Hello from South Africa

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Rudi Venter
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:47 am
Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Hello from South Africa

Post by Rudi Venter »

Hello everyone, a few words about me.

I am a keen builder/pilot based in Pretoria, South Africa. My main interest is building and restoring mostly LSA class aircraft. I own 10 planes at the moment with 4 of them still in the project stage, the others flying. I also love cross country flying and exploring the lovely country, and surrounding countries, I live in, often camping in the bush and sleeping under the wing.

Other hobbies include photography, mostly landscape, amateur radio and computers. I make a living in the computer industry.

I am looking forward to learning and sharing on this forum!

Fly safe,
Rudi
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drseti
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Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by drseti »

Nice to have you with us, Rudi. I've never been in Pretoria, but had a wonderful Spring holiday in Cape Town, last year at about this time.

Please tell us a little about your planes.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
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CBKERR
Posts: 81
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 5:55 pm
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by CBKERR »

Welcome. I would agree with Paul, please tell us about your planes and would love to see you photography as well
Rudi Venter
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:47 am
Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by Rudi Venter »

Hi guys!

Capetown is a wonderful city, I lived there for a few years and always find an excuse to go back, in fact I will be back there late next week to go and fetch a plane and fly it back home.

A bit about my aircraft, over the last few years I have build, refurbished or bought the following aircraft, I love things with wings and I love aircraft I can work on and "tinker" with!

Streak Shadow, powered by a Jabiru 2200A, 85 hp engine, a great little plane! Here she is:

Image

Rans S12 powered by a Rotax 618 75 hp 2 stroke, we had some amazing cross country adventures together! Here she is:

Image

Next came a Savannah STOL, build from an Italian kit powered by a Rotax 912EX, 95hp engine. I can operate her from around 35m (about 105 feet) runway and have landed her often in the African bush, sleeping under the wing in a tent. She cruises at around 100 mph and is almost impossible to stall.

Image

This Bush Baby is a locally produced kit based on a Kitfox, she is powered by a Rotax 912UL and flies like a dream, really responsive and safe. I have flown her all over Southern Africa.

Image

Next is a KR2, powered by a custom build engine of 2.4l, fuel injected with a Garret turbo charger and inter-cooler producing around 130-150hp depending on the boost. She currently holds the South African record for speed over a 500km there and back track for planes of under 600kg, her average speed over the track was around 179 mph. The engine has since been upgraded and I plan to attempt breaking the world record for that class (213 mph) in her. She is more than capable of attaining that speed at high altitude.

Image

And another KR2, this one a bit slower with a 2.1l, water-cooled VW engine that is turbo charged and injected as well, her top speed is around 175 mph but the turbo is a bit small, will upgrade it sometime.

Image

You might wonder about the turbo chargers in some of my planes, I should mention that I fly from a hot and high (4800') runway that is only around 2500' long so the extra power and altitude compensation that the turbo provides for take-off in the faster planes helps a lot!

Then there are the non flying projects, all "work in progress", a Pietenpol I am rebuilding, another highly modified KR2S, a Russian Aviatika bi-plane build by the Mig factory, a Teenie two and a Zenair 601HDS. Along the way I also had a few planes that I sold......

As far as my photography goes some of my work can be seen here: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rudixsa

And here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/63900012@N08/sets/

I was a professional motor sport photographer for a few years, shooting mostly local events and internationally F1 and A1 racing, these days I shoot mostly landscapes for fun!

Thats me!
Fly safe,
Rudi
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CharlieTango
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Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:04 am
Location: Mammoth Lakes, California

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by CharlieTango »

Sweet collection Rudi, I luv the KRs.
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drseti
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Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by drseti »

Very nice fleet, Rudi. It must be a full-time job maintaining (not to mention flying) all of them.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
Rudi Venter
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:47 am
Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by Rudi Venter »

Thanks!

Yes, the KR's are fun, the closest you can get to a fighter aircraft on a budget, they fly by "thought control", you hold the stick, think where you want to go and that is it, if you move the stick chances are you will over-control :D

Here is the one that is still under construction, photo taken a while ago, there has been progress since then!

Image

It is indeed a full-time job keeping them in flying condition, but it is FUN!
CBKERR
Posts: 81
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 5:55 pm
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by CBKERR »

Nice, you have you hands full but what fun! Checked out your photography, some inspiring shots great job.
cornfieldflyer
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 2:45 pm

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by cornfieldflyer »

I really like the Fuse setting on the table in the background of one pic. Welcome aboard and great work.


Tony
Rudi Venter
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:47 am
Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by Rudi Venter »

CBKERR wrote:Nice, you have you hands full but what fun! Checked out your photography, some inspiring shots great job.
Thanks! I live in a beautiful country!
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drseti
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Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by drseti »

Rudi Venter wrote:I live in a beautiful country!
You certainly do, Rudi. If it weren't so damned far away, I'd come there more often!
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
Rudi Venter
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:47 am
Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by Rudi Venter »

cornfieldflyer wrote:I really like the Fuse setting on the table in the background of one pic. Welcome aboard and great work.


Tony
Thanks Tony!

That is a Loehle Aircraft P47, another project that will hopefully fly one day :D
Rudi Venter
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:47 am
Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Re: Hello from South Africa

Post by Rudi Venter »

drseti wrote:
Rudi Venter wrote:[I live in a beautiful country!
You certainly do, Rudi. If it weren't so damned far away, I'd come there more often!
If you are ever in this part of the world again you must let me know! But yes, it is far from almost anywhere.
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