(NGC) Anyone been around any of the current crop of gyroplanes?

[Gliderjohn]

This month's issue of Plane & Pilot has an article on the some of the current gyroplanes. Looks interesting and much more affordable than most planes and quite safe too. If one could go in with two or three partners it would be real affordable. Anyone here familiar with the newer stuff? Here is one company's site:
http://www.aerotrek.aero/
GliderJohn

[AMGeneral]

There are or were a couple of the towed gyroplanes in the Air museum near Spirit in Wichita.. Talk about out in the open. No body work, a seat, a control stick, and not much else.

[wrbix]

I have no direct experience, but have on and off over the last year or so been investigating from afar.

My mission is inexpensive STOL "local" transportation, esp to airport where I hangar the Grumman.
The SportCopter M219 looks very interesting to me - bigger wheels/tires and actual damped suspension for rough (that is of course relative - like a relatively smooth pasture) terrain.
Looks to me like they're all essentially homebuilts.  Trainers seem a bit few and far between. If SportCopter were closer I might do the assisted build thing and train there.
Interested to hear where you're headed with this, re your mission, etc.

[wrbix]

........planning my Glider training/rating this Spring (Bermuda High school is an hour drive away), BTW.

[dilligaf]

My wife's nephew teaches aircraft mechanics.  As a school project he purchased a helicopter kit and his students put it together.  I expected a couple of pipes with some seats and an engine attached.  I did not expect something like this.  He keep it in his garage at home.
  www.rotorway.com
 :BEER:

Matt

[Lannis]

There are or were a couple of the towed gyroplanes in the Air museum near Spirit in Wichita.. Talk about out in the open. No body work, a seat, a control stick, and not much else.

I used to see advertisements back in the 60s and 70s in "Popular Science" and similar mags for a little helicopter that had a jet engine at the end of each rotor to spin the blades around.   It was supposed to be a "kit build".

I wonder if any of these actually go made and flown?   That would scare me to death to try to fly something like that!

Lannis

[wrbix]

S-L-O-Wness is a relative thing. Top speed, for instance, of the M912 I referenced is 110mph - that's their utilitarian/agrarian (Guzzi content) model. Plenty fast for short distances IMHO.

[bigbikerrick]

Gyrocopters have always fascinated me... ever since I seen the old Road Warrior movie, with Mel Gibson. Remember that crazy dude that was always flying around in one of those.... seemed like a simple fairly stable machine.
Rick.
 

[steven c]

 They sure have come a long way since the Benson Gyrocopter that they used to advertise in the back of Popular Science magazine. I allays wanted one when I was a kid.
http://www.vortechonline.com/bensen/

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from wrbix:

........planning my Glider training/rating this Spring (Bermuda High school is an hour drive away), BTW.

Great! You will love it and it will make a better stick and rudder pilot in any kind of aircraft. Have a great time!
GliderJohn

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from kirby1923:

Its just about the safest thing in the air (gyrocopters) as long as built and flown right. Your in perpetual auto rotation regardless of the engine.
But S-L-O-W. Low maintenance and cost. Closest thing to an aero moto!

The current crop looks to be around 100mph or so, not bad.
GliderJohn

[oldbike54]

Quote from kirby1923:
The current crop looks to be around 100mph or so, not bad.
GliderJohn

 Kirbster's reference point is the Phantom , pretty much anything else is gonna feel slow  ;D Really , these things appeal to my minimalist leanings , looks like fun  ;-T Of course , no way in hell am I going up in one   ::) :D

  Dusty

[Penderic]

Last week while surfing, I came across a bunch of home made gyro pics on the web - and most of the cheaper ones look to be Chinese home made knock offs.


Might even work!

[cwiseman]

I can suggest talking to a fella named Dofin Fritts. You could google him or he's on Facebook. I met and became friends with him at the deals gap 2-stroke street bike rally many years ago. If I were seriously thinking about one he's a guy to contact. He builds world class, highly safe units and sells kit forms.

[Randown]

People think they're safe b/c they're always in auto-rotation & they don't stall.

BUT there's a lot of other gotcha's with these. PIO & bunting are problems especially with non-centerline thrust machines as the thrustline is often high & points the disc down as you add power.

