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Foxbat vs Savannah (Duplicate post on Savannah forum)


APenNameAndThatA

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Hi

 

I am wanting to use a VH registered plane for STOL on rough strips, and carry as much stuff as I can in the plane, and have a parachute attached. The Savannah and Foxbat both seem to fit the bill. The Foxbat can be registered VH and seems to have a big following in the outback, and numerous flying schools use it. On the other hand, I might have difficulty hangaring it in Alice Springs, and it has fabric control surfaces.

 

My understanding is that the factor Savannah now is 600 kg MTOW (otherwise the decision would be a no-brainer.) The Foxbat and Savannah both have almost identical takeoff roll and cruise speed, as far as I can tell. The Foxbat looks like it would be faster, but its cabin is 20 cm wider at the elbows and it tapers more rapidly.

 

ATM, I am leaning towards the Foxbat: the 20 cm wider cabin is a plus, and training would be much simpler. It seems that I would have to train 24 and RA-Aus and then patch over (as our bikie colleagues would say) to VH and RPL. I want to be able to fly out of Alice Springs and Mt Isa.

 

Thanks!

 

 

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Hi APen...

 

I had much the same dilemma and ended up ordering a foxbat which hopefully arrives soon. I have a mate who flies a Foxbat, often times with a group of Savannahs. They have kitted their planes out with big tyres for river bed landings and he reckons the Foxbat & Savannah have similar performance, maybe a little speed advantage with the Foxbat.

 

The Foxbat cabin width was part of the decision maker for me. If I had gone for the Sav I would have built it myself and my spouse was pretty anti that idea, 1 more point to the Foxbat. The cost was not a big factor, I figured the building a Sav would have been 2/3 the price of the Foxbat and even though the wait time for the Bat has been 8 months, I reckon it would have taken me 2+ years to build a Sav. Don't think I would be wanting to park either plane outside regardless of the covering type. There is a bit of discussion elsewhere comparing the two. Good luck with the decision.

 

PB

 

 

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Hi APen...I had much the same dilemma and ended up ordering a foxbat which hopefully arrives soon. I have a mate who flies a Foxbat, often times with a group of Savannahs. They have kitted their planes out with big tyres for river bed landings and he reckons the Foxbat & Savannah have similar performance, maybe a little speed advantage with the Foxbat.

 

The Foxbat cabin width was part of the decision maker for me. If I had gone for the Sav I would have built it myself and my spouse was pretty anti that idea, 1 more point to the Foxbat. The cost was not a big factor, I figured the building a Sav would have been 2/3 the price of the Foxbat and even though the wait time for the Bat has been 8 months, I reckon it would have taken me 2+ years to build a Sav. Don't think I would be wanting to park either plane outside regardless of the covering type. There is a bit of discussion elsewhere comparing the two. Good luck with the decision.

 

PB

*Eight months*?! I heard that it was three?

 

 

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HiI am wanting to use a VH registered plane for STOL on rough strips, and carry as much stuff as I can in the plane, and have a parachute attached. The Savannah and Foxbat both seem to fit the bill. The Foxbat can be registered VH and seems to have a big following in the outback, and numerous flying schools use it. On the other hand, I might have difficulty hangaring it in Alice Springs, and it has fabric control surfaces.

 

My understanding is that the factor Savannah now is 600 kg MTOW (otherwise the decision would be a no-brainer.) The Foxbat and Savannah both have almost identical takeoff roll and cruise speed, as far as I can tell. The Foxbat looks like it would be faster, but its cabin is 20 cm wider at the elbows and it tapers more rapidly.

 

ATM, I am leaning towards the Foxbat: the 20 cm wider cabin is a plus, and training would be much simpler. It seems that I would have to train 24 and RA-Aus and then patch over (as our bikie colleagues would say) to VH and RPL. I want to be able to fly out of Alice Springs and Mt Isa.

 

Thanks!

Having flown in both these you will find the Foxbat has much better vision over the nose cowls which is good when climbing out in hilly areas. My Nynja is great on vision forward over the nose etc but these arn't available factory built. The actual slow speed and climb performance of the Sav will always be better than the Foxbat but you may never really need that bit extra. Enjoy your new aircraft. Cheers Mike

 

 

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Having flown in both these you will find the Foxbat has much better vision over the nose cowls which is good when climbing out in hilly areas. My Nynja is great on vision forward over the nose etc but these arn't available factory built. The actual slow speed and climb performance of the Sav will always be better than the Foxbat but you may never really need that bit extra. Enjoy your new aircraft. Cheers Mike

Sivannah is available with a cargo pod, ? how experimental, however.

