Hi from Austria (the one without Kangaroos)

[Pat]

Hi all! My name is Pat and I bought a 2000 ICP Savannah MXP-740. The one with Slats (or Slots?).
It is ~735 times lighter than the heaviest plane I've flown (that one I didn't own though), so I'm still adjusting 😄. 
Just completed the 420NM ferry trip home, including crossing (or better said, slaloming through) the Alps.
"Thanks" to headwinds the avg. GS was a mighty 50kts (ask my sore back about it).
Greatly appreciate the advice and answers to the many questions that will arise from you all on how to fly and maintain this plane and its 80hp Rotax.
Thanks and great as well as safe flights to everyone! 
Pat

[facthunter]

Some good hills there, Pat.  At  that groundspeed you'd get a good look at them .  Nev

[kgwilson]

Well you live in the right country for Rotax spares.

[onetrack]

One can't help but be awed by the European Alpine scenery - but the restrictions as to finding a satisfactory area for a forced landing, must be a real concern!

[facthunter]

I  think OUR lower but more wooded remote areas would be worse. It's OK in the Valleys in Europe and the high parts have no trees but they are ROUGH as they are Newer..  Nev

[danny_galaga]

Welcome to the party that never ends 🍻

[Marty_d]

Welcome Pat!  Good to see another plane with slats (I'm building a Zenith CH701, very similar to the slatted Sav).

[Pat]

6 hours ago, onetrack said:

One can't help but be awed by the European Alpine scenery - but the restrictions as to finding a satisfactory area for a forced landing, must be a real concern!

One has to think about it, yes. It's not too bad in good VMC if one follows the valleys and keeps some height margin. If one would really be able to pull off a forced landing in spite of all the cables, obstacles, uneven topography etc.. is another story and greatly depends on the exact location it would be required. You can see the flight in 3D here

There are published "GAFOR" routes with weather forecast and so called "reference altitudes" (highest elevation +/- 600meters laterally) along the valleys and passes. 

 

[Pat]

20 minutes ago, Marty_d said:

Welcome Pat!  Good to see another plane with slats (I'm building a Zenith CH701, very similar to the slatted Sav).

Thanks. I am getting conflicting info regarding removing the Slats in lieu of VGs. Local distributor says structural reinforcements required...  I'm aware and in touch with the expert from down under who is also a member here. 

[BrendAn]

11 hours ago, Pat said:

Hi all! My name is Pat and I bought a 2000 ICP Savannah MXP-740. The one with Slats (or Slots?).
It is ~735 times lighter than the heaviest plane I've flown (that one I didn't own though), so I'm still adjusting 😄. 
Just completed the 420NM ferry trip home, including crossing (or better said, slaloming through) the Alps.
"Thanks" to headwinds the avg. GS was a mighty 50kts (ask my sore back about it).
Greatly appreciate the advice and answers to the many questions that will arise from you all on how to fly and maintain this plane and its 80hp Rotax.
Thanks and great as well as safe flights to everyone! 
Pat

Great scenery 

[IBob]

Hi Pat. Lots of good Savannah info here.
And no shortage of opinions, either!

Not sure why removal of slats would require structural reinforcement, will be interested to hear what you find out.

[Marty_d]

Possibly covering the slots left by the slat removal? But I thought they just ground the brackets off close to the skin and left them like that.

[Pat]

13 hours ago, IBob said:

Hi Pat. Lots of good Savannah info here.
And no shortage of opinions, either!

Not sure why removal of slats would require structural reinforcement, will be interested to hear what you find out.

Here is a machine translated article I found. According to the article, removing slats and adding VGs required structural modifications. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Pat
Added article

[IBob]

Hi Pat, it looks as though they made all the required changes to turn the Classic into a VG, as per ICP factory designs.
Perhaps this was necessary for certification.
I don't think that has much to do with removing the slats and adding VGs, though my understanding is that ICP made a small change to the wing leading edge profile when they took that step.
An excellent source of information would be John Gilpin at Stolspeed:

https://www.stolspeed.com/slats-v-s-vgs