Building the new Bushbaby SAFARI

[Oupa-G]

Yesterday evening was beautiful the wind had dropped and perfect flying conditions were being used by mother nature. I had a serious problem with the lovely birds ignoring the ban on restriction of the airspace 50nm around CTV VOR introduced by FIFA. I think that the helicopters and gunships should eradicate these animals that are so flatly ignoring the rules and regulations. On a higher note I fitted the new PProp and what a delight it is very nice to fit such a piece of art. It was fitted torqued and the tracking set 100% and then the ground run. Static RPM 6600 And on the fast taxi roll she cavitated to about 15mph then grabbed the air and oop's I was again in a position of vertical taxiing. I stayed under the radar cover like the criminal birds and landed. This prop is promising and the BMW is pulling this big plank like a dream. 74X58. I even think a 74X60 would also be nice. I had to adjust the spinner to fit the new prop with the increased pitch the prop is thicker. As soon as I am decriminalised by FIFA I will report back. With the big piece of art came a book on props that I think everybody should read it is written by Pieter de Necker and a must for anybody operating a prop. You can order the book 011 793 5235 please order do not copy. Enclosed some pictures the first one of the "criminals" and after that its self explanatory.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

I modified the backplate fitted some anchor nuts so that the screws won't turn out band fitted the whole business . Went on the phone and used my code and got the auth # and this afternoon I'm going to file a flight plan and test fly the new prop so tonight I should have interesting results. I must say one thing that the people were friendly and helpful and the system thrust upon them by FIFA is being well handled by the system to think we are paying for it. I won't moan any longer the day is beautiful and life is lekker.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Boet]

VLIEG HOM OUPA!!!!!

[ystervark7]

Took this photo this afternoon just before oupa took off for a test flight (yes he did file a flight plan, I have to agree that this is totally ridiculous, FIFA is worse than the mafia and we are going to pay for this for years to come while they walk away with all the money.)

[Oupa-G]

Die kat is uit die sak. This afternoon I was accompanied by Charl in the CTSW all very legal and filed and I spoke to CT on the radio checked my mode C transponder.The altitude output of the Voyger was 100% correct, so I can now actually enter controlled airspace with no problems. We also checked the army temporary radar stations were already gone they went home for the afternoon. Tomorrow we are free again. I managed to do a full hr with Charl flying in formation and checking the speeds. She is a very honest 100mph aerie at 6000 rpm , it feels as if I can sit there all day all the temp are on the low side of green . The attention to the baffles has paid off because at some stages the OAT was 35 degrees. In level flight 116mph IAS at 6800rpm and everything is so smooth that it also feels as if she can run there all day. My EGT are on the low side 720 degrees left and right and the onlookers on the ground are talking about black smoke, so the tuning can now start. The temp are as follows Oil in engine 80-85 Cyl head temp 90C gearbox temp 53C , Oil cooler in 85 C an the outlet 63C. The bottom line is that she is doing everything I have hoped for the new PProp is lovely and I feel she could be even courser in pitch. Maybe even 74X60. But the present prop I can happily live with. Just two foties Charl took with his Cellphone.


Cheers Oupa-G

[German]

[Boet]

That prop LOOKS right.

[Grote]

Mooi so Oupa G en Boet , baie geluk . Dit laat my nou sommer baie beter slaap met die 100 mph

[Oupa-G]

It is Monday morning and I realised that it is 2 years when this project started . Because 2 years ago I travelled to Bronkhorstspruit to see the Bushbaby and to see if it would be possible to stretch the Baby. The rest is now history. I spoke to Pieter Prop about the figures and by the looks of it the prop absorbs 55 Hp at 6000 rpm engine speed. and that is 55% power. The prop then turns 1875 rpm.The BMW spins those revs like nothing and she does not feel strained at all. The manifold pressure is then only 20" and that correlates. Those figures lets me think of the PC12 type of figures . The prop on the PC12 turns at 1700 rpm, the turbine spins around 40000rpm. Now for the optimal tuning. For that I will connect the laptop and we will tune her finally in the air. I have started today to put together the engine that I detonated because that engine must go into my trike. My old trike engine goes into Boet's Explorer and then I have to modify the engine of the Cork brothers in Durban because that is going into an Explorer that Boet is building and all that before Xmas . Luckily I now have helping hands in the form of a very capable mechanic that was retrenched as a result of our economy. He is helping me for 3 months till he gets permanent employment again.

That's all for today


Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

69000 hits! Well from the Bosvark front I am getting more thrilled every day I fly her it is becoming a fuel up and start aeroplane.I have now done 16 hrs , every 2 hrs I take the cowlings of and check the exhaust and cowlings baffles etc. sofar I have found nothing. The more I fly the 74X58 prop I feel that a 74X60 will be better. There is such a lot of power available at take-off that I want maybe more pitch for the cruise. We will make a 74X60 prop for Safari # 2 which is coming on well. Now that we know that the engine temps are stable we are going to tune the mixture leaner. In the beginning we kept the mixtures on the rich side for cooling. At this stage I have no idea about fuel consumption all I know is that at 55% power I'm doing 100mph. The fuel consumption figures will follow as I get them.

Cheers Oupa-G

[Massimo]

Well done on and excellent experiment. Sure looks like you have acheived your goals, she must be a beauty to fly.
Now all i ask is make that engine kit, harnesses, engine mounts, exhausts etc all standard items so us mere mortals can also install the BMW in other planes.

[KFA]

Hi Oupa,
your new elevator and SR3000 prop hub will be shipped tomorrow. Sorry for the delay, a slight misunderstanding between me and the missis

[Oupa-G]

Thanks

Cheers Oupa-G

[t-bird]

Hi Oupa

Great project I have been following it from the beginning.

Does the prop swing anti clock s or clock wise ?

Are there any notable difference between the Arplast and P-prop or did you decide to go for the P-prop because it is local ?

[Boet]

Left hand tractor. The Pprop out performs the 3 blade arplast. and it LOOKS better too. Do you agree??