Skykits Corporation
Prior to our kit arriving, we built a work bench out of two 4'x8' pieces of 3/4" plywood for the top, with strips of plywood for the frame and legs. Screw-out levelers were attached to the leg bottoms so we could get the table level. The plywood and levelers were bought at Home Depot where they also cut the plywood into strips. You can also use 2x4's for the frame but plywood avoids the warping that dimensional lumber is prone to. Our table measures 4 feet by 16 feet with a shelf below. We also have a few folding tables scattered around the shop to hold our tools, rags, etc.
Update 11/06: Several owners use the packing crate as a work bench - after all it's 14' long. We've seen one where the owner cut the top into two pieces and hinged both. He put casters on the bottom and can now move around his garage.
The very first assembly to be built is the rudder. Although the wings are the first items in the manual, the rudder is probably the easiest assembly of all for a beginner so it's not a bad idea to start there. Indeed it took just 18 minutes to build the frame. Here it is completed and being held together with clecoes.
Update 11/06: Several owners use the packing crate as a work bench - after all it's 14' long. We've seen one where the owner cut the top into two pieces and hinged both. He put casters on the bottom and can now move around his garage.
The very first assembly to be built is the rudder. Although the wings are the first items in the manual, the rudder is probably the easiest assembly of all for a beginner so it's not a bad idea to start there. Indeed it took just 18 minutes to build the frame. Here it is completed and being held together with clecoes.
Curious, we opened one of those boxes just to take a look.
Notice how every part is cut, formed and drilled. Here's the manual
so it's time to build.
Now, you see it covered with the skin held on with more clecoes.
It took 10 minutes to skin the frame, so total assembly time for the rudder
is 28 minutes. As with every assembly, it will be disassembled, the bar-coded part stickers removed, the parts cleaned with lacquer thinner where they touch each other, have corrosion protection applied (only where parts touch) which comes with the kit, and then be reassembled and riveted together.
Now here is the rudder after it has been disassembled and cleaned etc. This stage took 2 hours and 25 minutes. It's been riveted
plastic tip and part of the back side have not been riveted. Our Savannah will be registered as an amateur-built aircraft so the internal structure will have to remain accessible for the pre-cover inspection by the inspector. AULA and E-LSA Savannahs aircraft only receive one inspection when they are ready for flight.
Update 11/06: It is best to leave the bottom hinge plate off the rudder until it is fitted to the tail as some adjustment may be needed.
Update 11/06: It is best to leave the bottom hinge plate off the rudder until it is fitted to the tail as some adjustment may be needed.
Total time to this point: 2 hours 53 minutes.
rolled front end but the
We want you to know that we are bringing you the best all-metal kit on the market today. To that end, we would like to show you that the Savannah is as well engineered and as easy to build as we claim. Accordingly, we kept a log of our building experience with our demonstrator. On these pages we'll share our observations, pictures and build time for the various components of the Savannah - right up to the time of our first flight. Our Savannah kit is in our shop.
We're unpacking the crate
and sorting the parts into groups such as fuselage, stabilizer, etc. This will make it easier to find the pieces we
need for each sub-assembly.
Here's the opened crate.
Look at those beautifully streamlined wing struts.
Here's the end of the crate with the boxes of small parts.
