building my Savannah-S in germany

[Kyle Communications]

Yesterday I ordered a MGL Xtreme Efis. (like Richard from france did also) If this peece of electronics is crap we are going to come over and have a word with Kyle.... Just kidding, on July, 17. I get a visit from my inspector. I hope I can convince him that the MGL Efis or two of them can replace most of the steam gauges. It would be a heavy anoyence to carry an aditional full set of analog instruments.

Not crap I love mine. Most other aircraft pilots and owners are also very impressed with them. I would suggest that you do fit a analogue ASI...I find I tend to use it more now just for landings when I pull the flaps on..its easy to see in your periferral vision the white arc for max flap extension speed

 

 

[MajorTom]

One great plus point of the MGL over the Avmap is, MGL has a perfect manual in english / Avmap has not

 

 

[eightyknots]

You're making great progress, Tom.

 

I am still waiting for our local Council to approve the 'garage' (aircraft factory) that I want to build. They told me that this takes "20 working days" to approve "unless they have questions about my plans at which point the 20 day clock starts ticking again". Add in the weekends, and it becomes a 30 day wait. I should find out mid-July. I need to get my garage built so that I will have a dedicated space for building my Savannah.

 

 

[rmorton]

Quietly watching in the wings taking notes and preying that I don't forget when it's my turn ;)

 

 

[rmorton]

Not crap I love mine. Most other aircraft pilots and owners are also very impressed with them. I would suggest that you do fit a analogue ASI...I find I tend to use it more now just for landings when I pull the flaps on..its easy to see in your periferral vision the white arc for max flap extension speed

Fired mine up and the display is excellent even outdoors on a sunny day. It has loads of features (perhaps too many). My only thought is that without the AHARS(?) and compass it is a bit limited if you want it to replace most of your instruments. That said it is super light, well proven and even though I went for the MINI version it is large enough to see clearly. I am starting to think that big glass panels are not for me and I would prefer a dedicated navigation box like the Garmin, my Extreme and a couple of basic backup gauges for AS and ALT.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Thats right Richard...you can have too much info in front of you. I find the Xtremes are perfect for me....I do have the add on AHRS and Compass modules which work fantastic but it was another 1000 bucks when I bought them but I am glad I did. Mabel will probably be very similar I think. I do not need a huge display with all the mapping etc as I use my Ipad with Ozrunways for all that...you would see on my videos

 

 

[MajorTom]

Guess I will do something simmilar. When german regulations or my inspector force me to install steam gauges, I will install at least one unit. If I'm free to do as I like, I will propably install two EFIS and analoge ASI only.

 

 

[rmorton]

The other advantage here is that you don't have thousands of euros of gear left in the plane waiting to be nicked! I love the Garmin and Dynon displays but I fly to enjoy the view and feeling of freedom not to watch TV and spend my time working through menu after menu. The Extreme seems to give all I would ever need. Did you fit the servos? I heard that part isn't working yet but the software seems to have a basic auto pilot.

 

 

[MajorTom]

Some people like watching TV while flying. Very impressiv with two 13,3" displays:

 

Tablet-Cockpit v2.0 - Ultraleichtfliegen Forum - ulForum.de

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I havent done any autopilot at all. They add a lot of weight and also the "feel" of the controls take a nosedive...not to mention a 1000 bucks each servo. I think the software is working for the autopilot on the Xtreme.

 

I am actually a fan of the TruTrak ECO system. I think for the Sav it would be the best option for weight and really the flying characteristics of the Sav lend itself to this style. The yanks are mucking about with fitting kits for individual models etc but for the Sav I really dont think its that necessary

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvxlkl-uGgI

 

 

[rmorton]

Wow! I went through this thought process with drones. Built my first drone from wood and bits off eBay and a basic flight controller. Eventually upgraded to latest GPS then fully flight planned version and was explaining all the great features to a friend. "Yes you can sit at the computer programme it go off and fly anywhere you want taking pictures as you want and it will return and land itself on the balcony, whilst I sit here drinking tea!!??" Hang on why am I doing this? Takes you back to basics if the tools become the objective I have lost sight of why I am doing this.

