jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

Hi I'm Building the New Composite Arf Rookie 2, So for you guys who are going to jump on the band wagon here's what I found,First after a call to Mr Jason Shulman and placing my Order Only A few days Later Fed X delivered the Wookie. You will find a nicely packed Plane with all those expensive King Cat Bags? but they must of forgot the purple labels in Florida.Upon opening the plane you will find a unbelievable paint job, Perfect is a good word.All parts in great shape by the way the Kit was $938 Shipped Ill keep a Total also as I put Her together! Here's some Pics.

jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

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jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

I built last year the proto type Rookie 2, But this Comp-arf has canards also and its total pre-fab! all the work is done by the factory well almost all. First with the Rookie 2 you need to prep the Elevons,I always use one servo on each side for the rookie 2 Jr 8611 with 220 oz of pull will do the trick.The first thing to do is tape the elevons even with the wing tips, and sand a curved edge and make a 220 sandpaper gap so you wont get any binding. Also its good to sand the corners of the leading edge of the elevons round corners don't bind as easily as square ones.I also run a piece of wood along the trailing edge of the wing skin applying pressure to help bend it up this helps in getting a bind free hing line.

jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

I Now to glue the 2 elevon halfs together, due to the fact I'm only using one servo per wing. I've used this method before and it works great.First I cut some balsa inserts to go in the elevon half's to make a gluing surface.Then I tac them in with some ca, I don't leave them flush but inside a bit.Then I get some denatured alcohol gloves and some Aeropoxy ready. I tape around the glue joint first then put plenty of aerpoxy on both inside surfaces. Then move them together and tape the outer ends so they don't move. I clean the bottom joint and tape it so when you run your finger over the top joint you force glue into the joint. Then clean the top and bottom remove the tape and let em dry.

Purchase 3 8611s and a G500 Gyro for $450 now the totall is $1388.00 More tommarow night..

jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

Well the last thing to do on the wing believe it or not is to install the 8611s.This is where it gets tricky, the kit comes with servo trays that you glue to the servo hatch but you need to have the arm in the right position with the right movement.So the first thing you need to do is elongate the servo arm cut out to double the size.Now build the tray,I put some thin ply to give the servo tray more binding power to the hatch.Here the trick, take some scrap balsa and tack it to the top of the wing skin inside the servo pocket,you need to shim it so when you place the servo inside its at the right height and angle with the arm sticking out centered and that when you bolt the hatch back on it will be snug so it wont move while the glue is drying .I also make a couple of shims to make sure the arm doesn't move. I use #4 button head screws to attach the hatch and aeropoxy, after they hatch is on I also plug the servo in and again check that its moving properly. You will be able to move the wing around without the servo moving using this method and you can still move the servo to get the right position if needed.

jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

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jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

As for the speed brake, I use the same method as in the instructions this gives you first time results and the speed brake works without binding and deploys fully. To get the right position use the back hatch as your starting point to measure up from,split the hatch width in half, draw a line up to the factory hinge cut and measure outward from that point your hatch will be perfectly centered,measure twice cut once

jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

The canopy is huge, so I decided to use 2 4-40 pins in the front, some guides along the rails and a hatch latch in the rear. I tape the canopy frame to the fuse and make the starter cuts with the cut of wheel, then come back with the carbide cutter.

jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

Well the canards are a snap! Cut the carbon factory installed tubes as per instructions. Slightly sand the canard carbon rods ad a little grease,slide them in the supplied canard metal control rod, tighten up the 4 Allen set screws, install the servo into the servo tray, and glue in as per instructions! Done.

1/2 time show

My Feedback: (78)

wll your jet have elavons as well as canards or will it fly with jest canards

Bob Moore

jettset99

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Bob I'm running the Elevons with the canards AND thrust vectoring! all together.I'm using a 10x so the Mix switch will be used to turn on and off.


As for cost update I decided to use Hitec to finish her up with if you call servo city they give you free shipping and sometimes a extra % Off so another $253 to the tally.I'm using HS625 mgs on the rudders and the steering these wont burn out with the gyro always use non digital with gyros,they have plenty of torque @98 oz and metal gears they wont strip, and one on the speed brake.On the thrust Vectoring I'm using a Digital HS 5645 plenty of juice and a great servo.I always use metal arms all the way around, the rest of the gear and brake are 81 mg and 225mg.

$1641.00 is my total thus far not bad for a Jet.

