Building the new Bushbaby SAFARI

[ppakotze]

Saw a yellowish bushbaby over BLouberg on Sunday, Oupa any chance it was you? Engine was so quiet I almost thought it was electrically powered?

Regards
P.

[Oupa-G]

No definitely not me that yellow Bushbaby operates from Morning Star. I'm grounded till CAA finally get to grips with all the paper and till then I'm very much low profile.



Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

Today got a new passport leaving for Namibia tomorrow cannot stand looking at the yellow bird not flying so I'm off. Went to Saldanha to day met up with Johan Froneman to show us the Yaris Bushbaby my comment is elsewhere under My projects Johan thanks for the time spent ,the Jodel looks lovely. Flying via Upington to clear Customs. Hope when I get back that i have a piece of paper. I cannot believe that it is this difficult.


Cheers Oupa-G

[KFA]

Hi Oupa, we are waiting for that test plan please when you get time.

[Oupa-G]

In Omaruru today wanted to go to Swakopmund this afternoon, worked out the density altitude was 7500ft plus. I did not feel like dragging the wheels through the thorn bushes (scared of a puncture) so I will leave to-morrow morning early when it is cool heading for a lodge Namtib on the desert edge. Then Keetmans Upington and will stop in Loeriesfontein to do some fine tuning on the Banana BMW Explorer. The Vansin is really flying well returning 130kts plus continuously.This homebuilt is now 32 years old and still doing its thing.

Talk again in Durbanville


Cheers Oupa-G

[JvTonder]

Hi Oupa-G,

If I may ask what is this Vansin, could you post a pic please would love to see it.

Regards

[Boet]

Pic not so good, but will give you an idea.

[JvTonder]

Pic not so good, but will give you an idea.

Dankie Oom Boet, baie mooi!!!

[justin.schoeman]

That Vansin has really nice lines. If it flies as good as it looks, it must be a great machine!

[Oupa-G]

Almost 3 weeks that I last reported I had been to Namibia what a wonderful trip. I was joined by Ystervark7 who also happens to be my son in law. We had a wonderful time. Just some specs on the Vansin 160 hp Lycoming Turbo-normalised fuel injected running on Mogas. I replaced the valve guides with the High Chrome later Lycoming guides. 35 l/h flying 135kts plus.

On the 1800 nm round trip the average speed was 122kts that included all the circuit work as well as climbs etc. this homebuilt flew for the first time in 1978 and was built by the remarkable Carel van Aswegen. He was well ahead of his time.
I was fortunate to have seen this aircraft from the first rivet to the final finish. When Carel stopped flying in 1992 I became the proud owner. I enclose a foto on the recent trip this is not a complimentary foto she is really this beautiful.

When I came back I was snowed under with work but the universities and schools have started again and the pace is less hectic. CAA pissed a little bit on my battery and I did loose a bit of speed but I'm back on track. Hopefully I will get some paper news from CAA. Meanwhile I have been fitting the wheel spats I enclose the making of the templates and the final AutoCad template and drawing I hope to have the finished metal plate by the weekend. Then the Bosvarkie will be tackled with all available time. The CAA scrutinising of the structure of the Safari will add to the eventual success of this lovely aircraft.

I will promise to report more frequently on the final engine testing because the final fine tuning will now take place.

Ystervark has given me a rheostat mixture control +- 5% either side and this will help with the tuning. Single pilot it is difficult to fly and work a laptop.

That's all

Cheers Oupa-G

[Kobus]

Hi Oupa G
It is so nice to have something to follow again.
Looking forward!

[Oupa-G]

Dear Kobus

The only limiting factor is time, but I'm at it again. CAA is still not realizing that one builds aeroplanes to fly and not to be grounded by paperwork. The whole thing pisses me off a bit but I will march on and I'm almost at the stage that becoming illegal is the only option , but I will hang in there a bit longer. I spend my energy on fine detail and finishing the wheel spats it was quite challenging to make the back plates and fitting them. All of Saturday was spent fitting. The backing plates came out very nice thanks to Waterjet who are so helpful when I come with all my whims and designs. This time round no drilling of holes I could just counter sink and rivet the anchor nuts into place. Fitted the plates to the axle-spring and then making the spats fit. Then they are of to Loeriesfontein to be finished and re-enforced so that the spat can also serve as a seat. If I work with fibreglass or paint I end up with paint all over me and ruined paint brushes with hardened resin. So I leave it to the pro's. During the annual inspection of my trike a crack was noticed on my frame. I do not like cracks and I must know why. This crack was in the landing force direction of the gear attach point. On closer inspection of the weld which was done in France at the DTA factory, there was more fusion the welding the actual weld was thinner then the parent material. The weld was rewelded and will be closely inspected. It is imperative to closely inspect the aeroplanes and it is imperative that another eye looks as well. This crack was picked up by Ystervark's scrutinising eye. The trike must be ready for our next long trip. Tonight I'm including some pictures enjoy them.

Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

Every minute that I had free I worked on the Spats to finish it. I wanted my plane back on the wheels so that I can run the Whisper EboXi on the Bosvark I'm also busy making a loom for the Whisper. I finally got tired of split pins on wheel nuts and I now have used the tension pin which also holds in the wheel spat spacer. Making the backing plate and fitting the spats so that they do not scrape the tire is nogal 'n gedoente. I'm itching all over but it is done and the result is very nice. Next week they are of to Loeriesfontein for the final re-enforcing and painting. What would I do without Boet, I would have paint all over everything I own. One foto I have taken where the wheels shine through to check the fit. And also a picture to give the gear's position. I did some serious taxiing through dips etc and this gear is the final version. It is nice and the angles are right and the directional stability and controllability is superb. I could not be more ready to fly. The waiting for the paperwork borders on negligence from CAA. How are we going to try out anything new under the NTCA regulations when any change which is not even major is taking that long. They are pushing me to be a criminal. I really hope something is happening next week. This is changing having fun into a major irritation. Enjoy the photo's.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Boet]

As DIT nou nie mooi lyk nie? WAT? Ek sal baie bly wees as die verlenging vir verdere toetsing op die enjin nou kan gedoen word. Dis regtig n crying shame dat hierdie vliegtuig nou "nie mag vlieg nie". Ek beter shaddap.........

[Oupa-G]

The weekend was very busy on Friday night I did an ILS into George caught the tail of the front that had passed. Coming back to Cape Town in the early morning hrs was just very beautiful the RedX flying has its charm even when the hrs are sometimes a bit hectic. Saturday was spats time for the Bosvark and on Sunday I went to George again this time the weather conditions could not have been more perfect. No hrs on the Bosvark but 4.6 hrs on the PC12 so my flying itch was soothed. Except for some fine tuning on the software of the EboXi and the painting of the spats the Bosvark is finished except the paperwork. How long that will be is any-bodies guess. Tomorrow is a new week and we will see what that brings.


Cheers Oupa-G