My Savannah S model rebuild Blog

[Kyle Communications]

I will get Peter to send me a couple of pictures of his finished seats

 

[Kyle Communications]

Here are some pictures that Peter sent of the seats covered and how they fit and the way the seat base is built

[Marty_d]

That looks great Mark. Just sewn to shape and pulled over I reckon. 

If there's a zip or Velcro it'd be good for taking off and washing after turbulence... or engine failure!

[Kyle Communications]

Back from my trip over to Thailand. Worked on getting the new control stick shaped around the modified flap lever. This is only necessary due to it being a twin stick install. This is of course only when in full flap position and with my modified flap bracket I never use full flap but it misses the lever fully in all cases

I drew up the shape and Danny bent it in his roller. The angle at the top for the grip meant it had to be cut and shut. The main control arm connector for taht stick I removed the std piece of pipe and machined up a piece to go inside so I could slide the new control stick in. It can be easily removed by 2 of 4mm screws if needed and is a good fit. I am using a Ray Allen grip on the stick so I will wire the trim up to the stick. So i have a switch on the panel that doesnt work or I get a filler dot for it. Cut the new windscreen and top cabin cover out of polycarb also this week. Trying to find some decent rubber to fit on it at the bottom but not much around now so tomorrow I will be driving around trying to find something. I have to paint the 2 roof ribs for the roof top and the aim is to get the windscreen installed and the top cabin cover at least all fitted and drilled.

[planedriver]

All looking good.

So enjoying your build journey.

[IBob]

Mark, another option would be this, also makes for a more natural pull to full flaps, so we shortasses aren't trying to press the lever into our gonads:

[Marty_d]

Nice grip!  I hadn't thought of putting one on the flap handle.

[Kyle Communications]

Got quite a few jobs done on Mabel this weekend. Windscreen and top deck cover cut out and sized and fitted. Made the angle brackets for the flap bracket that ties it back to the crossmember. Have undercoated the support ribs for the top deck and a few other metal parts associated with the polycarb.. Hoped to get some colour sprayed but its too windy and cold here today

 

[IBob]

I pulled my windscreen back too tight at the top centre, Mark, with the result that it dented in there far too easily. The fix was just to let it out...a surprisingly small amount, like about 2-3mm at the centre, progressively less towards the sides...which then gave it a curved 'brow' and the right shape to withstand the prop blast. Fortunately, there was enough material there to do that......

Edited May 21, 2023 by IBob

[Kyle Communications]

I left all the rear top and both sides about 10mm longer than it needed to be just to make sure I did get it right. I had that trouble on my first build and ended up redrilling the sides. The issue wasnt at the top on the first build though. Doing the main screen by yourself is a PIA but as usual the more you do the more you learn how to do it better. This one isnt perfect fit but good old black silicon fills any tiny gaps at the bottom of the screen where it just misses touchig the boot cowl skins.

 

Got to get some painting done this week then I can continue on. I have to make a cover yet for the twin stick connection control point. Thats also a PIA. But at least its easy working with 16 thou

 

[Kyle Communications]

Sized up the required area for the twin stick control cover. It is there just incase something gets on the floor and decides to go in under the control yoke at the bottom and jam the controls. It will be coverd in carpet and I will use velcro to affix a front section on it that acts like a vertical glovebox. I did the same in "The Girlfriend"

I have a little 600mm panbrake here so after hand making a pattern I transferred that to some 0.016 alu and started cuttong and then folding. I am not a sheet metal guy but it didnt come out too bad...but the carpet will hide a multitude of sins. Gotsome final fitting to do for the mounting.

 

 

[shafs64]

On 18/05/2023 at 10:54 AM, IBob said:

Mark, another option would be this, also makes for a more natural pull to full flaps, so we shortasses aren't trying to press the lever into our gonads:

That handle position would of helped me today when I was out flying.

[Blueadventures]

23 minutes ago, shafs64 said:

That handle position would of helped me today when I was out flying.

Were you in the blue one about 11:30?

[IBob]

Shafs, I'm of average height, so seat fairly far forward, and I found pulling full flaps on the standard lever very clumsy: instead of pulling up on the handle, the last notch was pulling back into the stomach. That and incident reports where improperly latched flaps have caused a few frights and sometimes major damage, and I decided I needed to do something about it.

It took a while to decide on how to do the internals, but turned out to be very simple, just needs to be made fairly precisely. I had help with the fabrication, my DIY abilities come nowhere near welding stainless. The angle in the shaft is just 12degrees, but for me it has made a huge difference.

PS note also Mark's excellent 3 position flap bracket in place of the standard issue 2.

[shafs64]

53 minutes ago, Blueadventures said:

Were you in the blue one about 11:30?

