Fat Tire STOL

I guess I'm partial to tailwheels because I have 1200 hours in over 50 type tailwheel aircraft. They are just fun to fly! Probably statistically easier to crash or damage (ask any insurance company, but still fun! I think I'm going to LOVE the Savannah though, specially the STOL performance.

IBob, Yes the AC is dual brake, long range tanks, single "Y" stick (yuck) and it is factory built. 2015 model with 208 hours TT since new. I would rather have the tailwheel version, but one of my other 2 partners is apposed. I'd also like the dual stick conversion, but I can't really say I don't like the Y stick since I have never flown one. Might be OK once you get used to it, but it just seems WEIRD to me.

Onetrack, I appreciate the insight. You really have to dig to find the exact specification from most AC tire manufactures. It looks like Goodyear 7.00 X 6 tire is 18.75" diameter. If it will fit in my fork it may be a better alternative. What nose wheel tire size are other "Savannah Bush Pilots" running?.

Thanks, The Turf Glide nose wheel is already on the plane, so the fork must have already been modified. I think it might be both longer and wider. Sam

The fork mat very well be on backwards. The tube actually snapped off, bounced off the ground and hit under the left wing. It's just a piece of pipe stuck on there to splice it back in order to transport the wreckage. The nose wheel also hit the fuselage skin at the bottom / aft of the firewall and made a small ding, I don't think it will be an issue though, mostly cosmetic. There was no damage to the firewall itself. Does anybody know if the nose wheel tire is typical? It's a carlisle 8.00 X 6 Turf Glide tire. looking it up it appears to be a garden tractor tire, but by the tread pattern I have see them used on Savannah's before, both as mains and nose wheel. Anybody? Thanks for all of your help, and I hope to get parts from ICP by Jan 1. Coming to Texas distributor.

Well here's some more detail and pictures of my project. It looks like it has the Carlisle TUNDRA aircraft tires size 8.00 X 6 X 21 on the mains, and Carlisle Turf Glide 8.00 X 6 nose tire, but it's smaller in diameter at about 16" tall. I am wondering if the nose wheel fork had be changed to a larger fork. It's 10 1/2" total length, see picure, and has about 1/2" clearance with the tire described above. also will include some pictures of the panel,. The fuselage has little damage, but both wings need alot of repair, mostly reskinning, and a few ribs on one wing.

Well I'm officially a Savannah S owner! The aircraft is a 2015 with a 912 ULS, 8.00 X 6 tires, possibly a longer nose wheel fork and 8.00 tire? It was in a landing accident, which damaged both wings and nose wheel. The plane has 205 hours since new. How / where is the kit builders manual available? We have all new factory parts for the repairs on the way, scheduled delivery by the end of the year. What experience do you guys have with the factory supplying detailed repair documentation (Required in the US) I am an A&P so repairs should be no issue for me. Any estimates how long it took you kit builers to completely assemble wings? I'll get some pictures posted as soon as I can upload them from my phone. Cheers! I'm stoked! Fat Tire STOL , out.

My play house when I was a kid was a Globe Swift fuselage!

I'd have to vote for "The Great Waldo Pepper" Robert Redford. I went to see it at the theater on a sunday, and starting flying lessons on Monday!

Our FBO insurance on 2 Cessna 172's and one 182 RG doubled. We fly off a 2000' paved runnway, the shortest public use runnway in the state of Virginia. Some of our high performance customers had to relocate their Monney's and Bonanza's in order to get coverage at all, and if you are over 70 the fun really begins.

So I have been in contact with the factory, and they say the conversion is doable, doesn't sound like a huge deal. I got to see the fuselage to the airplane tonight, and there is very little damage to it. The logs are a little limited, have to see what's going on with them, but the most hours the plane could have on it is 200 TTAF. It has 8.00 X 6 mains and nose wheel, so it's kind of ready for off airport use. Coolest thing is ownership will include a heated hanger and a 2000' geass strip! Now if we can just get parts. Supposedly they should arrive around year end. I think the original owner wants to leave it a nose wheel airplane though. With a deal like this, I can't be bitchy about it!

Greetings, I am an A & P working on an \ Savannah S repair, in trade for partial ownership, hopefully. Anybody here have the Savannah Tailwheel conversion? Any comments on performance tailwheel vs nose wheel? Thannks.