Savannah owners

[Guest Redair]

Greetings each, in my search to find the perfect aircraft, I seek advice from any Savannah owners who have built their own aircraft. Firstly, once the wings are attached, can they be taken off again easily, or is it a "no going back" kind of process?

 

If the wings can't be taken off, how have builders got around the problem of getting the finished aircraft to a suitable airfield for flight testing? (assuming they have been built at home).

 

And finally, is there such a thing as a folding wing system for the Savannah? (obviously, this would depend on the answer to the first question).

 

Regards, Redair.

 

 

[markendee]

Hey there Redair,

 

If you are interested in learning more of the Savannah go to :

 

http://www.skykits.com/

 

Have a decko at the nine pages of the Builders Log. Click on each and every photo and read the narrative that goes with them.

 

You will see the little plane on the back of a truck being taken to be final assembled at an airfield.

 

This exercise will will tell you so much more than anything else you could possibly do.

 

One word of caution should you decide to undertake the project yourself. Learn and become fluent in Pidgeon. The construction manual is a disgrace. Could be so easily remedied if the english speaking dealers got off their blots but so far no deal.

 

Regards,

 

Mark

 

PS It is a ripper little aircraft.

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Mark, thanks for that... but I'm afraid I've already been to the website and looked through the build log, very interesting, and it would seem that what's required is not beyond my abilities. The only trouble is, that it doesn't make it clear about whether or not the wings can be taken back off, once they are fitted. It appears as though the roof panel forms part of the wing structure, which leads me to believe that taking them off again is not an option.

 

I would have the room to build a Savannah at home, but without folding or detachable wings, I would not be able to get it to an airfield for test flying.

 

Regards, Redair.

 

 

[Ultralights]

i have done a lot of reasearch into the savannah, and in feb/march i will be getting a kit.

 

from what i have found, removing the wings is possible, but its a bit of a job, removing lift struts, remove fuel lines and electrical connector from tip ights and fuel senders if you have them fitted, but the problem is the windscreen, it is riveted in, and has to be removed to remove the wings, and option i have been told about is, when at the stage of installing the windscreen top edge, rather than rivet it, install anchor nuts and screw it in. this only has to be done on the top of the screen only, this is going on hearsay only while talking to a few Savannah owners last narromine trip

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Ultralights, Mmmm, that's what I was afraid of. I really like the look of the Savannah, but I think that the logistics of trying to get it from home to an airfield and back will just be too complicated. I am really hoping to find an aircraft that I can keep at home, rather than have to pay hangar fees. I still have to talk to the local farmer to see how he would feel about parting with a chunk of one of his paddocks, (to use as a landing strip) but I'm not going to get too excited about it until I know what he thinks.

 

Also, I would be interested in your thoughts on the kit when it arrives, as I haven't totally discounted a Savannah just yet.

 

Regards, Redair.

 

 

[Ultralights]

i currently have a sadler vampire in my garage, and even though its designed to be trailered. its still a 2 hr job to get it from trailer to flying. but at least 25% of that work is actually tying it down onto the trailer and fitting the wing and tail boom supports so it doesnt move around on the trailer, from what i see with the Savannah is that the work, (excluding the top windscreen fasteners) is pretty much the same as the vampire, i have to de-rigg the trailer, (undo the wing and boom supports) rotate and locate the wing, install the front spar bolts, install the rear spar bolts, check each bolt for correct torque setting (not specified in the manual, but a check i do to satisfy myself) then install the wing gap covers, then you can untie it from the trailer, once done, you then have to do a through preflight, refuel the tanks, and check the fuel system, then your ready to fly. its a pretty long process, though i am planning on modyfying my Savannah to make wing removal easier, i plan on hangaring it a Hoxton park, in an outdoor spot as its all metal construction, though i will get good covers made for it. i also plan on putting mine on floats, and still undecided as to build it VH experimental for night VFR or RAA rego..

 

another good site with a wealth of info for savannah owners and builder is here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savannahaircraft/

 

hope this helps

 

rob

 

 

[Guest Redair]

I'm beginning to think that there really isn't such athing as a quick fold/dismantle wing system out there, (watch everyone shout me down and tell me I'm wrong!). The more I look into it, the more it seems that after a couple of de-rigs, most people get fed up with the process.... looks like hangar fees might just have to be added to my budget, but I live in hope!

 

Redair.

 

 

[Ultralights]

ahh yes, hangar fees, part of the reason i chose the vampire was hangarage, or lack of its requirement, though now i only put the vampire on the trailer and bring it home when i need to do a major service on it or repair, hngarage is pretty cheap depending on where you go, at cessnock i was paying just $30 a month, yet at Hoxton park it was $300 a month, though an outside grass spot is just $15 a week, goulburn, the most likely place the vampire will be is about $100 or thereabouts. though just thinking about it, the vampire would be partly protected under the wing of the savannah if its going to be outdoors.... hmmmm might need a bigger cover made up..

 

 

[Galpin]

The Eurofox has folding wings and there is a dealer in Horsham, Tony Brand. But for now check the web site below. Hope this is of some little help.

