RAF rebuild

[dhubbs]

I am currently begining the process of rebuilding a RAF with a sparrow hawk kit. The macine had been involved in a roll over. I was hoping to be able to purchase a new tall tail from Groen bros. However when i contacted them I found out that they are no longer producing the augmentation kits, and have very few parts for them still left. They no longer can get me the tail. So now is my dilema. Where do I go from here? I really like the tall tail and large HS that was part of the sparrowhawk kit. Does anyone have any suggestions on a comperable tail that is still available that will work with the rest of the AAI augmentation? Or does anyone by any chance have an extra sparrowhawk tail? I can get most of the other parts i need either from South Africa, or build them myself. I am pretty much at a loss as to where to go from here...

 

[cgmg]

Try contacting Ron Menzie. He may either have one, or know someone who does.

 

[okikuma]

Here's a crazy idea. Build the horizontal & vertical stab and rudder out of 4130 tubing and then fabric cover it like Kennedy did with his KB3.

Wayne

 

[Timchick]

How about a Dominator tall tail? Are the sizes similar?

 

[dhubbs]

I will try contacting Ron. Too be honest I do not feel like I know enough about design to try to build my own. I would feel much more comfortable flying with a proven design. I will also try contacting air command tomorrow to see if they have something that will work.

 

[Timchick]

Ernie Boyette makes the Dominator tall tails: http://www.rotorflightdynamicsinc.com/

 

[dhubbs]

Thanks I noticed my mistake as soon as i typed that lol... I just visited his website and it does look like his tail could be made to fit my machine pretty easily. I really hope so anyway. It was very disheartning when I talked to groen bros and found out that I could not get a replacement tail from them.

 

[lanichol]

Thanks I noticed my mistake as soon as i typed that lol... I just visited his website and it does look like his tail could be made to fit my machine pretty easily. I really hope so anyway. It was very disheartning when I talked to groen bros and found out that I could not get a replacement tail from them.

Daniel,

Did you find a solution?

 

[dhubbs]

No have not found one yet, the dominator tail does not have a large enough HS to fit the RAF. The best we have come up with to do is take what is left of our tail to someone who is good with fiberglass. We hope they can either rebuild ours, or be able to use it more or less as a template to build us a new one. Not to sure what else do do at this point.

 

[Racer]

How bad is your tail? Do you have any pics?

The reason I ask is although I do not have an immediate solution for you I have recently started a new company that focuses on filling the "holes" in the gyro world. I do not want to compete heads up or take anything away from anyone who supplies or services the gyro community with any of the products that they offer, instead I want to offer the things that people need but nobody else is offering... like CLT conversion kits for the RAF perhaps now that Groen Bros has shut there doors and no one else is offering them. I am sure there will also be other Sparrow hawk replacement parts that will be needed down the road as well.

First I need to check and make sure I would not be violating any patents or stepping on any toes before I make a single part.

Perhaps I could use the dimensions off your damaged tail to build a mold off of so that I could manufacture a good workable tail in the future, but this will not happen rite away, building a mold is very expensive.

One thing I could do for you in the not to distant future is build you a tall tail of the same dimensions out of aluminum much like the Dominator tail is built, it would not be as smooth as the fiberglass tail because this one would have rivet heads throughout the tail.

Sorry, I am just thinking with my keyboard but that is one option to you if your interested.

 

[Hognose]

Fiberglass repair isn't rocket science -- even structural parts. Basically, missing or damaged core material needs to be replaced, and broken stressed skin needs to be rejoined using a tapered, scarf-like joint and new layups that bond to the old.

The air loads the tail sees are lower than the ground handling loads it's built for, actually.

cheers

-=K=-

 

[dhubbs]

we are going to take our tail to a guy that purchases wrecked cars, rebuilds, and resells them for a living. He has some ultralight building experience, and it capable of working fiberglass. The tail was broken into three main pieces. The tubing inside was torn in half. I think the tail is going to have to be opened up so the aluminum tubing can be taken out and replaced. Not sure how hard that will be, or if even possible. If for some reason it does not work, We will for sure be interested in an aluminum version of the same tail. I did see how sportcopter II went from a tall tail to a shorter one, so possibly that may be a route to go to. Not sure how hard it would be to adapt one of theirs to our application though.