A Savannah for Southern NSW

[Kyle Communications]

Looking good Bob....I like the vents

 

Mark

 

 

[eightyknots]

I noticed that addition on their website as well. I wonder why this has not been standard (or, at least an option) well before 2012? After all, Savannahs are bush machines and may need to park on slopes at times which is pretty difficult without some parking brake arrangement.

I also wonder why ICP doesn't manufacture the flap control according to the eminently sensible ones that Mark has done on his Sav XL?

 

 

[bobcharl]

G'day All,

 

Time to update you on my progress

 

Eventually finished the wiring,(firewall back anyway). Took me no end of time: as an elctrician I would make a handy plumber or something else. However all seemed to check out with a multi-meter and then powered it up and all worked fine. Cabin frame on and engine mount and front leg fitted as well .

 

Got a door assembled and masked ready to dismantle and apply black goo. Masking is tedious but less so than cleaning the excess off afterwards.

 

There will not be much happening in the next few weeks: am off on a trip to Birdsville and surrounds. Not flying unfortunately,have flown there but never been via land before, so am looking forward to it.

 

Cheers Bob

 

 

 

 

 

[Hadyn Bell]

Hi Bob,

 

Nice to see the progress. We are still a bit behind you but catching up....

 

How did you go with the undercarriage / strut plate that bolts onto / into the sides of the cabin and undercarriage tunnel?

 

Cheers

 

Hadyn

 

 

[rankamateur]

" A savannah for southern NSW" has a nice sound to it, a bit like a bike outside the pictures, anyone can hop on and take it for a lap.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Come on Steve for waiting for "Another savannah for Yeltman" it shouldnt take you too long to get it up and running

 

 

[rankamateur]

Come on Steve for waiting for "Another savannah for Yeltman" it shouldnt take you too long to get it up and running

I have put in 5 days on an XL lately, one more day will have the tail feathers and rear fuselage fully riveted I expect, some one elses bum will be in it's seat is the only catch. Very enjoyable experience gained though, I am picking up a lot of clues to smooth the build, this is about the sixth one I have worked on , I think I am well and truely ready to build my own now, the minister for war and finance is definitely warming to the idea.

 

 

[eightyknots]

I have put in 5 days on an XL lately, one more day will have the tail feathers and rear fuselage fully riveted I expect, some one elses bum will be in it's seat is the only catch. Very enjoyable experience gained though, I am picking up a lot of clues to smooth the build, this is about the sixth one I have worked on , I think I am well and truely ready to build my own now, the minister for war and finance is definitely warming to the idea.

After six co-builds, you'd be ready to share the "tricks of the trade"

 

 

[rankamateur]

After six co-builds, you'd be ready to share the "tricks of the trade"

I only do metal work so there is still going to be fun and games in the engine and avionics installations.

 

The most important trick is preparation, about 1/3 of the time spent, debur, clean parts and black primer on mating surfaces. Sticks the kit together so the rivets only have to hold it in place until the primer cures, stops working on the rivets and corrosion.

 

Another one is rivnut a lot more places that you are going to want to inspect or service so you can get back in with out drilling out rivets and repainting.

 

The rest are Aerokits trade secrets so if I told you I would have to kill you, or you could just read Mark's little black book, I think he probrably conned most of them out of the guru.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Sure Steve sure....I tried to get how Reg did his windscreen without using any screws or rivets but he said it was a trade secret the rest was all mine due to almost 40 years of building model aircraft....also trial and error

 

Mark

 

 

[Hadyn Bell]

I have put in 5 days on an XL lately, one more day will have the tail feathers and rear fuselage fully riveted I expect, some one elses bum will be in it's seat is the only catch. Very enjoyable experience gained though, I am picking up a lot of clues to smooth the build, this is about the sixth one I have worked on , I think I am well and truely ready to build my own now, the minister for war and finance is definitely warming to the idea.

Remember "S" for smooth !!

 

 

[Hadyn Bell]

I only do metal work so there is still going to be fun and games in the engine and avionics installations.The most important trick is preparation, about 1/3 of the time spent, debur, clean parts and black primer on mating surfaces. Sticks the kit together so the rivets only have to hold it in place until the primer cures, stops working on the rivets and corrosion.