 

http://www.eurofox-usa.com/

 

 

[Brett]

What about the aeropup for quick folding wings?

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Looked at the Eurofox... sorry, but at that price I would much rather have a Foxbat, or a Jabiru.

 

As for the Aeropup.....:confused:

 

Redair.

 

 

[ianrat]

Have you ever thought about the Zenair CH 701. This aircraft is the same as the Savannah and it can be built with folding wings. Have a look at there site http://www.zenithair.com/stolch701/index1.html. Folding wing option can be found on the left hand side down the bottom of there web page.

 

Sport Air on the gold coast will be happy to get one into Australia for you.

 

Ianrat

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Ianrat, yeah, the 701 was one of the first that I considered, but despite it's folding wings, there were too many things going against it, together with some iffy reports from others that I talked to, that caused it to get pushed way down my list of possibles. Having said that, it isn't discounted completely, and I will now, no-doubt get a load of abuse from those who own and love them. As ever I wait to have my opinions changed by those who know better!

 

I guess I'm just too picky when it comes to trying to find the perfect aeroplane:sad:.

 

My list seems to include lots of aircraft, that I would buy if they were slightly different in one way or another, and then of course there are those which require a lotto win to be able to afford.

 

The search continues...

 

Redair.

 

 

[Guest Redair]

Greetings each, A new question, but still relating to Savannahs.... Will anyone who owns a Savannah be taking it to Narromine this year, and if so, is there anyone who would like to give me the chance to experience their aircraft, (that means let me have a flight in it!) or, and now I'm going to get really pushy, is there anyone in South Australia, who owns a Savannah... and yes you've guessed it, would let me have a flight in it?

 

Regards, Redair.

 

 

[Ultralights]

my last trip to narromine, last year, i counted 9 savannahs. guaranteed there will be the same if not more this year.

 

 

[Guest smenkhare]

I would go with the CH701 as the savannah is an unauthorized modification of it anyway.

 

 

[Guest lyall]

savannah

 

try the savannah vg model. it flies faster,glides further,and has the same low stall speed of the original savannah

 

 

[vk3auu]

As a CH701 builder/owner, I would say go with the Savannah VG. It outperforms the standard 701 by a mile and is probably easier to build. Also, don't put a 100 HP 912S in it, 80 HP is adequate, my 80 HP '710 with VG's instead of slats will cruise at 70 knots at 15 litres per hour and climb one up at 1600 feet per minute.

 

David

 

 

[Guest lyall]

savannah vg

 

i cruise at 87 knots, have heaps of power with 2 POB . there is no substitute for power especially when you need it,go for the 100hp you can always throttle back

 

 

[vk3auu]

Lyall, you didn't mention what fuel flow you have.

 

I would also be interested to know what glide ratio you have at say 50 knots clean.

 

Also, an 80 HP 912 only needs standard unleaded.

 

David

 

 

[Guest lyall]

savannah vg

 

David fuel flow is somewhere about 18 to 19 litres per hr which is higher than the 80 hp but you get there faster . have to use 96 petol which costs slightly more but i think fuel difference is a small part of the cost of flying. i would rather burn it than count it .dont know what the true glide ratio is,guessing around 12 or 14 to 1. i can say it glides good , when i first flew it the biggest challenge i had was to land it (kept on gliding) but you get used to and now prefer it ,glide gives you options.

 

 

[markendee]

I have an 80 to fit into our Savannah.

 

The unleaded fuel is the reason for this choice. Speed is nice but if it was a deciding factor I would not be building a Savvy in the first place.

 

I liken it to a trail bike versus a road bike. With one I want to explore new places and take a good look, while the other is adrenaline and bitumen.

 

Imagine being miles from anywhere and having the choice of ULP, PULP or Avgas - makes sense to me.

 

Also 9:1 makes for a more solid option than 10.5:1 in my experience.

 

 

[Guest landmann]

The published glide ratio for the Savannah ADV is 12 to 1 . The best I can do is 6 to 1 so I contacted ICP and they conferred that it was 6 to 1. They also say the total hight of the plane is a little over 9 ft. Mine is just under 8 ft. with tundra tires. Are there nine footer out there?

 

Martin

 

 

[Guest Jim Benn]

Savannah ADV

 

Hi Guys, I have the only Savannah ADV in captivity (I think) and was at Narromine last year, parked over near the Western hangers. Don't think I will be there again this year as we are moving to King Island. I have seen 98+ kts cruise at 5000rpm, but 92 @ 4800 is much more usual. Glide? Think brick.STOL, think football field with room for cheerleaders.Fuel burn with 912s? ~18 but who cares, it goes like the clappers and is a beauty to fly.King Isalnd from Clifton (Qld) via Narrobri, Parkes, Shepperton (sleep over), Colac, Appolo Bay and Currie Airport, 10 hours two up and luggage! What a great trip.Jim Benn

 

 

[Admin]

Wow Jim - what a fun trip you have install - keep it safe and please make sure you take plenty of notes and pictures for a ginormous trip report.

 

If you end up in Melb let me know - there's a place to stay here if you need one