Fly in pictures today @ Goose Creek

[GyroRon]

Had a good turn out today. Close to 40 aircraft flew in just for the fly in - probably a few more were there I missed. We had two gyros on the field flying, Barrys Gyrobee was buzzing around a little bit with me at the helm and Gary Neal a gyrohead out of South Carolina who just got his CFI rating in gyros was there with his RAF2000. We had a beautiful R-44 show up.... Lots of fixed wing ultralights, 2 Vans Rv's a 6 and a 8, and several oldie goldies along with the usual Cessnas and Pipers and so on.

I got there before sunrise and I was beginning to think no one was coming cause up till about 10 am it was nearly a ghost town, only two guests and Gary with his Raf. But within a half hour the place was packed and there was pretty much always a few planes in the pattern. At one point I looked up and there was close to 10 ultralights, 1 Bi plane, a Cessna, and the R-44 helicopter all trying to come in to liitle ole G.C.

Here is a shot of my scooter and my Phantom.

[GyroRon]

This is where folks got to sit back watch the flying - yeah I put on a little show for them with my sloppy acro flying - and grab some of that good boy Southern BBQ.

[GyroRon]

Coming out of a loop during my "routine" ;D

[GyroRon]

Cool X -air ultralight trainer.

[Screw]

Sorry I missed it Bro. I wish I had gone cause I didn't sell sh*t today!

John-

[GyroRon]

Gary putting on his blades. I get to be his first passenger in the morning tomorrow.

Note these pics were taken before lunch time today and after lunch gary had his blades on and was out giving rides and instruction. He didn't have 5 minutes on the ground all day after lunch!

[GyroRon]

A J-3 Kitten.

[GyroRon]

I don't know what this is called, but it looked real good and I used his prop blast as he was leaving to help spool up the blades on the gyrobee since I had no pre rotator and couldn't hog the runway with all the traffic we had today. It was powered by a Vw.

[GyroRon]

The guys from Trenton S.C. flew up, 5 of them total. It was 140 miles one way for them to get here today! Here is a few of their planes.

these are the same guys who fly over to see us at the Rotors Over Carolina Fly in each year

[GyroRon]

A real sharp looking Kolb Firestar. One of the Trenton guys....

[GyroRon]

Last two Trenton guys who came up. They made me a un official member of their flying club today - well okay they just gave me a old club T-shirt ;) But I already have a key to the club house door!!!

Trenton flyers is a wonderful group of people and I really wish I was closer to Trenton. they have a very cool website just for their club www.trentonflyers.com (http://www.trentonflyers.com) and they have a hovercraft they insist on having everyone try out if you fly in for a visit.

[GyroRon]

A view down the line

[GyroRon]

This thing stole the show in my book. It was so clean you could eat off the skids. what a beauty!

[GyroRon]

Last pic for today, Chuck Bevitts Ercoupe. Chuck is a friend of mine, a PRA chapter 13 member. He flew the green Dominator in some of my Bensen Days pics I posted here before and he is the guy I traded the Black Bensen for the Phantom to.

I love to fly his Ercoupe. No rudder pedals just a wheel to turn the way you want to go - in the air or on the ground just like a car - and pull to go up and push to go down. Simple and fun and prices for these planes are dirt cheap.

[Aussie_Paul]

Ron, I couldn't quite see from the pic but is there a stab on Garys lovely looking Raf?

Looks like it was a great flyin.

Aussie Paul.

[Chuck Irby]

Nice pics Ron, and a nice fly-in. (I didn't see a stab either, Paul)

[StanFoster]

Ron: Nice pictures. You sure have a lot of activity down there. Way to go.

[GyroRon]

Yes there was a stab on it, Homemade stab though and flat plate to boot. I know it isn't doing much, but he says it made a difference. Maybe one day he will take ti to the next level and go Sparrowhawk....

