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  3. horsepower

    Posted

    Welcome Blake, There is lots of support here and plenty of guys flying both the Avid and Kitfox to help you with your decision.Im sure there is someone on this Forum from So Cal.I know there is a high time Avid flyer on here from central cal.Good Luck Randy

  5. Av8r3400

    Posted

    What I know of the setup is from a friend (ironically also named Paul) who had one.  He has since changed to the newer style engine mount with the oil tank under the cowl.

     

    He has an early 912UL 80hp motor.  Very early.  He was having wild fluctuation of the oil pressure.  He at first chalked this up to an intermittent sending unit or gage.  Later he determined the long lines of the oil system were putting too much strain on the oil pump.  Consulting with LEAF he determined that this was causing damage not only to the pump itself but potentially to the motor too.  When changing the motor mount he also replaced the oil pump.  Now there is no oil pressure problems.

     

    IMO, the long lines were allowing low pressure bubbles to form and I'm sure this was causing cavitation in the pump.  This type of cavitation will erode the gears and walls in the pump which will eventually cause a catastrophic failure of either the pump or the motor itself if enough contamination is pumped into the bearings.

  6. Av8r3400

    Posted

    Welcome Rod.  Glad to have you.

     

     

    Technically Avid is not out of business, Paul.  Airdale is what's left of Avid.  As I said earlier, I'm hoping Brett will follow his word and get his act together again to offer the support needed in the market.

  7. Av8r3400

    Posted

    But the point is, that SP doesn't impact 103 operations or the true ultralights.  That was already dying on its own.

     

    What it did was kill off the "Fat", two seat "ultralights" that were operating in, at best, a gray area and at worst totally black (unsafe) loophole in the 103 regs.  Allowing anyone and their dog to get an "instructor" permit, fly a two seat, heavier plane and take passengers posing as "students".   For every one "legitimate" ultralight instructor (like Joey's dad), there were ten that had the permit only to fly passengers.  The FAA was taking notice.

  8. wypaul

    Posted · Edited by Paul S

    Hey Rod welcome.  I am wondering if you will sell Avid parts retail due to the fact that Avid is out of business, things like wing tanks (vinyl ester), cowlings and etc?  I know there has been a fair amount of interest in them here in the past.

  9. Av8r3400

    Posted

    The MZ202 motor is not a selling point, IMO.  Unless you have a lot of support available for it, I'd be wary of that motor.  Maybe to the point of passing on this one for the next with a Rotax motor...

     

    By the look of it, it appears to "B" or "C" model.  Maybe one of the other guys can narrow that down.  These are good solid designed airplanes. Lots of fun, even if the condition is ragged, they can still be good fun economical flying.

     

    At face value of the photos, links like a solid little plane.

  10. wypaul

    Posted

    I would like to hear more about what would cause the failure with the MK IV setup Larry.  I am running this setup and if there is some problem sure would like to hear what is going on, this is the first that I have heard this (which does not mean much, there is a lot I haven't heard about these sweet little planes).

  11. stressedout72

    Posted

    Well Hello all,

     

    I would like to introduce myself, my name is Rod Schramm. I grew up in the kit aircraft industry mostly because my dad BJ Schramm was the father of the kit helicopter known as the Scorpion, Exec, Elite, Windstar and the ultimate kit helicopter the Helicycle. I also designed and built 80% of the tooling for the Helicycle and manufactured of the first 60. As in some father son relationships there is a bit of head-butting and in our case it lead to my going back to college and then ultimately starting my business with my wife.

     

    We started Performance Products LLC in 2006 and manufacture composite parts for Kitfox, Airdale Sport Plane, Sky Raider, Eagle R & D (home of the Helicycle), and a few motorcycle companies. I have built some of our own tooling for some of the above mentioned aircraft they are: Leading Edges and 13gl wing tanks that can be used in the Sky Raider, Avid flyer, Airdale, Escapade and Highlander. Kitfox Aircraft is a large part of our company and we are not willing to sacrifice our relationship by selling their parts. However, we have permission from another great company Sky Raider to sell items that we manufacture for them.

     

    I am happy to announce that we will be manufacturing our own Weight Shift Ultralight in the very near future. We have been working super long hours on the design and tooling. You can check out and like what we have been up to on our Facebook page and our Website at www.performanceproducts1.com. I hope that I can assist you with your projects.

     

    Thanks for allowing me to post

     

    Rod Schramm

  13. benglish

    Posted

    Hello,

    I just joined the forum to find out as much as I can before purchasing an aircraft.  I'm leaning towards a Kitfox or an Avid.  I'm a glider pilot who's getting a power ticket.  I've been flying out of Cable Airport, CA.  I saw a kitfox flying the other day and would love to talk to the owner.  Are any of you fellows around the SoCal area?  Perhaps you're the person I saw flying the kitfox/avid around Cable?

     

    It's nice to meet you all.

     

    +Blake

  14. SuberAvid

    Posted

    Interesting discusion.  I welcomed the SP rule when it came in and gladly went from flying as a PP to flying under SP rules without having to continually renew my medical.  It just so happened that I already had a SP legal plane so life was good for me, but I was not really aware of the hassle and cost this had on the part 103 crowd.  I sure hate that SP could not have happened and still leave the ultralight class alone.  Seems like Gov regulators cannot stand to do anything unless it negatively impacts sombody.

     

    Oh, except we know Obamacare would never do that....

  15. benglish

    Posted

    Hi Guys,

     

    I'm new to this forum.  I'm an engineer and new-to-powered pilot (primarily a glider pilot).  I like the kitfox/avid design.  I'm not opposed to building one, if the price is right, but getting in the air now  appeals to me as well.  I'm in SoCal, and it seems most kitfox drivers and sales are back east.  What do you guys think of this one on barnstormers. ?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Blake

     

     

     

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  20. Av8r3400

    Posted

    Quote from letter this petition generates to your representatives:

    The FAA recently indicated that it is planning sweeping changes to the airman medical certification process, and that it plans to implement these changes without any input from the flying public, aviation associations, industry stakeholders, or Congress. Specifically, the FAA is mandating that airmen with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over a given threshold, even if they have not exhibited symptoms or been previously diagnosed, must undergo expensive and burdensome diagnostic evaluation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). This sudden transition to prophylactic and preventative medicine comes without public review, cost/benefit analysis, or a NPRM.

  22. EDMO

    Posted

    There lots of us older pilots who had private and commercial certificates that cannot bear the high costs of tests to prove we are not going to pass out or have a heart attack while flying our little birds - We have flown our Champs, Pipers, Ercoupes, whatevers, for 40 to 60 years - but we cant take the chance of one stupid medical doctor grounding us now

    - If we are safe enough to drive to the airport, and we feel able to fly, then the SP is the best thing that ever happened for us.

    For those too lazy to put in the effort and money it takes for a SP or Private certificate:  I guess they just don't want to fly as badly as I do.

    That's my last 2 cents worth on this issue.

    EDMO

  25. horsepower

    Posted

    The business phone # is 208-761-8244,they are in Melba, Idaho I believe,or maybe Homedale,Idaho.Rod Schramm is his name and they do several types of manufacturing from his shop but he is an ace in fiberglass stuff.His father was B.J. Schramm, father of the amateur built helicopter,he was the founder of the Helicycle.Nice to talk to on the phone.I think his business is Performance Products LLC.Randy