Photograph:
A Kitfox Super Sport 7 in the United States fitted with a Rotec R-2800 radial engine (Kitfox Aircraft)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 75 kw ( 100 hp) Rotax 912 iS four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.75 m (32 ft)
- Length: 6.03 m (19 ft 8 in)
- Height [tailwheel]: 1.76 m (5 ft 8 in);
- Height [tricycle undercarriage]: 2.43 m (8 ft)
- Wing area: 12.26 m² (132 sq ft)
- Length wings folded: 6.91 m (22 ft 7 in)
- Width wings folded: 2.43 m (8 ft)
- Never exceed speed: 225 km/h (140 mph)
- Max speed: 201 km/h (125 mph)
- Cruising speed: 193 km/h (120 mph)
- Stalling speed: 66 km/h (41 mph)
- Service ceiling: 4,877 m (16,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Range with VFR reserve: 985 km (612 miles)
- Take-off ground roll: 88 m (290 ft)
- Landing ground roll: 82 m (270 ft)
- Endurance: 5.4 hrs
- Fuel capacity: 102 litres (22.4 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 340 kg (750 lb)
- Baggage capacity: 68 kg (150 lb)
- Useful load: 363 kg (800 lb)
- Loaded weight: 703 kg (1,550 lb)
History:
Daniel Denney of Denney Aerocraft over the years has developed a number of light aircraft for recreational use, most able to be fitted with a tailwheel or a tricycle undercarriage, and may be fitted with skis or floats. He sold his interest in the design of the series in 1992 to Skystar Aircraft Corporation which offered a series of models in kit form until that Company closed down operations in 2005.
In 2006 the assets of the Company and rights to the aircraft were obtained by John and Debra McBean and Kitfox Aircraft was formed. Since then the design has received further development and it has been available in kit form to amateur builders around the world. Kitfox states more than 5,000 kits of the series have been supplied over the years and it is still available in a variety of models to meet differing regulations around the world.
The Super Sport 7 series was designed and tested to a maximum of 703 kg (1,550 lb) but it is usually completed with a max weight of 599 kg (1,320 lb) or 649 kg (1,430 lb). This model has been described as a “Jeep with Wings” and has STOL performance, a wide cockpit and folding wings. It could be converted from tailwheel to nose wheel configuration in a few hours. The Super Sport 7 had no common primary structure with previously developed kits.
This model has become popular with amateur builders and a variety of engines can be, and have been, installed. These include the Rotax 912 and 914 series, the Lycoming O-235, O-233 and IO-233 series, the Continental O-200 of 75 kw (100 hp) or the IO-240 of 93 kw (125 hp), the 80 kw (100 hp) Jabiru 3300, and the Austalian-built Rotec R-2800 radial engine.
First example of the type seen in Australia became VH-RMQ (c/n KA13181266) which had its Certificate of Airworthiness issued on 15 December 2015. Based at Mt Beauty in Victoria, it fitted with a Rotax 912 iS engine driving an Airmotor AP332S propeller.