John McBean, owner of Kitfox Aircraft, smiles as he discusses the popularity of the two-seat aircraft kit produced in Homedale, Wednesday, Feb.15, 2023.
John McBean, owner of Kitfox Aircraft, smiles as he discusses the popularity of the two-seat aircraft kit produced in Homedale, Wednesday, Feb.15, 2023.
HOMEDALE — Building a model airplane used to be a popular childhood pastime. As adults, some aviation enthusiasts take that passion to the next level: building their own flyable airplanes.
But they are not necessarily designing the plane from scratch. Kitfox, based in Homedale, is a company that sells real-life airplane kits to pilots, both licensed and soon-to-be.
Though the company offers factory-built planes as well, more people opt for kits, said John McBean, who owns the company with his wife, Debra. The company sends up to 10 kits out the door each month, while only sending out six factory-built planes over the course of a year, he said.
The planes seat two, and are designed for easy takeoff and landing in the back-country, McBean said. Being headquartered in Idaho makes sense, as the state has the most back-country air strips outside of Alaska, he said.
Every year, the company participates in a variety of air shows that showcase their planes to customers the world over. The largest in the U.S. is the Oshkosh, Wisconsin air show, McBean said.
John McBean, owner of Kitfox Aircraft, talks about the popularity of the two-seat aircraft kit produced in Homedale, Wednesday, Feb.15, 2023.
The company has gone by various names since Dan Denny founded Denny Aerocraft in 1984, but it has always made the Kitfox airplane, McBean said. After operating out of Boise, Nampa, and Caldwell, McBean relocated the company to Homedale in 2006 and renamed it Kitfox Aircraft, he said.
The company manufactures nearly all of the parts for its planes onsite in Homedale, McBean said.
“We’re pretty much 100% U.S.-manufactured right here,” McBean said. “Our business philosophy is we’ll buy Idaho first, U.S.A. second, and wherever we can get it after that.”
Do you LOVE local news? Get Local News Headlines in your inbox daily.
Thanks! You'll start receiving
the headlines tomorrow!
The ribs of the wings of the plane are made of raw, aircraft-grade Finland birch, which is grown in Finland, McBean said. Finland birch plywood is incredibly thin, strong, and flexible, he said.
“I can take a rib, and grab it and twist it, and then let it go and it comes back,” McBean said. “People always ask us why we don’t just go to an aluminum-stamped rib. That’s why — this adds to the strength of the whole wing.”
Wing ribs hang from a wall at Kitfox Aircraft in Homedale, Wednesday, Feb.15, 2023.
Although it is the buyer’s responsibility to put the plane together, some parts come pre-built, McBean said. One such part are the plane’s wings, which can be folded backward to be parallel with the body. This can be handy for putting the plane in storage, he said.
A company brochure estimates builders will average about 1,000 hours to complete their plane. Though they have seen first-time builders complete builds in under six months, 1,000 hours of build time tends to translate to “an average of 18 months for those that have a full-time job and family.”
“Remember, it is not a race,” the brochure reads. “It is a fun journey that few will ever experience, enjoy it.”
The company has a two-year backlog for kits, and a three-year backlog for factory-built planes, McBean said.
Planes currently listed on the website range in price from $41,995 to $49,995.
“The cost of this is basically the cost of a very high-end SUV … but this will take you anywhere you want to go and change your life,” McBean said. “An SUV will just do nothing but depreciate in value.”
