Savannahflyer

Has anyone heard any updates on these engines? I checked the website and it says the engine has moved into the prototype stage. I would love to here how it is all going and the sort of numbers for fuel burn ect the 200hp engine is doing.

Hi all, I'm looking for some casual/part time hanger space at Tyabb airport. It will be for a high winged Raa Aircraft (Savannah) and I will only need it for a week or so at a time every couple of months or maybe even less. If anyone could help me out with this or knows of anyone that could help me out with this it would be much appreciated. Cheers. Adam .

I'm keen, weather permitting!

Does anyone know if there is a proposal to up the stall speed to accompany the 750kg MTOW?

A lot of those islands are just big pointy rocks. Deal and Hogan Islands are the only biggish type ones from memory. I think Deal Island even has a strip on it. My father used to own a small charter company and I used to fly the route with him regularly in his Senca 2. I think the trick is pick your days and get going early just after first light before any wind picks up. I plan to do the trip over xmas in a Savannah I'm not worried about ditching though I think that would be "ok" I'm worried about floating around with those big great whites afterwards until someone pocks me up. Mind you I have a lot of trust in the mighty rotax 912 but you have to be prepared for the worst no matter what!

I usually fly a 45 knot approach in the Savannah, yes it feels very slow but with a 28kt stall it's still safe. With higher approach speed you will get a lot of ballon on landing but if that happens just apply a little power & it should settle again nicely and not touch down so hard. They do like a very high nose altuitude on landing and it also helps protect that not so strong nose wheel. Have a play with slower approach speeds and see how you go.

STOL performance of the 912s in the Savannah is more then enough. More cruise speed would be nice but I don't know if more hp would achieve that given it's such a draggy aircraft. I haven't started building just yet so I have time on my side. Reliability is probably my biggest consideration and I'm pretty confident I will get 2000 hrs out of a 912.

Yes I have already got an XL VG kit I brought the one that was for sale on here some months back. The 6 cylinder D motor sounds good but rather expensive! I can get a new 912S off Reg for $24500, I'm thinking at this point this seems like the way to go. With the money I save I might invest in auto pilot and few other little bits & pieces.

Hi Xavier how's the nav ticket going? How is the flying in Darwin is it always bumpy? I have been meaning to rent an aircraft from the top end flying club & have a look around the area for years but have never got around to it.

I was looking at the 6 cylinder D motor & that's 78kgs dry. The 4 cylinder doesn't quiet have enough ponnies for my liking as I will be operating out of a pretty tight strip (less then 200m) at times.

All though rotaxs are a lot more expensive the appeal to me is they have been proven for well over 20 years. Both the D motor & the UL are rather heavy!

Luckily I have nothing but time on my hands since I'm not starting the build till next month. And I would imagine it will be many many more months till I require an engine!, hopefully by then more will be known about them, I may very well go with the 912s due to price & simplicity but the 912IS certainly intrigues me & I would like to learn more about it.

I was emailing Reg today. To be honest he didn't know a lot about it just yet, had said he just ordered a factory built one with the 912is and once that arrives he will know a lot more about it. I guess time will tell.

Is there anyone out there building a kit aircraft with the 912IS in it? I'm considering putting one in my savannah but don't know much about the engine management system. Do they need different probes & such & does it require a glass EMS?

I had my heart set on the 912is as well I was hoping someone would of built one first. Lucky for me I haven't started the build so things like fuel lines I can tackle straight away. Mind you the extra out lay of $$$ for the engine itself plus the glass cockpit requirment is something to think about. I do like the idea of 14L an hour fuel burn though.

I read an earlier post that you where going to but the 912IS in your machine what made you change your mind?

It's all aluminium on aluminium I was thinking I just had to clean and prime where the panels come together.

The aircraft will be built and kept down in coastal Victoria (close to salt air. With the big parts did you paint the Alodine on or do you dip it all?

I'm about to start the build of my XL VG and was wondering what everyone has done for corrosion proofing? I know my father has had trouble with corrosion in his Savannah. If anyone else has done any handy modifications to their savannahs which I could or should include into mine please let me know. I plan to put the 912IS into the aircraft. Thanks in advanced.

The FK9 is coming out with diesel from factory so I'm guessing they work if people are doing it!

I have thought about the 912IS but just not sure if I can justify the 5k more they cost then the normal 912s. I haven't even started the build yet so I have time on my side. I'm not in a real hurry at the moment I can still fly my dad's savannah when ever I like & having an already built one to look at should make mine go together quicker when those tricky bits come along. Plus this is the second savannah we have built so that should help. I do like the idea of the 912IS though.

I never considered that. Maybe a rotax 912S is the go for me and I should stop trying to reinvent the wheel.

Most vehicles out bush are diesels so I was thinking it would be rather simple to get your hands on. I read the 80hp ecofly diesel only uses 8L an hour and a savannah having 130L tank I will never need to come down anyway. The only 100hp diesel I could really find was a 2 stroke and it claims to burn around the 15L an hour mark. Is diesel powered aircraft the way of the future?

Has anyone installed or had anything to do with the ecofly diesel areo engine or any other diesel areo engine? I know the Fk9 can have one factory installed, I'm building a Savannah & very curious about them.

Just found this site it has some great info on it from some knowledge people by the sounds of it. Addionally I'm after a project so if anyone knows of any half built kits or good deals I would like to hear about them. Cheers