A flying story!

[LARRYEBOYER]

Thursday and Friday of last week, I worked with the new owner of Lucky Lady. Paul is a no time pilot of anything. We started out with groung handling and rotor management.Then onto full power climbs and turns. Then onto straight and level. Then 360 around a point. Then downwind, base to final turns. Then landings. What fun Paul and I had. It was a pleasure to fly with someone so quick to learn.After 3 hours, except for takeoffs, he is ready to surprise the ---- out of the lucky CFI that gets him. he has a light touch at the controls and understands what wind can do to move us arround in the air. When we got in some gusts, he just added a little back pressure and the RAF settled into what it is really good at, a solid stable ride.
We were flying in 20 knot winds at 2500 and other than getting buffeted around alittle, Paul handles the RAF excellent.He is so happy with his purchase. With all that flying, I got out the mod b RAF to see how different it flies after having spent over an hour in Lucky Lady.
The difference is profound.8043k climbs like a homesick angel with the EJ22 FI with the Delta Cam grind. It is much faster with less throttle at cruise.(about 15 mph). It requires very little if any stick inputs in the wind as far as pitch.Other than rolls left or right because of wind hitting the gyro, I fly most of my flights with three fingers touching the stick or hands off.
The landing are the biggest difference. I have the new 24 gen rotors on this bird.It wants to float more and requires more back stick to flair. It just wants to land like a airplane.The keel change is a great improvement over the standard RAF with a stab if you want 0 issues with pitch and improved stability.
I flew today with 24 knot winds out of the SW at 3000. N8043k flies incredibly solid and stable. I was hit with some gusts and no pitch changes . At 4450 rpm it was cruising at 80 mph. The GPS said groung speed was 48.2 knots as I headed west. Heading east I was indicating 84.9 knots.Over 100 MPH ground speed!Not nearly a bump. The fear I had flying gyros on windy days is gone.The RAF is a sweet machine.
PaulP,Can't wait to hear your report on your modb. :D
Stan, hope you are movin along with your SH and get back in the air soon. I miss your flying reports and pictures.

[paulp]

Hey Larry,

I've got the keel built and it is out being powdercoated. Just finished all of the wiring and am waiting on my radio(Val Com 760) With a little luck, I should be finished in about 30 days. Jack has not finished my drawings yet but I spoke with him to-day and he promised to have them completed within the next two or three days. I told him I wanted to be able to send them via e-mail and he said "no problem"

I also installed the Stratus grind cams! I am looking forward to see how the subby preforms.

[StanFoster]

Larry: I am pushing hard. I now think I will be flying in March....

Stan

[LARRYEBOYER]

paul, can you e-mail me a picture of your keel?

[Aussie_Paul]

Thursday and Friday of last week, I worked with the new owner of Lucky Lady. Paul is a no time pilot of anything. We started out with groung handling and rotor management.Then onto full power climbs and turns. Then onto straight and level. Then 360 around a point. Then downwind, base to final turns. Then landings. What fun Paul and I had. It was a pleasure to fly with someone so quick to learn.After 3 hours, except for takeoffs, he is ready to surprise the ---- out of the lucky CFI that gets him. he has a light touch at the controls and understands what wind can do to move us arround in the air. When we got in some gusts, he just added a little back pressure and the RAF settled into what it is really good at, a solid stable ride.
We were flying in 20 knot winds at 2500 and other than getting buffeted around alittle, Paul handles the RAF excellent.He is so happy with his purchase. With all that flying, I got out the mod b RAF to see how different it flies after having spent over an hour in Lucky Lady.
The difference is profound.8043k climbs like a homesick angel with the EJ22 FI with the Delta Cam grind. It is much faster with less throttle at cruise.(about 15 mph). It requires very little if any stick inputs in the wind as far as pitch.Other than rolls left or right because of wind hitting the gyro, I fly most of my flights with three fingers touching the stick or hands off.
The landing are the biggest difference. I have the new 24 gen rotors on this bird.It wants to float more and requires more back stick to flair. It just wants to land like a airplane.The keel change is a great improvement over the standard RAF with a stab if you want 0 issues with pitch and improved stability.
I flew today with 24 knot winds out of the SW at 3000. N8043k flies incredibly solid and stable. I was hit with some gusts and no pitch changes . At 4450 rpm it was cruising at 80 mph. The GPS said groung speed was 48.2 knots as I headed west. Heading east I was indicating 84.9 knots.Over 100 MPH ground speed!Not nearly a bump. The fear I had flying gyros on windy days is gone.The RAF is a sweet machine.
PaulP,Can't wait to hear your report on your modb. :D
Stan, hope you are movin along with your SH and get back in the air soon. I miss your flying reports and pictures.

....I love dem dare actual modified Raf flying stories and comparisons!!! :D

Aussie Paul. :)

ps. been off line for a while due to a telecom line fault, but you now have to put upo with me again!!!!! :eek:

[LARRYEBOYER]

Aussie Paul. I thought you got grabbed by some aliens and was builing gyros on some planet in another galaxy. Good to hear from you. Have you flown in any RAF hybreds converted over from standard RAF with stabs to the new mod in recient months?If so, What was your feelings about performance? Any difference in landing?
Pitch?
Glad you're back. :)

[John_wilkinson]

These are two of the RAFS that i have done in New Zealand that have been very successful with RAE having done over 100 hours now. :)

[Aussie_Paul]

... the red one, RCW, will be great now that Neil is changing to the fuel injected engine. Will be able to forget about carby ice and carby heat!!!

Larrye, both these ships John modified are great. Johns workmanship is superb. The red one, RCW is the better one in yaw with the fins on the stab. Both these passed the NZ fixed wing stability tests that we conducted last June.

