Kitfox debuts ready-to-fly LSA

The Kitfox Special-Light Sport Aircraft, a ready-to-fly model, was unveiled at Sun ‘n Fun.

“It is a refinement of our series seven design,” explained John McBean, Kitfox president. “We were able to make changes to lighten the design and meet the ASTM standards for Light Sport Aircraft.”

Kitfox has been making kit aircraft since the 1980s. The Kitfox SLSA will be factory built.

The SLSA has side-by-side seating and dual controls. Like its predecessors, this Kitfox has foldable wings for ease of storage. The plane can handle 150 pounds of baggage and two people.

Base price is $83,495.

The standard aircraft complies with FAR 91.205, noted McBean, who, with his wife, Debra, has owned Kitfox since 2006.

“We kept it needle, ball, airspeed,” he said.

There is a lot of tradition and expertise in this latest design, McBean noted.

“There are some 4,500 Kitfoxes flying world wide,” he said, noting the design has been around since 1984. “We have over a million flight hours and there has never been a record of an in-flight structural failure.”

McBean is proud to note that the SLSA airframe is 100% American-made.

“The engine is a Rotax, which comes from Europe,” he said. “We looked at Lycoming for an engine that would work but couldn’t find anything light enough. That’s not to say that they won’t develop something. We will likely be looking at them again.”

The aircraft can come in a taildragger or tricycle gear configuration.

“You can even get the 26-inch tundra tires if you really need them,” said McBean. “This aircraft will be comfortable in the backcountry or at your local FBO for the $100 hamburger.”

The LSA will be built at the Kitfox factory in Homedale, Idaho. The company expects to turn out six airplanes a year.

“We’ve been producing kits for such a long time that we can do it efficiently, so we are able to keep our price relatively low,” McBean said.

McBean noted that the company will still continue to build kits for wanna-be builders.

For more information: KitfoxAircraft.com