as you can see my choice is already made.

[Av8r3400]

What a great looking work space, Eric! Jealousy abounds!

As to advise, this always rings true for any build, but I would especially council building as light as possible due to the Viking engine's weight.

[Danzer1]

+1 to what Larry said - total installed running weight will be at least 200Lbs - plus the engine mount and any additional baffling.

[av8rps]

Eric, THAT SHOP ROCKS!! I am so jealous...

[chefwarthog]

Thank's guys!

Well.... I am not ready for my Kit yet, I am meticulus in my woking, and try to think truly before do someting.

My decision is not frozen yet, on what is the right motor for my Fox!

so that's why I will wait until somebody fill in the blank.....

Did someone has already try the combinaison Super Sport + Viking.....???

[av8rps]

I spent quite a bit of time a few years back with a guy that put a Viking 110 in a Just Aircraft Escapade (which is essentially a 2 ft shorter wing version of a Highlander). He said it performed well, but when comparing his numbers against a Rotax 912s in a Highlander, his climb was less, but his cruise was slightly higher.

The Viking fit in his engine compartment quite well, and looked to be very well engineered, and equally well put together. But it didn't look any less complex than a Rotax...in fact I'd say it looked more complex than the Rotax.

But the thing that told me the most about the Viking was when I saw two very large fuel header tanks in the back of his baggage compartment (which is about halfway to the tail from the seatbacks on an Escapade / Highlander). I can't remember for sure how big he said they were, but I think he said 8 gallons each? He said he added them to keep his Escapade balanced properly (the regular header tank is less than 2 gallons). By comparison, I know if you put tanks that big in my Rotax 912 Highlander in the same location, my airplane would be so tail heavy that it might be unsafe to fly. So the Viking is obviously much heavier than the Rotax 912 by the time it is all installed on the airplane.

Now I'm not trying to bash the Viking as I like the concept and also like the Honda engine. And like many wish we had more viable options to the Rotax. But after years of flying the Rotax I'm convinced the Rotax is still the best option for the Kitfox.