Best Training Tip I ever got

[Mike Nelson]

The best Gyro training tip I every got was from my first gyro instructor. He instructed me to always change my power before setting my gyro attitude. For example: When cruising and wanting to initate a climb, I would add climb power, wait a moment and then set my climb attitude. Conversely, when I was ready to desend, I would reduce my power, wait amoment and then change the aircraft for a nose low attitude. Now for those of you who have learned this from the beginning, congraduations, but for those of you like me who flew other types of aircraft before flying gyros, my guess is that you were taught to change power and attitude at the same time. This worked well until you got to a gyroplane, and now you found that is was very easy to get behind the power curve if you set your climb attitude before you set climb power. It's worked for me, and I bet it will work for you.

[Vance]

Thank You Mike, That is very insightfull, Vance

[KenSandyEggo]

Mike, tell us something...anything...about your J-2. Some exterior and interior photos would be great also. One hanging in the EAA museum in Hales Corners, WI (before they moved to Oshkosh) many years ago is what put gyros in the back of my noggin to come forth many years later. I'd really love to get a ride in one someday. How much do you fly it each year?

[Doug Riley]

"Power before attitude" is an old saying that instructors developed to help students avoid low-G flight. Like "control airspeed with the stick" it's a bit of an over-simplification, but it does help you stay within a conservative flight envelope.

Sustained low-G flight is hazardous in any gyro. It allows the rotor to slow down by depriving the rotor of most/all of its driving airflow.

In gyros that are defectively designed and therefore subject to PPO, even shorter-duration low-G flight can be hazardous. This is true, not because of RRPM loss, but because in these craft the rotor provides pitch stabilization. Without the rotor's thrust, the craft instantly becomes unstable at high throttle settings and pitches forward violently.

IOW, this mantra is extra important in PPO-prone gyros.

[Mike Nelson]

Ken, I'd be happy to email you or anyone else some photos of my J2. Just email me at executivehelicopters@pixius.net and I'll get them right back to you.