concidering an RAF. Advice?

Rattler 1

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
287
Location
USA
Aircraft
C150-C172-Taylorcraft-Tbird-Rans S9-challenger-Benson-Air Command-Sportcopter
Total Flight Time
1600
I am considering a RAF. I have flown a Bensen, Air Command and now own a Sport Copter. I have also flown a friends RAF. Not sure what to look for in one. I hear some negative comments on RAF's but they look like a nice unit. I live in Minnesota and would be nice to have an enclosed gyro in the winter. Any advice?
 
Check and see what generation the Blades are,if its flying smooth they probably are the later ones,I prefer the boyer tail for stability and I really

like the stablilator trim mounted on the mast also check the gas tank and make sure its the plastic one not the fiberglass model.

I think for the money the RAF is the best buy on the market.
 
In my opinion a good horizontal stabilizer will add to the pitch stability of an RAF and an extended keel also helps pitch stability and rudder control.

If it has an EJ25 I would go with a stronger oil pickup.

If you can find someone with RAF experience to help with a pre buy inspection it may save you a lot of trouble.

Many RAFs I have seen were not assembled correctly and/or properly maintained. This can lead to problems and expense.

I feel getting some dual instruction would be money well spent. It is my observation that an RAF has some unique piloting challenges and a lot of them have tipped over on takeoff or landing due to pilot mishandling.
 
Rattler 1, since you're already a Sport Copter owner, have you considered their new 2-place Vortex M2?
Cabin/doors/heat.
The prototype was at Oshkosh last week, and will be flying in August.
Production begins in the Fall.


https://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/k...028-m2-912-sport-copter?p=1135510#post1135510

I have an RAF, which needed many tweaks and fixes and mods.
Within their range of performance, they're decent gyros.
The hard linked nosewheel, however, is a definite minus. One must be very mindful of it during taxi/takeoff/landing.

Regards,
Kolibri
 
I was also at Oshkosh, the 2 place looked good but I'm leaning to an enclosure. And can't afford the enclosed that was there. The RAF seems to be my only option at this point.
 
Vance;n1135547 said:
In my opinion a good horizontal stabilizer will add to the pitch stability of an RAF and an extended keel also helps pitch stability and rudder control.

If it has an EJ25 I would go with a stronger oil pickup.

If you can find someone with RAF experience to help with a pre buy inspection it may save you a lot of trouble.

Many RAFs I have seen were not assembled correctly and/or properly maintained. This can lead to problems and expense.

I feel getting some dual instruction would be money well spent. It is my observation that an RAF has some unique piloting challenges and a lot of them have tipped over on takeoff or landing due to pilot mishandling.

Vance,
Please elaborate about the EJ25 stronger oil pickup.
Stephen Haggerty
 
some years ago a couple of the oil pickup tubes in the pan developed cracks,I think they were a specific model single cam vs double cam I don't know which one

A lot of the cracks came from the offroad subaru powered dune buggys. There are couple of offroad companys that sell a

aftermarket oil pickup tube (stronger built) look at the offroad sites. I have been running my stock pickup tube for 800 hrs without failure

I inspected my tube a few hundred hours ago and it was fine. Probably the gyro ones that cracked were from a lot of hard landings the RAF does not have a suspension

system and hard landings can be quite jarring on things.
 
I have a RAF that I am selling currently. I'm asking $28,475 for it and trailer but may be willing to bargain. It does come with the factory "Stabilator" and fuel injection. It runs great and I'm sure any active member of the Lone Star Rotorcraft Club would be willing to give you an honest opinion of the machine. It has been part of the PRA Chapter 62 for the last 5 years. Call or text me @ (409) 866-6617 or find my ad on Barnstormers.
 
n613hh;n1136274 said:
Vance,
Would you email or PM me about this?
[email protected]

Good Evening Stephen Haggerty,
I haven't been able to get private messages to work.
I sent you an email and it bounced.
My email is below.
Eddie said pretty much everything I know about the stronger oil pickup.
Steve McGowan lost a SparrowHawk to a broken oil pickup on an EJ25.
Vance Breese
Gyroplane CFI
(805)680-9523
www.breeseaircraft.com
[email protected]
 
I recently swapped my 2.5 pickup for a Killer B aftermarket pickup while I was replacing my head gaskets. It was a challenge to find the correct pickup for my particular engine. I actually lined the bottom of the pan with Play-Doh, then installed the pan with the Killer B in place so I could measure the impression in the Play-Doh to be sure I had adequate clearance . Ron Menzie and another gyro pilot in that area had the oem pickup fail on their 2.5's.
 
There are a number of different oil pans for the 2.5. Even after sending Killer B pics of my oil pan they only advised which one it should be. It is much stronger than the oem pickup .
 
To help in ID the Sparrowhawk engines were supplied by Metric Motors in the north Salt Lake area and are 2002 Outback EJ251 SOHC series engines. RAF's are not so easy but should have the data sticker with SN.

2015 Engine data.jpg
 
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When I was dealing with them the Vin/engine number meant nothing. They sent pics of different oil pans and I sent them a pic of mine which didn't help. Just saying.
 
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