Some cheetah training time under the belt - done

[Stephan van Tonder]

and uglier
Airplane will come once I have money. Right now just getting the license first. Did another 1.1 hour on wednesday. Miserable weather and low cloud but lots of opportunity to practise landings in gusty cross wind.

[johnsa]

How strong the cross wind was?

What kind of x wind Cheetah can handle?

Have fun safe money and get your plane

[Stephan van Tonder]

Yesterday's x-wind was around 12 mph. Have landed her in around 20 mph. Don't know what the advertised x-wind component really is. Don't think they need it in the POH for NTCA types.

[Stephan van Tonder]

So this morning we do run up checks - enter runway and there are some guineyfowl just after the numbers. We taxi closer and eventually they get out the way. Open the throttle all the way - lift off - stay in ground effect - 65 mph - WHAM !!! friggen dove right throught the prop - I see the bulk of what is left hit the left wing strut - dove mince all over the side of the plane. We close the throttle put her down and have a look. Fortunately hit quite close to the prop hub and on the backend of the prop where there is a carbon fibre re-inforcing piece. No damage but there is bits of bird all over. Inspected the rest of the plane and all is well. So taxi back and did an unevetfull hour from there.
lessons learnt:

1) It happens very quick - I only saw the bird just about the moment it got struck and I thought it missed the prop.
2) I didn't react at all to close the throttle because I was sure it only hit the strut next to me. Meanwhile it came throught the prop.
3) long runways are a good thing.
4) Always abort, land and inspect in any foreign object strike. This could have killed the prop.
5) I was stupidly calm and at least didn't do something terribly dumb except for aborting late.
6) Thanks Piet de Necker for building VERY strong propellers.
7) thanks for the instructor being with me at the time and another valuable lesson learnt for real.

Guys - have all the fingers out all the time. Sh!t comes quick.

[AndyG]

Glad to hear you guys are ok Stephan. Those Gunieafowl are like flying bricks. Hit one with a car once and it destroyed my radiator.

You are right about the fingers.


Cheers,

[johnsa]

Hi Stephan have a great weekend and I am happy you are sound and safe plus it proofs SA products are top quality, i take it you were in the Cheetah

[Stephan van Tonder]

Yup - in the cheetah. Yeah that is one strong prop. Not it's first bird strike. Yeah also glad the pieces didn't end up on the screen and got chucked past the side of the plane.

[Stephan van Tonder]

Right + 1.3. How do you get a student and instructor both out of their comfort zones?. Swop seats I changed egt probes on the plane on the weekend and to make sure I can get to the wiring to swop the terminals around if needed I flew from the right seat this morning. Man we were both uncomfortable as instructor is so used to flying from the other side that he was not happy either. Was a nice excercise anyway. Makes you think all over again. There is talk of a flight test early in december.....

[Low Level]

There is talk of a flight test early in december.....

Nice Christmas box. Did mine December a year ago.

[Stephan van Tonder]

Yeah sh!t scared but very excited. Have to do it on savannah as well. Going to be very nervous affair - strange plane, strange field, strange instructor. Eish.

[Stephan van Tonder]

+ 1.3 again this monring. Things are really getting to the level where I want them now. Sat in a svannah this morning to start preparing for the flight test so I know where what is and how they work. man they are cramped compared to a cheetah. I don't know how i'm going to close the door. Think I'll have to leave the door off

[johnsa]

It almost sounds like an advertisement for Cheetah from Proudly South African Have fun, fly safe

[Stephan van Tonder]

hehe - John - I like them cheetahs. I have looked around plenty and as far I have yet to find something as spacious and easy to get into and out of. The Savannah I have to get into by almost breaking my right leg first and taking a shoe off to get my legs through the door. Then I look at the layout - you have a flap lever between the legs which on that one was very rickety and not at all a nice positive easy to use item. The only thing I do like is the Y forked control stick but something that is very easy to copy. I'll try on everything else I can lay my hands on still but currently for me persoanlly the cheetah is no1 on the short list. JK05 is also very nice and not bad for access - but eish - not cheap.

[johnsa]

Have you tested the JK 05 complete you can buy them for 400 k (on this board) and they stay that price....

[Stephan van Tonder]

Climbed into one the other day. Not flown one yet but will try to organise a flip soon. 400K is about 399k more than what I can afford right now