the foxbat

[Chrism]

Hi Carl, what is the IAS cruise for the Foxbat? I am currently flying a Jab160c with a cruise speed of 95-110knts....The Foxbat looks excellent with loads of room and awsome visability and a great price. But I have heard that it only has a cruise speed of 80-85knts?

I fly the A22L version and yes, 80 kts IAS is about where she flies comfortably. Others may get a bit more?

 

 

[john mitchell]

Thank you all, it helps to get the full story before agreeing to a purchase!

 

 

 

[Guest aussie carl]

It has been some time since i have flown the FB but pretty sure it is as the blokes have mentioned above. with the 100hp it will do 95-100.

 

fit a constant speed or inflight adjustable prop and I recon it will get 110knts and on take off it would be like a home sick angel.

 

HP is always good but being able to harness the horsies and make use of the power avaialble is more important.

 

 

[normfox]

It has been some time since i have flown the FB but pretty sure it is as the blokes have mentioned above. with the 100hp it will do 95-100.fit a constant speed or inflight adjustable prop and I recon it will get 110knts and on take off it would be like a home sick angel.

HP is always good but being able to harness the horsies and make use of the power avaialble is more important.

I have a 4 year old Foxbat LSA - one of the first series imported. With the Warp Drive ground adjustable prop we can easily depart at 800 - 1000 fpm and, should I choose, the cruise is about 105 knots @ 5200 rpm. Fuel (95 octane) consumption at that speed is typically about 19.5 lph.

 

A friend with a newer LS seems to achieve much the same performance even though he has the heavier undercarriage.

 

This morning I was pottering about the Bellarine Peninsula just for fun at 80 - 85 IAS, 4200 rpm and 12 lph. Not my usual but comfortable and great for checking who is doing what on the ground.

 

 

[rdarby]

I fly a new LSA and it is comfortable about 90kts at 5000. I usually do 85kts to 90kts at 4600 - 4900 if by myself.

 

If you want to go faster you need to apply power, it doesn't seem to like it. It's not a cruising aricraft, it's a STOL aircraft. I plan on 85kts for cruising, it settles well into that.

 

 

[alf jessup]

I fly a new LSA and it is comfortable about 90kts at 5000. I usually do 85kts to 90kts at 4600 - 4900 if by myself.If you want to go faster you need to apply power, it doesn't seem to like it. It's not a cruising aricraft, it's a STOL aircraft. I plan on 85kts for cruising, it settles well into that.

rdarby,

 

You say it doesn't like it as in? engine rpm to high or sounds to high? (rotax's thrive on high rpm) or is it airframe noise or buffeting?

 

I actually think they cruise on nicely at 90 - 95 (5200- 5300rpm for the LS)

 

Alf

 

 

[Planechaser]

I would agree with rdarby.

 

I have got about 550 hrs in my A22LS and 85-90 is comfortable. If you are in rough air, anything over about 92kts for mine is pretty rough. That thick wing picks up all the bumps!! Back it off to 85kts and its smooth as the proverbial.

 

I get 85 at 4800rpm( which is where I cruse and muster. Well 4800 t0 4950.) with the blunt tipped rigid warp drive set to "Homesick Angel"

 

A Warp cranked around for cruse, or probably a Kiev cranked around for cruse would tap 100kts ease IMHO, but keep in mind the ride goes from tarmac to corrugated iron in the low 90s, if in rough air.

 

I asked about the in flight adjustable unit out of NZ when we bought it 18 months ago, and old mate the designer in the Ukraine was very scathing!! Reconed the extra weight would counter act the prop pitch and neuter any extra speed.

 

I have heared they work well on Sav's though, so it would still be worth a thought.....

 

Also, my fuel consumption and oil blow off increase expidentally when I push over 4900rpm, so the extra 5kts is not really value for money, but that could just be my particular bird.

 

 

[rdarby]

What I mean is that you have to apply power to make it go faster. Over 5000 rpm is using more fuel than other aircraft need to go even faster. It seems to be smooth and more hands off at 85.

 

 

[Downunder]

It's a STOL aircraft with a thick wing. 100 knots is flogging it pretty hard......

 

 

[Big Kev]

My search for a training aircraft continues.

 

Monday I sat in SRFC's A22 (centre stick), and didn't fit (I was there looking @ the Lightwing they have for sale).

 

Yesterday, Sheldon from MAC was good enough to let me try on an LS- I was hoping for maybe some interior improvements- but still no go. The dash is very poor design.

 

So far, the only aircraft I fit into are Lightwings and late Jabs.

 

Cheers

 

Big Kev

 

 

[metalman]

Interesting thread, for info I think the 912uls makes peak torque at 5100rpm ( approx) , I've just done a big trip and was getting 19lph at 5000rpm, my plane is a Kitfox/Skyfox type and I'm getting 80kts cruise at 5000 , I've coarsened the pitch to get a better cruise but it actually feels better at a lower RPM and the cruise doesn't drop much, I'll be re pitching it a bit finer ,2 degrees equals 3-400 rpm on climb ( which I'm only getting 5100 at the moment) there's a really good tutorial on prop pitch on the rotax owner site .

 

I've been keen on the foxbats for putting online , or the eurofox , I've never flown the FB but it would have to be pretty good to beat the eurofox, would be good to hear a compare from someone with time in both.

 

Matty

 

 

[Mick]

Hey Matt,

 

The aero club at Port Macquarie has had a Foxbat & a Eurofox For the last few years. They have just sold the Eurofox & are replacing it with a CTLS.

 

 

[metalman]

Was there week before last, should've asked , doh!