My Savannah S model rebuild Blog

[Kyle Communications]

On 14/08/2026 at 7:24 PM, Marty_d said:

Sorry if you've already mentioned this, but where did you source the airfoil strut material?

I contacted Reg Brost today and we had a long catchup chat...it was great to have a chat with him again.

He doesnt remember either but he only ever got the strut from ICP but he did remember ordering too much at some stage. We think I must have picked it up from him when he was up here in Brisbane..he came up regulary. So I would have met him over the southside and I would have brought them home in my big Iveco van. I can fit 4m lengths inside it.

Old age is a bugger not only the body gets slow and tired but so does the memory

 

I would hate to think how much it would cost now as that would have been back in 2017 I think.

BTW was speaking to the importer here ordering some VG's and pricing on other parts.

The price of a std Sav kit now with analogue guages is about 75k. !!!!

My original Sav kit cost me 27k back in 2011

 

 

[IBob]

Good to hear about Reg: I think I was the last NZ kit bought through him before we got our own agent. Reg was great to deal with, and certainly on those occasions when I needed his expertise.
FWIW I bought August 2015, at which point the basic S kit in Australia was A$35K incl tax..........

[Kyle Communications]

Been getting a lot more done since getting the wings on.

The see through top cabin cover which I have had special IR and sun tint applied to is now back on

The flaperons are all now on and connected.

The rudder is now fitted

The fuel tanks are plumbed together and also now plumbed to the manual fuel switch

The larger 1/2 inch transfer pipe that goes between the 2 tanks in each wing would not go through the rib hole at the back so I designed up a new grommet so it would fit nicely and 3D printed those from ASA filament at 100% fill

The fuel tube that runs overhead to the manual switch from the left I designed up some support brackets for the fuel tube remain captured behind and above the cabin head support. These also keep the rear tray for the parachute straps supported, they are 3D printed from CF=Carbon filament and 100% fill

Fitted off the brake hoses to the brake units on both sides. Glad to see the calipers still nicely fload over its bolts after such a long time since I re did both calipers

Everytime I go to the hangar I put a few hours in. I am doing all those final fit off and finishing jobs that take a lot of time. The 90% done 90% to go rule

The dihedral really does make the aircraft look better

What is that saying. "To eat a elephant you do it one bite at a time"

 

 

[Moneybox]

I love the commitment some of you guys have to aircraft builds or rebuilds. I could have done it because I have enough engineering and motor body building experience to feel confident I have the skills needed but where do you find the time?

 

Life is just too busy. I retired 12 years back with the intention of taking on projects like this but never got started. It'll never happen now because I'm too slow in mind and body to ever complete a big project. A year or so back I took a walk around the Sport Aircraft Builders hangars at Serpentine airport. There are 100 hangars there with a lot of talented guys tinkering with their favorite toys. I was envious because it's what I'd love to have done.

 

It's great to see and follow your progress. It must be one hell of a thrill when you eventually get off the ground.

 

[Kyle Communications]

This build started with about 12 to 18 months in mind as it was a crashed aircraft. It turned into a bigger than Ben Hur project due to the aircraft being so badly built when it was first made. Basically I made my own full kit for a Savannah. There is very little of the original aircraft in this rebuild. Only a few parts really..some wing ribs and the tailplane and fin. I made the ribs and skins for the rudder. I re used both the L and R centre side sections for the fuselage. I got all new rear fuselage frames from the factory as they were problematic to make but I cut and drilled all the skins for the wings and fuselage.. It has taken me way too long.

I have been retired now about 3 years but 6 years ago I was still working full time and also we were looking after my Mother in Law and my Father for quite few years. Also built a house up at our farm during this time as a owner builder as well So other things got in the way. Then 3 years ago I started doing a subdivision here so that took up a lot of time and I also had to store the aircraft for more than 6 months to have it out of here while the subdivision was done because I had to take down 3 of my sheds here to do it then put up a new bigger single shed here. That was a 2 year exercise and a lot of my own tax already paid money to get it done. Then of course Mr Magoo then gets me on a crap load of CGT !

So now thats all over even though currently living between my big shed here while a new house is finally being built...I am not the owner builder on this one as I am over that exercise so its a normal home builder. I have a hangar to go up soon at a airpark we are going to move to and another house on that site  but again I am not doing that ..other companies are so its a walk in sort of job. 

