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Too much fun, too few gyros !

the words every pilot should commit to memory
. . . .Dare to dream, hope, believe, seek, find, build and fly.

What's New Archive
Contains items from pre-July 2005

Airventure 2006 Update on RAF Pilots Radio Program 1 Click to hear about the EAA ^^^^^^

Airventure 2006 Update on RAF Pilots Radio Program 2

Airventure 2006 Update on RAF Pilots Radio Program 3
This strip includes some of the RAF Pilots Get Together 2006

Rooty Kazooty Draws Attention of New York

Do we know how to have fun?

These photos were taken on a June Sunday at the Ithaca, New York USA airport fly-in breakfast where Rooty, the gyroplane, and the book were featured guests, and later that afternoon we hauled 'Rooty' down to the Finger Lakes Land Trust headquarters for another book signing event.

The Ithaca Times newspaper did an extensive article on the book and Rooty in their Friday edition.
On Sunday when we drove into the airport we heard people murmuring, "that must be the gyroplane "Rooty Kazooty" in there." It was great fun, but my tongue was tied in knots from talking about a gyroplanes attributes.

Reportedly this was the first time anyone had seen a gyroplane at the Ithaca airport...little did they know I had landed there several times during the making of the book.

At these two events we gave back to the Finger Lakes Land Trust 40% of the retail book sales. I believe we sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 books that day!

For the entire week we did 8 book signing events that included Syracuse, Rochester, Penn Yan, and Ithaca NY.

If you haven't seen the book check it out online at Views From Above website

For more of this story see Chuck Feil's Photos.

Bureaucrats Convert Two-Seat Gyros Into “Single-Seaters” in Mass

by Jim West

European legislation that has come into force effective the first of May, 2005, states that it is compulsory for all aircraft to carry passenger insurance. Since no insurers in the United Kingdom cover gyro passengers the new law effectively means we can no longer carry passengers over the UK. This change has obvious serious impact on our British and Scottish members. Do not take a chance flying passengers without insurance coverage unless you are willing to risk a fine of £5,000 and or 6 months imprisonment. How long will it take to fix this problem?

From what I understand - -

Mr. Zhou Hong Fu alias ‘Davy Zhou’ as known by me in the training school, completed his first solo flight which was officially recognized as the very first solo gyrocopter flight in China. Many of us have already had that smile on our faces and many of us soon will. All of us congratulate Zhou Hong Fu on a job well done. story by: Laszlo Boross, CFI on the left.

Snow in Illinois & Local Flooding

It is so nice flying year round. I had a few air leaks around my doors...so I neatly put some foam gasket tape on the inside perimeter of my doors...and this really sealed it up. I was flying yesterday, January 14th, when this picture was taken...it was only 12 degrees and I still had to turn my heater fan off. Stan Foster

See the rest of these shots in our January issue of RAF Flier

RAF Pilots can now accept Master Card & Visa

Almost all of our members joined RAF Pilots using an instant payment system call PayPal. Others joined by sending in a paper check through the postal system. Others could not join because those options did not work in there part of the world or didn't fit their way of doing business. On their advice, we now offer memberships and (soon) product purchases through Master Card and Visa.

If you couldn't join before through PayPal, you now have an new alternative. Join RAF Pilots

Be the first one at your airport with an RAF Pilots Hat

See these caps in the RAF Pilots store or in the members only section. You do not have to be a member to own an RAF Pilots cap.

RAF Pilots North Central Chapter Get Together

This event is scheduled for the airport at Burlington, WI USA. Food will be provided by the local Lions Club as part of the town's fly-in breakfast. Where? Park your gyro in front of Hanger 904 on the north side of runway 11/29. All rotor craft are welcome including size differences from Benson to Blackhawk.

Burlington Airport BUU is a nice airport with two runways, one hard top and the other grass. There are usually many experimental and antique aircraft attending as well as gyros. This year's event is planned for Sunday August 28, 2005. Breakfast is served at the airport so come early and park your aircraft in front of our hanger with the others.

These events are constantly under planning discussion and open to members input. If you have a comment, please send it Jim West.

KITPLANES

The November Kitplanes Magazine is worth picking up. The issue contains two articles on RAF aircraft.

In the first article, THE RAF 2000 Enhanced, written by Ken Armstrong, Ken writes about his experience in test flying an RAF with Stabilator. Ken has done a very good job in his in-depth article.

In the second article, Confessions of a first timer, written by Regina P. Ciardiello, Regina, who is not really accustom to small aircraft, takes her first ride. Would she do it again? "Absolutely!"

