Chapter 20 Fall Meet Pictures

[rgraffeo]

PRA Chapter 20 had our Fall meet for 2007 on the 6th of October at the Marksville, LA airport. Here are a few pictures.

I would have posted the pictures before but had trouble with the size. Thanks to my friend, Tim OConnor, for resizing the pictures for me.

[rgraffeo]

A few more.

[rgraffeo]

Here are a few my wife took as I flew the pattern.

[Timchick]

Looks like you had a pretty good turn out.

[GyroRon]

Is Miles flying yet? Hadn't seen him in years.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Nice pics Rudy, I noticed that 3 of the gyros/trailers had setups for hauling their gyros with the blades on.
Did they travel far like that?
How well do the gyros ride with the blades straped down and the gyro bouncing on the trailer? Seems like there would be alot of stress on the rotorhead that way.
I know people do it but never got a chance to ask how it works out....

[dragonflyerthom]

How did the training go with Larry Banks? How many too advantage of the training that was available?

[bogman]

Hellooo Thom, Larry turned out to be a great instructor. Like Steve McGowan, he stays calm and on top of all situations. Due to carburator ice, I got to do a real engine out.

He wasn't idle very often. It seemed like a constant supply of trainees all week.

[barnstorm2]

You have a great variety of machines in your chapter!

The Bensens and Brocks all seem very well done!

The flying I did with Rudy around Baton Rouge was some of my all-time favorite!

.

[DanielM]

I did my training w/ Larry. Like you said great guy and very calm. I just like to promote him any chance I get.

[rgraffeo]

Phil,
I can't really answer for the guys but the blue Bensen 0-200 is always trailered with the blades on. The pilot has been doing it for the 8 years I've known him. He just had a problem with his teeter bolt bushings. The bushings were worn out causing the gyro to fly funny, like it was hopping. He is replacing them with bearings. I can't say if this was due to trailering with the blades on or just worn out from all the years of flying.

[Glenn D]

Hey Guys,

Larry Is one of the best, Calm, very thorough in his methodology of instruction, explaining every step, what will happen and correct input to handle the wind conditions which we wwere experiencing.

With Larry's RAF conversion, His ship is high off the ground so all us of were not as experienced at getting in and out of his cockpit, he provided a small step so we wouldn't do any damage to his controls, but the funny part is watching Larry do a Yoga manuever to get in, He grabbs his left pant cuff to get his leg over the cyclic, But Larry is the master!!

It was a pleasure to get to know and get instruction from Larry. If you're in tennesse, look him up under Heron Creek Aviation.

Glenn

[bogman]

Glenn I put that primer kit on Saturday and she fired up the first time I hit the switch! Thanks for the heads up on that one.

[jchurchman]

Hey guys, wish that i could have been there. Had to work, cant wait to see everyones machines. I was off last week and flew every chance i got. I had my first engine out at about thirty five feet above the runway. My flourescent pill got stuck and i thought i had more fuel than i did. I think the seat belt going over the fuel line has been compressing it enough to alter the line. I fed the belt under the fuel line and am watching the fuel much closer. Steve M. and i had inserted the pill after i had burnt my elbow, bringing it back to try to see the fuel in my line. Anyway, I had plenty of airspeed so i just brought her down for a normal landing. Cant wait to fly with everyone at one of our meets.

[gyromike]

Good save John!

[Friendly]

Good report John! I was looking forward to you being there.
Thom,
We had a Spaghetti dinner at my house almost 2 years ago with regard to training. We gathered as much videos, Cd's, books or what ever that pertained to learning to fly the gyro and shared it with one another.
Steve McGowan came down last year and several of us some training in the Black since it would simulate the majority of our gyros. The wind was not very good to us newbies then and we got about 1/2 through the training.
Larry accepted an invitation from Manuel and it gave our chapter a great opportunity to finish up training without extensive travel. I would say that it really worked out well for the club as whole. We were blessed to be able to fly two different style machines.

[Friendly]

Did they travel far like that?
How well do the gyros ride with the blades straped down and the gyro bouncing on the trailer? Seems like there would be alot of stress on the rotorhead that way.
I

Phil,
As Rudy said , the Blue Bensen travels everywhere with his blades supported in brackets, He flies 25 foot Skywheels. The gyro is left on the trailer at all times and stored under his carport.

King Chocolate (Scott), the Red and white pod Bensen also travels from Echo to Bunkie about 30 miles with blades attached. he has 24 foot Rotordynes.

Mr. Johnson travels with his blades at times, but he lives in Bunkie which is about 15 miles from Marksville. He has 25 foot dragonwings. Currently he is still training and has not flown the gyro.

I carried my blades attached when I would go to several of the airports in my area. the furtherest distance was about 35 miles. I live next to the freeway so I had pretty good road. I did notice problems with my trailer (which is very light to begin with and very soft springs.) wanting to weave after about 50 mph. The blades made the trailer top heavy and also the air under the blade would lighten the trailer on the front.
I am building a new trailer 18 foot to allow me to carry the blades as a whole. Like the Sharkie Brothers carry their blades. It will also allow me to leave the blades attached for the local airport which is only 7 miles away. I have 22 foot dragonwings.

[Timchick]

............ My flourescent pill got stuck and i thought i had more fuel than i did. I think the seat belt going over the fuel line has been compressing it enough to alter the line. I fed the belt under the fuel line and am watching the fuel much closer. Steve M. and i had inserted the pill after i had burnt my elbow, bringing it back to try to see the fuel in my line. ...........

Where did you find the flourescent pill? I've done double-takes trying to tell how much fuel I've had in my sight tube.

[Glenn D]

Good to hear it works Miles,

I'm going to take a shot of my scissor arangement for the control rods, Like I promised and email it to you, have you had a chance to do any slow taxi tests on the KB-4 yet? I still have an old set of 1" x .25' x 10" scissor control set if you would like to make a trial arrangement. And I have my old set of control rods that came with my gryobee your welcome to have with the bearing at each end.

Let me know if your interested,

Glenn.

[jchurchman]

Where did you find the flourescent pill? I've done double-takes trying to tell how much fuel I've had in my sight tube.

Steve Mcgowen and i installed it when i was training with him in Georgia. Not sure where he obtained it but you could email him for some info.