Paul Turbine Jet Man

any updates ??????????????????????? i am enjoying your build thread.

jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

Hi sorry here's the last of the Build pics. The plane finished up nicely, but I did have some issues with it not tracking straight, Make sure to add" tow in" on the mains!

Make sure to apply plenty of Bvm Heat shield to the hatch and Engine compartment. The Thrust vectoring is very simple to install a little trick is to drill small pilot holes and use a wire to make sure they are level from the rear, and in line when you look from the top of the fuse.

SJN

Very nice job so far [sm=thumbup.gif]

Q8SABRE

My Feedback: (3)

jettset
good thread & excellent pictures and just in time. I m getting my rookie next week.
keep it up please

Paul Turbine Jet Man

thanks for the update.

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Guys,

I know there have been a few threads on the Rookie II lately so I thought you should all know that there is now a brand new manual for the Rookie II - not an update of the older manual but a completely new one. This will be shipped with all kits from now on but can be downloaded for existing customers...

http://www.composite-arf.com/arf/ima...manual.v.1.pdf

Rgds,
Mark

jettset99

My Feedback: (7)

Hi guys Thanks, after you assemble the thrust reverser and install it, all the building is DONE! the only thing left to do is install electronics and turbine no more building. ******IMPORTANT the 6mm bolts that hold the wing on are to short ,I think they are 30mm. I would go to a 50 or 60mm long! they don't capture the blin nut inside the fuse. Ill take some pictures of her all finished up I used a P-70 with just the coke bottle fuel tank.I did mod the fuel tank mount by gluing a piece of ply between the front and rear tank formers and then Velcro the tank in with the Velcro straps like you use on a bypass cover to the rail. Use the robart gear they also angeled the nose gear retract mount to help in ground Handling.

Airforce7

My Feedback: (31)

Have you flown your jet yet? Lets hear your observations if you don't mind. Thanks.

sandseeker

I know it's been a long time since this tread was active, but any feed back on this airframe especially with the one piece (joined) tailerons? Tank , fuel setup?

chris

BaldEagel

Sandseaker

As you say this thread is very old now, but I still have two Rookies, one with full vectored thrust and one as standard, afraid neither have one piece elevons and use the standard fuel tank from C-AFR, but if I can help I will.

Lots of threads on RCU on the Rookie, just do a search, one of the best is by Sean Riat I think his name is, but the tag is "Building a Rookie for a friend" or some such.

Mike

sandseeker

thanks Mike. I just got the carf fg tank and have started fitting out....not decided which way on the taileron set up yet.

chris

BaldEagel

There has been quite a lot of discussion on the one piece elevons on the subject of using the outboard or inboard servo position, I think the most popular was outboard due to that being nearer the aerodynamic center of the elevon.

What turbine you are using will determine how large you may wish to make the tank, if you are into 3D then the lighter the better, so keep the tank small if you can, its all a compromise in the end because if you want to do 3D you will need power which means more fuel consumption and a smaller tank means less time in the air, or bigger tank and less capable 3D until the fuel load goes down, "you pays your money and..................................."

Mike

Jim Cattanach

I am building my third Rookie. They are great flying jets, good value & good quality. Its achilles heel are the landings. I could never get it right all the time. I used to use the belly airbrake. This time I am going to try the canards as brakes. Also going to fit a shorter nose gear oleo, to reduce the angle of attack which looks too much with the standard gear fitted.
Sorry to hear that the Rookie is slowly going out of production. I hope CARF change their mind, or sell the molds to another manufacturer.
Mine was one of the last Sunset scheme made.

BaldEagel

On both of my Rookies I use the Canard and the underside flap as a brake, the Canard goes to 85deg almost instantly, well fast enough not to act as up elevator anyway, small amount of initial height increase and then very draggy and about 15% power needed to keep it flying, at about 1M height I put the turbine to idle and she sinks onto the ground without a hint of a bounce, using both brakes at maximum and controlling the decent with the throttle the amount of drag both brakes give seems to tame the bounce thing completley.

I don't think a shorter nose olio will make a lot of difference, using the Canards as a brake will bring her in very nose high and the short nose olio will only touch down at the last minute after she has lost flying speed, Oh yes forgott to mention I have the pitch vector turned on during the landing phase without the yaw vector, I have a landing/take off condition set on my Tx full vector on, medium control movements, canard on. 3D flight, full vector on, high idle, full movement. High speed flight vector off,canard off, flight control movements reduced slightly, these conditions seem to work for me, you can only suck it and see if it will suite your style of flying.

Mike