So don't know if I should use your real name. I was out at 7 am mate had a bit of drama with the flap handle coming back in on 18 went for the second stage and it popped back to flaps up and tried again and got the same. so I had to do it with one stage.

[shafs64]

1 hour ago, IBob said:

Shafs, I'm of average height, so seat fairly far forward, and I found pulling full flaps on the standard lever very clumsy: instead of pulling up on the handle, the last notch was pulling back into the stomach. That and incident reports where improperly latched flaps have caused a few frights and sometimes major damage, and I decided I needed to do something about it.

It took a while to decide on how to do the internals, but turned out to be very simple, just needs to be made fairly precisely. I had help with the fabrication, my DIY abilities come nowhere near welding stainless. The angle in the shaft is just 12degrees, but for me it has made a huge difference.

PS note also Mark's excellent 3 position flap bracket in place of the standard issue 2.

Yes, i think the grip and the position is excellent. being six feet makes it hard to get that second stage in with the standard factory mounts and handle.

[IBob]

A simpler option (certainly when building) would be to remodel the bracket to tilt the stick forward a bit. It would mean moving the pivot point a bit forward and adjusting the sweep and position of the quandrants to ensure correct mixer movement, so would mean making new brackets. But it shouldn't be hard to sort out.*

The reason I like that option, and the reason I stuck with just modifying the stick Is that, apart from stick angle, the mechanism is simple, safe and works very well.
The innards do need to move freely, almost rattly loose, as the latch mechanism relies on the spring under the button. So the usual thing when setting flaps is to give the stick a wiggle to make sure it is solidly latched. I have also seen situation where the rubber grip has moved up on the handle and is starting to foul the button, so the grip needs to be well anchored.

*Maybe a little job for Mark..........in his spare time.....😆


 

[Kyle Communications]

My later version flap bracket had deeper notches...it made the engagement a lot more positive and highly unlikely to ever jump out even after a lot of wear.

 

[IBob]

Your Mk1 version works fine here, Mark. I think the key thing is that the inner latching works need to be be completely free moving and free of any possibility of binding.

[shafs64]

Finding a savannah with high hours to see how well the standard bracket wears would be interesting.

 

[Kyle Communications]

Been cold in the workshop at night so havent done a lot in there. The twin stick coupling cover has been finalised and now carpeted. I have the cover attached. I put 3mm rivnuts into the floor and the cover nicely screws down and is super solid.

The roof ribs are now painted and set onto the cabin overheads. The windscreen has been trimmed and also all drilled and also the roof section and all clecoed

This week I will be reinstalling the ballistic chute box I made and getting the chute mounted and fitting the chute actuator. Not sure where that will end up yet. Some are on the top of the dash others are in front of the pilot on the cross member...so will make that decision later

[Marty_d]

Just thinking back to my teenage years Mark - that cover looks like it needs a subwoofer in it 😁

[Kyle Communications]

Havent magaged to get a lot of work done on Mabel lately..its been too cold at night out in the shed and have been up at the farm for 4 days every 2 weeks trying to get the house finished.

 

Finally today got to work on her. Grabbed the parachute box I made...so long ago it seems now and got it installed. Had to get the mrs to give me a hand lowering the chute into the ammo box and got it all mounted. Not sure how I am going to run the trigger for it yet or where I will mount it. I think I will cover the box with very light carpet because it will be easy to d that rather than waiting for paint to dry.

 

Up the farm again next weekend but the following week I hope to get Mabel down to the hangar

[Kyle Communications]

Hey its been a while since I have been able to get back to work on Mabel. I really have to finsih some stuff on her so I can get her down to the hamgar. I need the build shed for storage for a big redevelopment project here at Burpengary then the build shed will also be pulled down and the new shed to be put up will be the new build shed.

 

The straps for the parachute are different to what are supplied by ICP and their parachutes so had to make some mods. The rear straps go around the undercarriage then come up the back but this version they come out of the upper fuselage skin using the rear overhead bar as the backstop if deployed. The kevlar straps are then exposed to the outside so I wanted to have them covered. I got on my Fusion 360 and designed up a cover then 3D printed a couple of versions and settled on this one that fits really nicely and should work well. I have a new Bambu Labs P1Ps printer..what a cracker..just a incredibly accurate and super fast printer. Once finished I can get the polycarb roof down to get film applied. I just need to fit the tray for the straps in the roof area and also sort out a cover for the main strap from the parachute that goes from the alu cover and under the polycarb in the middle at the back then onto the tray.

 

 

 

[Marty_d]

Brilliant work. I'm hoping to do some printing soon, just ordered a Creality Ender 5 Plus.