Builder's Tips

I have a 1997 model RAF 2000 GTX/SE. It should have been shipped with the newer prerotator pulley/clutch. The newer unit has a 3-piece clutch and flanges on the pulley.

RAF equipped this kit with the pulley without the flange and the one piece clutch. The older unit was probably very prone to throwing the prerotator belt. This occurred to me during phase 1 testing of my RAF. The belt went through the prop and wrapped around the rotor blades almost causing a crash at 150' AGL. Fortunately the belt came off the rotor blade and aircraft control was regained.

I contacted RAF about this and they told me I should have had the newer style pulley in my kit. They didn't have any updates sent to owners warning them to upgrade from the earlier model pulley.

Feel free to use my name Gary.

Marv

The only parts I sell are my stabs and overhead consoles. I might sell the tanks later if I can find someone to make them. The exhaust is easy to make. Here's the receipt.

The mufflers are Supertrapps. You can find them at www.summitracing.com, part number is sup-443-2011, they are $129.95 each. Summit has the best prices. The headers came off a 93 Subaru, but any 2.2 or 2.5 headers will work. I had the pipes bent and welded to the headers at a muffler shop, cost me $45. I had them coated inside and out at HPC, $35 each. Their page is www.hpcoatings.com. If you can weld or have a friend who can you can find ready bent 2" pipe at PepBoys, or electrical conduit at a hardware store. If you have Fuel injection you will need to weld a 17mm nut for the O2 sensor on the left inside at least 12" from the exhaust port. The braces are aluminum flat for Homedepot aircraft supply. I've got a little less than $400 in them. Not too bad when you consider RAF gets $450 just for their muffler, then coating will cost about $125.

Bad Stab Page
"Don't take life so serious, you can't get out alive!"

Here's the correct diagram and other comments for wiring Wig-Wags. I did it today, know it works perfectly.

These things are really not necessary, but might save a lot of problems later.

Oil Sender, use a 12' grease whip, move the oil sender from the engine block to the seat belt bar. Cuts down vibration on the sender, should last longer.

Put a ground strap from the upper starter bolt to the engine block. Starters are bad about losing their ground, especially against an anodized RE Drive.

The first time I tried to taxi my machine my fillings almost fell out of my head because the go-cart tires that came with the kit had a flat spot that wouldn't smooth out. I immediately replaced them with aircraft-quality tires and the ride improved so that I could go faster than 3 MPH. I kept the go-cart tire on the nose gear and kept the 3rd aircraft tire as a spare. I still get a little bump from that front tire, but not too bad.

I also remember reading reports on the RotorCraft conference that those original tires did not last too long.

gary in Ory-gun

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I am at a real loss as to what to call this; but its things I don't agree with that RAF tells you to do in their manual or videos. Only these come to mind now, it's late for me.

Bad Stab Page

"Don't squat with your spurs on!"

An error I found while building my RAF is the text for the trim box. It's backwards. What it says is the front is the back. After I finally got it together, it turned out to be not such a big deal, but when it was just a table full of parts, I was confused as hell. I e-mailed RAF and they told me they would correct this in future construction manuals.

Another thing was about the fiberglass seat tank. I didn't find out about having to drill out the rivets in the mast/keel plates to mount the brackets, until I already had the cabin mounted. So it was off to the store to get a 90 degree angle drill adapter, extra long bits, etc... If I'd known about this I would have left those rivets out in the first place.

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I did something different when I mounted my fiberglass seat tank. I left all the existing rivets in place and made some different brackets and mounted them to the mast above the existing plates.

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gary in Ory-gun

Several RAF construction hints for your site:

1. If you have the new fiberglass seat tank you can lower the gas filler about 12 inches. It makes it a lot easier to fill and provides more room behind the seat back panel.

2. I installed a copper foil dipole VHF antenna behind the carpet on the passenger side. The kit is about $30 and is sold at www.rst-engr.com. It works great.

3. Use heavy duty heater hose. The cheap stuff crushes very easily.

4. Use Aeroquip 303 fuel lines coming out of the seat tank. It has a steel braid and won't kink.

If I think of anything else, I'll get back.

Bill

Well lets see 1. Make sure the wires coming out from under the coil pack in front of the propeller are secured. They will vibrate and brake off. That will ruin your day.

2. Never ever use a lead pencil to mark something on aluminum. Over time it will etch into the aluminum.

3. Bolt the carb heat knob and cable next to your throttle. This way it's easy to reach and your hands can stay on the throttle and controls.

4. Make sure if you use a tie wrap to hold the pre-rotater cable housing to the pre-rotater cable, that you don't tighten it down. It has to be able to move as it's the movement of the housing not the cable that actuates the clutch.

Well that's all I have.

Tony