 

Another one is rivnut a lot more places that you are going to want to inspect or service so you can get back in with out drilling out rivets and repainting.

 

The rest are Aerokits trade secrets so if I told you I would have to kill you, or you could just read Mark's little black book, I think he probrably conned most of them out of the guru.

I think that everyone forgets to mention some of the very simple things to the new builders. Plenty more cleco's, decent cleco pliers and extra black goop.

 

 

[rankamateur]

Sure Steve sure....I tried to get how Reg did his windscreen without using any screws or rivets but he said it was a trade secret the rest was all mine due to almost 40 years of building model aircraft....also trial and errorMark

Such things must only be discussed under the cone of silence!

 

 

[bobcharl]

Hadyn,

 

Re the undercarriage support plates I don't have much to offer you except keep trying. I understand exactly what you are getting at, because I had lots of difficulty with mine too. I kept levering through the bolt holes and fitting a bolt whenever able and eventually got the bolts in. My difficulty was compounded because for some reason which I cannot recall I had installed the seats leaving said brackets till later, Made it so much more difficult.There are instances when the manual is right. I do remember reaming the rivet holes on the sides to get the rivets in. I spoke to a fellow who works in an aviation workshop in town about this practice and his comment was "don't worry about it, we do it all the time". He supported this by saying that a rivet should have clearance in the hole before setting, and even quoted a formula (which I don't have) to calculate the clearance. What do others think?

 

Please get your project ahead of mine, Hadyn, then I can get some advice from you.

 

Regards,

 

Bob

 

 

[bobcharl]

Hi All,

 

Just a brief update. Both doors are finished and seem to fit well but have not fitted the hinges yet. Have tossed around what to do with the cabin roof area. It's designed for a european climate no doubt, not an Aussie summer day, but the visability afforded would be a definite advantage. I considered making an aluminium copy of the lexan sheet, then considered painting the lexan, but both ideas would be rather permanent. Finally decided to fit a normal household holland blind just above the luggage compartment opening so it can be drawn forward when required and hook on the front cross member of the roof. Only had to be cut to size and shape and the end result seems fine. If it is unsatisfactory it will be easy to remove and discard. Am now commencing to prepare the fuselage for painting. That black goop takes removing: acetone works OK but evaporates so quickly on a warm day that unleaded petrol is nearly as good. I am glad I did some masking to limit the spread of the stuff. Have started scuffing the surface as has been suggested to me. Haven't a clue what I am doing re painting and am just following various lines of advice. Would someone please check out the result in the photograph and tell me what you think.

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

 

 

 

[eightyknots]

Hi Bob,

 

Is the scuffing you're doing part of the official ICP instructions?

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

You need to brush the alu so the primer sticks just make sure you don't scratch the alu it needs to take off surface corrosion

 

 

[bobcharl]

80K,

 

So far as I am aware the ICP manual does not give any info on painting so can't answer your question.

 

Mark,

 

Am only using Scotchbright so am not getting any scratching, seems to be only removing that bit of surface tarnishing so it seems I might be close to the mark.

 

Thanks,

 

Bob

 

 

[bobcharl]

G'Day All,

 

After a long absence ( or so it seemed) helping my son harvest those crops I reported helping him sow back in May, I am at last back to some savannah building. Have got the rear fuselage painted, mostly quite satisfied with the result, except for one small area which means one portion I will probably do again.Fitted the main undercarraige and then the wheels and eventually it was time to get it off the bench and onto its wheels. I've now got a bench to start constructing the wings on, in between more painting. All the other components are made. Some jobs like fitting the windscreen and fitting a fuel system into the wings are keeping me awake at night, but I suppose it will just be a matter of time and patience,lots of both probably.

 

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year with plenty of enjoyable building to you all.

