Pros and Cons of Youtube videos on the Gyroplane.

[dragonflyerthom]

I was wondering what effect the videos on youtube.com has on the gyro and gyro community in general. I haven't seen a great surge in gyro interest or building even tho some of the videos have tens of thousands of hits. There has been an increase in the number of videos of RC tractor type gyros over the year I have been a member of the forum..


What do you think?:humble:

[Doug Riley]

I think it does more good than harm. Gyro flying will never be a mass sport (frankly, it's too dangerous for most people to accept -- and anyway it requires too much effort). The videos at least show the machines to the widest possible audience of (mostly) young folk. At least a few of them will get hooked. They might never know of gyros otherwise.

[CopterCenturian]

I heartily agree with Doug's comments. We live in a world of mass media and most younger people would rather watch a movie or video clip than get too involved in something. That's fine too because as they get older their intrest may become greater.

This is why I have included videos on my website . I mean even I love the video of the PCA autogiro flying in full color. If a picture is worth a thousand words then what does a video bring? I also think the videos with music- like TChick posts are great because it adds an emotion to the graphic that words just can't do.

I also think there is a great intrest around the world in regards to gyroplanes and future gyroplane development. Carter has managed to ignite a lot of intrest in where the sport could go and I think that there are some on the fence post to see what happens. Just be patient and support one another.

Let people know they are welcome into our sport no matter their intrest level and they will come. The EAA has done this very thing for years and look at their numbers. While gyroplanes may not be as popular at this moment remember that the Bensen gyro was once THE most popular kit (above everything else) during its heyday. The innovations that lay on the horizon may bring gyroplane intrest to even greater heights.

Ken

[gyroplanes]

I try to put a "Join the PRA, WWW.PRA.ORG" message in when I edit my videos. I link to the forum would be quicker, but I think we might get a lot of undesireables on here.

[barnstorm2]

I link to the forum would be quicker, but I think we might get a lot of undesireables on here.


Too late.

I am already here....:wave:


.

[dragonflyerthom]

Too late.

I am already here....:wave: .


That's funny Tim

If you look at the total percent of Aviation to the General population we are insignificant to them. Probably less than one percent of the total world population. Yet it is Aviation that has reduced the size of the world and the distances traveled thru the air so aviations contributions have been great for this. I agree that the time and training required for this sport are above the normal Joe Lunch Buckets and Susie Homemakers but if we have more interest and more participation in this sport(aviation). The price could actually come down. Videos as some of you say does give gyroplanes a world wide exposure but most of the videos are of GA and not gyros. There seems to be an increased interest in the RC type of gyro so this is good also. Models of operational aircraft is the best exposure we can get other than the videos because it shows the dreamer in the hobbyist.

I know I have been thinking of building a model gyro myself.

[Dean_Dolph]

......That's fine too because as they get older their interest may become greater........ I don't have any idea what the median age is of a gyro owner/pilot but I suspect it is the mid to late 40's if not in the 50's. So, Ken's statement seems to me to be valid though the reason's Doug gave may be only part of the picture.

I think that economics plays a large part in when people really jump in. Yeah, I know and hear what has been posted here numerous times about 'If you really want to do something you will find a way' but the reality for the majority is that that just doesn't wash. And that is why I believe you see the participants at gyro gatherings older than the general population. People in that age group are either still on an upward earning curve or have satisfied family financial obligations and consequently finally have some discretionary income to play with.

If that is the case then exposing the younger crowd and attracting and maintaining their interest until they finally reach an age where they can afford to participate should pay off in a larger gyro community one day. Web based videos can play a big role in exposure and interest maintenance.

[animal]

I think it is good,becouse it can show that yes gyros can and are flown safely every day with Proper training and a stable designed machine.

alot of Bensens where built and tryed to be flown with bad results, this has left a bad taste in the mouths of many airport owners and fixed wing pilots.

Today we have training and stable machines that are so much improved over the Bensens of old.

the More Video that is out there of safe Gyro flight,the more word will get out that the sport has grown and advanced to safer levels then before.

