This project just got serious...

[banaari]

The Christmas bonus has arrived, and the price is about to jump, so yesterday I bit the bullet and ordered my rotors... a set of 23-foot Dragon Wings. Quite an interesting experience psychologically; because the first major expenditure makes you take a really good look at what you're doing.

But the beast will soon have its wings...


John

[Brian Jackson]

Congrats, John! I've yet to order mine, but I can imagine it's a serious leap of faith on your part. I've been following your web log and like what I'm seeing. Between you, me and Kevin, at least 3 new Bees will take to the air in '05, God willing.

Cheers,
Brian Jackson

[KDOG]

COOL!! Yes I saw that the price was going up, too bad I don't have that kind of money.... Anyway, why don't you post some pics of your bee? We'd like to have a look at it!

[barnstorm2]

I know what you mean. My wallet ran under the couch back in 2002 when I got started with my gyro. I have not seen it since but I hear it wimpering every once in a while

[banaari]

Hi Kevin,
tee hee - I would *love* to post photos of the bee. Unfortunately, there's not a lot to see of Delta Echo apart from numerous disjointed bits of aluminium angle and tubing. Once I've got her triangulated...
But check out http://www.banaari.com/ for what photos there are.

cheers,
John

[KDOG]

Heh,heh, Like that last quote you have listed there, huh?

[banaari]

Ordered (transferred the funds to StarBee) for pretty much the rest of the airframe today: Rotor head, wheels, pre-rotator, cyclic, seat, tail section, pre-drilled mast/keel/tail boom, and all the various plates/saddles/rod-ends, etc. Still to fabricate rudder pedals, control tubes, seat mounts, etc.

And still have to sort out an engine, prop and instruments - next year.

Off on holiday tomorrow, there should be one hell of a Christmas present waiting when we get back to civilisation in a couple of weeks... hehe: attached is a photo of the rest of our Christmas shopping.


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
John

[banaari]

Have just ordered the engine:
A dual-carb Rotax 503, w/ intake silencer and after-muffler, B-box.
Now staring into the vast empty space that used to be my bank account, and listening to the echo.

Off tomorrow down-country for a week's training
... followed by our annual gyro fly-in in Dannevirke.

John

[GyroRon]

John, how much do you weight? The intake and exhaust aftermufflers will knock down the power somewhat from the normal 52 HP rating.

[banaari]

Not a lot
About 67 kilos, ~150 lbs in American

[GyroRon]

then you ought to be okay! just don't overload it with extras!

[banaari]

More acquisition progress on Delta Echo... yesterday I collected the engine, and its monitoring instrument... and last week I purchased the flight instrumentation for the pod. Expecting a shipment out of StarBee in a week or so, at which point I can get some anodising done and then start bolting, cutting, drilling, plumbing, wiring...

Spent the last week of January training - what an absolute blast!... these things (or at least a Dominator II) are *way* more fun to learn to fly than a FW.

Full gory details on the website.

cheers,
John