Design
The frame of the aircraft is primarily of rectangular section aluminium tube construction. The side-by-side two seater cabin is constructed of composites.
The RAF 2000 is unusual amongst autogyros in that it does not have a horizontal tailplane - although aftermarket horizontal tailplanes are available.
Like almost all UK-approved amateur-built designs the RAF 2000 is subject to Civil Aviation Authority Mandatory Permit Directives, similar to airworthiness directives for certified aircraft. As of January 2010 these MPDs include repetitive inspections for rotor blade cracks, a one time installation of an emergency egress placard, a one time replacement of control system components and a one time inspection of rudder cables. As a result of a fatal accident the CAA issued an MPD in 2009 which indicates that the design does not fully comply with the required BCAR Section T and that as a result unmodified aircraft are subject to a number of restrictions including flight with doors being prohibited, VNE limited to 70 mph and crosswind limited to 7 knots for take-off and landing, maximum 15 knots windspeed with a 10 knot gust spread are prohibited from flight in moderate or higher turbulence. Many of these restrictions can be removed by modifying the aircraft with a tailplane/rudder centring spring and new doors, although the 70 mph VNE is retained on both modified and unmodified aircraft flown in the UK.
Read more about this topic: Rotary Air Force RAF 2000
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