[dynacure]

Off-topic:
If anybody wants to upload a video you might consider looking into Dailymotion, Veoh and Stage6 instead of Youtube.
Youtube's low quality often spoils good video footage.

On-topic; I can't thinking of ever watching too much gyrocopter videos!!
But I don't think that many of the random surfing Youtube dwellers would even find the tags on the gyrocopter movies...


Kind regards,
Willem

[dragonflyerthom]

Last time I checked there's about 12 pages of vids under the tag of gyroplane.

[kc0iv]

Compared to YouTube hits of over a million hits per day the gyroplane tag is pretty small. Back in July, of '06 YouTube was getting over 65,000 new uploads per day.

I'm with Willem the chance of joe blow finding a video on YouTube about gyrocopters is pretty small.

Leon
(kc0iv)

[CopterCenturian]

Wow- what a great response to the question and some awesome replies at that!

Economics and available funds certainly play a major role into anyone getting into any part of aviation. I have seen multi million/billionaires who have cancelled major purchase orders because of the economy condition. Remember too we are in a time of war and things are more expensive. I think another factor in getting started to a minor degree is the Bensen Days had a basic trainer that could be upraded to a powered machine-so people were able to get into the sport in a much cheaper method than most kits or plans allow for in todays times. This all plays a part large or small to the numbers of people willing to explore a new interest.

I think most of the comments about finding gyroplane videos on You Tube are also correct. Depending on what you type in the search you may get 12, two or no matching tags. This again is a reason why I have included video feeds in the www.gyroplanepassion.com website.

This is a reason why I developed and maintain the site- when I first got really interested in gyros the info was all over the place and was difficult to find if you didn't know where to look. I have attempted and continue to attempt or improve the site so someone new to gyroplanes in general can find their niche in the sport. Be it rc's, kits, plans, maitenance, flying, an adventurous vacation in gyroplanes and even some acedemic stuff in history. I try to regularly add new topics in the history because it is from our beginnings that we can plan our future and improve our sport.

I have no doubt in my mind that if Pitcairn, Bensen, Earhart, Lindberg or most other notable had access to FREE marketing of their product to a worldwide marketplace they would have jumped at the drop of a hat.

Even videos of accidents- failures have their rightful place. Aviation is a very dangerous environment and people should be aware of what they are getting into if they do not take a serious approach to safety and training. To try and deny that accidents occur would be rediculous but as far as aviation is concerned it is one of the safest forms of travel today. It is hoped that we can learn from the errors of others and try to incorporate methods and safety checks or not take unneeded risks when we are faced with a similar situation.

FYI, I personally will not use a persons video unless I get approval to use it first even though YouTube really requires no such autorization to post. Since the video will be placed on the site, I think it is only right to ask for permission and to give the director credit for their work. This in turn can help the visitor find other videos on YouTube by the director. I have found most people very willing to use thier feeds no matter where they may be, Spain, Japan or the States.

One problem I do find with some of the videos on gyroplanes are that some are very long. Think in terms of song interest not movie interest, most people and computers can handle a 2 to 3 minute video but anything over that had best be something really special or you loose the viewers interest and pop they are gone. So if I have not asked for some of the videos out there- either I haven't gotten to a topic where I can use it or it may be too long.

If PRA would make a short video or any other organization showing what their organization offers I would be more than happy to post it on my site the same holds true for instructors and safety videos and construction techniques. It doesn't take a hollywood production just a simple, honest look into what we do. Major companies pay thousands of dollars to promote their product it can be done as presented here for free other than a few individuals time.

There is an interest in gyroplane rc models and that is great! Current UAV aircraft literally came from the rc community and there is plenty of research in rotary wing UAV technology. Why be closed minded about the potential of a gyroplane UAV we know how efficient the real aircraft are UAV gyroplanes may prove more economical than other forms of rotary wing UAV applications. An alliance with the modeling community may be the building block to advancing not only a UAV application but also garner interest in the kit aircraft. For example- special discounts on mechandise or something along those lines for dual memberships.