 

 

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Sivannah is available with a cargo pod, ? how experimental, however.

There is a factory pod available for under the belly like a caravan, not sure if they do it for the S and XL models, but there were a few VG narrow body ones with them fitted and a few people built their own.

 

 

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There is a factory pod available for under the belly like a caravan, not sure if they do it for the S and XL models, but there were a few VG narrow body ones with them fitted and a few people built their own.

The Australian sales person says that they are for the XL but not the S and it is not experimental. Just goes to show how nice it is to have things looking nice. The S looks SO much better than the XL. But, wow, fancy a cargo pod being available! If you want a tricycle gear, STOL, all-metal aircraft to carry gear to rough strips, as far as I can tell, there is only one aircraft for the job. On any aircraft they look ugly, on a Sivana, whey look hideous. The VNE drops to 80 kts, too!

 

 

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I can confirm the longer delivery times. Mine looks like closer to 9 months until it arrives here in April. Was a bit disappointed with this as I got quoted 6 months at the outside when I ordered as well. That said, it'll be worth the wait for a factory built, very tidy and flexible STOL aircraft. I have flown in Sav's and they are good, but I think the edge is in the factory finish, a little nicer in the detail and amazing space and visibility. As an aside, I'm optioning my 22-LS with the side door and aluminium luggage compartment - 30kg with easy access vs. trying to stuff a bag behind the seats in the Sav, without much success is also a big plus in my view.

 

 

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I can confirm the longer delivery times. Mine looks like closer to 9 months until it arrives here in April. Was a bit disappointed with this as I got quoted 6 months at the outside when I ordered as well. That said, it'll be worth the wait for a factory built, very tidy and flexible STOL aircraft. I have flown in Sav's and they are good, but I think the edge is in the factory finish, a little nicer in the detail and amazing space and visibility. As an aside, I'm optioning my 22-LS with the side door and aluminium luggage compartment - 30kg with easy access vs. trying to stuff a bag behind the seats in the Sav, without much success is also a big plus in my view.

Congratulations. What you say matches what others have said and my own observations. The side door would be very convenient to load/unload messy stuff. Others have said that the finish is much better on the Foxbat. I do not think that the Savannah could have a shorter ground roll than the Foxbat. If you are getting a red one, it will look fantastic.

 

 

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Congratulations. What you say matches what others have said and my own observations. The side door would be very convenient to load/unload messy stuff. Others have said that the finish is much better on the Foxbat. I do not think that the Savannah could have a shorter ground roll than the Foxbat. If you are getting a red one, it will look fantastic.

Thanks! Yep - it is red, I wanted to be seen!!

 

 

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  • 5 months later...
I can confirm the longer delivery times. Mine looks like closer to 9 months until it arrives here in April. Was a bit disappointed with this as I got quoted 6 months at the outside when I ordered as well. That said, it'll be worth the wait for a factory built, very tidy and flexible STOL aircraft. I have flown in Sav's and they are good, but I think the edge is in the factory finish, a little nicer in the detail and amazing space and visibility. As an aside, I'm optioning my 22-LS with the side door and aluminium luggage compartment - 30kg with easy access vs. trying to stuff a bag behind the seats in the Sav, without much success is also a big plus in my view.

Where is the 30 kg luggage compartment located FK?

 

 

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Where is the 30 kg luggage compartment located FK?

Same place as the fabric 20kg one. Behind the seats, however the upgrade adds an external door on the left which provides access to an aluminium ‘U’ section.

 

6DB04D1B-7713-4985-9F05-7AB2D0D6E492.jpeg.4ff7dc11159aebd3f54e357c0d0ba3f6.jpeg

 

 

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Same place as the fabric 20kg one. Behind the seats, however the upgrade adds an external door on the left which provides access to an aluminium ‘U’ section.

That looks really nice: a good access solution!

 

 

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  • 3 months later...
I am sure the fuel injected Rotax will really move that Foxbat It looks lovely!

Not quite sure how a 100 hp injected Rotax will move your Foxbat any better/faster than a 100 hp carburettor Rotax - you will use less fuel for sure

 

 

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