I got to fly in it this morning - only my second time up in a RAF and first time at the controls in one - and it wasn't bad at all. He had a lot of cabin hop which I thought was not a issue. A little bit of stick shake which again didn't bother me. The gyro wasn't rock solid but flew good and never felt like it was hard to control or that it was overly pitch sensitive. I wasn't exactly relaxed knowing the Stab would not have done much to save us if we got in trouble, but I would go again for another ride with him.... My main gripe is that cabin and seat tank combo. To all of you with RAF's, I don't know how you can fly two up or even alone for and long period of time. It is just too frickin small inside for people my sized. Very un-comfortable compaired to a open tandem type machine.

Here is a pic of the machine as Gary was packing to leave today.

[GyroRon]

Garys dash

and btw, I flew with him for about 40 minutes and once he handed me the controls I NEVER had to mess with the rudder till landing. The yaw string stayed perfectly centered the whole flight. The gyro bobbled a little in pitch but was fine in roll and yaw to me. But don't get the wrong ideas guys.... I still think the smartest way to go with a RAF is to do the AAI upgrade kit.

[GyroRon]

Here is a few people that came out today.

[GyroRon]

A nice Rans S-6 that is based on the field. Behind that is a Super Quick quicksilver ultralight also based on the field.

[GyroRon]

Could have called it a drive in for today, had more cars than airplanes by this afternoon :'(

[GyroRon]

This is Jerry Mills RV-8, This thing is one impressive airplane. constant speed prop, 200+ horsepower, inverted fuel and oil systems for inverted flight, And the thing takes off in a few hundred feet and climbs out at over 2000 FPM and lands in maybe a 1000 feet

Here he was about to go up to scare to crap out of Hank, one of the ultralight pilots on our field. He made a few passes down the runway at well over 200 Mph.

[Screw]

Great pics Ron...Really wish I could have been there.

John-

[barnstorm2]

Yes, very cool!

What's the news on your FW's repair?

[Harry_S.]

Ron;

The inside of the RAF cabin is a bit tight, but it is an inch wider than a 150 cabin. Also has more headroom than a 150.

RAF recommends a pilot 300 lbs. plus to set up the controls for center seating and fly solo. Makes sense, huh!!

[Aussie_Paul]

Thanks Ron. Great pics and you said,"Yes there was a stab on it, Homemade stab though and flat plate to boot. I know it isn't doing much, but he says it made a difference."

I am sure that he would notice the difference. Thats how we started, flat plate etc. He would find a few degrees negative AOI even better. great to see that he has a stab on though.

Here are a couple of pics for you.

Aussie Paul.

[Aussie_Paul]

Another one.

[GyroRon]

Dang Paul that looks just like mine! It is a great airplane, can't wait to get mine back.

Tim, the wings are being painted this week and the engine is waiting on the crank to get back from the shop and then it will be put back together. I think it may be ready by the time I get back from Bensen Days. Or at least by the end of April.

Harry, I know it is wider and taller than a 150, but I am sure I would find that un comfortable too! I really think tandem seating is the way to go. The problem with the RAF is not that it is too narrow or too short on headroom, The problem is the seat is too short for my butt, the backrest is too upright it should be much more reclined and the windshield is right in my face. It was tight in width but with the doors off it was not a big issue.

[StanFoster]

Ron: The new style seat tank in the RAF is much more comfortable for me. The back of the seat folds forward for some storage behind the seatback. The cushion is too soft...its thick,,but it mashes down to nothing. I think I may slip some high density stuff underneath.

[Aussie_Paul]

Stan, I have found the new seat tank to be considerably worse than the old one that I have. Far more of a vertical back to it.

The last Raf I sold came with the new seat because the customer wanted it.

I wasn't happy, even though I knew he was putting our stab on, as the vertical CoG is lower again with the lowering of the fuel even further. The bottom of the fuel tank is approx 3" to 4" lower, and the fuel that was up the back of the old seat is now down near the floor.

It flys the least stable of all the Rafs, I have flown, that have our stab.

I guess if they, Raf, don't recognise the fact that they should have a stab, then they are not going to realise that the VCoG will be worse with the new seat tank.

Aussie Paul.

[GyroRon]

Yes this one had fuel in the backrest too. Very uncomfortable seat for a gyro.