RAF Questions

[asra]

Mate of mine has bought a RAF, other than a stab, what else needs doing ??In my opinion, in order to make it a good safe machine, I would consider the following.1) Lower the thrustline.2) Fit suitable sized HS.3) Move mains rearward to stop machine rotating onto its main too early. (this shortens take off)4) Increase size of fin and rudder, or else lengthen their moment arm.5) Add suspension.6) Run a larger prop to increase static thrust.7) Carry out all current AD modifications as per ASRA requirements.8 ) Add VHF radio, light and strobe.Regards Sam....... ;D

[Russell]

By the time you buy the RAF...do all the mods...........damn sight easier go buy one of them "Cruisers"the only mod for them..............is readjusting the seatbelt from the earlier occupant. ( probably cheaper in the long run too )............and i know

[Disco]

What is that around the air filter in the photo?

[Brian]

Sam, you shouldn"t hold back .I will find

[asra]

*To right Russell, a GT Gyroplanes Kruza has all this already sorted.

[Waddles]

Gidday All,I have flown the RAF that Ian M refers to. It has the original Whaletail HS as well as the stabilator. Once you understand that the stabilator is just a trimming device, it flys well. The present owner is happy with it. I"ll go along with the NZ HS, but haven"t seen the tail. Paul Campbell has fitted the NZ HS to his and it looks good. Incorporates fins on the tips as well. Hasn"t been flown again yet. Undercarriage? Yeah, a problem especially with a lighter pilot and low fuel load. Can"t taxi with full back stick at a speed to keep the rotor speed up. The nose comes off the ground and with idle thrust and no nosewheel steering, it gets interesting. Needs really low pressure in the factory tyres for any sort of suspension. Can"t attest to it"s underwater abilities though!! I never had any problems with the rotors or hub-bar but the Canadians lifed the whole lot at 500 hours. I got rid of the hub-bar and had Rob P make up one to fit the RAF rotors using the same pillar block and setting the same coning and pitch angles. Works well and is still flying today on a sparrowhawk modified RAF. Smooth as well.Get rid of the belt drive. I had 2 real failures and 1 that I found before it let go. Also, check the torque on the hex head bolts attaching the lower pulley to the crankshaft regularly. I"d even remove them and use a realy good locktite. Mine came loose and broke the crankshaft. I have 130hrs on my Autoflight strapped onto an EJ25 and swinging a 76" 3 blade Patroney prop. We "raced" an MT03 home the other day in absoutely smooth conditions and won. Hardly a challenge really! Muz will disagree.If the windscreens are riveted on, carefully drill out the rivets and replace them with 1/8" bolts using large diameter washers on each side. Make sure the holes are one or 2 numbers bigger and don"t overtighten. You will definitely end up with star craks around the holes if this isn"t done.Can"t think of anything else just now.Regards,Waddles.

[asra]

Lets now throw the cat amoungst the pigeons.How do we allow 2 seat gyroplanes to be signed off and registerd (such as a standard RAF or derrivative) when it dosn"t comply to the ASRA Airworthiness Directives (AD) - MANDATORY AD 2002.02.http://www.asra.org.au/documents/AD_...ilizer.pdfBoth ASRA and its members have worked bloody hard to get were we currently are today, and I feel its time to put the pressure on and progress the next step. Examples of some must complys would be............. 1) All ASRA AD"S.2) 3rd party insurance (as a minimum).3) Log books, and aircraft maintenance manuals. 4) FR&P eg Operations in and around aerodromes, VHF radios, airspace, and saftey equipment ie Emergency Locating Beacons.Some of these rules already exist I know, but I feel we all just need to take a much more responsable approach to flying. This will ensure we are all still able to fly, and enjoy gyros well into the future and beyond.My 2 bob

[Russell]

One dead cat coming up ( karboom )..............and pidgeon pie for dinner as well.....................yum ;DYea we gota get more n more professional.......and we are. Majority here mix in with the other aviation folks, and we need em onside.Insurance.......( public liability in particular ).......as secretary recently said, it"s available member wide, at around $400 per yr..........So for around $500 per yr, we have license / rego / insurance...............so that"s $10 per week......i"m in.Insurance sought singularly .......is around $1200 per member, per yr. Makes this other offer look reeel good.Taking up "group" insurance now, and hopefully not having to use it, should go well in the future for a lesser premium. ( we prove we are not a "liability" )It"s only a matter of time when all local authorities are going to demand this insurance by all "users". Can hear a lot of folks here screaming, when their strips are off limits to em, because of no insurance.Just my view..................

[asra]

Allan Allan Allan..... the only reason you got there first is I told my student to slow down from 75 knots to give you some sort of chance. You may have to rebuild that Suby engine now that it has done 130 hours....

[Brian]

Thanks Allan for that info, I personally dislike the belt drive because it does put the load on the crank and I know there have been a number of broken cranks with the belt and near enough to none with the gearbox drive.Okay, I have noted all the mods so far and put them to the new owner.BTW, is the "green RAF registered single or 2 place?Hi Sam, I agree with you, 2 seat gyros not complying with the ASRA airworthiness standards, should not be signed!!

[Brian]

I cant stand misconceptions. This silly stabutator simply stops you chasing the instability of an unstable machine. It has nothing to do with making your machine stable, instead it aerodynamically makes any sudden pitch movements difficult by use of a small aerofoil linked to the torque tube. The stabulator aerodynamically stops YOU acheiving PIO & PPO. If the machine was built with a real HS, then it wouldnt acheive PIO & PPO.Its just a way for RAF to continue to deny their design is unstable and dangerous. I"m sick of them and all their Bulsht

[Waddles]

Gidday All,Sam. AD 2002.02 although written as an AD is actually a request. The latest gyro rego form F006 requires the TA to sign to say that all applicable ADs have been complied with.Brian. Can"t see the rego on the green gyro but both the gyros registered to Guy are registered as 2 seaters. One is not current. Re the RAF undercarriage. Before the RAFTOR mods, I looked at extension axles to the RAF axles so that it increased the wheel track. Then, fit a training link suspension that provided suspension and moves the wheels back at the same time. The axles have a 1/4" wall thickness so may be strong enough to easily achieve this. A roll pin in the lateral strut attach brackets on the axle needs to be removed though. The broken crankshaft interrupted this going any further. I think the original rod ends were 3/8" but can"t be sure. At least 5/16" though.No one likes regulation. So, ASRA is leaving it up to gyro owners and pilots to "do the right thing" as far as fitting equipment, maintaining gyros and record keeping - logbooks etc are concerned. If this doesn"t happen voluntarily, then more rules are the only answer. It"s up to the members.Waddles

[Waddles]

Just checked the manual. 3/8" rod ends were used by the Canuks. Don"t know about the SA mob.Waddles

[Adrian S]

Brian,I was the TA to sign of the Green machine but only as a single seat type until it had done the 25hrs . Although it is type approved as far as I am aware the gyro has not flown off the 25hrs or been flight tested.

[Adrian S]

Brian,Just to qualify my Flight tested comment that is to mean flight tested according to the TWO seat standards not just flown with out stability testing etc