 

 

[MajorTom]

Hey Richard,

 

still waiting for an offer for my engine kit from the german distributor.

 

I was once told, ICP has an unbeatable price for the engine and stuff, when you order a complete kit 3.

 

I also was told elsewhere, you cannot order a kit 3 without avionics and electrics. Or you can, but you dont save money.

 

Wondering what it will be....

 

Could not find a single good used 912 ULS on the german market. Rotax distributer offered me a refurbished engine for 13.000Euros naked, which is just 4.000Euro cheaper the a new engine. In France the difference betwen kit 1 and 3 is just 21.250Euro in germany the price list reads 26.500€ !

 

Kits Savannah - CENTRE ULM LES NOYERS

 

 

[rmorton]

InFrance refurb 912 is 10,000 euros (give or take), A new one is around 17,000 and up. There seem to be many certified end of life engines in Germany that you could then get refurbished but really need to know what to look for. I have seen quite a few here: Helmuts UL-Marktplatz

 

The whole engine thing is a big headache and there really aren't many options. I like the Motor and some of the more unusual conversions such as the BMW but servicing and parts can be a real pain.

 

 

[MajorTom]

Well, I put myself in kind of a double dilemma.

 

On one handside I dont want to spend to much money. So a good used engine would be good. On the other side, as a first time builder I would be best advised to get a complete kit. If I decide to by a kit, I can do it in germany or safe 5000Euro and buy in france. But that might deeply upset the german distributer. And he realy seems to be a nice guy.

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

The distributor might be a nice guy but its 5000 EURO thats like 8000 bucks!!!!!!!!!!! I would be going to France

 

8000 bucks is a lot of

 

avionics

 

paintwork

 

etc

 

etc

 

 

[MajorTom]

Guess who's much to big firewall is fitting perfect to the much to small fuselage!

 

But I have to go back a bit. Like Perry advised, I clecoed some pieces to the halfes to stabiliese them. But I clecoed not enough stuff to it, so it deformed verticaly. The vertical piece you see in the photo was clecoed in later, but it was to late already. Today I will remove all clecoes left and right from the sidewall and install as many stuff as possible before clecoing upward again.

 

 

 

[perrynz]

Well done!

 

 

[MajorTom]

Hey Perry,

 

thanks for your help.

 

If I just had the itAlien manual, my first time builder skills and no friends, I would be completly lost.

 

I like the dark grey color of the savannah in your profil photo. How do you call it? I guess the two color factory paint sheme would look nice on the fuselage. dark grey upside and creamwhite down

 

 

[perrynz]

My paint scheme will be the same as the Savannah in my profile photo, except the dark grey is instead "steel blue". I particularly like the contrast of the dark colour with the white.

 

 

[MajorTom]

I particularly like the contrast of the dark colour with the white.

So do I. Friend of mine is alway trying to talk me out of dark grey. He votes for blue also.

steel blue and white seems a real good combination - fresh and modern

 

How far is your built?

 

steel blue like this?

 

http://www.blackheathproducts.co.uk/image/cache/data/U539_ST9-500x500.jpg

 

 

[perrynz]

My steel blue is a little blacker than that. Real nice colour. As far as my build goes, I'm pretty much finished the airframe. Tail feathers/flapperons all painted. Wings/fuselage all primed. Probably will start masking up the fuselage in a couple of weeks for final painting. 800hrs building time to date.

 

 

[perrynz]

 

 

 

[eightyknots]

Some people like watching TV while flying. Very impressiv with two 13,3" displays:Tablet-Cockpit v2.0 - Ultraleichtfliegen Forum - ulForum.de

Wow: they are huge screens!

 

 

[eightyknots]

[ATTACH=full]51005[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]51004[/ATTACH]

Which colour are you aiming for: the top (GEMILIS AERO) or bottom Savannah (ZEKE-15)? Neither of them appears steel blue to me.

 

 

[perrynz]

Gidday Hank. You are correct. Neither are steel blue. The colour scheme is what I am going for. Replace the dark colour with steel blue. I like the contrast with the white MLG/NLG etc. Have you ordered your kit yet?