Choosing a tail...

[ben]

Hello everyone, this is baby ben. I just have one simple question.
Since My father and I are putting a fuel injected ea81 on the back of the Raf1000, and we are planning to do the LB(larry boyer) modifications,
I was wondering what type of tail to put on the aircraft. I was looking at something with a preferably large stabilizer surface such as a dominator
tail.

Reply back and let me know what you think.
Thanks
-Baby Ben

[C. Beaty]

Baby Ben, a Dominator style tail is very helpful; eliminating much of the throttle/roll coupling and all of the throttle/yaw coupling.

However, the mast pivot of an RAF makes installation a bit difficult. You must run the top end bracing to the non-moving part of the mast as was done on the AAI mod kits.

An EA-81 with direct drive will fly on a very light gyro but it’s a long way from a hot-rod.

There is a version of the EA-81 which flies very well that was used on Japanese domestic pickups but was not exported to this country. Engine dealers have exported some used pickup engines. There is one in Florida owned by Richard Oxnam that goes like Gangbusters.

Do a Goggle search and see if you can locate a Japanese pickup engine.

[Doug Riley]

Ben 'n Ben: Determine the vertical location of the CG before picking a tail.

The "tall tail" has all the benefits that Chuck mentions, but its HS is too small to compensate for the large VCG mislignment that many RAF-2000's have.

If your RAF -1000 has only 2 or so inches of thrustline offset, then the tall tail HS would be OK if given a touch of negative incidence. If it has 5, 6 or more inches, you'd need to work carefully on the numbers before trusting that small HS, or use a larger one (possibly together with the small one on the rudder).

[spaceman spiff]

Here are a couple links worth a look:

http://www.retro-composites.com/

Saw one @ mentone. Georgeous stuff.


Also found a home made one.

http://www.mini500.com/oldmini/stab.html

Have done some fiberglass in a previous life. The sanding and filling takes a while, but with a littel effort and patience the results can be pretty good.

[Butch S.]

Ben
we have these pickup engines in OZ & big difference is cam & valve size
& I have a grind made for non turbo efi EA81 solid or hyd
Butch

[david holmes]

RE: TAIL
remember Ben, "all that wiggles, ain't worth it"

sorry MJ.