Pitbull

[WHY]

Looking at the last issue of ROTORCRAFT and the front cover plus the article on that particular gyro makes me hope that John Vanvorhees brings the Pitbull out again with the improvements that are mentioned in the article. I think the machine has fantastic potiental.

Also reading the story about Arliss Riggs and his development of the tractor gyro, especially the last one using a VW engine got my fever up quite a bit. It apparently flew, although he cracked it up. Jim Eich's story was very interesting as well, hope to see more on this.

Question for Chuck Beaty, Chuck did you know Arliss, if so would you know what the size of that VW was ?

Tony

[Doug Riley]

It would be nice if the magazine reprinted one of the other articles about Arliss Riggs. They contained some information about his building methods, which were novel, to say the least. His fuselages were fiberglassed plywood, his teeter hinges were rubber doughnuts, and so on.

Jim's Eich's own tractor design had yaw-stability problems. Plans were taken off the market, though I don't know if Jim himself did that before his death, or if someone else did it later.

[C. Beaty]

I had met Arless at one time or the other, Tony, but can’t say I knew him.

Arless, mostly self-educated, was bubbling over with ideas and innovations.

His rotor blades were carved from fir planks with concrete rebars embedded at the leading edges for chordwise balance, for example; something that would have caused the typical aviation enthusiast to turn up his nose in disbelief and disdain. Actually, rebars are pretty good stuff, being made to State and Federal standards that are at least as stringent as aviation standards.