RAF ready for hang test

StanFoster

Active Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2003
Messages
17,139
Location
Paxton, Il
Aircraft
Helicycle N360SF
Total Flight Time
1250
This RAF has got to get out of my stairshop. Dust and the fact that I cant concentrate on my other 'climbing" business...stairways.

So...if the roads are not sloppy...I am hang testing it this weekend and getting it up to the hanger.
 

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Re:RAF ready for hang test

I finally have my front wheel fairing on. I am still waiting on the steering post upgrade to arrive....but I wanted to get it ready for its hang test....even though the fairing doesnt weigh much...its still weight.
 

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Re:RAF ready for hang test

I am developing this spiral rotor. It has a tremendous rate of climb. :)
 

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Re:RAF ready for hang test

Stan,

The RAF is really looking great. Its obvious from your spiral rotor system that your craftsmanship is top notch. You'll probably have to hang from a rafter 40 feet overhead if you're weighing with the spiral rotor. ;D

Looking Good
 
Re:RAF ready for hang test

I believe leonardo may have beat you to it.
 

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Re:RAF ready for hang test

Todd: thanks....and that was a good post....made me chuckle.

I love working with wood......thought about making my own blades out of wood.....nahhhhh...........just kidding. ;D
 
Re:RAF ready for hang test

You chuckle about wood rotors, there is a old guy out the road here that is a farmer. I had my first exposure to a gyo there in the sixteys. He had a benson glider and he was building rotors for people out of wood in his chicken house. Seems as I remember he had a big jig built and lots of people were getting them from him. He still has his glider hanging in a run down old log barn. Oneeeee of this days I will try and get it just to hang it up too.

Guess that is were I got the rotor bug i have never shaken
 
Re:RAF ready for hang test

Stan,
I saw a set of plans for sale on ebay to build the wooded rotorblades for the Benson glider.
Also my friend Dustin Howell had a Benson glider with the overhead stick, wooden rudder & wooden rotorblades.
 
Re:RAF ready for hang test

Stan, that is one beautiful machine. The best of luck to you on your flights. It is soooooo exciting.I just finished the airframe on my new one and am waiting for my ultimate stab from LM. I will get all body parts painted. Today I am working on my instrement panel.Then it's fuel trim and interior.Dawgone, I love this stuff.
 
Re:RAF ready for hang test

Larry: Thanks......I did my hang test today. In position #3...the keel was 5.5 degrees nosedown with me in it. I then had a 220 pound friend sit in it as a passenger. The combined was 8.75 degrees nosedown. I then had my 270 pound son hop in...and it was 9.25 degrees nose down. I was wanting my solo hang test to be closer towards the 5 degree of the 5-7 degree window....and it was. This then kept my cg at the heavy side of the dual occupant window.

Just for satisfying my curiosity...I put the mast in postion #2...which lowers the nose. I was 7 degrees nose down.....but then it was 10.25 degrees nose down with the 220 pound passenger.

This then satisfied me and I put it back in postion #3 and reconfirmed the first measurements....then I moved it to the airport and now have the rotor on it . I have the new generation #24 blades...and have them supported for sagging.

I am now ready to get some lessons. I have contacted Ron Menzie and I am planning on going down and getting some instruction so I have a better chance of keeping my flying record incident free.

Ron seems to tell it like it is.....he has lots of experience in stabless and stabbed RAF's. What he has told me over the phone assures me that I should be satisfied and safe.

Larry: I wish you the best and am looking forward to hearing your flying experiences. I will post mine as they occur. It may be awhile before I am posting about any solo flights. I am really enjoying this process.
 
Re:RAF ready for hang test

By the way.....in the first photo of my RAF..you can see some blue tape on the prop tips. I painted the tips white. I could not see the prop at all....and was also concerned about some bystander walking up and getting hurt. One day while I was burning up my 20 hours breaking in the engine...I had a friend pull up and start walking towards my gyro. It was tied to a tree with barricades around it. He could not believe how he could not see the prop except when viewed from the side. Now there is a nice 68 inch white hoop visible.
 
Re:RAF ready for hang test

Stan, yellow is the last colour to disappear with speed. Just a little colour trivia.

Aussie Paul.
 
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