Thinking About a Gyro

I don't think so Skippy ...

He is obviously a very talented pilot but that's a bit too close to the edge for me!
 
Little kid: Gee mister, that was sure some fancy flyin'...

Pilot: What fancy flying.?? I just bought this thing and it didn't come with instructions on how to fly it.!!

I am thinkin' he has done this before....
 
Daleandee said:
I don't think so Skippy ...

He is obviously a very talented pilot but that's a bit too close to the edge for me!
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Yeah, some of those turns at low altitude had me cringing. Especially the last one at the end.
 
pretty cool.... way to die in front of loved ones. lol.

The irony of his full face helmet did not escape me either! :D
 
Gyros are a blast. Definitely recommend a lesson in one if you get a chance.
 
Aside from that totally crazy close to the ground stuff, it seemed that he must have some sort of rotation power to prevent rotor stall at low forward speeds.

He may kill some other less skilled gyro guys that try such low speed, and low to the ground maneuvers.

I need to get out my Bensen gyrocopter plans and start ordering parts. They fit basic meds rules, don't they?

Years ago, I watched a guy flying one, decided it was too easy to get beyond the design limits, and dropped my plan to build one.
 
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Dave Theisen said:
And I thought this was going to a food thread. :)
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If he makes the slightest of errors in his flying routine it will be a food thread as he will be food for the bugs when he takes the eternal dirt nap ... :D

I have no desire to see this man injure himself and I believe he has the same desire. But if ya keep poking the bear ...
 
Piperonca said:
Red Bull material—the Bob Hoover of Bensons. However those blades got mighty close to the grass. That was as near the edge as anything I want to see today.
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Kinda wonder about the stresses on the rotor during that loop. Looks like fun though.
 
Pretty cool flying coffee grinder, but not for me, especially this close to ground
 
You can get away with what he’s doing for awhile, but eventually you get bit. Some of the very best find out the hard way.
 
Velocity173 said:
Kinda wonder about the stresses on the rotor during that loop. Looks like fun though.
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I was thinking the exact same thing. Never imagined a gyro could be that responsive. Especially the anti-torque and roll rate.
 
Piperonca said:
I was thinking the exact same thing. Never imagined a gyro could be that responsive. Especially the anti-torque and roll rate.
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One thing I was just thinking of is how it powers through those steep turns. In a helicopter, you’d have to be pretty light to sustain a turn like that due to power requirements. Gyros do have their advantages.
 
Velocity173 said:
One thing I was just thinking of is how it powers through those steep turns. In a helicopter, you’d have to be pretty light to sustain a turn like that due to power requirements. Gyros do have their advantages.
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Not only that, it is very easy to stall the wings in an aerobatic plane if the 180 turn is too tight which increases the G loading. Those blades must also have a critical angle in such a maneuver.
 
I am seriously thinking about getting some type of gyro if they can be operated in 1-200 ft of runway, which it appears they can be.

Which brands are the least likely to kill me?
 
I'm starting to get the idea any of them can kill you, and more easily than an airplane:

 
Velocity173 said:
Nah, just gotta keep positive G on the thing. Don’t do anything aggressive.
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That's it in a nutshell. However, I still don't see how the triple loop guy got away with all of it. He got pretty snappy there in that repertoire of stunts. Nobody I know has hands-on experience with these things, but in some recent reading I learned finesse of control touch and aircraft response knowledge are essential to survival.
 
Whitney said:
Does anyone know what make and model that gyrocopter is?
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Don't know but just spoke to a retired engineer buddy in California who seriously investigated gyros as a potential buyer and said the only ones he would feel safe in [Brock or Bensen] cost as much as his Mooney.
 
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At first look I thought this thread would involve something about tzatziki sauce.....

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Little Nellie yet.


 
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This guy is a great gyro pilot an a fun one to watch. He has practiced his routines just like any aerobatic pilot, but seeing the rotor that close to the ground scare me too! From what I understand, his gyro has been modified for aerobatic flying, but I'm not sure what has been done.

I think it's a Benson, but I don't know for sure.

Ironically, I'm literally in my RV on the way to start the build on my AR-1c in Florida. They are a ton of fun to fly!
 
I have my doubts about these things: still trying to master an r/c autogyro, and so far, every flight has ended in a crash. There's something I still need to learn, just not sure what.
 
What, no blade stop autorotation? Seriously though, this is and 3D R/C heli class stuff.

what make/model and how do I place a deposit??
 
jesse said:
I am seriously thinking about getting some type of gyro if they can be operated in 1-200 ft of runway, which it appears they can be.

Which brands are the least likely to kill me?
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You're out of luck. They can land in a really short distance (I routinely landed in 35 ft or less ground roll in training with minimal wind) but they take a good 300 ft minimum for takeoff, and that's with an experienced pilot and a powerful engine (like a Rotax 915is). In addition, you need clear area before and after the landing area for landing and takeoff.

Lots of good brands out there now. You want as close to center-line thrust as possible. High thrust line is the one the ended up maiming and killing lots of people due to causing a bunt-over. Low thrust line will cause you to pitch up with power. Both are mitigated to some extent with a horizontal stabilizer.
 
MonkeyClaw said:
You're out of luck. They can land in a really short distance (I routinely landed in 35 ft or less ground roll in training with minimal wind) but they take a good 300 ft minimum for takeoff, and that's with an experienced pilot and a powerful engine (like a Rotax 915is). In addition, you need clear area before and after the landing area for landing and takeoff.

Lots of good brands out there now. You want as close to center-line thrust as possible. High thrust line is the one the ended up maiming and killing lots of people due to causing a bunt-over. Low thrust line will cause you to pitch up with power. Both are mitigated to some extent with a horizontal stabilizer.
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Roger. I've seen a lot of examples of well less than 300 ft, along with manufacturers claiming well less than that with a pre-rotator. Are you saying that's not possible or safe? Or are you saying they are all lying about the performance?

Realistically I could clear 400 ft of runway, but, if I need that much space..then other flying machines start to look more attractive than a gyro.
 
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Velocity173 said:
Nah, just gotta keep positive G on the thing. Don’t do anything aggressive.
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Yep. The scary thing is the recovery is counter intuitive to other aircraft. Keep the stick back and close the throttle compared to adding power and pushing forward. Some analogy to a helicopter in a low g situation. You pull back rather than trying to correct the roll that is ensuing.

But best to avoid those situations entirely.
 
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