Advice needed

[MidlifeCrisis]

I have done some research on three axis microlights and was interested in the Sabre and the Foxbat both are imports and with exchange rates are a bit above my budget, my problem is I need a plane with large cocpit and these two offered just that, I have looked locally and found the Cheetah to be more in the price range and cocpit size seems large enough could anyone on this forum give me some feedback on this plane, positive and negative input would be greatly appreciated.

[skybound®]

I dont know a helluva lot about the Cheetah - have visited the factory and was pretty impressed - but have not flown one.

Just on some of the other makes, would suggest you double check that the aircraft will still be classified as a microlight from next year. Small amendment in the weight calculation which willl push some aircraft out of the micro category.

[Bacchus]

Dont help him!!!
Sy gat jik net.

Only joking guys, give the man the info he needs!

[Miskiet]

What small amendment? How "small"?

[Morph]

I have flown one and they are great planes.

I like
the width of the cockpit is nice and wide, there is a centre console that further ensures you are not rubbing shoulders with the PAX.
They fly easily
They are built well and will last for many years if looked after and hangared (particularly the Dacron version)
Visibility is great

I don't like
They believe thay have a problem with adverse yaw, which again I believe has been solved using a large fin under the tail to increase the vertical stab surface area. The version I flew had extra vertical winglets on the ends of the horizontal stab and the extra fin underneath as part of a factory controlled test which definately did help. (adverse yaw means you have to live on the rudder to remain in co-ordinated flight. If left alone the fuse tends to skid left and right, depending on which side of the fuse is generating more lift. In a turn the tail can easily oversteer requiring some opposite pressure on the rudder to quickly bring it back. Also on landing you have to be very active on the rudders to maintain runway lineup.)
I think they are a little overpriced
I don't like to look of the laced on Trylam/Dacron
I am not crazy about the single center joystick

The Cheetah was my other choice when I was looking at building buying. The cost of the BB swung me in it's favour, although I would have been up in the air much quicker with the Cheetah as the kit is a fast build requiring only about 150hours instead of 650hours.

[skybound®]

What small amendment? How "small"?

It is the way in which the max take off weight is to be calculated.

Basically the formula for a 2 seater is:
MTOW=Empty weight + 2 Pax @ 84 kgs each + 22kg for fuel.

So any 2 seater aircraft with an empty weight more than 260kgs will fall into aeroplane category as using the above calculation it will then be heavier than the 450kgs.

Guess also worth adding that minimum flying speed at maximum take-off mass to be less than 65 km/h.

[Griffin]

Cheetah: I don't have a lot of experience but have flown one. It is Made in South Africa. Lots of room for very big folks. Very comfortable. Enough storage space. Steerable nose wheel so it is as easy to manuver as a trike. Separate flaps with hand break type control that is very easy to operate. Central joy stick and throttles in armrests that move out of the way so probably the easiest joy stick plane I know to enter and exit. Excellent all round visibility. Most of it is made from straight aluminium tubing bolted together so very easy to repair. Made in South Africa. One possible down side (which I think is a positive) is that you cannot have lazy feet and need to use the rudders make a co-ordinated turn. In fact you can fly the plane using only the rudders and throttle if you want to. What is more it is MADE IN SOUTH AFRICA.

My 5 (Proudly South African) cents worth

P.S. Did I mention it is made in South Africa?

[Morph]

Have a serious look at the Skyranger as well, although not PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN MADE BY RUSSIAN IMMIGRANTS

The Cheetah is a copy of the Skyranger. The Cheetah, however, has a better finish, nicer looking doors, cowl and dash.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Cheetah is a solid aerie and spares and support is excellent. Not for X country for me personally if distances are big (I go at 160kts most days so 80 MPH is a bit on slow side). If ou going nowhere fast I think it worth a look. Go visit the factory. Nice folks, easy to fly, land and maintain.

[Morph]

Skyranger pics, They are better priced than the Cheetah

[Griffin]

Have a serious look at the Skyranger as well, although not PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN MADE BY RUSSIAN IMMIGRANTS

The Cheetah is a copy of the Skyranger. The Cheetah, however, has a better finish, nicer looking doors, cowl and dash.

The other advantage is that the agent for the Skyranger is in East London (Clinton - Captain Biggles on the forum. A bit odd but not a bad old fart) so you don't have to deal with those strange people from up North (which is not realy part of SOUTH Africa any way).

Another plane to consider is the Ikarus C42 which is assembled in Hermanus. Phone Ian at 082 eight 09 7900.

[Morph]

Another plane to consider is the Ikarus C42 which is assembled in Hermanus.

Now there's a plane that is horrendously overpriced. I nearly passed out when I was told I would need to cough over R0.5Million for a Trylam winged(ala Cheetah) semi Composite FUSE aerie. It's priced at the Foxbat level but with ugly wings and tail feathers. I would rather look at the Jora then.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Now there's a plane that is horrendously overpriced. I nearly passed out when I was told I would need to cough over R0.5Million for a Trylam winged(ala Cheetah) semi Composite FUSE aerie. It's priced at the Foxbat level but with ugly wings and tail feathers. I would rather look at the Jora then.

Over half a bar there are some other serious contenders.

Depends on what you want to do with it. Some are good Stol, some are good tourers, some are goo trainers, some are good all rounders but do not excel at anything. Match Mission and budget.

[John Young]

The Cheetah .... (particularly the Dacron version).

Don't think that they are available in anything else?

http://www.aerotrike.co.za/cheetah/

Regards
John ZU-CIB

[Brian Young]

Hi Midlifecrisis, looking for a 3axis AC all depends on what you want to use the AC for and how much you want to spend.
As far as the cheetah is concerned I have had two cheetahs and have flown about 10 others in cluding the taildragger vesion I have done over 2000 hrs of instruction on cheetahs. the good and the bad,
For 318K for the 912s good price, strong, can take very hard landings,
easy to fly, easy to fix( made in SA) tail dragger version 100mph 912s,
big cockpit, very good cross wind component 30mph+
As far as the adverse yaw is concerned very little, most pilots that I have come across saying the cheetah has bad adverse yaw have try to fly the plane only with the stick so this giving them the feeling of a lot of adverse yaw but once corrected they see a different plane, a nother thing is a lot of pilots have herd the word adverses yaw and dont realy know what adverse yaw actuly is and what causes it.
I have flown and instructor rated on most of the 3axis microlights in SA +/- 25 and PPL planes rated on +/- 20
There is not much bad to say about the cheetah, cloth and pipe, a bit slow
As I said it depends on what you want from the plane and what you want to pay, give me a RV 7 any day, need any more info PM me.
Regards,
Brian