Installing BRS parachute on second-hand SavXL

[TangoDelta]

Hello Everyone,

New pilot here, and first post in this forum that i have found is full of great information!

I'm in the process of buying a Savannah XL, it has a lot of equipments already set up on top of the standard gauges (MGL Autopilot, transponder, long range tanks).
But it doesn't have a BRS...

previous company owning and operating it had certified mechanics, pilot was a professional...

Be that as it may, as a very green but sensible pilot, i would obviously prefer the safety backup of having a parachute in case anything goes wrong. and if I didn't, my wife definitely does.

 

Here comes the questions:

 

- has anyone fitted Parachute after the facts on a Savannah?
- How complicated is it? I am not an engineer/mechanic.. i've never done this kind of thing before. i will be able to get some help from other pilots with more experience at the club, but i don't want to rely too heavily on their time and availability... i will definitely ask them to check my work, and if i need a hand taking a wing off, i wont have any problem asking for help obviously.

- I was told the wings would have to go off to attach the chute cables to the frame... i read somewhere here that it wasn't difficult on Savannah and just took 30min... when putting them back in place is it quite clear and easy to see that they are back in right and safe to fly? (no hidden things one could do wrong that would mess up the entire setup and risk integrity of the plane?)

- wondering if the autopilot system might not make it more complicated, as also located in the same area of the plane..

 

I do think my above questions might just be me overworrying on the topic, but i'd rather hear someone say so, than not ask it ^^

 

Thanks for the time everyone !

 

[Old Koreelah]

Welcome to the forum, TangoDelta. I looked up your home city on Google Earth. Looks nice.

Are you permitted to fly out of the International Airport? I can’t see any other airstrips near your city.

I fitted a BRS to my small single-seater and it required quite a bit of engineering. Do the laws in your country permit you to modify your Savannah?
There are a several Savannah owners on this forum, so they may be able to advise.

[TangoDelta]

Hi,

 

Yes we're flying from the international airport!

 

There are bush runways further north and south, but nowhere to leave your plane, so all planes are stored at the airport (specific club area), and then we do day or weekend trips to the different places.

 

I don't think they're very difficult about modifications to the plane here... Will have to see with the president of the club.

 

[Old Koreelah]

There are several disadvantages. If you are permitted to fit a BRS to your Savannah, it will add about 15-20kg. That reduces your load-carrying capacity, which might be critical.
It’s very hard to get a BRS transported to you; probably no airline wants to carry the rocket motor. After you spend lots of time and money on installation, it will regular maintenance: parachute repacked every 6 years, new rocket motor after 12 years.

 

 

[TangoDelta]

Yes I'm aware of the transport topic, there's a company that repairs and refurbishes life rafts here, they import different emergency flares  that are in the same category I believe. So will see if I can put it in one of their containers (harbour cities are practical for that).

 

I'd rather have the added weight and the safety...

The wife and I combined is probably about 140kg, so we're not too bad, for sure I wouldn't fill up the 4 tanks, but we can take the extra 🙂

[Kyle Communications]

Check my blog. just fitting a after market parachute to my Savannah S

 

[pmccarthy]

2016? I can't believe it was seven years ago. I remember this post like yesterday.

[Kyle Communications]

Time flies the older you get..I cant belive its been that long myself. It went along pretty well for a year or two then life pretty much got in the way and the speed of the project dropped off dramatically. Looking after 2 oldies here and building houses 300km away from here etc etc..but now I am retired.......hahahah I still have lots of things I am trying to get done but at least I have 3 more 24hr days to use.....By the way our house at the farm we started 3 years ago has finally got council approval last friday...so thats a big load off.

 

[onetrack]

I think you'll find the original post is Sept 16, 2023 - not 2016. Tango Delta only joined the forum on Sept 16 this year.

[pmccarthy]

7 hours ago, onetrack said:

I think you'll find the original post is Sept 16, 2023 - not 2016. Tango Delta only joined the forum on Sept 16 this year.

I meant Kyle's post, rebuilding a Sav and selling the Girlfriend.

[TangoDelta]

On 04/10/2023 at 8:17 AM, Kyle Communications said:

Check my blog. just fitting a after market parachute to my Savannah S

 

Hi, finally finished going through your entire post, incredible work!
I'll defintely follow the rest of your rebuild! working on finalising customs admin to finalise the purchase of mine, hopefully will be able to bring it up from upcountry where it is by the end of year, beginning of next year, and then i'll probably have a lot more questions! 😉

If you have pictures from the inside of the tail towards the front to see how the chute box fills that space next to the feeder tank and to compare the space available, would appreciate it, but as i said, i'm only getting the plane in a little while, so nothing i'll be working on before january!
 

Keep well and safe flights!

[Kyle Communications]

In Australia we have the extended cargo area so it makes it a bit eaasier in one regard but thats why I had to build a box around it. The chute normally sits on the std cargo area back wall so I had to do similar. There is about 100mm behind the box to the extended cargo area back wall so its literally a box in the arrea I had to make so I dont get hit with the rocket blast. In a std cargo area the rocket is behind the wall