Tandem 2 place

[scottessex]

I know that this has been brought up before, but perhaps we will have some new ideas this time.

I like the tandem seating on the PPG type aircraft. just to be able to take someone for a ride, not to be used for training.
So I found a picture....could this kind of seating arrangement be made to work on a CLT machine like a Dominator?
I would call Ernie, but I know that he is very busy, and since I won't be buying anytime soon, I feel like I would be wastind his time. So any ideas?

I love my single place superwhite, but I would love to be able to give a ride on it, or have Mama Gyro, go with me for a hamburger with out having to drive herself in the car. I am sure that it would be flown solo at least 80 percent of the time, but it would be nice to be able to take a passenger on occasion.
Thoughts? comments? arguments or fights? :)

[Brent_Brown]

Yes I am sure it can be done.
you can take a twoplace Dom and push the back seat up and front one back. You might need to move the head back for the CG but that is no big deal.

[Timchick]

Ken Wallis has a jump seat on one of his gyros. What happened to that airplane you bought for flying Mama Gyro around in?

[scottessex]

I still have the airplane, I need to wait for the weather to warm up to take some fixed wing lessons, But a small 2 place gyro would be cool, then all I would need would be ONE aircraft. :) to maintain and pay taxes on.

[Fl90]

I like Ken's setup without the front brace.

[MikeBoyette]

Already been done twice. He built a 503 powered Bensen style in 1986. It had the fiberglass blades that spawned DW's. It had a Tall Tail with no hs. It was named twofer because you got two fer the price of one. It could carry two of us both at 180 lbs at the time. Then in the early 90's he built a 582 powered two place for Connie and him. It worked pretty good and is featured in one of the Bensen Days videos that Dan put out.

[scottessex]

Do you have any pictures Mike?

How much for him to build one again?? :)

[Ernie_B]

I did this at 2 different times, 1 was a 503 striped down Bensen type and late on a Dominator. I showed it at the 1st. Brookville fly- in when Dick DeGraw showed up with his Sync - copter.
It is a nice idea, but it take a lot of special work to do it, with a lot of compromise to the airframe and it doesn't fly well either as a 2 up or a single!
But you can ge most singleplaces to do it if you have at least a 582 type power plant and you alter the cheek plates and the controls AND your total people weight is less than 350lbs!
Go fo it, and tell us how it flys!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[scottessex]

Thanks Ernie! :)

I have a 582 and a 618, so I was just pondering the idea,
and of course, rotor blades would have to sized by the all up weight I am sure.

[animal]

sounds like the 618 has a new home project...:)

besides need of seat belt, I have wondered why no one has built a gyro with a king and queen style motorcycle seat. light weight and well it works on a bike just fine. make some foot pegs or light floor boards for passenger seat and put like a tall sissy bar back pad for the passenger to lean back on.
just something to think about.

[C. Beaty]

The first parachute jump from a homebuilt gyro was performed from Lloyd Poston’s Lycoming powered machine with buddy seat at Dunnellon FL in the 1970s.

Lloyd was built somewhat in the shape of a coconut so whenever he carried a passenger, the jokes were always about a monkey and a coconut.

[bpearson]

You'll need plenty of money !

[scottessex]

That is why I didn't say "magni" :)

[bpearson]

I have a video somewhere of that 1 plus 1 Dominator. The seat tank looked like it was specially made (stepped) to take a passenger. Can't see why it never took off. (Not literally). It looked pretty standard apart from the seat.

[helipaddy]

Heres a Trike build site that shows the light weight construction of the seat frame on a Kiss400 Trike:

http://www.kiss400.com/build/default.asp

this type of construction would keep the weight down and if the dimensions were kept you could but the seat fabric and covers from the Trike manufacturer.( I have access to one of those trikes if anyone wants me to get dimensions)

Heres a more detailed view of another trike seat :
http://www.pmaviation.co.uk/pdf/quantum_parts_explosion_pt1.pdf

Paddy

[scottessex]

Thanks very cool, I wonder if you could get that fuel tank separate?
Exactly what I was thinking, a gyro with trike seating.

[helipaddy]

Scott
My mate over here in Ireland is the Air Creation rep and the Rotax rep. I can get a price for the tank if you want but with the euro and dollar the way it is I'd say it would be expensive. If you need any photos of the setup of the seat or tank let me know,
Paddy

[scottessex]

Pictures would be great! I need to look up some US based trike MFGs.

[gyromike]

Wasn't Carl Schneider's gyro originally setup with a jump seat on it?

[MikeBoyette]

No, it was a very short two masted set up. I think it just had one set of controls.

[helipaddy]

Was down in the hangar after work. heres a few pics of the seats on a Mainair Mercury trike. the seats are really comfortable.

[helipaddy]

Here's more of the seats. will get more of the Air creation trike at the weekend.
Paddy