L.f.i.n.o. ????

[scottessex]

Whatever happened to the LFINO concept gyro??
That thing was really cool.
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=ccaa166d-bd39-4995-bf46-59308062a350#d

[Jazzenjohn]

They sold it.

[Russ Hobbs]

I'm sorry to hear that, I've been waiting to see how it turned out as well.

[TomCarlisle]

I think that was the intention from the start. Find someone willing and able to proceed to production and keep Ernie and Dick as consultants.

[Jazzenjohn]

I doubt it has even flown in the last year. I'll bet it's a high priced hanger queen right now.

[MikeBoyette]

John,
You are correct sir. I was told it hasn't even been removed from the container it was shipped in. It was sold to a company that planned on using the concept to build a fleet of law enforcement gyros. The company is in Spain. I was told they lost their funding and the project most likely will die. It's a dang shame.

[Jazzenjohn]

Maybe it would be a good time to call them up and offer them 7 cents on the dollar for it...

[Mike Schallmann]

A number of years ago I was involved with evaluating the Hawk IV for Law Enforcement purposes. I recommended that it not be pursued by the agencies that had me evaluate it -not because it was a bad idea -in fact I loved it!!- but because it did not have a TRACK record and the company funding and financial status was iffy-- Lots of good concepts are unfortunately left in the dust due to financial straits

[Jazzenjohn]

I thought the Hawk 4 had a chance when it was used for the Olympics. Apparently that wasn't enough. I don't think a lot of the Helo pilots currently doing the work now want to fly them so that could be an additional problem, I believe.

[gyromike]

Wasn't the Hawk IV a bit pricey also?

[Jazzenjohn]

My understanding was that the price for a Hawk4 was basically in line with the price of a turbine 4 seat helo. They advertised that the big savings was in maintenance and fuel costs IIRC.

[quadrirotor]

The market does not need a jump take off gyro! :rant: :rip: :violin:


Did you realize the success of the Mosquito helicopter?
If we had an helicopter without the troublesome tail rotor!!! :director: :drum: :der:

[PW_Plack]

Right now, it would be a difficult decision for any law enforcement agency head to commit to a gyroplane, even if he could be convinced the company was solid and the machine would meet his needs.

Helos which fly in this service (or EMT) usually do so with liability and hull insurance, pilots with 1,500 hours in category and class, and support from professional A&P mechanics who know the machines well.

If costs continue to escalate, I'm afraid the next step to save money will be right past gyroplanes into unmanned aerial vehicles.

I guess if insurers would accept high-time helicopter pilots who had recently transitioned to gyroplanes, some of the barriers could be overcome, but what's the attitude of most helo pilots toward gyroplanes?

[troed@aon.at]

It was sold to a company that planned on using the concept to build a fleet of law enforcement gyros. The company is in Spain. I was told they lost their funding and the project most likely will die

Could it be that it was THIS one ?

http://www.aerocopter-europa.com/

Not much then was left over from the original LFINO-concept. This company crashed 1 year ago after a fatal incident with the first serial gyro in France.

Angelo

[Jazzenjohn]

I would tend to doubt that gyro was in any way an evolution of the L.F.I.N.O. It is possible it was the same company, but there are no technologies that are shared that I can tell. The shape is vaguely the same. Even as a prototype, the L.F.I.N.O. is technologically far advanced from that gyro.

[MikeBoyette]

Could it be that it was THIS one ?

http://www.aerocopter-europa.com/

Not much then was left over from the original LFINO-concept. This company crashed 1 year ago after a fatal incident with the first serial gyro in France.

Angelo

Angelo,
No that was not the same company. The L.F.I.N.O. is still in one piece in a container. They just don't have the money to do any thing with it. There was some corporate embezzlement rumored.

[troed@aon.at]

It´s a pity ............

So many nice inventions vanish into Nirvana because of lacking money ........

Hopefully someone will unpack this container once !

Angelo