MTOW of Savannahs in Aus

[Kyle Communications]

Steve Donald has made a belly pod for his and the weight is all under the CG and he only loses about 1 or 2 knots max

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

hahahah your a funny buggar Steve.....I wish I was your weight but some of us are not blessed with skinny genes

 

 

[rankamateur]

Maybe this increase in MAUW will make the belly pod a useful option to enable some of the increase to be carried as baggage etc? I see in the USA andIitaly they are offered as a factory option.

The belly pod from the factory is available in Australia too, just not ex-stock, they would put what ever you want in the box for a special order kit, just that stock kits don't come with a belly pod, and a belly pod, would have to be ordered specially because not too many people want one.

 

 

[eightyknots]

...... some of us are not blessed with skinny genes

These people seem to be:

 

 

 

[eightyknots]

Steve Donald has made a belly pod for his and the weight is all under the CG and he only loses about 1 or 2 knots max

It seems hard to believe that the speed penalty is only 1-2 knots when you consider that there is about a 45 degree angle slope at the front of the belly pod.

 

I still like Forum member JG3's modification to the classic Savannah which allows him to carry a bicycle around the country. The only difference is that it is above the plane not underneath it. This mod doesn't seem to be possible in the XL or S. Here are two of the pictures from his stolspeed.com website:

 

 

 

 

[Flyingphot]

In response to the original question by ave8rr, I have built a classic (early version) and a VG and now own a XL factory built. When the Sav first came to Aust the factory listed the MTOW for Australia as 520Kg. When the Norway Sav lost it's wing and all Savs were grounded, ICP put out the upgrade kit. This was comprised of 1. replacing the single short main spar strut attachment with two longer strut attachments. 2. a thicker rear wing attachment plate 3. a jury strut on the front strut 4. an extra internal bottom angular on each side of the rear fuselage from the rear of the cabin to about half way back along the fuselage, and 5. two extra light weight bulkheads in the rear fuselage. This upgrade increased the MTOW to 560 Kg although at that time we were still restricted to 544 Kg by the regulations.

 

Hope this all helps

 

Cheers Bill

 

 

[ave8rr]

In response to the original question by ave8rr, I have built a classic (early version) and a VG and now own a XL factory built. When the Sav first came to Aust the factory listed the MTOW for Australia as 520Kg. When the Norway Sav lost it's wing and all Savs were grounded, ICP put out the upgrade kit. This was comprised of 1. replacing the single short main spar strut attachment with two longer strut attachments. 2. a thicker rear wing attachment plate 3. a jury strut on the front strut 4. an extra internal bottom angular on each side of the rear fuselage from the rear of the cabin to about half way back along the fuselage, and 5. two extra light weight bulkheads in the rear fuselage. This upgrade increased the MTOW to 560 Kg although at that time we were still restricted to 544 Kg by the regulations.Hope this all helps

Cheers Bill

Many thanks Bill. This is what I have been trying to find out. I had asked the importer for this info but was never supplied the answer. Purchasers of the early Savs now know what to look for.

Does any one know if RAAus are given documentary evidence of the upgrade kit having been installed when re registering the Sav to the higher 560Kg MTOW?

 

Cheers

 

 

[rick morawski]

Hi ave8rr

 

If you are referring to Savannah 19-4138, I installed the upgrade kit in that aircraft myself when it was mine.

 

I don't recall what info was sent to RAAus as it was while ago. You can call me on 0409 778 021 if you want info on the aircraft.

 

Cheers

 

Rick

 

Many thanks Bill. This is what I have been trying to find out. I had asked the importer for this info but was never supplied the answer. Purchasers of the early Savs now know what to look for.Does any one know if RAAus are given documentary evidence of the upgrade kit having been installed when re registering the Sav to the higher 560Kg MTOW?

 

Cheers

[Yenn]

How can a Sav be 600kg max weight, unless it is SLA, in which case it has to be either factory built or home built to exact specs. Otherwise as far as I know it will be 544kg max, unless it is a seaplane.

 

 

[rankamateur]

How can a Sav be 600kg max weight, unless it is SLA, in which case it has to be either factory built or home built to exact specs. Otherwise as far as I know it will be 544kg max, unless it is a seaplane.

Because the factory have made a modification to S and XL planes which can easily be retrofitted to existing planes, and have been installed in kits and factory built planes for sometime, BUT now the testing they have been doing in Germany has been finalised and has shown that with the modification, the airframe is good for 600Kg, just for once there isn't a huge weight penalty to do the mod so the weight increase is nearly all profit. 544Kg was always RAA's number, ICP said they were good for 560Kg back then, once RAA lifted the weight limit all the planes upgraded from 520Kg could be used at the full 560Kg, so this "upgrade" is only adding 40Kg, could be the airframe would have passed 600Kg as it was, who knows, but it passes for 600Kg now so that is the main thing.

 

 

[eightyknots]

In response to the original question by ave8rr, I have built a classic (early version) and a VG and now own a XL factory built. When the Sav first came to Aust the factory listed the MTOW for Australia as 520Kg. When the Norway Sav lost it's wing and all Savs were grounded, ICP put out the upgrade kit. This was comprised of 1. replacing the single short main spar strut attachment with two longer strut attachments. 2. a thicker rear wing attachment plate 3. a jury strut on the front strut 4. an extra internal bottom angular on each side of the rear fuselage from the rear of the cabin to about half way back along the fuselage, and 5. two extra light weight bulkheads in the rear fuselage. This upgrade increased the MTOW to 560 Kg although at that time we were still restricted to 544 Kg by the regulations.Hope this all helps

Cheers Bill

I wonder if the Classic Savannah, or the VG, can also be upgraded to 600 kg with a similar upgrade kit?

