Opinion on cheetah - owners preferably

[Stephan van Tonder]

Hi Guys. I have been looking around the 3 axis market and to me the rainbow aircraft cheetah looks to be the choice for me. What attracts me is the following
1) big cockpit (I'm a wide boy )
2) no stick in the way when you get in
3) looks quite nice.
4) seems capable of decent speed.(100mph)
5) can carry a fair amount.(designer says it has the biggest CofG spread of this class plane)
6) locally built so support is easy.
7) very good visibilty
From current owners - Are you happy with yours? any issues? Other reasons you bought yours?

Right now I can't afford the nice 2nd hand one for sale here but I was thinking of buying the kit in a year or so and self assembling and then looking for a motor. Is there anybody here that has built one themelves? - are there other engine options than the rotax 912s that is worthwhile looking at? Does anybody own one with say a jabiru 2200 or maybe a 3300?.
Opinion on rotax 582 - I'm in JHB? and want to fly to tzaneen on a regular basis when I have it.
What is the consumption like on other engines - I know the 912s.
Also any other comment on Cheetahs welcome re. flying manners etc. compared to other same class 3axis. What other alternatives at around the same price?. Just not bushbay.(sorry I think they are ugly and I am very uncomfortable in them. Struggle to get in and out and just can't seem to get comfortable - please no flaming that is purely a personal opinion and not saying it is a bad plane.)
Also no weight shift. Had an antares and although a beautiful plane you can't go flying long distance all over the place with them.
Oh yes currently training on cheetah for MPL and would probably convert to this new light sport license when that is finally on the go.
Anybody looking for a syndicate or selling one cheaply(yeah I know - wishfull thinking).
Sorry for the long post but there doesn't seem to be much info on cheetahs out there.

[Porra]

Hi Stephan,

Give African Gray a pm.( Russel) he runs Rainbow air school and only flys the Cheeta.

[John Boucher]

You have already decided you like the Cheetah... stick to it!

They are wonderful aircraft to fly. I got some 200 hours logged on them. The positives overshadow the negatives - yes there are a few negatives!

A Cheetah with a JAB 3300 mill up front would just make the world of difference on this aeroplane. 100mph cruise - eish, maybe with a 912ULS up front but not with a 582. - I block my Cheetah @ 65 knots and thats it.

Pro.
Forgiving characteristics, Good stall specs, Economical, Affordable, Spacious, Great visibility, excellent cross-wind component, you learn to use rudders!

Neg.
Would prefer disc brakes, underpowered with 582, don't cover with Dacron - rather Trylam

[Stephan van Tonder]

Thanks . Had a look at this engine now for a while. Kind of tempting. I'm not really crazy about the 912 rotax - it's almost too complicated and I don't like the massive RPM it runs at. http://www.ulpower.com/

[justin.schoeman]

Thanks . Had a look at this engine now for a while. Kind of tempting. I'm not really crazy about the 912 rotax - it's almost too complicated and I don't like the massive RPM it runs at. http://www.ulpower.com/

I really battle to see the advantages of this engine... It costs more than a 120hp Jabi, but its continuous power rating is less than the 85hp Jabi. It's weight is half way between the 85 and 120 hp Jabi.

So, unless you really need that extra 10hp for take-off, but can't afford the extra 10kg for the Jabi, this engine doesn't seem to offer many advantages (except for marginally better fuel consumption).

But people are buying it, so it must offer something?

[Stephan van Tonder]

Yes I see the point re the 10 extra horse for the 2200 jabi. Just don't want an underpowered plane and the 3300 jabi almost seems too much engine again for the cheetah. The 912S really is perfect but eish - the price.......

[John Boucher]

I think the 120hp Jab engine would be great in the Cheetah....

120hp full power climb and cruise at 100hp and a fraction of what 921uls is going to cost you - off pat figures almost R 100 000 more than Rotax - correct me if I am wrong!

[Stephan van Tonder]

Jabiru 120hp will currently set you back around 150K where the latest figures I got for 912s ratex was something stupid like 240K - I think my brain shut down at that point... I have mailed Alexei to ask about the JAB 3300 as a suitable powerplant.
I see rotax gives the installed weight of the 912uls as 63 kg and the 3300 jabiru comes in at 81. Big weight diffs there but is that the roatx with water and everything or is reality a bit more?.

[justin.schoeman]

Jabiru 120hp will currently set you back around 150K where the latest figures I got for 912s ratex was something stupid like 240K - I think my brain shut down at that point... I have mailed Alexei to ask about the JAB 3300 as a suitable powerplant.
I see rotax gives the installed weight of the 912uls as 63 kg and the 3300 jabiru comes in at 81. Big weight diffs there but is that the roatx with water and everything or is reality a bit more?.

Spoke to him a few months ago, and he said one was being built. He expected it to be amazing!!!

[MidlifeCrisis]

Hi Justin, I have had a cheetah for 6 months now and have done about 50Hrs in it, its a great aircraft and all the positives you have listed are true and correct, I tried many other aircraft Bushbaby etc etc and space wise you cannot beat it contact me on 083 250 5730 if you want to chat, I recomend the aircraft and its manufacturer any day.

[John Boucher]

Okay, so Alexei let the cat out of the bag.

The Cheetah with the new wing and vertical stabiliser mod will be awesome. If you look at the gains the Bantam got with the 3300 then just imagine how the Cheetah will fly - especially in the cruise - effortless!

Also the chaps up in the Rand will gain by this conversion. The maintenance pros on the Jab engine just far outweighs that of the 912 and whats more, it's going to sound like an aerie!

[Stephan van Tonder]

Hi midlife crisis. Actually wasn't justin that asked about it but I'll take it that I can call you too My only problem with this forum is the usage of handles on the names and I won't know whom to speak to when I call hence the reason I use my real name on most forums I belong to.
But that is besides the point so back to cheetah. Bad nav - the one from the school cruises 90mph at 5000 rpm on the 912S and it will do 100 mph quite easily. This morning on downwind leg we saw 125mph(200km/h) ground speed like nothing and I had to come back on the throttle.
Yes you have to use rudder all the time but why is that an issue for some people?. I don't have lazy feet so it doesn't seem to bother me. The stall seemed quite clean/docile this morning. No real tendency to drop a wing and Andy actually had to try hard to get it to do that to show the incipient spin.
The school plane already has that big tab under the fuse beneath the rudder - is that what you are talking about?.

[MidlifeCrisis]

Hi Stephan, as posted call me ,Ronnie Chapman on 083 250 5730.

[Stephan van Tonder]

Thanks for the chat Ronnie - good to chat to somebody that has one. Much appreciated. Pretty much mind made up - just powerplant that is subject to review.
How about a couple of photies. I really like this one colour wise. Do they have some standard colours one can pick from or is it a made to tailor setup?.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled ... /0882607/L

[Bugwar]

1) big cockpit (I'm a wide boy )

Exactly the reason why I switched to the Cheetah from the Savannah. Not very nice to force your hand between your legs to get hold of the flaps and when you are already squashed sideways in the cockpit the brakes on the rudder are extremey difficult to operate. Especially when you are still learning to fly it.

Got 105 mph out of a 912 with me(110kg) and an instructor.