Finally now I do have the time to get back into finishing Mabel. After Mabel is flying then I can get back to finish building my RANS S21 Outbound which has all the wings and tailfeathers done. I was going to sell Mabel when the S21 is done but the boss here says she wants to keep Mabel so it will be one aircraft for local travels and the other for our longer trips

I just hope I do live long enough to enjoy the fruits of my labour 🙂

 

[Jabiru7252]

Don't kit builders have to get inspections done during the build process? I can't understand how a 'so badly built' aircraft can get signed off. Gee, I'll never ever fly in a home built again!

[sfGnome]

Yes and no. In the long run, the builder is totally responsible for the airworthiness of their build. The AP providing the ‘airworthiness’ certificate is only saying that the paperwork is done. They don’t certify the actual airworthiness. 

[Moneybox]

I've seen some beautiful kit built aircraft but some builders have never held a screwdriver in their hand before. The plane I've got now flies well but it has all the signs of a home built plane when compared to a factory build. I've only had Mrs M up a couple of times and she's enjoyed it. This big trip to Lake Eyer will be the test. If she's still enthusiastic about flying after that I'll keep my eyes open for another nice factory built plane. 

[jackc]

22 hours ago, Kyle Communications said:

This build started with about 12 to 18 months in mind as it was a crashed aircraft. It turned into a bigger than Ben Hur project due to the aircraft being so badly built when it was first made. Basically I made my own full kit for a Savannah. There is very little of the original aircraft in this rebuild. Only a few parts really..some wing ribs and the tailplane and fin. I made the ribs and skins for the rudder. I re used both the L and R centre side sections for the fuselage. I got all new rear fuselage frames from the factory as they were problematic to make but I cut and drilled all the skins for the wings and fuselage.. It has taken me way too long.

I have been retired now about 3 years but 6 years ago I was still working full time and also we were looking after my Mother in Law and my Father for quite few years. Also built a house up at our farm during this time as a owner builder as well So other things got in the way. Then 3 years ago I started doing a subdivision here so that took up a lot of time and I also had to store the aircraft for more than 6 months to have it out of here while the subdivision was done because I had to take down 3 of my sheds here to do it then put up a new bigger single shed here. That was a 2 year exercise and a lot of my own tax already paid money to get it done. Then of course Mr Magoo then gets me on a crap load of CGT !

So now thats all over even though currently living between my big shed here while a new house is finally being built...I am not the owner builder on this one as I am over that exercise so its a normal home builder. I have a hangar to go up soon at a airpark we are going to move to and another house on that site  but again I am not doing that ..other companies are so its a walk in sort of job. 

Finally now I do have the time to get back into finishing Mabel. After Mabel is flying then I can get back to finish building my RANS S21 Outbound which has all the wings and tailfeathers done. I was going to sell Mabel when the S21 is done but the boss here says she wants to keep Mabel so it will be one aircraft for local travels and the other for our longer trips

I just hope I do live long enough to enjoy the fruits of my labour 🙂

 

Mark, your work in everything you do, has been an inspiration to me. Your attention to detail in your work, has not gone unnoticed.  I only wish I could live longer to learn more of your work.

But alas, we all have our own rows to hoe!  We can’t do or know everything, about everything, just be happy we are having fun in the directions we have chosen !🤩

[facthunter]

You don't want play in control surface Pivots or linkages.  (Flutter). Nev

[Kyle Communications]

22 hours ago, Jabiru7252 said:

Don't kit builders have to get inspections done during the build process? I can't understand how a 'so badly built' aircraft can get signed off. Gee, I'll never ever fly in a home built again!

The issue in this case is the particular aircraft was built by a couple of L2 apparantly. The build quality was not very good at all. So they back then can sign off on the aircraft. Now you need a L4 to sign off. Any L4 doing a inspection would...or should go over all the aircraft and bolts etc. Even look inside the wings with a camera etc.

The inspections are AP inspections are required I believe when building a Experimental aircraft under SAAA /GA rego although again you can get a AP to do it at the end...for a price of course its usually a couple of grand for a AP to do it after a build

 

Mark