Photograph:
Kitfox Aircraft Kitfox N1852N (c/n S60111-074) at Oshkosh Wisconsin, USA in July 2007 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport and training aircraft
Power Plant:
One 37 kw (50 hp) Rotax 503UL two-cylinder two-cycle electronic dual-ignition engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.84 m (29 ft 1 in)
- Length: 5.76 m (18 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 11.61 m² (125 sq ft)
- Cruising speed: 161 km/h (100 mph)
- Stalling speed: 59 km/h (37 mph)
- Rate of climb: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 91 m (299 ft)
- Landing run: 76 m (249 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 38 litres (8.35 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 272 kg (600 lb)
- Useful load: 272 kg (600 lb)
- Loaded weight: 544 kg (1,200 lb)
History:
This aircraft stemmed in 1998 from a series of light aircraft designed by Dan Denney. The Lite was an ultralight trainer aimed as the US Sports Pilot Program. It has been produced in kit form and is available in tricycle undercarriage configuration. It was initially offered as a ready-to-fly aircraft for ultralight training schools but later became available in kit form and can be built under the export category.
The manufacturer claimed, because of its simplicity, it could be built in 400 hours, this being possible by the airframe and wings being pre-built, leaving nut and bolt construction to the owner to complete. It was fitted with a Rotax 503 engine and had folding wings for storage. For short trips in the US the wings can be folded and the aircraft could be towed by a car on its undercarriage using a purpose built towbar. Special trailers were also become for its movement.
In 2000 the manufacturer at the time, Skystar, introduced a new model, the Lite Squared to its range, this being a two-seat variant of the Lite, this in fact being a redesign of the Kitfox Classic 4. Construction was of 4130 chrome-moly steel with fabric covering. Production of the Lite Squared concluded but in early 2012 an example was imported to New Zealand, becoming ZK-ELE (c/n 2L0501-05) but was substantially damaged in an accident at Pokehina Bay in the Bay Of Plenty, NZ on 3 June 2016.