Bought me an airplane =Cheetah 912 95HP

[flybynite]

If you can get the brakes to work I will be the first in line to purchase. I love the Cheetah to bits but HATE the brakes. I am sure that most if not all the other 100 odd Cheetah owners will bug you as well!

Regards

Larry

[John Boucher]

Larry... I agree!!!

A setup like that should not cost more than R 6000 - R 7000 and I am telling you that Skyreach would be inundated with orders for such a kit. Without being critical, more focus is being laid on the Bush Cat and rightly so as it is their new product (the Cheetah really being a Rainbow offering...)

A good example of off the shelf stuff ishttp://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/l ... ackmax.php with only the knuckle really having to be addressed.

But hey... that's only me bitching

[Sideslip]

Mike -- one thing you forgot, was my LED's -- i saw Jeff's sling land this evening with those LED's on, and man o man does that aerie look beautiful with them LED's ...

hint hint, nudge nudge

Not so much as forgot but had a coms failure on my side. The LED's are out of stock but we will receive a batch in a matter of days.

[Sideslip]

Just a reminder for all those contemplating doing their own brake mod, if an aircraft is modified in any way from manufactures specification, they will need to apply to CAA for a mod application.

We usually have a strategy meeting in August each year to decide our plans for next 12 months. The brakes will be discussed.

[John Boucher]

Mike, as I have said to Walter and to you - LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS.

You have dedicated owners and waiting to resolve this only in August (what year and without being sarcastic). We have been begging for this for ages even in Vladimir's time and don't think waiting for a strategic planning meeting will resolve this.... so, in short, you have basically given the path that 100 owners have to follow as opposed to getting the factory blessing.... just does not make sense!

[Turbo]

An update for you all, the brakes are on route to me from the USA - 8 inch spun aluminum wheels (CNC machined billet's will work out too expensive) calipers, hydraulic hand lever, lines, pads, new 3/4" axles the works - should land me here around R6K the 6inch wheel is most definately cheaper, but I prefer the 8inch for off road or beech landing purposes.

Mike - the brake upgrade/conversion requires an AP to approve, and not the CAA. I have done the research. These are 'home built' (notice the apostrophes) aircraft and ZS registered, mods are allowed provided an AP approves.

This part I stand to be corrected on, as long as the wing, fuselage and other flight critical components are not modified, or removed, the AP should be able to approve the upgrades.

Let me know if I am incorrect on this point.

[John Boucher]

I can post you the reply I got from CAA.

The changes are going to be up to us to do for sure!

[German]

ZS or ZU registered?

[John Boucher]

German... Cheetah's are ZU registered

[Duck Rogers]

ZS or ZU registered?

What's the difference?
Rather ask "certificated" or Non-certificated"
I know of lots of older aeries that are still ZS registered but are NTCA

[John Boucher]

Ducky is absolutely classification correct

[Turbo]

Just spoke wi an AP and confirmation that --and this is an example.

If the plane had no brakes to start with and one installed brakes, then thenCAA would have to be involved, but the Cheetah had brakes from the start. So upgrading changing these does not require any CAA involvement at all what so ever, however an AP would have to inspect and approve the changes and sign it off before you would be allowed to fly the plane.

Regards certified and non, if let's say a home built like our Cheetah's have a engine fall out at the end of the runway (brand new plane) then Rainbow could simply hide behind the paperwork that says, these are homebuilt, and not factory produced, and that the onus is on the owner, but we all know that that wouldn't happen anyway, just an example.

[Duck Rogers]

Mike - the brake upgrade/conversion requires an AP to approve and not the CAA.

Technically not correct. A suitably rated AP only approves the quality of the work and procedures that were carried out, not the design of the actual modification.
Brakes UPGRADES are supposed to be a MINOR modification and does not require an application for approval of a modification from the CAA but a MAJOR modification does.
In the case of the brakes upgrade mod (minor modification) you will still have to submit a notification of the modification to the CAA within 30 days of the mod being done and it will have to be signed out by an AMO, AME or suitably rated AP and entered into the relevant logbook/s

I have done the research. These are 'home built' (notice the apostrophes) aircraft and ZS registered, mods are allowed provided an AP approves.

You probably meant ZU registered, not ZS but that's immaterial as both have NTCA's on the respective registers

This part I stand to be corrected on, as long as the wing, fuselage and other flight critical components are not modified, or removed, the AP should be able to approve the upgrades.

In all probability correct but CARS 44.01.10 only mentions MINOR and MAJOR modifications. Depends on the interpretation of the definition thereof I guess

[Turbo]

Thanks Duck Rogers, my response is simple, I'm ding it regardless of the paperwork or inspection required, I think the brakes are useless, thank goodness Paul has shown me I don't really need them on runway 03 and 21,NAND even on 04 if the approach is good - thanks Paul.

PS -- almost solo, can't wait!

[Turbo]

Thanks Duck Rogers, my response is simple, I'm doing it regardless of the paperwork or inspection required, I think the brakes are useless, thank goodness Paul has shown me that I don't really need them on runway 03 and 21, and even on 04 if the approach is good - thanks Paul.

PS -- almost solo, can't wait!