Meet Safari Owners
Your Name?
Angelo Ranieri
Where are you located?
Upstate NY
How long have you owned your Safari?
June 2013
What do you use your Safari for?
Recreational fun, building hours, experiencing what everyone wants to do..FLY a Helicopter!!!
What other aircraft do you/ have you owned?
None
What license do you hold? Fixed wing, Rotorcraft, PPL, Commercial?
Private rotorcraft license
Did you build your Safari or purchase your Safari already built?
I bought a Safari that was already built; I wanted to get flying right away!
How often do you fly your Safari?
I fly as often as I can, weather permitting. Upstate NY has moody weather!!
What do you like about your Safari? What would you change?
I like the looks of the safari. I can easily inspect everything easily and quickly during a preflight. The bell bubble gives a clear view with no obstructions. It handles well and given its size has an impressive cabin load of 400lbs which I have done several times. If I could change anything about the safari it would be a conversion into a turbine;) just because who doesn’t love a turbine!?
When choosing to purchase a Safari what was the biggest deciding factor and why?
Price/ quality I along with everyone out there wants the best bang for their buck. I was fortunate enough to find a used safari with the help of the factory at a reasonable price, able to do all upgrades with out putting myself into forever debt.
Anything else you would like people to know about Safari or yourself.
The Safari Helicopter is a fun helicopter to fly and own. Being 32years old I’m lucky to say I own a helicopter on a normal income! 55-65k yr. I encourage any younger persons to dream it, wake up , and make it happen!!!
Your Name?
Christian Graf
Where are you located?
Salenstein in Switzerland
How long have you owned your Safari?
6 years
What do you use your Safari for?
I was building it for the past 5 years and just about to start flying it.
What other aircraft do you/ have you owned?
No other aircraft owned in the past.
What license do you hold? Fixed wing, Rotorcraft, PPL, Commercial?
PPL Rotorcraft and ATPL. Presently flying the Airbus A-380 as a Captain.
Did you build your Safari or purchase your Safari already built?
I built it myself with the help of a friend and the built took me 5 years or about 1000 hrs.
How often do you fly your Safari?
As much as I can…
What do you like about your Safari? What would you change?
The great, undistracted view from the cockpit and the space it offers. The paint scheme that my wife has chosen makes it special to me. The only thing I will change in the future is that I will install the electric trim system.
When choosing to purchase a Safari what was the biggest deciding factor and why?
Design and look of the Safari. Durability of the parts that are used and especially the certified Lycoming engine. Service intervals are as good as on a certified helicopter and therefore the ratio between flying and maintenance work is much better then on most of the other homebuilt helicopters. Last but not least the operating costs are almost as low as on a fixed wing aircraft.
Anything else you would like people to know about Safari or yourself.
I was always very pleased about the friendliness and support offered by the whole Safari team when anything didn’t work according to plan. It’s also amazing how much effort there was made to make the Safari an even better helicopter than it already was. Thank you Safari team for your hard work…
Your Name?
Mick VonTour
Where are you located?
(KCXO) Lone Star Executive Airport, Conroe Texas.
How long have you owned your Safari?
November 2013
What do you use your Safari for?
I sometimes keep it at my place and use it to fly to lunch. I have plans to use it for demonstration and wild hog hunting.
What other aircraft do you/ have you owned?
I own a 1998 Piper PA-32R Saratoga. I also own a 1954 Cessna 180 Skywagon, while working I fly the companies PC-12 Pilatus and Hughes 500 D.
What license do you hold? Fixed wing, Rotorcraft, PPL, Commercial?
Fixed wing, Tail Wheel Endorsement, Multi-Engine, Commercial. I also hold a Private Pilot Helicopter rating.
Did you build your Safari or purchase your Safari already built?
If you built it how long did it take you? I did the factory assist program and it took about 9 months.
How often do you fly your Safari?
I fly it about 5 times a week or more. It is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
What do you like about your Safari? What would you change?