Once the relative air enters topside of the disc & the disc goes negative for any length of time you're done - not recoverable. You tumble forward then on to the ground.

At least you can recover easily from a stall or a spin in an a/p.

Do your research hang out at the forums & read read read. Centerline thrust & a big (levered) tail stabilizer are likley to be safer than those w/o.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I clicked and looked.  No prices listed.
 Their attitude must be, If you have to ask how much, you can't afford one.

[oldbike54]

I clicked and looked.  No prices listed.
 Their attitude must be, If you have to ask how much, you can't afford one.

 Separate page ,+- $60 k .

  Dusty

[Randown]

Hang out on the internet forums and do research..WOW.

What was I thinking..

Anything that goes up has to come down sooner or later, do it wrong and you are likely??? to get hurt.
like anything else.

I've had a J-3 Cub for 25 years, bright yellow. Stall it while uncoordinated  it will spin in a blink of an eye. Every machine has its demons.

The auto gyro is a simple to build simple to learn how to fly simple to maintain  and is as safe or safer than anything out there.



Peace brother.

 ::) ::) ::)

[oldmxdog61u]

Seems expensive compared to a fixed wing. But then a tail dragger with tundra tires gives me goosebumps.  A starduster II a conniption.

[acogoff]

     I would be more interested in the original gyrocopter tractor configuration as was used on the Cierva and Pitcairn years ago. Pusher configuration just adds to the modes of failure as anything that comes off the aircraft hits the propeller, have seen it happen many times on the ultralights and  seaplanes.

[Randown]

I can suggest talking to a fella named Dofin Fritts. You could google him or he's on Facebook. I met and became friends with him at the deals gap 2-stroke street bike rally many years ago. If I were seriously thinking about one he's a guy to contact. He builds world class, highly safe units and sells kit forms.

Old discussion on Rotary Wing Forum maybe things have changed BUT...

"Mr. Fritts' history is pretty much general knowledge in gyro CFI circles and on the forum. As for the FAA, they don't give a hoot."

"What is sad about Dolfin is that he is very passionate about gyros and training and for him to not accept the truth about gyro stability and the safety provided is a real shame."

"I am somewhat familiar with Fritt's record. I first learned about this instructor when a local pilot bought an RAF and WAS planning on adding an HStab to it until he took on Fritt's as an instructor. It boggles my mind that he can loose so many students to PPOs and still he has this mind-set. It's like someone who has dug themselves too deep into a lie and they can't even pull themselves out of it."

"Wasn't it last summer, another of Dolfins students PPO'ed to death in a RAF? How many more will there be..... and yet how many more people will see his ad and listings through the PRA and believe he is a safe and good person to use as their mentor.

"It is a shame that he does this. We could use all the instructors we could get, but we need smart instructors that aren't a danger to their students"

[Kolibri]

I have both a 1100 Quota, and an RAF2000 gyro.  Probably not many can say that!  :)

As far as Dofin Fritts building "world class, highly safe units" such is certainly not what he sold me.
At least one of his logbook service inspections was bogus -- he didn't perform the service items.
His so-called "well maintained" gyro was full of old and corroded bolt shanks, unseen until I wisely replaced them.

regarding my experience with CFI/broker Dofin Fritts
http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=588631#post588631

Nice way for a CFI/broker to treat a newbie!
http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41893

control rod ends
http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4015

RAF 2000 trim spring changes
http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42557

___
Last summer, Fritts inspected a used machine purchased by a newbie, and then trained him in it.
Apparently, the control tube rod ends had never been changed out at the mandated 250 hours.
A few weeks later, the newbie and his passenger crashed, killing them both.

Corroded rods ends are the NTSB Investigator's preliminary probable cause.
http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41713

Before that crash, I asked Fritts if I should change out my rod ends. 
(I didnt' then know of the 250 hour time change notice from RAF.)
Fritts said that he didn't recommend that I did; only when "wear and appearance indicate the need".
This is contrary to factory policy, and general prudence.

I just changed mine out. 
Mr. Mahler of LaPlace, LA apparently did not.
I think his relatives may have some questions about that. 

IMO, Dofin Fritts is sloppy and apathetic.  I have one of his gyros to prove it.
At least I am still alive, but I've spent more time bringing the machine up to snuff than flying it.

Kolibri