RotorX Franken Kit - Printable Version

RotorX Franken Kit - Printable Version

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RotorX Franken Kit - Sam Oliver - 01-01-2026

I'm on a very slow roll to attempt to complete a RotorX Phoenix A600 Kit. I am melding parts from a an incomplete kit I purchased from the factory prior to their failure, with parts from another incomplete kit another fellow had, with an engine from another fellow. All together, I believe I have all of the critical parts. Only lacking in instruments and any lighting/optional type stuff.

Initially, When I purchased the kit in 2022, I was planning on building not only a safe and correct mechanical aircraft, but one worthy of showing off cosmetically, and craft wise But the three year delay has pushed the entire goal now into just the safe and mechanically correct version, and the cosmetics maybe later (I have two complete aircraft worth of body panels to mess up, one set already not so great).

So wish me luck, I have shed a bunch of extraneous projects off my plate and am planning on jumping on this project with a lot more time and effort and making serious progress this winter/spring.

Ah yes! The excitement of unpacking back when I was clueless of the challenges RotorX was going through. This was prior to the Rotorway Builders group on facebook, and when I couldn't get the forum moderator to approve my membership on ROG forum (should have been a clue things weren't going well).

Once again, this was prior to the Rotorway Builders group facebook page. I spent as much time searching the internet for people in my situation looking for some build advice. Eventually, the ROG forum moderator got around to approving my membership and I was able to connect with a few other new ROTORX builders at my same level of frustration. Trying to figure out where to split the tub. Wade at the factory was hard to get in touch with, and eventually I spent some time with him on the phone where he admitted the panels were anything but close. Gave me a couple of hints and wished me luck. (Another clue I didn't catch early enought- Trying to get in touch with anybody at the factory about questions). Luckily at that time, I was able to communicate with the few aforementioned ROTORX builders on ROG for help. But eventually, I lost access to ROG when I put in a wrong password a couple times. Was never able to get the administrator to reset the password. Gave up on ROG, as by now the Rotorway builders group on Facebook started and I found the ROG forum was so hit and miss most people had given up on it.

RotorX and their crappy fitting winglets. Little did I know at this time, that I probably should have just left them off, finished off the stabilizers without the winglets. But spent a lot of time cutting, trimming and reshaping trying to get some semblance of a fit.

About this time in my build; RotorX was - unknown to me, in full fledge melt down. Employees either didn't answer the phone, or brushed everything off, with company correct speak of, "Wade" is out of the office this week- We are waiting on parts from our suppliers, we expect them any day---Your group is going to be "next one out". We all know where that went. They failed, work stopped on my end as well.

So Here I am 3+ years later. Getting ready to lower my tailboom down from it's dusty perch where it's been hanging the last three years, put it back on the frame, and continue on. This pick a few days ago. I'm getting ready to fit the windscreen. Waiting on a response from @Paul Barroso about his window mounting jig dimensions.

RE: RotorX Franken Kit - Jared Hartzell - 01-12-2026

Good luck @Sam Oliver ! You'll get her done. Don't worry, you won't have any issues with your account here lol. At least, they'll be short-lived if you do. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress here and it can all be documented within this thread!

Also, let me know if you want replies to be disabled for this thread and I'll do that for you. (Some people might prefer a clean canvas to document their builds on, others might want commentary in-between).

RE: RotorX Franken Kit - Sam Oliver - 01-20-2026

(01-12-2026, 04:39 AM)Jared Hartzell Wrote: Good luck @Sam Oliver ! You'll get her done. Don't worry, you won't have any issues with your account here lol. At least, they'll be short-lived if you do. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress here and it can all be documented within this thread!

Also, let me know if you want replies to be disabled for this thread and I'll do that for you. (Some people might prefer a clean canvas to document their builds on, others might want commentary in-between).

I'd prefer to get commentary. I have a little MS Access Database I'm working on in conjunction with the build for my build documentation purposes.

Right now I'm working on finishing up items on the TailBoom Section of the Building guide. On my RotorX Phoenix kit, Vertical fin installation was where I left of, while I was waiting on the actual vertical fin. One of many many items not shipped when it was supposed to be. My little metal bending station is too far away from the project. Heat, bend, check fit, is not working. My welding/metal working area of my shop is outside in a covered shed and the helicopter build is going on inside my shop. So I'm going to move the Gas welding rig inside so I can do my bending and test fitting more effectively. Heck, I may be able to get it done today.

RE: RotorX Franken Kit - Sam Oliver - 01-26-2026

Progress has been slow this week. I'm going to blame the weather and my lack of blacksmith skills. Spent way to much time trying to get the vertical fin bracket fabricated and fitting properly. But today finally got it on. Aft vertical fin bracket is not yet mounted but it's pretty close to being ready. Another hour or two at my pace and the vertical fin will be done, and I can close Sec 6 of the manual and move on to Section 7. The saving grace is I skipped ahead to Section 8 -Body fitting when I was waiting on my rotor system. So it is well on it's way to being finished.

RE: RotorX Franken Kit - Tim Morris - 01-27-2026

Excellent progress Sam! Keep up the good work.

RE: RotorX Franken Kit - Louis Morin - 02-08-2026

Sam,

You are making good progress and my advice is to take your time measuring everything carefully and sometimes walk away to think about what you're trying to accomplish. I don't want to discourage you, but it took me 24 years to finish the construction of my helicopter. Part of the reason when I started there was the resources that are available over the internet. Also, I did not purchase the kit but rather purchased an Exec that was flying and wanted to upgrade it to an Exec162 less the Fadec system. There are a few ideas I had a long the way that I would like to share with you. The first would be to throw all of the Dzus locks in the recycle pile and purchase quarter turn 2600 series CLoc from Skybolt . They are also available from Aircraft Spruce
https://store.skybolt.com/cloc-stainless--skytanium-c157.aspx.
They are made of stainless and the Phillips head and they reduce the chance of damaging your body or paint job. For those other applications where you would use a pan head screw I chose to use Flush Finish countersunk washers with flat head Phillips head screws from Aircraft Spruce. The only place I used round head Phillips Screws is on the windscreen. Here is a photo showing both types of fasteners on the body panel. The CLoc are on the lower rear panels, on the dog house, and the interior seat back panels. The flat head countersunk screws are on the other body panels that are not removed for pre and post flight inspections.

RE: RotorX Franken Kit - Tim Morris - 02-09-2026

Love the air inlet screens top side of the top engine cowl for hover airflow!

RE: RotorX Franken Kit - Louis Morin - 02-14-2026

I may be wrong, but I think the air inlet screens may have been part of the Exec earlier design.

RE: RotorX Franken Kit - Sam Oliver - 02-14-2026

Well @Louis Morin , Those fasteners you mentioned would be the deal for sure. Unfortunately, I'm mostly beyond that point. But I'll definitely look into them going forward. Too bad there isn't a descent centralized "repository" of worthwhile modifications. The old ROG forum doesn't seem to have much, the facebook page I no longer am on, is hard to search. Some of the old hands, Orv and the crews in Florida That have separate websites have some good information. Makes me long for the old days when I was building and acrosport. They had a printed newsletter with all that stuff. Sometimes i think things were better in print days.