Building the new Bushbaby SAFARI

[Oupa-G]

Friday afternoon I see the visits have passed the 45000 figure. Have been doing final touches. Made the bushes for the safety belts and also painted the clamps for the jury struts that Vliegvark made. and tomorrow off to the airfield. I also have to drain the oil on the Vansin I'm getting it ready for the trip to Bethlehem for the AP get together and the EAA weekend. Also I'm on call for the RedX so the weekend promises to be busy. I also bought a nice inclenometer to finally check the rigging of the Bosvarkie. Boet has rigged it and it looks spot-on with the eyeball technique but there is no harm in double checking. Sean Curran will then give it the final dual check on everything and then the CAA paperwork. When one has been building you can only admire the Sling effort by Mike and James and there Mammoth trip. It is wonderful that it can be done under the NTCA rules and this type of aviation has surpassed the store bought planes. Just give a responsible person freedom and look what happens. I think the response to this section has been so great because it is the deep down desire for knowledge. The exciting part of this site is going to start when we get the performance figures. I'm now waiting for the paint to dry.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Oupa-G]

Fitted the jury struts actually they were fitted by Vliegvark then the seatbelts are in and then we started serious tuning with the engine at operating temp. One nice thing to report is that with all the serious ground running we never had any temp problems what so ever the drop of temp from the hot side of the oil cooler to the exit oil temp is 30 degrees with the oil temp never going higher then 85 degrees C that is when the thermostat opens and the cyl head never went higher then 105 degreesC. Both the systems are now Ok and tuned so the serious taxi tests can now begin Paul van As came with his Explorer to visit and I had a quick flight in this docile aeroplane . She is a honey to fly and land. So the Bosvarkie should be the same.
We played all day and I came home now tired , but we are going to give it another bash to-morrow. Sean Curran also gave the whole aeroplane a serious check and we are making sure nothing is forgotten.

Cheers Oupa-G

[Boet]

Paul`s baby......

[Oupa-G]

On the topic of tuning luckily I had Ystervark there , I had the engine sort of running but when he climbed in and manipulated the 3D map he soon had the engine purring. You can see he has inside knowledge he after all he has written the software and made the hardware. The Eboxi has also blackboxi features because he was looking at all sort of stored data and adjusting accordingly. It amazed me how the exhaust and prop are such an importent influence on the tuning. We are of to the airport for the final touches.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Rudix]

This is so exciting, almost time to fly! Thanks for sharing all the info and excitement with us Oupa-G, it has been very informative so far!

A quick question.

Where can I find the flexible exhaust connections you are using between the engine and the silencer? Are they available in different lengths? I would like to use them on my Savannah engine installation, I have never liked the solid pipes with the whole lot hanging on the engine.

Thanks for the info and good luck with the testing
Fly safe,
Rudi

[Oupa-G]

Rudix thanks for the encouragement I have been working hard and the high speed testing is going well. the wind however turned west our strip is quite narrow and I want to be super cautious. She feels very boyant I have been told that they could see free air below the wheels. I'm enclosing some pictures where I'm testing the tail lift capebilities. Except for the glare shield the aircraft is now officially finished. On monday all the paperwork is of to CAA. EXTENDED RUNNING ON THE GROUND HAS GOOD TEMP. Sorry for the caps locks. Enjoy the pics and Rudix I will look up my supplier for the exhaust parts.


Cheers Oupa-G

[Rudix]

Thanks Oupa-G!

The BB is looking good, can't wait for the first flight!

Fly safe,
Rudi

[windswept]

She really is pretty!

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Stupid question?
At what RPM do you lift the tail and how do you "prevent" the nose from going in? I have seen guys turn off the runway with the tail up and taxi all the way to the hangar like that in bad X wind conditions. Am tld it is easier than to drop the tail and hold on....

PS
Looks awesome. Am sure CAA will be more than accomodating (Piet, Andre and Braam were fab with Animal)

[Oupa-G]

Dear RV4ker

If you are new to tail draggers hold the stick on landing back back back. Once you get more experience you can play with the power and the elevator. It also depends on the CoG and axle position. With CAA I have only had support, the weak link is myself that is not good with paperwork but I cannot now go in denial. I have written the handbook, written the motivation and explanation on the gear design an manufacturing etc etc there is a lot new in the Safari.

Your Animal looks right and lovely

Cheers Oupa-G

[Boet]

And I am sure the big fella will have to exert all the self-controll that he can muster, to keep himself and the Bosvarkie from "taxying around the circuit." Well done Oupa, she looks exactly like I saw it in my mind`s eye, and I am sure she will fly as well as she looks. I am proud of the teamwork that went into the creation of this aeroplane.

[Morph]

Stupid question?
At what RPM do you lift the tail and how do you "prevent" the nose from going in? I have seen guys turn off the runway with the tail up and taxi all the way to the hangar like that in bad X wind conditions. Am tld it is easier than to drop the tail and hold on...

Boet is a master at this very thing in the Turvey

[Boet]

But it took years of practice. Many years back at a Kalahari Bundu-bash, I did a demo of this, and a very well known instructor tried to do same in his newly aquired BB taily..... he made a boeboe, and had to buy a new propellor. You need: A strong engine, and GOOD brakes and half decent prop to ground clearance. Lacking any one of the three, forget about it. You WILL buy a prop.

[Mogas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lfMo2pr ... annel_page

[Oupa-G]

Dear Mogas

thanks for the video clip I had a J3Cub and I could do just that kind of take-off. The Bosvarkie wil be able to do the same the brakes work well and there is enough power. The weather at the moment in the Fairest is not the fairest. Busy with paperwork keep well


Cheers Oupa-G