New Sport Rotors

Brent Drake

Gyroplane Instructor
Joined
Jun 15, 2004
Messages
2,170
Location
Shelbyville, Indiana
Aircraft
Pipers/Cessna's/Magnus, Helo's/Gyro's
Total Flight Time
4,000+
Congrats Brent. I'm getting a set in a few weeks, including a SC head. Have heard only great things about these blades, and pretty much all things SC.
 
My initial reaction to my sportcoptor rotors was that they were very smooth,and they were

compared to my other blades. The other day I was in an RAF that was really smooth and I

have been spending several days trying to get my blades smoother,its not gonna happen.

I like the performance my blades have,speed, ability to almost hover on landing,etc but

they have a vibration that's never going away,I have been tuning to 1/2 thousands of an

inch and just can't get the blades really smooth,this includes a new RAF rotor head,and

mast bushing. If anybody has any good ideas I would like to hear them.

Don't get me wrong I really like the way these blades work,its just that pesky vibration

that's driving me nuts.





Best regards,
 
I have been tuning to 1/2 thousands of an inch and just can't get the blades really smooth,this includes a new RAF rotor head,and mast bushing. If anybody has any good ideas I would like to hear them.
Perhaps a Sport Copter rotor head?
I'd bet that your RAF head has some orbital effect. Their tolerances . . .

Regards, Kolibri
 
Perhaps a Sport Copter rotor head?
I'd bet that your RAF head has some orbital effect. Their tolerances . . .

Regards, Kolibri

I don't have a Sport copter or a RAF. Mine was custom made. Has larger bearings and a 5/8" teeter bolt I believe. It spins very true. I'm converting from electric pre rotator to hydraulic this winter.
 
Kolibri the really smooth blades were stock RAF,blades and head,the head I put on my

gyro was a brand new RAF head and did not make any real difference.



Best regards,
 
When I purchased my Twinstar it had an RAF setup. I was never pleased with it.
 
Kolibri the really smooth blades were stock RAF,blades and head,the head I put on my

gyro was a brand new RAF head and did not make any real difference.



Best regards,

I have flown 9-10 sets of RAF blades. I feel if yours were smooth then yours was the exception. Iv'e seen both balance and tracking issues with them.

I've flown about the same number of Sport Copter blades. I feel the Sport Copter rotor heads and blades are far superior built and designed than RAF in my opinion.

I've never hear of Sport Copter having hub bar issues like RAF has had in the past either.

I do like the weight of RAF blades. They seem to hold RPM a little longer on the runway when landing. But harder to get stopped.
 
Brent your right I think that those smooth RAF blades are the exception, I really like the

sportcoptor blades,its that they are really sensitive to adjust,the shake that I still have is

different than the raf blades and ais not as objectionable in flight,my cruise speed is about

a good 10 MPH faster,I have found that the weight is more inboard than the old blades

which were heavier and slower to stop than the sportcoptor blades,however the sport-

-coptor blades do keep there lift a lot longer than other blades did,overall they are a big

improvement.And your also right in the fact that they are better in quality and strength.






Best regards,
 
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