My old RAF

[KenSandyEggo]

Maybe someone already posted this awhile ago, but I'm not sure. So anyway, here's a photo of my old RAF with stab and Stefanos and me flying at the Ramona Air Fair in 2002, before the Sparrowhawk conversion.

 

[Harry_S.]

WOW!!

That RAF is one good lookin' dude.


Cheers

 

[LARRYEBOYER]

Ken. That was a nice!!! ship. Did you like the way it flew with the stab?

 

[KenSandyEggo]

Yes I did, Larry. It was a completely different beast after the stab. I was ready to get rid of it after 85 hours, because I got tired of getting the crap scared out of me everytime the nose shot up in an updraft. I then went on to fly it just short of 500 hours, with the S-H conversion coming close to when I sold it to get the J2.

 

[bartc150]

Ken, maybe a couple of pics after you modified it, so the new comers can compare.

 

[Harry_S.]

The conversion turned the pretty princess into a frog.


Cheers

 

[KenSandyEggo]

...but a much safer and faster frog.

 

[Harry_S.]

Maybe for the inexperienced pilot...I would agree.

For the experienced pilot...it made a princess into a frog. I would not do it to my machine.


Cheers

 

[paulp]

Howdy Ken,

Which engine did you have in your RAF and how much faster was it after the conversion?

And Harry, I replaced the wheel bearings before the wheels were ever mounted. Like you, I didn't care for the Chin. brgs. I will get the name and numbers for you in a couple of days.

 

[KenSandyEggo]

Paul, I had the 2.2 as a carbed engine at first, but then converted to an Airflow Performance FI system. Initially, without a stab, I wouldn't cruise much over 60-65 m.p.h. It felt too creepy going any faster. After the initial stab install, I believe I got it up to around 75 m.p.h. or so and felt comfortable. In the S-H version, I'd go as fast as it could if I wanted. It felt comfortable up to 100+. I'd crank her up near that if I got vectored for the 3 mile final. My type of flying was low and slow in the canyons and along the shoreline and I was never in a hurry, so I kept it usually at just enough power to stay up. The addition of the cockpit controllable IVO prop was a great improvement. That allowed my slow cruise rpm to go from around 4400 rpm down to around 3700 rpm. That's a big difference. I never really wrung her out too much, because I got the hots for a J2 and sold her to get the J2.

 

[KenSandyEggo]

Here are a few pics I dug up. There's one as the S-H, one ....er......in transit, one of my RRPM tach and me wondering why everyone doesn't add a hydraulic actuating system in place of the cable, and two after she was restored and her plumage was changed to yellow.

 

[Hognose]

It's interesting that you would find it faster, Ken, because the conversion is certainly heavier than stock RAF.

I know how fast Jim Logan has gone in his stock RAF, and I told him that I really want to fly with him. But not that fast!

I wonder if the rotor stabilator, by adding control loads as speed mounts, helps a pilot's confidence.

I note that your RAF was placarded left seat solo only. Is that because only the left stick has the prerotator control? What about your J-2, where's the prerotator in that?

I would think it has to be a trifle puckerish to instruct in a machine where the prerotator is only on the student side.

cheers

-=K=-