John is the NZ Firebird agent and will assemble Firebirds for me to cater for the NZ market.

The flare is slightly different, actually requiring less stick movement due to not over shooting the control input. As Chuck Beaty says about the pilots who fly unstable gyros, "Their toss and catch routine"!!!!

There are no uncommanded pitch excursions in thermals and/or rough air.

Performance wise I really don't know due to training with different people all the time. My non scientific "gut" feeling is that fewer engine rpm are needed to do the same job as before the mods.

Last June, I flew RCW solo for over an hour, in slight to moderate turbulence stick free. I had to log the last hour before we could train in it. At 50' after take off I let the stick go, and until I needed to flare I never touched it.

As I have often said, "It is just as easy to build correctly as it is to not build correctly. The hardest part is knowing the difference".

I am indeed fortunate that I let Norm’s forum posters teach me the difference. Not bad for an Aussie with a headstrong personality!!!!! :eek:

Aussie Paul.:)

[birdy]

I gota get me a ride in one of these 'unstable death machines' just so's i can understand wot you blokes are talkn bout

[Aussie_Paul]

....I am not sure if it is funny peculiar, :eek: or funny ha ha!!! :D LOL.

Aussie Paul. :)

[ben]

birdy i hope to get a ride in larry's raf before the snow flys

[lanichol]

The difference is profound.8043k climbs like a homesick angel with the EJ22 FI with the Delta Cam grind.

Larry,

Can you tell me why you selected the "Delta Cam grind"?

Is this an after market cam that can be ordered? Where?

Larry

[rfi]

Larry N,
The Delta cam grind increases horsepower from 130 to 150 at 5400 rpm and at 5700 rpm the power is 158. That is on the EJ22. The EJ25 power is increased to approximately 190. The cost is around $130. You have to send your stock cams to Delta to get them ground. They turn them around the same day normally.

I have sent around 100 customers to Delta Camshaft and everyone as far as I know were well pleased with the increased performance.

You can contact Delta Camshaft at 1.800.562.5500. Shipping address is:

Delta Camshaft
1938 Tacoma Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98402

[lanichol]

Larry N,
The Delta cam grind increases horsepower from 130 to 150 at 5400 rpm and at 5700 rpm the power is 158. That is on the EJ22. The EJ25 power is increased to approximately 190. The cost is around $130. You have to send your stock cams to Delta to get them ground. They turn them around the same day normally.

I have sent around 100 customers to Delta Camshaft and everyone as far as I know were well pleased with the increased performance.

You can contact Delta Camshaft at 1.800.562.5500. Shipping address is:

Delta Camshaft
1938 Tacoma Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98402

Thank you Don.

Obviously it works, but I am not sure how that can work? Custom cams usually have greater lift and holds both intake and exhaust valves open for a longer duration. It would be tough to add material to the cam.

[LARRYEBOYER]

Many companies will weld a hardned material to the cam, then grind it. I used to get cam changes in motorcycles I had. I asked the same question. That was their reply.

[LARRYEBOYER]

John. Could you post a picture of your mounting of the new keel under the engine area. Also did you just rivet the butterfly plates at the angles on your keel or bolt or bolt and rivet? Also, how many inches did you drop your engine?
Aussie Paul. Thanks for your reply. I have found that the one major difference as far as flying technique is on the landing. It wants to land like an airplane. It doesn't seem to want to flair as easily as the HTL RAF.I am guessing that is because of the more effective stab in the prop blast. Also my cruise speed is much faster at a lower RPM. Today I was cruising at 70 at 4050 rpm.Could be also the new setting on the mast cam. That is on the #4 cam setting on the mast. (the mast is a s far forward as it can get. I was flying it on #3. Not as fast. :)

[LARRYEBOYER]

Ben, this is a family forum!! Pleas put a 's beside Larry. I don't want anyone getting any funny ideas!!!!!

[Rehan K.Janjua]

Hello Larry.

Thank you for the story. Felt like sitting behind you/besides you.
Stock cams are modified lift/Degrees by electric arc deposited cast iron layers and machined to required specs and then hardened again.
I Like the Family Forum advice.

Best Wishes

Rehan Janjua
Air Command Pakistan

[LARRYEBOYER]

rEHAN, i DON'T REMEMBER SEEING YOUR POSTS BEFORE, BUT THEN i DON'T REMEMBER WHAT i HAD TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST. aNYWAY WELCOMe TO THE FORUM.(OOPS) Sorry bout the typing. i test flew an Air Command tandem a few weeks ago. I like the way it flies. Nice bird!

[rfi]

No material is added to the camshafts modified by Delta Camshaft. They make a "fatter" lobe by taking thirty thousandths off the peak and the back side which increases duration.

The thirty thou is compensated for by adding shims in the hydraulic lifters of the EJ22 and on the EJ25 SOHC engines there is adequate adjustment range of the mechanical lifters to take out the 30 thousandths slop, so no material has to be added to the cam lobes.

[LARRYEBOYER]

Thank-you Don. Do you have a quick change manuel on removing the old cams and adding the new. I know that would be a best seller. How many of us would like a 20% increase in HP for $200 bucks? If you don't, would you write one and let me order the first copy.:)

[lanichol]

No material is added to the camshafts modified by Delta Camshaft. They make a "fatter" lobe by taking thirty thousandths off the peak and the back side which increases duration.

The thirty thou is compensated for by adding shims in the hydraulic lifters of the EJ22 and on the EJ25 SOHC engines there is adequate adjustment range of the mechanical lifters to take out the 30 thousandths slop, so no material has to be added to the cam lobes.

Very clever!