Member Profile: Mic and Nancy Theissen and Their Kitfox
Update July 2007!
Well it has been 6 months since the start of this registration process and it is finally complete. The FAA has released the registration and Transport Canada has issued the Canadian version. This is all very good news. After some time of instruction with Reg Clark in a Taylorcraft for some tail wheel time the day is finally here. Reg took up C-FOXX for a test run and it all went very well. 1 hour of dual and I was set to go. WOW is that ever cool. Have done a couple of hours of practice landings with the occasional crosswind and we are progressing well. The occasional bounce but nothing to serious. My wife Nancy insists that she is the first passenger, that will happen soon if it continues to go well. Time to start exploring....
See our movie of the aircraft (5.7 MB avi file, Microsoft Media Player or Real Player required).
A Southern Belle Comes Home to the Prairies by Mic Theissen
Well it has finally happened. My wife Nancy and I have purchased a Kitfox. We are very excited.
The adventure began when Nancy told me I can't let this one slip away. The deal was done before we knew it and then we began contemplating how to get it home all the way from Atlanta. The purchase was made and it came with its own trailer to haul it with. So Wednesday afternoon November 9, 2005 we loaded up the truck and headed out not realizing just how far 4000 km can be. We made the trip down non-stop a measly 38 hours, one sleeping the other driving, only stopping for fuel and food. Needless to say we were wiped when we got there. Lethbridge-Winnipeg-Grand Forks-Sioux Falls-Omaha-Kansas City-St Louis-Nashville-Chattanooga-Atlanta. Three Provinces and 10 States. We had a good rest that night and the next morning (Saturday) we went to see what we had done. The owner assured us (when we were dealing) that if we were not 100% satisfied when we saw it, we could walk away from the deal. The pictures that he sent us did not lie. We were very happy with what awaited us. It has just been repainted and just shines in the sunshine. We pulled it out of the shop and fired it up. It has a 100 hp Subaru engine that just purrs.
So we finished the paper work and headed for home. The first 10 minutes on the freeway showed us that the elevator needed another brace to stop the waving in the wind. We stopped at a Home Depot to get some supplies to add to the brace that was already on one side. Not having tools for the job we asked them to do the job, we asked them to do a few cuts for us. "No way," was the response, "too much liability if it does not work." So we walked around the store, got the piece of wood we needed and asked them to do a demo of a wood saw for us (they were happy to do that). Then we asked for a 'demo’ of their fine electric drills (they were happy to do that). Purchasing the needed hardware we headed out to fix up the elevator with a group of spectators. With the fix done we were on the road again.
Top speed with the plane in tow was about 90 km/h, but usually closer to 70 km/h. We drove about 14 hours a day on the way home, stopping for night. Whenever we stopped we seemed to draw a crowd. We even had a family pile out of their vehicle and stand in front of it to get their picture taken at one of the rest stops we made. There was not one stop that we made that we did not get to talk to someone about what we were doing pulling an airplane behind the truck. Being new parents to a Kitfox it was all very new and exciting and unexpected.
All went well until Souix Falls, North Dakota where it began to rain, and then turned to snow and ice, before we reached the border. Crossing the border was fine, we had a very helpful officer helping us with all that needed to be done. The trailer that was built for the Kitfox proved to be the biggest hurdle. He asked how old the trailer was, to which I responded that it was built for the plane so probably about 4-5 years old. Then he suggested that it looked more like 15 years old and could I verify how old it was. No I could not because it had no serial number or anything stamped on it. He then QUIETLY told me that any trailer over 15 years of age had no restriction on importing, at which point I had to agree with him that the trailer could very well be at least 15 years old.
So the crossing went very smooth, the drive north to Winnipeg however was not. We had a 80 km/h east wind, the road was now sheer ice and snowing. With the wing folded back it now wanted to take off as it was facing right into the wind. The wind blew picked up the plane and trailer and slid it across the road taking the truck with it. Foot off the gas let it straighten out and try again. Two and a half hours later we were in Winnipeg.
We passed many who were not as lucky as us. The roads were closed that night (Monday) and the next day and so we spent time looking at the walls and visiting with folks in the lobby (many others were also stranded). Many asked if that was our plane in the parking lot. I guess they knew it was us cause we were the only ones with big smiles on our faces in the midst of a snow storm.
Wednesday we finally dared to venture out and headed for home. The roads did not improve till we were into the province of Saskatchewan for sometime. We hoped to make it tothe city of Regina but it was too early to stop when we got there so we pushed for home. Nancy kept me fed with coke and chocolate and the odd poke to keep me awake and we made it home.
It was such a relief to be back home. We covered 8000 km in 6 days and is something we will remember for a long time. We can hardly wait to go flying. I am working at the registration and Transport Canada inspection and looking at getting some tail wheel instruction. We want to take our time and do it right. This dream has been 18 years in the making and I don't want to make a mistake now.
Hopefully, by spring we will be set for countless hours of flying. I have included some picture for your enjoyment.
Mic Thiessen
Mic and his baby at the J3 Fly In in 2006...