 

Bob

 

 

 

[eightyknots]

G'Day All,After a long absence ( or so it seemed) helping my son harvest those crops I reported helping him sow back in May, I am at last back to some savannah building. Have got the rear fuselage painted, mostly quite satisfied with the result, except for one small area which means one portion I will probably do again.Fitted the main undercarraige and then the wheels and eventually it was time to get it off the bench and onto its wheels. I've now got a bench to start constructing the wings on, in between more painting. All the other components are made. Some jobs like fitting the windscreen and fitting a fuel system into the wings are keeping me awake at night, but I suppose it will just be a matter of time and patience,lots of both probably.

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I hope your project goes well, Bob.

 

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year with plenty of enjoyable building to you all.

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Best wishes to you for the new year. May 2013 work out to be the Savannah completion year

 

 

[bobcharl]

G'Day All,

 

Well, a lot more work and a little more progress.Made up my mind on a design to break up that slab side a bit. Have to admit that it is not an original on my part but I didn't mind it, it was within my capabilities and I can live with the outcome. Quite a bit of work masking it up though; takes almost as long as the painting. Then to the right wing.All relatively straightforward until I decided to be a bit adventureous with the covers on the fuel tanks. I wanted to be able to remove the covers completely by screws/rivnuts rather than to have the forward edge riveted to the main spar. Decided to install a support along the front to carry the cover after cutting the front edge off the cover. This support goes between the lower skin and the spar. Then it required fitting rivnuts to the support and drilling the cover to match.(the original front holes having been removed), as well as installing rivnuts around the perimeter of both openings. Whilst the front edge does face the airflow it will be shielded by the nose skin which will sit a little further out. Took heaps of time but I am satisfied with the result. The fuel system will be quite simple. The two tanks are connected together and will operate as one and be serviced by one sight gauge, the other wing being set up the same. The two sides will feed to a tap junction where it will be possible to switch to left, right, or both. Hope the pics go some way to explaining my ramblings.Would love to be able to post the pics in a sequence of my choosing but is not the case.I'm sure you will sort them out. I can't even start a new paragraph tonight. Computors! I hate 'em. Now it's off over to the coast for a couple of weeks.Regards, Bob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Hi Bob, The XL VG is a great plane, and a damn good home-builder kit.

 

Now I don't want this to sound negative at all, although it's the other side of the coin, it is still relevant to all builders and Savvy fliers.. I had to recently cut up and scrap, a very damaged Savannah Bingo that was involved in a serious crash. (no, I didn't enjoy it, but it had to be done)The Bingo is built of lighter guage ally in places, but is still basically the same structure design as the later model VG etc.. The damage was extensive, (near vertical nose-in impact) and there was no way the airframe could be saved. I am happy to say that although injuried, the occupants survived the crash, and it was in no way caused by the aircraft, but by a bad decision by the pilot leading to impact with a tall tree-top after takeoff.

 

Anyway, when it came time to cut up the cabin structure, (empennage already removed with grinder and snips) I simply gave up as just too hard !!...the idea of jumping on it and flattening it also went out the window pretty quick . The cabin structure is very well designed , and certainly went a long way toward helping to save the occupants as it should. There was of course some distorsion as you would expect, but the basic strength of the whole cabin structure was certainly still there. All those pop-rivits do work !!..so have no doubt.

 

Additionally the supplied ICP four-point harnesses worked very well also, when they were needed.(also covered in a previous post) I've seen a few wrecked planes in my time, of all types, and some fare worse than others. It is only when they are in this condition, that you get to see what they are really about. I was more than impressed with the design work the Italians have done on the Savannah structure...I would fly them anyday !!....Bravo !!.....................................Maj...

 

 

[rankamateur]

Apparently the newer factory planes with double tanks have a double width tank cover which probrably makes more sense, and may find it's way into the kits in future, pity they don't also have the second opening already cut in the skin too.

 

 

[rankamateur]

Remember "S" for smooth !!

http://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/savannah-s.11139/ that would have been Jun 7 2010 how could I forget. The guru didn't agree with me when I suggested it to him back then, wasn't that clear in the first photo, which is the same photo I butchered for my avatar (used to be red before I resprayed it!)

 

 

[bobcharl]

Maj.

 

Thanks for your words of ecouragement. Alwys good to read some positives.

 

rankamateur,

 

yeah, adouble tank cover would be great,along with a double hole.

 

Bob