Robin,
As mentioned, that is not a Stock RAF but a RAF modded into a SparrowHawk.
That is a VERY good design. Pictures don't tell all of the story, but that looks good from the photos!
Brian,
The Stock RAF gyroplanes have a design flaw. A 10+inch high thrustline, Side by Side config, Cabin, High HP engine and short frame coupling with no horizontal stabilizer. This flaw makes the Stock RAF highly susceptible to PPO (power push over) accidents when flown in windy conditions or above about 70mph.
Many people mitigate the flaw by adding a nice big horizontal stabilizer to the RAF. This helps a great deal but it is still possible to PPO.
The Groen Bro's kit that has been applied to this RAF fixes the flaws of the Stock RAF nicely and makes it for practical purposes PPO-proof.
Some RAF owners feel that with enough training and experience the pilot can learn to be the horizontal stabilizer for the Stock RAF. Perhaps this is true, but it is also true that a number of very experienced, high time pilots have still managed to PPO in Stock RAFs.
In any case I would not recommend a Stock RAF for a new or learning or low-time pilot. Even if you don't believe you are going to PPO the machine it is going to take you 2-4 times as long to learn in this pitchy machine compared to a stable one.
If you have PowerPoint you can learn about PPO and PIO in basic (static) form here:
http://gyrowiki.com/Shared Document...9&View={C6E56DDF-7A3A-4C7D-A021-308373D3AE19}
If you get prompted for a password just hit CANCEL, it will play anyway.
To further your education into Dynamic Stability then go to the GyroWiki and read Greg Gremminger's articles on the subject.
Another good page is here:
http://www.prachapter34.com/gyro_safety.htm
.