Building the new Bushbaby SAFARI

[Oupa-G]

I'm amazed the site has been visited 90,000 times, it was difficult to believe the interest. I'm trying to give little detail as the project is now maturing. To start of the handbook is finished and my new little dog has already read it. You can see by the photo. The format is such that Kitplanes SA can use it in the future. I hope CAA is approving of this format. I have printed it as a booklet in A5 format and printed both pages back to back. The final copy will have a CD in the back pocket which will contain the handbooks on the engine and the Voyager EFIS. The relevant data is captured in the handbook and the CD will be the reference library. The rest of the Paperwork to fly the aircraft will also have a place in the back of the hand book all A5 format. Hope CAA will be happy. After-all they also send their AIC's and NOTAMS on CD. I want to make it practical. Only one book finished. My week has been hectically busy I have been setting up for making exhausts. At this stage I'm making up batches of four. The enquiries have been so many. I must say the other day Boet flew the Bosvark and it was the first time that I could hear the sound. I'm glad to announce the exhaust sound is extremely neighbour friendly. Boet must remark on the flying qualities I'm to biased. Tonight is welding night.



Cheers Oupa-G

[Boet]

I am still wearing a surgically removable smile. This earie is......... WOOOOW ! One of the easiest taildraggers I ever laid my hands on. It makes the J3 Cub look like a Pits. A pilots delight. Test pilots report written and forwarded to Monty. Oupa, I will be in Fairest on monday. If there is anything with your paperwork I can help with, give a shout!

[Oupa-G]

Boet Monday evening is a date to finalise everything thanks. The handbook is actually a summary of all the test flying.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Bushbaby Aircraft]

Hi Oom Frans. Onthou om 'n afskrif van alles vir ons te stuur vir rekord doeleindes. Groete. Stefan
PS... Die spinner is dringend.

[Oupa-G]

Stefan die spinner is op pad. Ek sal van alle papier werk kopiee deurstuur



Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

The weekend was hectic, I was on call for the RedX and Friday night I had to cancel the flight because of fog. Saturday I finalised some figures on the Bosvark so that the paperwork is accurate. The wiring diagram and the making of the loom was churning my brain. On previous installations the guys were making mistakes even some very experienced people and not new comers to the wiring game. I have decided that the EboXi loom must be made on a jig and must be tested before installation we must have zero defect. In the loom only wires that pertain to the EboXi are allowed. All other wires like EGT starter landing light etc must be in a separate loom. The main system the detail is in blue and the backup system the detail is in green are on a wooden board and the total oversight is so good that the chances of making mistakes are minimized. I only use the highest grade wire and take all the crimping precautions. This harness must function as well on day one and also after ten years. Today was interrupted by a RedX with a flight to Riverdale did an ILS back into Cape Town tonight I'm just resting a bit , there is a full week ahead.



Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

Things are moving Mogas is happy with the Manual. I got some of my exhaust parts back I must say the welding looks like in the same class as the welding on the PC12 exhaust. Nice penetration etc . I'm making 4 exhaust and for the first time I can do pricing. I have had requests and it is very difficult to put any price to anything. Sofar I have only put money into this building project and I have never counted. This is the first time I'm looking at precise figures. The welding of the elbows onto the flexible pipes with the end sealing of the pipes was 3.84 meters of welding. It looks like nothing but in the end it all ads up. This time round I'm doing all the figures. Just some pictures that show the quantity quality and detail



Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

This evening picked up the silencer, so now the separate parts are mated in the jig and aligned and then tacked and then finally welded. The exhaust stubs can then be added to fit the airframe. So far the amount of welding added to 4 meters welding.
Enjoy the pictures.



Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

The effort of building the jig for the exhaust is paying of . I could now measure precisely the length without holding something in place , I could now assemble the whole system and everything fits in place without tacking and without tension. While I was measuring my little Springbok bottlebokke were eating the flower bed. I'm going to add to this jig the possibility to place the silencer in different positions so that the same basic design can be flexible so that the exhaust can be made for tractor and pusher applications. I heard this exhaust the other day for the first time it has a distinct beat and the sound is really not loud at all, and very acceptable for the non flying community. We do not want to disturb the ordinary man in the street. Enjoy the pic's.



Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

Today I tuned the Whisper Eboxi in the Bosvark . Derek was in Cape Town for the rugby and left for Knysna with the fine tune Eboxi. I had the boot cowl off so it was the ideal time to make the glare-shield. I decided on bending ply because it bend only in one direction it insulated I will cover it and trim it to fit. To morrow on call for RedX if no call I will continue on the jig for the wiring loom.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

Today been busy with the wiring and Ystervark brought my new Eboxi for my Trike. It must first do for the wiring loom that I'm putting together.
I'm taking the dimensions from the Bosvark. I have the cowlings and boot cowl of to take measurements. That's all for tonight.




Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

Vliegvark today dragged me away from my workshop he decided I need a break , they went into the mountains with their enduro KTM's and I followed them with the cruiser these guys can really manoeuvre these machines. I had a wonderful relaxing day. I asked Vliegvark to make me some new undercarriage saddles with a 7 degrees slope rather then 6 degrees. That will make the tail a little bit heavier on the ground when the lift from the wings disappear. Some finesse fine tuning. He made a lovely jig for the saddles and put everything into a CnC machine and there is the finished product.
It is now very nice because for everything that I experimented with on the Bosvark I have now made jigs.

1. A jig to bend the gear legs
2. Engine mount jig
3. Jig for the Eboxi loom
4. Jig for the exhaust
5. FINAL drawings for the oil cooler I made some changes to the position where the pipes go in and out it facilitates the routing of the pipes and also the placement of the temperature probe pick-up. the inlet and the probe position is such that the oil can be more easily drained from the radiator during an oil change.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

This morning a lot of time was spent to finalise the harness we are splitting the Eboxi harness from the rest of the installation because the Eboxi wiring must be standard and fit into any application and the Eboxi harness must not be influenced by the airframe installation. Today I checked the final gear saddles before being anodised. metal was taken away where not needed bolts recessed and everything just refined. I made the gear angle 7 degrees rather then 6. The Bushbaby wing with its flaperons is so buoyant even at low speed and very soon the wing carries the tail wheel weight. But as soon as the aircraft slows down to below 15 mph it is nice to have positive tail down force. This can be more pronounced by lifting up the flaperons. The fine tuning is nice to do , I must remark that the Bushbaby must be one of the most docile tail dragger that I have flown. FIFA is really cramping our style and I am personally not impressed with the Draconian rules of FAC # and flight plans outside controlled airspace etc etc and we as tax payers must pay for all these expenses. The photo's are from the refined saddles.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Tailspin]

LOOKING AWSOME.

Wish i had a setup like this

[crazeeflya]

Workmanship like above is a rare thing of pure beauty. Well done!