Well, I have been putting it off for years and second, third, and forth guessing myself on what to build.
I like the Kitfox and the chance of landing at some remote back strips and camping out. How much fun would that be? Then I started thinking - I don't go camping now - why would I do it with a plane? The Kitfox is still a great plane, just not what I want a plane for.
Then I tried to talk myself into forgetting all the craploa I need to go through to get a class 3, and building a RV 12. Again, a great plane and for me has several advantages over the 9. Cheaper to fly, auto gas, pop the wings off and store at home, and no class 3. But here in Colorado, the mountains are pretty close to the sky.
Then today, Dave from Vansairforce, living in Colorado flew into Rifle to show me his plane. It is beautiful and has the prettiest blue-green cowl and accents with a yellow background on the rest of the plane. The panel is painted the blue green color and looks very nice. We then went for a ride around the area and with my weight, Dave, and the survival gear he carries in the mountains, lets just say we weren't on the light side of the limits.
We started rolling and within what felt like about 500', the nose was off and we started climbing at about 1000+' fpm at about 120knots. I think Rifle airport is about 5500'. A Lear jet was coming in from off our nose, so Dave lowered the nose to about 800fpm and we were cruising about 150knots at 8500' to give the Lear plenty of room. At that point, I was convinced, the RV 9 had become a need rather than a want. Truthfully, when I first got in the plane, I was sold, the flight just drove it home.
I am finishing filling out the order forms and will be submitting my order for the empannage and probably the fuselage QB on Monday. finally.
I want to thank Dave for the flight and look forward to giving him a ride when I am done with my build. He has put 900hours in the past 6 years on his plane and it still looks new.
I like the Kitfox and the chance of landing at some remote back strips and camping out. How much fun would that be? Then I started thinking - I don't go camping now - why would I do it with a plane? The Kitfox is still a great plane, just not what I want a plane for.
Then I tried to talk myself into forgetting all the craploa I need to go through to get a class 3, and building a RV 12. Again, a great plane and for me has several advantages over the 9. Cheaper to fly, auto gas, pop the wings off and store at home, and no class 3. But here in Colorado, the mountains are pretty close to the sky.
Then today, Dave from Vansairforce, living in Colorado flew into Rifle to show me his plane. It is beautiful and has the prettiest blue-green cowl and accents with a yellow background on the rest of the plane. The panel is painted the blue green color and looks very nice. We then went for a ride around the area and with my weight, Dave, and the survival gear he carries in the mountains, lets just say we weren't on the light side of the limits.
We started rolling and within what felt like about 500', the nose was off and we started climbing at about 1000+' fpm at about 120knots. I think Rifle airport is about 5500'. A Lear jet was coming in from off our nose, so Dave lowered the nose to about 800fpm and we were cruising about 150knots at 8500' to give the Lear plenty of room. At that point, I was convinced, the RV 9 had become a need rather than a want. Truthfully, when I first got in the plane, I was sold, the flight just drove it home.
I am finishing filling out the order forms and will be submitting my order for the empannage and probably the fuselage QB on Monday. finally.
I want to thank Dave for the flight and look forward to giving him a ride when I am done with my build. He has put 900hours in the past 6 years on his plane and it still looks new.
