Russ Kunz spent the better part of 500 hours building his Safari 400, and said he owes the success of the project to invaluable input, guidance, and communication he received from Bobby and Delane Baker of Safari Helicopter. Russ, a Vietnam veteran who was a helicopter pilot during the war, said he has been looking for a helicopter of his own since the 1970s, and did not find one that was to his standards until learning about Safari. “This is one fine ship, and I don’t tell you that loosely, because I’ve flown 22s and 44s and Schweizers,” he said. “I feel safe in the Safari because of the matrix of it and the forthrightness of it.” Russ said while it is not uncommon for helicopters to vibrate, his Safari is exceptionally smooth. Taking home the 2018 Gold Lindy was the culmination of years of tweaking for Russ, who previously won the Bronze and Silver Lindys with the same Safari 400. “I was elated beyond comprehension, because there are a lot of really beautiful helicopters, and to follow what won last year Chris [Davenport] has a beautiful helicopter, and the guy that won the year before that [Thomas Kurtz] has a beautiful bird, and to be in their presence is humbling.”