I love my Safari. I wish there was a way to add Air-Conditioning since after all in Texas its blazing hot. I also want to change the cyclic buttons and add the transponder I-Dent button and have it right on the cyclic grip. I also want to change the flip flop button on the Collective and move it to the cyclic stick. I also would change the shoulder harness to have retracted inertia reels.
When choosing to purchase a Safari what was the biggest deciding factor and why?
I wanted a helicopter that had power, view of sire out of the glass, able to transport the helicopter with ease on a trailer without taking the blades off. I also wanted to be able to help design features. Probably the biggest reason I went with Safari is that the manufacture is located in Florida and the company is willing to come fix any problems or I can take it there. I felt like I had total manufacture support right from the beginning and the manufacture wasn’t just making the sale and moving on. I felt like I had a partner in the helicopter that guided me to the correct features and safety options. I appreciate the extra time that was spent with me to get me to a state where I felt comfortable flying my Safari. The customer service is outstanding at Safari Helicopter.
Anything else you would like people to know about Safari or yourself.
The Safari is truly a family of friends and support. Bobby and Delane are always right there to help and get any problem fixed or ironed out. They back their products better than any of the other manufactures. I like the fact that they will do any upgrades as they come along and constantly looking to improve the great product they already have.
Your Name?
Tom Murphy
Where are you located?
75 miles ENE Kansas City MO
How long have you owned your Safari?
I purchased the kit 2005. Started flying 2008
What do you use your Safari for?
Maintaining helicopter proficiency, going to local FlyIns, taking family rides, flying at OSH.
What other aircraft do you/ have you owned?
Building RV 8
What license do you hold? Fixed wing, Rotorcraft, PPL, Commercial?
Fixed wing ATR, commercial rotorcraft.
Did you build your Safari or purchase your Safari already built?
My Safari was built from basic kit. It took 3 years of very enjoyable building with good company support.
How often do you fly your Safari?
We fly 2 to 3 times a month.
What do you like about your Safari? What would you change?
Aircraft engine, gear drive main and tail rotors. Good access for inspection and maintenance . Great Safari family.
When choosing to purchase a Safari what was the biggest deciding factor and why?
Aircraft engine and gear drive rotor system.
Anything else you would like people to know about Safari or yourself.
We were very honored to win a Gold Lindy at OSH in 2009 for grand champion helicopter.
Your Name?
Bill Johnson, Website – www.mykitlog.com/discap
Where are you located?
Wichita Kansas
How long have you owned your Safari?
CoA in 2011
What do you use your Safari for?
Mid Life Crisis
What other aircraft do you/ have you owned?
Cherokee 6, Aztec, Cessna 421, Cessna 441, Beechjet
What license do you hold? Fixed wing, Rotorcraft, PPL, Commercial?
PPL, Multi, Instrument
Did you build your Safari or purchase your Safari already built?
Build 500 hours over 18 months
How often do you fly your Safari?
4 times /week
What do you like about your Safari? What would you change?
–Pros Cost of ownership, ability to work on it and modify it myself, simplicity of design, great customer service. Cons Engine cooling needs to get better, better valve for cabin heat,
When choosing to purchase a Safari what was the biggest deciding factor and why?
Cost of ownership. Primarily maintenance and insurance. Because I built it (and could rebuild if necessary) I don’t feel the need to carry hull insurance at $20,000/yr. If I had a certified ship (which would have cost less up front) I could not maintain it myself. Since I cannot maintain a certified ship, if I had an incident I would have to pay to have it repaired. The cost to repair a helicopter is commensurate with the cost of a new ship not a used one. Since most GA helicopters cost close to $500,000 new, the repair costs would necessitate carrying hull insurance.
Anything else you would like people to know about Safari or yourself.
I have heard horror stories about kit builders being abandoned and not receiving assistance when required. The customer service from Safari has been fantastic. Although my initial build went smoothly I have had a rough time lately with avionics and mechanical failures. In one instance Bobby drove from Florida to repair the sprag clutch. What more can you ask for. They are constantly trying to improve the ship and have been mostly successful in their attempts.