Rooty Kazooty Draws Attention of New York Television

By Chuck Feil - VFA Publishing

Rooty Kazooty and Chuck Feil - click WOKR to view short video courtesy of: WOKR Rochester &
WENY Elmira, NY, USA

WOKR, ABC channel 13 in Rochester, New York, does a morning show from 6:00 - 7:00 AM; it is the typical news morning program except for reporter Darren Mark who travels with a remote truck to various locations. They came out to Penn Yan airport in New York, USA and did the TV news show inside the hangar with all the big jets in the background. Rooty (my RAF) was the topic of conversation with “tid bits” about my new book "The Finger Lakes Region of New York - A View From Above".

Darren asked all kinds of questions about Rooty's unique handling and construction. The TV station kept coming back throughout the hour and the hosts were quite taken with the Gyroplane’s uniqueness. (As we all are too.)

There were about 6 segments to the show. On the last one I took Darren up in Rooty as the sun was rising.

(continued in the RAF Flyer November issue.)

RAF Pioneers

Dan Haseloh, (pictured to your left) loved to fly gyros and tinker with them on the ground just like is uncle, Bernard Haseloh.

Read the story of how Bernard Haselow, a Canadian pioneer in these small craft was instrumental in encouraging his nephew Daniel Haseloh to learn to fly a gyroplane. These craft eventually lead to the RAF 2000 of today.

Click on the photo of Dan to watch him land the RAF 1000 prototype (670 meg.).

Georgia RAF 2000 in EAA Publication

Check out the November 2004 issue of SportAviation magazine, published by the EAA. It is the EAA magazine of recreational aviation.

In the magazine's November issue, Jerry Tiahrt's gyroplane is pictured under the heading "What our members are building and restoring". Jerry mentions that his RAF is the most enjoyable aircraft he as ever flown.

He further mentions that his ship is the most enjoyable he has flown and was fun to build too. Watch him fly it by clicking on the photo above.

These pages are an excellent way to publish a few words on your gyro in an international magazine!

Thanks Jerry for publishing a few words on you RAF.

Recently Launched RAF Pilots Experiences Over 2,000 Visits a Month!

The most important item is that this club has been formed less than a year ago and is in the process of building membership. You don't have to live in the USA to own a gyroplane, in fact RAF, the designer, kit supplier and namesake of this publication, and most probably the largest supplier of enclosed-cabin gyros, is Canadian. Wherever you live, if you are interested in gyros (especially if you are interested in RAF models), you should join RAF Pilots.

This page is reserved for cool stuff we all want to cover. It is news on your local RAF Pilots Chapter, on events RAF owner-members have covered, on pilots' and builders' accomplishments or any flying experience that they want to share with others. Certainly any fly-ins that you attend are of interest to the members. To get the complete story, though, you must be a member. Once you subscribe, you will receive your keys to our digital magazine issues and RAF Pilot email address, so (even if you don't own an RAF), join RAF Pilots!

For more on the website statistics see the information below.

I am an RAF Pilot

Get your mail sent to you@rafpilots.com. RAF Pilots will forward emails sent to you@rafpilots.com to your existing email address free, as part of your membership benefit. This is a $20.00 per year service provided for free to the membership. Ask our webmaster to set you up and say "I am an RAF Pilot" with every email that you send. RAF pilots are fun-omenal!

Latest News

	Six-Page Stabilator Report
	East Meets West
	Rotor Balancing Act - Is no Act
	Flat Spin Video
	Members' Gyro Trailers
	Maintenance - the RAF 2000 Gyro Copter
	New Zealand Gyro Fraternity
	Rotorcrafts, Large and Small
	Build A Gyro Hanger for $3,000 US
	RAF on Live TV
	Insurance - Liability
	Insurance or Jail Time
	New RAF Over Minnesota

Click on the above photo for more highlights of this trip across the Illinois snow

Ready for Maiden Flight

This ship was built by Bob Mcguire. Bob received his fixed wing private pilot's license when he was 18 and have been flying off an on ever since. He currently owns this RAF and working towards his gyroplane add-on.

Chuck Lucas Gets The Ticket!

	Ship is award-winning RAF - twice at EAA Airventure
	Pit crewed for Chuck Feil on the 48-state RAF flight
	Received Rotorcraft Gyroplane ticket at Airventure 2004

Chuck Lucas won the Ken Brock award in 2002 and the Bronze Lindy in 2003 for his Champion, RAF 2000 GTX SE N41CL and received his Rotorcraft Gyroplane ticket at Airventure 2004. Chuck must really like the EAA event. Congratulations Chuck!