New member--searching for my 1st Kitfox!

[JustinMorrison]

Hello!

My name is Justin. I'm living in wonderfully windy Cheyenne Wyoming--and while I am new to the forums I have been actively learning tons of good information from them while simultaneously being on the hunt for my first bird. I have always wanted to fly/own a plane, and now that possibility has come to life. I have my mind set on a purchasing a Kitfox in the very near future, and learning to fly/attaining my PPL in it. I am a complete newbie to flight for the most part, 5 hours of instruction in a 152 so far, and the flight bug has caught me good. (I'm fully aware that a Kitfox is not in the same class as the boring cessna, and from everything that I have read/watched, a Kitfox is exactly what I want in a plane) Barnstormers has been my second home aside from my daily job (Active Duty Air Force stationed at F.E. Warren) and I have seen several planes that caught my eye. My hopes/wants in a plane are 4 stroke (Rotax or Jabiru is okay with me) and a nicety would be if said plane came with a trailer, but beggars cant be choosers right? My budget right now is right at $20,000 even for a plane, and I'm hoping to spend additionally less than $1,000 on an open converted aircraft/boat trailer. Do these budget goals seem a little to low for my wants, or do you believe that something could be out there in that range with 4 stroke power? There is two planes I would like on barnstormers right now, one is an Orange KF IV in Washington with the Jab 2200, and the other is a Red one in Delaware with some nifty $100 bill wing art (which is also listed on our classifieds here) which also has the 2200. Unfortunately they are a few thousand above my current budget. So the hunt continues. Just thought I would post my intro and I look forward to being an active member of these forums, I will keep this post updated as the search goes on!

-Justin

[jiott]

I think $20000 is too low for a good model 4, 5, 6 or 7 unless you want a project or something with less than good craftsmanship and remaining reliable life. I would personally stick with the Rotax 912 or the lightweight Lycomings or Continentals.

[PapuaPilot]

I agree with Jim. I would avoid ones with anything but Rotax or certified engines.

If you buy a $20K model 4 or higher Kitfox it may end up actually costing you $25-50K by the time you fix things up. I happens all of the time. I have a friend that bought a Cessna 140 for under 15K and he put several thousand dollars into it the first year. He could have bought a cherry C-140 for $20-25K and came out way ahead. Another friend bought a "bargain" used Sea-Ray and had to replace the Rotax engine (about $20K) during the ferry flight to get it to his home. You are always better buying an aircraft that is being flown and in good to excellent condition. They turn out to be the real bargains and you should be able to just go fly them. Save up some more $ and buy a nice Kitfox.

Make sure you consider the true cost of ownership for an airplane.
1. There are the running costs for fuel, oil, overhaul reserve and routine maintenance/parts that you can easily calculate the cost per hour.
2. Next there is the fixed/non-running costs which include hanger/storage, insurance, database subscriptions, the annual inspection, some parts, miscellaneous supplies, etc. You will have to pay these each year regardless of the number of hours flown.
3. If you want to do any upgrades you need to budget for those.
4. Lastly there will be the costs when unexpected things happen like a breakdown or if there is an accident. There will be the costs to make the repairs, replace parts, rebuilding, etc. This could also include costs to retrieve the plane, hotels, car/trailer rental, airline tickets, etc. This one is hard to calculate, but having the proper insurance would help reduce the costs.

Best of luck in finding a Kitfox. If you find one make sure you ask for help in doing a pre-buy inspection. The people on this forum are very helpful.

[efwd]

Welcome to the Forum Justin. Happy Veterans Day!
Eddie

[WWhunter]

I will '3rd' the comments on getting one with the Rotax. I am only mentioning this after having a few friends that own or have owned (have is the operative word) the Jabiru. Some have had good luck with them but the guys I know that have had them in colder climates seem to have issues with them.

Finding a good one with a Rotax in your price range is possible but very hard since I personally know of several people looking for the same thing. You NEED to have the money in hand and ready to jump instantly!! No dwelling on it, as it will be gone FAST! I think there are already two or three people that have posted similar threads on this site or similar sites that are looking for the same 'deal'. The $20-25K budget seems to be the common theme.

As mentioned, the additional costs that will come after buying can not be avoided, so don't blow your entire budget on the plane and expect it to be perfect until you can save up more money to fix it. Keep a reserve for just these occasions. Personally I would want a 20-25% reserve. Basically having $4-5000 spare change left after purchasing the plane will allow for less issues in the long term. I have owned or currently own several aircraft and this has been my personal experience.

I would probably look at finding a project that is close to completion if you are on a budget and are willing/able to commit time to finishing it. This will help in the long run as you can apply for the repairman certificate and then you will save money in the future by being able to do your own condition inspections. This is no small issue, as it can be difficult to find a shop locally that will preform and sign off an experimental condition inspection! Lots of things to consider.

As far as finding one already outfitted with a trailer, good luck! I have seen them for sale but most of them seem to be the earlier model 1-3's that have them. I guess it is for the owner to tow it home after that 2-stroke pukes on them! Just joking you 2-stroke guys!! LOL Having said that, building one isn't hard. I made one out of a boat trailer I converted. Only took a day or two and I made it so I can remove the airplane mount and still use the trailer for its intended use.

[JustinMorrison]

Hey guys, thanks for the detailed responses! I have read several debate threads about the Rotax vs Jabiru and other miscellaneous engines, and it does seem that the Rotax is the favorite of the crowd, which makes sense seeing in how its used in many different light aircraft applications.

What I didn't come across was issues with the Jab in the colder climates, which is definitely something I have to consider, seeing as how we get some nice brisk days here in the midwest, which would make for nice flying at our field elevation of ~6000' as long as the engine is happy. It seems the consensus is that my current in hand budget is a little low, so I will work on bringing up my expendable money about another $5,000.

I have budgeted in the extra costs of plane ownership into my monthly budget, as well as the cost of flight lessons, which allowed me my $20k spending limit initially, but I will gather up some more funds here and hopefully secure a nice 912 powered Fox!

With the holidays around the corner, maybe I will be able to score a nice build from someone who is needing the holiday cash