Flyinglion2000

Hi. I need to make a nose steering wheel too! Would love to see some pics and or plans/drawings. Thanks

I have a 4 tank 4 vented fuel cap Savannah S. I only experienced once venting of fuel from on overfull tank - caused by not flying level over an extended period (and exacerbated by fuel return into that tank). In my experience, the movement of fuel between tanks is gradual and slow and not instantaneous so while in theory the problems you pose are there and real, in practice they should not materialise unless as you say you park on uneven ground or you fly one wing down for a long period. I don't have experience with check valves but they sound like a good idea. I have seen a Savannah in flight where the right outboard fuel tank cap came off in flight. The ensuing vacuum was so great, fuel would erupt from the tank every 30 seconds and was sufficiently strong to drain dry all four tanks!

Hi I had a similar issue early on. First, I reattached the earth leading from the sender to the chassis to confirm it was grounded. I thought mine had vibrated loose. Second make sure the low fuel light socket and it terminals are not earthing out on the frame that holds the instrument panel to the dash - my socket had rotated such that the terminals were earthing out on the frame. Problem solved.

Mine weighed empty 305.5kg with Tundra tyres, long range tanks, full carpet, Xcom radio, GME UHF and supplied instruments.

Yes I have only used the distance values of the landing gear from the manual. My actual distances are aprrox 20mm smaller. I will dig them out and adjust. Your main gear distance arm seems comparatively small. Mine is 654mm, the manual says 675mm. My reference point is the leading edge.

Yes it will be interesting to see how your actual W&B checks out when youre done rebuilding and ready to fly again. I gather having teh aircraft's W&B just right of centre of the two CoG limit lines is an optimum configuration. The fuel arm I used is 0.495M - it shows up in the table as 0.50M - is that right?

Here is the file. So Mark your aircraft is relatively light to lift the nose by hand as compared to before? Savannah S weight & balance.xls Savannah S weight & balance.xls Savannah S weight & balance.xls

Yes I did. And email sent. Have fun! Let me know if I screwed up some way

Yes it was done on excel and I used the forward and rearward limits of CoG from the W&B charts supplied by ICP in the manuals. Basically just plotting a few lines.

Thanks Mark I emailed Reg Brost and I think we worked out the first chart i used (in pounds metres ?!?) was flawed and tus not to be used. Yes that was very interesting to see how the baggage weight has a very dramatic effect on the CoG. Do you think the chart is specified for the extended bagage area that most of us seem to installing? I hope so. I enjoy (as do many others) reading your posts on your aircraft build and flying - great to see. Hope you get back in the air soon - good flying weather is coming! ps Its a battle to stay at 80kg! too much amber fluid in my diet me thinks

I was reading through Mark Kyle's build log on this site and came across the subject of weight & balance and the adjustments he put his aircraft through to adjust his aircraft's W&B to where he worked out it needed to be for optimum trim and performance. So I dug out my W&B and plotted it as per the manual and got an initial surprise - my W&B was well forward of the forward most CoG line provided by ICP in the manual. For reference the graph I initially used is found in CAP12. FIRST FLIGHT pages 1-2/4 dated 12th January 2010. Here is my data and graphic overlaid on the ICP W&B chart. My Sav S is the blue line. This was done using lb metres. Then I tried it using the W&B chart Mark Kyle was using for his aircraft. This chart is in kg metres. Lo and behold I was well within the forward and rearward limits of CoG. But this was for a Savannah XL VG?!?!?!? Getting very confused now So I went back to the manual and in the Pilot Operating Handbook (not the Construction Manual) I found another set of W&B charts - one in Kg metres and the other in lb feet. I immediately noticed that the kg metres W&B chart has the same CoG limits as for the Sav XL VG! Shouldn’t they be different ?!?!?!? So I plotted again in lbs and ft and I got the same result smack in the middle of the forward and rearward limits of CoG just like as it was for the W&B chart in kg metres above. Not unexpected if ICP did the change from metric to imperial correctly but is this the right W&B chart for a Sav S??? So my questions are: 1. Which W&B charts are correct for a Savannah S? The one in the construction manual or the one in the pilot operating handbook (which seems to be the same as the one for Sav XL VG!) 2. I would have thought that the Sav S is a little different in construction to the Sav XL VG so would therefore have a different W&B charts for each aircraft. Yes/no? Savannah S weight & balance lb metres.pdf Savannah S weight & balance kg metres.pdf Savannah S weight & balance lb metres.pdf Savannah S weight & balance kg metres.pdf Savannah S weight & balance lb metres.pdf Savannah S weight & balance kg metres.pdf

I fitted the Tundra tyres to mine and didn't have to drill the rims - thankfully. Nice to see a bit of rain at last - halleluyah.

Ok I now have the capacitor but not being an electronics person I don't know how to wire it in. From the Rotax manual one pin of the capacitor is earthed / grounded but the other pin is wired to ???? Any photos if possible greatly appreciated. Also why was a 50amp fuse supplied but the manual suggests says 25amp fuse? Cheers

Id say by the looks of it you ave them on both sides of the cockpit

:yikes:I spy with my little eye... Dennis what is that item in the red ring I put in your photo below. werent in my kit ...

Thanks Scott, Mark and everyone. I will go to RS at Archerfield on Monday on my way to work. I am thinking the problem may be with the connectors to the regulator, on close inspection of the male tabs on the regulator I can see evidence of arcing on one of the male tabs that connects to the alternator. cheers

Well I checked all the wiring again and it looks fine. Restarted and everything works - charging at 14v low voltage light out. Went for a hours flight no problems. Next day not so good - low volt light on and no charge to battery (as indicated on plane voltmeter). Grrr. So will check all wiring again.. any other suggestions before I send the regulator off to Floods? Mark - no I did not see the Rotax recommendation for the capacitor. Did you also instal one for your fuel pump like they suggest? Where can I buy these (and brand soec etc) from around Brisbane or is it best to shop online? Cheers

Thanks Guys Rick, I checked the wiring in my Sav S and to the wiring diagram. My "C" terminal is connected to the voltmeter (white w red stripe wire). My "B" terminal connects (through 50amp fuse) to the starting solenoid terminal whihc connects to the battery +ve. Is that right?

Hi, has anyone ever had any issues with their rectifier /regulator on their 912ULS? Mine appears to have given up the ghost. I have checked the alternator and I have 15-17V AC going in, but there is no recorded voltage increase on the output side (measured at the battery terminal on the solenoid) - its a constant 12.4V whihc is only indicating the state of the battery. Ive checked that the rectifier/regulator is earthed, that the 50AMP fuse is not blown, but still the low voltage warning light is lit up and the voltmeter is only readung 12V. Must be the rectifier/regulator?

Block & tackle hung from a mechanics engine hoist ?

:roflmao:Lmao You have great neighbours Eric ! Maybe they were too scared to knock at that hour with those sorts of sounds coming from your apartment?

Thanks Mark I will investigate further - might have got a dodgy built muffler

Hi All I've noticed that the exhaust pipe vents straight out of the cowl directky onto the nosewheel - pretty much straight onto the wheel bracket and the column. Is this anyone else's eperience? Or have I mucked up somwhere? Cam.

LOL that would have made a racket. A little video would be good to see how this works in practise. It was a labour to resize and fit all those pesky rivets.

Roger that Texy. Need to test the MTOW limits anyway so you should come in handy for that too ;-) Cam