Hi Rob,
I certainly support your caution and go-slow stance and wouldn`t push anyone to extend themselves past their own comfort but do offer these thoughts FWIW:
The Kitfox has a reputation as a well behaved aircraft.
Why not find a Kitfox pilot (or an experienced pilot or CFI with similar type experience) to go up with you and get some experience of the feel of the controls in the _air_, and of course on takeoff and landing approach?
The behavior of the plane and controls at taxiing speeds and configuration will be significantly different than in landing configuration and speeds (the place you need the most mastery),
and IMO one hour experience feeling/learning that in the air will probably be worth more and more relevant than 5 hours taxiing on the ground.
Roberto, I`m curious: IS there any reason you took your lessons in the Cubs, Champs and a Kitfox-like Aerotek rather than IN the KitFox?
(You didn`t say so, but I assumed you own the KitFox or have access to it)?
As a final thought:
Doing hours of taxiing, especially if you are thinking of doing it at increasingly higher speeds with any crosswinds around, can be risky.... Ironically, IMO, possibly more risky than the same number of hours of flying.
The Kitfox is light with large wing area and if you get a gust under the wing is as many LSAs needing to be handled carefully in crosswinds to not get tipped and put that downwing wingtip on the runway or worse.
In normal takeoffs (in contrast to the hours you are proposing rolling around on the ground) a Kitfox is only in that very vulnerable position (of being moving fast with the potential for massive lift under one wing AND still close enough to the ground where the downwind wing could hit the ground if the plane rolled even a modest 35 degrees) for a VERY short time.
That is because in normal takeoffs it is likely airborn within 6 seconds of applying takeoff power. Once it is even 20 feet off the runway even if a gust gets under the wing it and unexpectedly rolls you uncorrected that wingtip isn`t going to hit the ground.
In short, in 10 minutes of high speed ground taxiing with any significant crosswind seems to me you are exposed to roughly the flip-over risk you would incurr in 100 cross-wind takeoffs.
Disclaimer: I`m niether a Kitfox pilot or a CFI.
My two cents.
Alex
--- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, "rob_waltman" <aero@...> :
>
> Sorry, this is not LSA specific, but I hope I'll get some knowledgeable answers.
> I hold a private pilot certificate, and will be flying a Kitfox experimental under LSA rules.
> Both the Kitfox and I are being put back into service after a long hiatus. I have a current BFR and tailwheel endorsement.
> The airplane had its annual inspection 10 days ago, and I have been taking lessons in Cubs, Champs and a Kitfox-like Aerotek.
> I decided I will not try to fly it until I have several hours of taxi testing, to the point that I feel comfortable "driving" it on the ground.
> My question is, can/should I log this taxi hours as PIC time? On one hand, this is not flying. On the other, I am gaining proficiency in the ground handling of an aircraft that has a reputation for being very sensitive to control inputs.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Roberto.
>
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