IBob

Gary, I don't have a pic of mine, but here is a detail from the pics the then agent (since retired) sent me. I think he made the closer kits locally. He was responsible for a number of innovations, and also completed many kit builds. You can see how the rod is tapered on the outboard side at the end, both rods are like that. As mentioned, I also found it helpful to bend the very tip of the rod inboard a bit. I also looked at his pics to try and see if they also used the standard door front latch. It looks as though they didn't, but certainly the over-centre action of that latch will pull the front centre of the door in snug.

Gary Nelson, neat job of the door closers! On mine, the rear rod goes into a hole in the fuselage frame, outboard of the extruded angle there. The hole is reinforced by a little SS plate, held by 2 rivnuts, with slotted holes to allow some adjustment. And the rod ends are not points, but shaved off to a point at a gradual angle on the outboard side so that they pull the door in as the rods move to the closed position. I found the door closed more readily if I bent the tips so as to give an easier lead-in.

That looks great, Garry Nelson, and shows much of the necessary detail. Would need to be modified for the S, where the bottom edge of the door is not in one plane as it is in the VG in the video. Aside from that it looks like 'just' fabricating an al tube door frame to match the lower doorframe, then attaching polycarbonate with some sort of outer flange. Hinge and latch. I note he did a nice job of curving the upper frame member out wards (pretty much as it is in the standard S door, to give a bit more elbow room). I see in the flying footage he also has a polycarbonate deflector at the front of the upper door space. As for the standard S door: It's not easy to remove without risk of knocking your paintwork around. And I have 3-point door closers, sourced with my kit from Australia, though I do not know if the agent there still makes them.

I bet Mum was really pleased that going on holiday didn't interfere with her cooking.......though if the TV fell in the sink it probably would have......(

Area 51, a couple of things to take into account regarding the standard doors: 1. They are bat-wing in operation. 2. They are not a rigid frame with the polycarbonate attached. They are upper and lower windows, with their joining point shaped and anchored together in such a way as to produce a slightly bubble shape, with a light frame around the whole. I am not confidant that the upper section or the upper polycarbonate could be removed without greatly weakening and probably deforming the remaining door. But I may be wrong......

The Savannah S POH says it may be flown with one or both doors off. That side-slip should be avoided if only one door off. And that drag will be increased, particularly at high A of A.

That's a really enjoyable interview......)

Marty, I'd settle for once......)

I wonder if the problem could be inadequate strength/bracing in the float? We once had a f/glass canadian canoe. Heading for home in failing weather after a week on a big lake, I accepted a tow from a power boat. While there was little in the canoe (just me), when the canoe got onto the wave from the boat, the bottom went flat then dinged in sharply. And while it didn't break or tear, as I recall there were stress marks where this may have happened before.

Nice looking job, Marty! Another option is to have the the LE sitting in a sling, webbing or I used a strip of carpet, attached at a centre high point of the frame then passing down and under the LE, with the other end attached at a raised point over where your casters are. So the wing is sitting in a pair of slings, which conform to the shape of the LE, and are not resting on anything hard or solid. I copied mine from a pic I saw somewhere, passed it to another builder who has beefed it up and added wheels, it has now passed to a third builder...........)

Depends what you are viewing on Flying Dog: On my laptop/PC it's a blue Following button at the top RH corner of the thread. Click on that and you can unfollow the thread.

Danny, you may want to check the current output of that USB port: I have seen an aircraft equipped with them initially, but subsequently replaced with good quality conventional USB charging ports. I can only assume either that the output was inadequate for whatever they were driving (tablet?), or that they were electrically noisy.

BTW, there was early first person footage of parachuting into trees. Probably deliberately, as it would have have taken some effort back then to mount the camera gear. This was round canopy stuff, and shortly after entering the trees it looked like the jumper fell very sharply. I think what can happen is that if the jumper/payload/aircraft momentarily snags in parts of the tree, the canopy above continues descending or deflating. Then when the j/p/a unsnags and falls it is now no longer supported by the canopy, so can fall at a much higher rate........

Well, that's a relief........was trying to figure how to get them to take the net down in time............)