Savannah S dream machine

[Guy s]

As many of you know about the very recent floods and I just thought I would post my saga.

 

After sitting at home idle for most of thursday Me and the missus decided to go for a spin into Lismore to check the river height. As we drove over Ballina bridge I thought to myself yea it's up a bit but no real drama after all they have forecast floods for lismore roughly 5 times over the last couple of years which never happened so mmm into town for a quick bite in the CBD. We wander for a bit and sensing a funny mood in the people we came across and spoke to. Some were just working casually like nothing was going to happen and others were acting like a little weird like, like they weren't sure what was going to happen or what to do but standing around all jittery like.

 

While taking in the vibe of the town all of a sudden I realize shit was going to get real and said to my wife we gotta get home to get the car trailer which had a drift car on it with a flat battery and of cause I'm not thinking clearly like because I had gone into panic mode so it took an hour to get it off. Then we raced back to the hanger and had a mammoth job getting the Sav uphill onto the trailer and having to hold the nose wheel up cause there's only air underneath, (car trailer) didn't think to grab a long plank to run up the middle for the nose wheel but things were happening fast, rain and rising water levels and hard yakka trying to drag it up bit by bit. Sandra (wife) couldn't understand how I didn't do a hernia.

 

Put the plane back into the hanger and sent my wife home with my sons as the water was starting creeping into the hangers. i thought i'd stay and help out other fellow aviators to get their planes to a high ground (The mound that was put in by the council after the 74 floods) which you can see in the aerial photo. Most people managed to get their planes onto the mound, but some people were either cut off and couldn't get to the aeroclub or were dealing with other flood drama.Once the water started coming up, it came up very quickly and some planes went under.

 

By 10pm when we got things sorted, well sort of, a handful of us got stranded at the club and I ended up sleeping at the Lismore aeroclub with Wally Soward, the club president, only to be woken up at 1.30am with the flood waters getting higher and making things interesting. We spent the rest of the night getting everything in the clubhouse up high.

 

Always in the back of my mind was the Blue Budgie and hoping, next morning on day break I waded up the hanger to find the car trailer under water but it had done the trick and saved my dream machine.

 

Have never experienced being in floods before and the clean up is a little daunting but it's surprising how people can come out of the woodwork to help out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guy s]

Today back on hard ground and hoping the strip will be open tomorrow to go for a spin to check the flood waters and to blow dry the Blue Budgies feathers.

 

 

 

[IBob]

Crikey. Happy to see the budgie came through it okay....

 

 

[FIL65]

Hi Guy,

 

Good to see that your baby has survived. Looks like it was a big effort by all involved at the airport to save those other aircraft. Very sad to see the devistation that the Lismore area is going thru. But good to see the community spirit is alive.

 

 

[kgwilson]

What a save Guy. Just a bit of water around the wheel bearings. Easy check & fix if required. You really did well. We were busy here with SES work in Corindi but the poor buggers in the Lismore CBD & aerodrome will need plenty of support in the coming weeks if not months. You just never know when the sh!t is really going to hit the fan. I hope it all works out well for everyone there. I'm off to Murwillambah or somewhere in the Tweed tomorrow so I'm told.

 

 

[Guy s]

Thanks IBob and FIL65 and the aerodromes going ok with Hanger owners and help from friends getting into it making a dent in the clean up Kevin. Manage a quick fly in between showers today over Lismore and Crikey what a bloody mess and a very daunting.

 

 

[eightyknots]

Thanks IBob and FIL65 and the aerodromes going ok with Hanger owners and help from friends getting into it making a dent in the clean up Kevin. Manage a quick fly in between showers today over Lismore and Crikey what a bloody mess and a very daunting.

Hi Guy. My son lives in Grafton and he sent me a picture of the Lismore Subway outlet half under water. My brother's in laws also live in Lismore but on higher ground. That flooding is pretty devastating.

 

I am so glad that your Savannah didn't come to grief!

 

 

[Guy s]

Hi Guy. My son lives in Grafton and he sent me a picture of the Lismore Subway outlet half under water. My brother's in laws also live in Lismore but on higher ground. That flooding is pretty devastating.I am so glad that your Savannah didn't come to grief!

Me to Hank and yes Lismore CBD cop it bad and the surrounding area with many Business still haven't reopen and whether they will remains to be seen.

 

 

[eightyknots]

I wondered what it's purpose was. I've install mine and guessing that's still ok.

Is it part of the 560 kg to 600 kg weight increase?

 

 

[eightyknots]

There is a knock off version of the paint buddy roller on the internet sometimes (They have a dark Blue top) but the tank leaks and the roller is crap so don't worry about them, About three years ago I got one of the very last original ones that was being discontinued. I went through 3 rolls of 38mm masking tape doing masking for the black mastic. Don't leave the tape on any longer than needed to dry the black or the gum dries out and you will wreck the black layer soaking it off with solvent.

If this is the one you were referring to, it is still available today: Paint Buddy Touch Up Roller - Perfect Decorating Painting Tool Easy Lightweight

 

 

[rankamateur]

If this is the one you were referring to, it is still available today: Paint Buddy Touch Up Roller - Perfect Decorating Painting Tool Easy Lightweight

Not the same I am afraid! Reg bought some look alike ones to supply with kits, including mine. They were completely useless. The real ones were "Rubbermaid" brand (Blue colour) in America and something like "Surecoat" out here (Red Colour). The knock off ones from ebay were so bad I never filled mine. I binned it in a clean up only months ago.

 

 

[eightyknots]

Not the same I am afraid! Reg bought some look alike ones to supply with kits, including mine. They were completely useless. The real ones were "Rubbermaid" brand (Blue colour) in America and something like "Surecoat" out here (Red Colour). The knock off ones from ebay were so bad I never filled mine. I binned it in a clean up only months ago.

Thanks for the recommendation Steve: I have ordered one from Ebay USA tonight.

 

 

[Guy s]

Is it part of the 560 kg to 600 kg weight increase?

No it's for the the parachute bridles so if your not fitting the chute then no need to fit that part in I'm guessing.

 

 

[FIL65]

Hi Guy,

 

I was wondering how you identified all your parts when you had them alodine dipped?

 

Cheers Phil

 

 

[Guy s]

Hi Guy,I was wondering how you identified all your parts when you had them alodine dipped?

Cheers Phil

At first I tried different types of Tag pens and sometimes the the number would still be showing and other times it was totally gone from the acid wash before being dip into Alodine solution.

 

In the end I peeled off every number sticker and put a small hole through the sticker then then reattach through a rivet hole on the part in came from with small cable ties. Basically a pain in the arse but did the job keeping everything numbered.

 

I also used eucalyptus oil to get the sticker residue off the part and worked a treat.

 

 

[FIL65]

Thanks Guy, looks like a painful process ahead.

 

 

[rmorton]

Right, excellent dealer email support, confirms rivets I described as steel are in fact stainless steel, and belong in the adjustable seats. Has also supplied a current copy of the seat assembly instructions. End of puzzle.Thanks all for the help...on with the game!

Do the instructions tell you which rivets go where? I am struggling to work it out and can only assume that the stainless goes where you have more than one type of metal.... but I am not so sure

 

 

[Marty_d]

Interesting, the CH701 doesn't have any SS rivets (to my knowledge!)

 

 

[Guy s]

The instructions could be a little vague on rivet type but usually a phone call to the dealer would clear things up.