When We Use The Term “Sport Plane” Or “Light Sport Aircraft,” Does That Equate To Limited Usability?

Some aircraft are specifically intended for transportation and travel. A good example of this would be a corporate jet or even a high-performance single-engine airplane. Other aircraft seem to have found their niche in what we call sport or recreational flying, but to lump all these aircraft into the term “sport plane” is a bit limiting.

The Kitfox Aircraft Company has a 30 year history building kit airplanes, and Kitfox president, John McBean, tells us his Kitfox Model 7 aircraft is an example of an aircraft that doesn’t fall into one purpose category. Sure, it’s a tube and rag, 2-place, relatively low powered kit airplane, which gives the impression that it is strictly for sport or recreational flying and may not be suited long distance flying.

Continuing with the Kitfox example, this airplane can be built up to a gross weight of 1550 pounds but it can also be lowered to meet the requirements for sport pilot operation. At the higher weight it can actually carry a load equal to the empty weight of the airplane. So, this is an example of an airplane that could be called a sport plane but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a light sport aircraft.

John said he is aware of a Kitfox builder that flew from Idaho to Florida, then from Florida to Key West, then back up to Idaho, and then continued from there to Anchorage, Alaska and back to Idaho. This whole trip was a 45 day adventure. Another customer has flown their older kitfox Model 4 to all 48 contiguous states. Yet another customer uses his kitfox Model 7 for rugged off-airport flying in the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

The Kitfox is only one example of an aircraft that actually can be used for transportation or traveling from point A to point B. To misunderstand the term, “sport aircraft,” is to eliminate many aircraft choices that are, in many cases, multi-capable.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.eaa.org