This Kitfox is a BEAST! - Rotax 915iS 141hp Turbocharged Fuel Injected Monster

what's up guys I'm in Idaho with John the owner of Kitfox Scott Palmer's here as well his planes kind of hidden around the corner but John has the factory STI that they just put a 9:15 in so I figured we should take this minute to see how it compares to the 912 in mind even though mine is hopped up a little bit I'm Trent Palmer just like drones for a living and Bush planes for fun follow along as I journey off the beaten path of aviation [Music] tell me about the 9/15 tell you about the 915 Rho taxes new introduction this is one of three prototype engines that Rotax has out there that we're doing some testing on to try to establish how it works for the stole and stole airplanes and also you know specifically with the kit box so far it's remarkably smooth it's been it's great little engine watts of power doing some flight testing trying to get more information on it and see what it does but it's so forcefully oppressive so the 9:15 for those who don't know is the fuel-injected turbo engine that's brand-new from Rotax and basically I think originally they were saying it was 135 horse now they're close saying it's 141 but yours dynode a little higher right a little bit higher it's according to the dyno records out of Rotax in Austria 5,800 rpm 24 I'm sorry 45 inches manifold pressure it was 145 146 at 146 horse that's a lot more than a stock hundred horse you know 912 Rotax which I have the 912 9s which was originally an 80 horse now with the piston cylinders cam and all the other little upgrades I'm at about 120 but we've never dynoed it so that's what it's supposed to be so this thing since it's pretty close to the same weight should be you know a big upgrade from mine so I think we should probably put them head-to-head and then if you're cool with it let me fly it absolutely let's fly oh you guys aren't jealous you should be how many other people have gotten to fly this one it'll be two now so why don't we should we just do a head-to-head take off you take off in this guy I'll take off in mind both of us are almost full fuel right now yeah 2,400 feet there is a little wind but it's warm out I don't know just don't take it as the shortest these things will take off our land because it's hot and we're heavy let's do it have you been taking lessons from Thai on Footwear in the airplane well the new upholstery I'm like I've always told people don't even wipe off your shoes it's a bush plane but now I'm like here Patti I'm gonna wipe my feet before I get in look at how good that looks too it doesn't look so good [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] all right that was fun huh that was blast yeah it was pretty close I think it was real close yeah I mean I could tell when you were on pavement and I was on grass you had yeah and I will say once we go in to climb no comfort right you're gone and I'm hey come on it is watching you I don't think I'm pushing it I don't think you are I think I can still get more climb out yeah and it's really impressive considering are both full fuel yeah so you wanna let me fly it absolutely let's do it okay tell me what I need to know so many fancy switches and doodads [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] so first impressions it's pretty sweet it's just it's a smooth nice you know everything feels more refined than mine like quiet and oh my it's so starting the takeoff roll get into it and it felt like mine and then boost oh it's right when like tail comes up and all of a sudden it's like slingshot and up and I I was nowhere near VX I was just letting there go so I'm sure that thing would just go to the moon if you let it it's pretty cool what do you think I like it I can't afford it but I really like it if I could I think that's what I'd I'd probably have to consider it what do you that mean do you prefer it to the 914 I love the engine I love the 914 I mean the if you get into the the cost side of it you can still be in this airplane with that engine with a constant speed hydraulic constant speed prop and everything for probably going to be somewhere in the hundred 125 range maybe it's just you know you think about the performance you're getting there compared to other aircraft that are out there from cruise yeah the efficiencies you're getting a lot of modern-day technology and yeah it's expensive the engine the engine currently is 38,000 requires I draw at constant speed prop yeah so right now the MT is a very solid prop very well known in the in the industry so yeah it felt nice and yeah so when you start thinking of performance its killer maybe not the best out there but you when you start talking about value I mean to go any shorter than this takeoff wise you double or triple the price easily yeah easily and then you're gonna cruise as fast as them if not faster unless gasps yeah and you got the most modern and advanced motor you can get yep in a reciprocating motor and your side-by-side so you can look a passenger in the eye yeah my wife's in the back but yeah that thing is kind of a beast I'm not gonna lie and if I had had the money for it I think that's probably the direction I would go given that I don't right now mine's you know good enough you saw takeoff wise I'm close climb comparison Christmas no comparison but thank from a take-off standpoint it's not that we're not that far but we're at 2500 feet 4,700 feet density altitude - I figured out why you're flying well I take off on mountains that are 8,000 9,000 feet right then we're talking significant difference yes cuz then I'm still gonna get that same rated horsepower yeah when I'm turning I'm putting out 80 horse here putting out 141 and that's a big difference yeah and that's where it's really gonna shine so when do I get to come down fly with you soon let's do it alright guys I hope you liked that video that was fun I'm spoiled I'm lucky the first guy outside of Kip Fox to get to fly that thing and it was fun so anyway you guys know the drill liked this video subscribe if you haven't come be my wingman see on the next one [Music] [Applause] you [Music]

Channel: Trent Palmer

Views: 1,206,513

Rating: 4.9226694 out of 5

Keywords: Kitfox, kitfox aircraft, flight vlog, aviation, airplane, bush plane, trent palmer, freedomfox, airplane crash, instruction, tailwheel, landing, plane, pilot, flying, flight training, helicopter, rotax 915, rotax, rotax 915is, kitfox STI, STOL, short take off, short takeoff and landing aircraft, turbo rotax, rotax fuel injection, lycoming, continental, titan engine, MT Propeller, comparison, review

Id: y7xU_2Zzbb0

Length: 9min 15sec (555 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 12 2018