Sorry, I started to stray. There are tons of videos of rc airplanes, helicopters and so on. I look at these people and their sport as another group of people with an aviation intrest just a different way of expressing their passion. I have known pilots mechanics, assemblers and office people who have built rc aircraft and some even leading to bigger things. I mean how many of us out there have not built a plastic model at some point in our own lives. I had dozens hanging from my room.

In general I think that YouTube videos can be a very powerful tool that can help promote our sport. If we keep things in our own box how do others ever learn or find out what is out there? Just another way to get the word out.

Ken

[barnstorm2]

Excellent post Ken.


Way back when I was starting to research a way to get into the air I had narrowed my choice down to PPGs and Gyroplanes.

I found that places like amazon.com and and other book sellers had all kinds of books on PPGs but almost nil on gyroplanes. Now of course there are more gyro books but still not near the selection that PPGs have.

Next as I searched the internet I could find plenty of websites with PPG video but zilch for gyro video.

I started to wonder if these things could actually fly!?!

Things have gradually gotten better and now if someone wants to find gyro video footage there is plenty to be found and I think that is a great thing.

What I see as a problem now is what Ken talked about in a paragraph above.

We need some jazzy short flashy videos. Like those produced by Dennis Fetters when he was running Air Command. So far RotorHead, Dan Donnally and a few other people have been putting these out but we need more and to do a better job of distributing what these people have produced.

YouTube is a great way to make these videos available to a wider market. I just wish YouTube had better quality.

Many "Extreme Sports" vids links to YouTube get emailed around (like the 'flyin suits' vids) and so forth. Perhaps some well edited footage of Gary Goldsberry, Ron Awad and others put to music could spark some widespread interest.

Humor is also something we could exploit. Like Dans' GyroSlicer video. All kinds of non-gyro people love this and might pass the link around in emails.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8KsAPoSuPI

If anyone here has not spoken to Tim Chick about his gyro DVD catalog it is worth your time to do so. Tim has made an excellent library of gyro footage and published it on a series of DVDs he will send you (for the cost of the trouble of burning and shipping).

I think the active YouTuber's that submit videos about gyros like Tom Milton are doing a great service to our sport even if we don't get great numbers of hits.

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[StanFoster]

Thom: Had I still had my SparrowHawk...I was planning on having the other SparrowHawk in chase next summer with the passenger videotaping some cranking and bankin....and some good ol ditch running....low level stuff etc.


Those plans have been changed to having it chase my Helicycle in 2009. I want to have a real professional video done...and burned on a CD.

I would like to have the chase gyro video recording as its following the Helicycle....with the kerosene blurring exhaust plume showing that turbine doing its thing!

I would like the CD to start with a good pre-flight demonstration....turbine firing....hovering.....the chase flight.....and then end up with some good audio of that turbine spooling down when it shuts down.

I will have this done, and done right!


Stan

[dragonflyerthom]

I just found this vid posted Nov 17, 2007. It is a fly in in europe,. I find that this is truly representive of our group of aviators, builders and the median age of our group. We seniors really do like to fly low and slow.

Enjoy the music and pics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ7kJY-2ftA

[skier]

To get more hits on Youtube videos try putting a broader range of tags on the videos. I see a lot with only "gyroplane" or "autogyro" listed. Put more vague things like "Aviation", "Aircraft", "Flying".

[dragonflyerthom]

Skier

Do you have any youtube posts/?

[dragonflyerthom]

Here is a nice RAF from Spain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRPvsEX01jw

[animal]

Thom. add that link to the flying videos thread, it looks good.

man that was one big Horz. stab on the machine. I wonder who made the Horz. stab. for it.

[barnstorm2]

To get more hits on Youtube videos try putting a broader range of tags on the videos. I see a lot with only "gyroplane" or "autogyro" listed. Put more vague things like "Aviation", "Aircraft", "Flying".

Most excellent point.

Perhaps we can come up some more?

Extreme Sports?

Anyone one with a teenager that can help with "extreme sports" keywords/slang?

.