 

 

[rankamateur]

I wonder if the Classic Savannah, or the VG, can also be upgraded to 600 kg with a similar upgrade kit?

No!

 

 

[mAgNeToDrOp]

Raaus posted this http://www.raa.asn.au/2013/09/3957/

 

I guess this shows raaus might actually allow it.....

 

 

[eightyknots]

Raaus posted this http://www.raa.asn.au/2013/09/3957/I guess this shows raaus might actually allow it.....

Thanks for the update MaGnEtOdRoP! This is what it says:

 

Savannah 600kg Service Bulletin

 

September 2, 2013 | Mark Clayton

 

ICP srl have just issued a Service Bulletin approving modifications that will permit some Savannah XL and S models to operate at the increased MTOW of 600 kg. These apply to both kit-built and LSA aircraft. Further details can be found elsewhere on the site (under the Safety>Technical>Airworthiness sub-link).

 

Darren Barnfield

 

A/g Technical Manager

 

The link above doesn't seem to work but it is here:

 

http://www.raa.asn.au/documents/airworthiness/Savannah%20UPGRADE%20600%20KG0001.pdf

 

 

[rankamateur]

And it says "After a declaration that the upgrade has been fitted by the owner, ICP srl could release the certification for allowing the aircraft to fly with a MTOW of 600 kg."

 

My kit had the upgrade installed at the factory prior to 25th July 2013 so I still have yet to get the factory to release the certification for the upgrade to take effect, although I have tried.

 

The feeling out here is that an entry in the logbook is all that is required, I will have to see what Mr Barnfield requires.

 

 

[eightyknots]

And it says "After a declaration that the upgrade has been fitted by the owner, ICP srl could release the certification for allowing the aircraft to fly with a MTOW of 600 kg."My kit had the upgrade installed at the factory prior to 25th July 2013 so I still have yet to get the factory to release the certification for the upgrade to take effect, although I have tried.

The feeling out here is that an entry in the logbook is all that is required, I will have to see what Mr Barnfield requires.

I hope you get the matter clarified soon RA!

 

 

[rankamateur]

It is clear for me because I will be 19 rego, entry in the log book should do it.

 

 

[rocket1172]

My Sav was always registered as 544 kg as stated before coz it was Ra-aus old figure. After checking the id plate at the tail, I now good for 560kg. Woohoo!

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Rocket does yours have the mods done to it? The extra stringers in the bottom and the extra frames in the rear section?..also the double wing strut attachments...?

 

 

[rocket1172]

Double wing strut attachments. ..tick.

 

Just need to check the rest. Id plate at the rear says 560

 

 

[Flyinglion2000]

This seems straightforward but I am confused on one aspect. I am building a kit Savannah S serial # 54-260 with a date if manufacture 8 May 2013. Why does the LSA Statement of Compliance still show an MTOW of 560kgs?

 

Surely the upgrade would have been part of and included in the kit and therefore should have an MTOW of 600kgs.

 

Cam

 

 

[rick morawski]

Hi Cam

 

I think your kit would have the upgrade, just look at the forward strut attachment that sticks out the bottom of the wing. If there is a short piece of plate held in between the two attachment plates with two A5 rivets then it is already upgraded. My kit is 54-195 and it came with the upgrade done.

 

As for the paperwork and placard supplied with your kit, who knows when they will catch up with that.

 

Cheers

 

Rick

 

 

[rankamateur]

Cam

 

My S kit is 54-262 and it also has 560Kg paperwork, Reg tells me that under 19 rego rules that all we need is to note in the logbook that the weight upgrade kit is installed, in accordance with the letter from the factory. Then 600Kg MTOW applies to your plane. http://www.raa.asn.au/documents/airworthiness/Savannah%20UPGRADE%20600%20KG0001.pdf this is the PDF of the letter you need.

 

Cheers Steve H...

 

 

[rankamateur]

My kit was delivered 05-07-2013 so it was packed some months earlier, load testing in Germany was only finalised and the letter issued 25-07-2013 so the paperwork, and the sticker for the fuselage, carry the lower weight. I did enquire with Tom about getting the upgraded sticker but that went nowhere.

 

 

[Lukeh]

On 03/09/2013 at 1:24 PM, eightyknots said:

Thanks for the update MaGnEtOdRoP! This is what it says:

 

Savannah 600kg Service Bulletin

 

 

September 2, 2013 | Mark Clayton

 

 

ICP srl have just issued a Service Bulletin approving modifications that will permit some Savannah XL and S models to operate at the increased MTOW of 600 kg. These apply to both kit-built and LSA aircraft. Further details can be found elsewhere on the site (under the Safety>Technical>Airworthiness sub-link).

 

 

Darren Barnfield

 

 

A/g Technical Manager

 

The link above doesn't seem to work but it is here:

 

 

http://www.raa.asn.au/documents/airworthiness/Savannah%20UPGRADE%20600%20KG0001.pdf

 

 

Hello, none of the pdf links is not working for me. Is there any way I could get the document? Perhaps Email? Thanks and best regards, Ludek.