RAF owners/drivers (Part II) - standard RAF, stabilator, and friends (NON-POLL)

Nice to have that machine home at last. ;)

Fill us in on some details now: Is your machine flyable? Did you get to fly your machine while with Dofin? How many hours were you able to get in despite the bad conditions? Any fotos?

Wow, 2600 miles in a rental truck. On retirement, I went a little over 900 miles in a rental and my Rivy on a dolly with DB following in her car. No fun in that kind of traveling.

Keep in touch, Jeff.


Cheers :)
 
When you get a chance please post some pics of your new bird.
 
Hi to all... I will get those photos on here soon. As to is the ship flyable?? YES!!! Dofin ajusted and flew it. He remarked that it flew well. I got 8 hours of training in and then had to get home. Hope to finish off my add on next month.As for now, the ship is sitting in my shop waiting. Ive got wheel pants and an H-Stab that need to be painted to match the cranberry color annodizing. I'll get that done soon. along with those pics!
Jeff
 
Harry S - while researching past threads concerning wheel bearings I found that the Fafnir
#202PP27BRG was recommended to you as a replacement for the Chinese brand. Did this bearing work for you? I sure would like to get rid of the worry about my wheel bearings.

Thanks- John W
 
Harry S - while researching past threads concerning wheel bearings I found that the Fafnir
#202PP27BRG was recommended to you as a replacement for the Chinese brand. Did this bearing work for you? I sure would like to get rid of the worry about my wheel bearings.

Thanks- John W



Well John, I really can't recall if that particular number did me any good...it could have but I don't recall.

I may have taken that part no. to my local bearing emporium and they put it on the 'puter and come up with this bearing no.<S8PPZ1FS50000>, it's a Fafnir bearing packaged under the Timken name. The bearing itself is made in Japan. I understand bearings manufactured in Japan, are as fine a bearing as found anywhere. The bearing itself is stamped as "S8PP"

Anyway, I installed these bearings and have had nary a problem since. On installation, I did use a suggestion and installed an alum. spacer over the axle and betwixt the inner race of the inner and outer bearings. This will prevent overtightening the axle nut and maybe damaging the bearings.


Cheers :)
 
Harry- Thanks for your help. I'll try that spacer as well. I have noticed that it is very easy to over tighten the axle nut.
 
Greetings to all,

I purchased a RAF this year and am ready to get her in the air. I spoke with CFI Gary in KSPA for training and I will need to break some fixed wing habits, also.

He did recommend an Ultimate Stab mod, but all my searches lead to a dead link. Is anyone familiar with the product or where I can purchase one? Also, are there any parts available in the US? I have tried to contact South Africa three times, but get no response.

Many thanks and great information on this board!

Respectfully,
John
N122LH
 
Welcome!!
Most of all the parts you will need can be made here in the US of A. Post your needs in a new thread and either someone will have it or steer you in the right direction!
Brad
 
CAPjohhnA: TheH-Stab you want is sold by( LARRYEboyer). larry is in PA. and sells the ultimate stab,its the only one I would reccomend,it works the best of all the stabs made.
larry is a member on this forum,look him up.
Best regards,eddie.....
P.S. I trained with gary,he's a very good instructor he will teach you excellent rotor mangement,that's very,very,important,please don't even try to fly without the H-Stab on your gyro.
 
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Thank you for the welcome!

Thank you for the welcome!

First, thank you for the warm welcome! Second, thanks for the info. I am amazed at the small and close knit family atmosphere of this community.

Quick intro for those interested...

I am a licensed private pilot in SEL and Glider. Started flight training at 14, did my check ride in gliders on my 16th, SEL private on my 17th. Wanted to fly the big birds; however, couldn't afford to continue training the way it was recommended. Now I'm 49 and just enjoying flying as a non-job.

Currently, I am in the Civil Air Patrol (highly recommended) and am a mission pilot and o-ride pilot in both power and glider.

One of these days I will obtain my instrument rating, but for now... I'm just having a blast! Looking forward to flying my gyro, the proper way with training.

Thanks, again!
 
If the chinese make the bearings, the real bearings must exist? Otherwise who would they have copied... er, I mean, reverse engineered?
 
Hi there,

Anyone having datas concerning the static thrust in pound and max static RPM recommended for a RAF with Subaru EJ-22 equiped with Wrap Drive prop and at which degree of blade pitch? I made some test with mine and at a max of 5000 RPM with my Warp Drive at near 13° of pitch, I got 440 pounds of thrust. The airport were at 1500 feets ASL, the weather temo were 42° F and the air pressure were at 30.1 inchs.


Thank you very much.
 
Max Rpm

Max Rpm

hi , max rom on 2.2 is 5500rpm. You can set the pitch at 11,5 degrees.

Regards Eben
 
Eben,You had a question about the Boyer I ultimate stab. Please read kolibri comments on this thread10-18. Pretty much says it all about improved stability.
 
Hello all, I am new to gyros (6 hours in!) what is the group opinion on low time pilots on the RAF 2000? I can see how some one could get overconfident and do their final "WATCH THIS" in one of these machines!!!!!
 
Welcome to the Rotary Wing Forum Leon!

Welcome to the Rotary Wing Forum Leon!

Hello all, I am new to gyros (6 hours in!) what is the group opinion on low time pilots on the RAF 2000? I can see how some one could get overconfident and do their final "WATCH THIS" in one of these machines!!!!!

I feel you question is a little vague to get a good answer.

What draws you to gyroplanes has a lot to do with what gyroplane will work for you.

Consider the missions you want to fly and how mechanical you are.

Flying takes a commitment and the commitment is raised if you are going to carry pasangers.

I learned to fly gyroplanes in modified RAFs and SparrowHawks. I prefer flying an open tandem.

Take your time and fly several different types before you make a commitment to a particular brand and configuration.
 
Hello all, I am new to gyros (6 hours in!) what is the group opinion on low time pilots on the RAF 2000? I can see how some one could get overconfident and do their final "WATCH THIS" in one of these machines!!!!!

Greetings and welcome to more fun that is normally allowed by law.

The RAF's without a horizontal stabilizer had a bad record. The one I got my first hour of training in had a drop keel and HS and it felt very stable.
 
I am currently flying an MTO sport, the open cockpit is not my preferred because of the daily rains here in south Florida. I would like to bring a single passenger and I will not be doing long distance flying, I have built ships and cars so I concider my self mechanically inclined but I also know I do not have the time to build a gyro from the ground up! If I did have the time I would be building a little wing!! I like the pushers for the visibility they give and I am interested in the RAF because I see the many years and plethora of aftermarket solutions to design problems as a plus over all the newer models that haven't been hashed out. Regards and thanks again for all of your time.
 
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