Flying the Golden and Visiting Larry

[utahgyrocop]

While another phase of our honeymoon is behind us. Laurie and I were able to see Larry Neil and his shop with so many flying machines...it boggles the mind.

The Golden is a very large, but yet stable and nimble aircraft. It was a delight to have the privelege of flying. Laurie and I both flew (separately of course) with Larry in the front. This was our first experience in an open cockpit aircraft. The weather was very cold and windy. With windchill it was near 0!!! Yet it was still a delight to get back up into the air and experience this great aircraft.

I must address the landing as a separate paragraph. The "G-force" landing gear is absolutely amazing. We touched down so gently that it was like we never even landed. With the flare a few feet in the air, we gently settled to the ground with out even a slight bump onto the ground. AMAZING!!!:hail:

I also had the chance to see the Super Sky Cycle, Monarch, and the Aurora. What an amazing set of aircraft.

Now the challenge will be deciding what direction we will take with regards to an aircraft and many other things.

We will post much more later. The next post will be exclusively for pictures.

I must say thank you to Larry. He is a real gentleman. He treated us professionally, but yet never hesitated to share his true feelings.

Stay safe.

[utahgyrocop]

Here are some pictures we would like to share with you!

[utahgyrocop]

Here are a couple more!

[Greg Mitchell]

Heath,

That is fantastic.

Larry NEAL is a incredibly talented and clever fellow. No to mention a top level gyro pilot.

Thanks for posting photos.

Cheers,

Mitch

[GyroDoug]

Heath,

You are a lucky man!!!! I'll bet life is pretty exciting for you right now. You deserve it. I am really glad that things are working out for you and that there is a bright ray of hope again in your life. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you in your path back into the air.

Doug

[GrantR]

What kind of rotor blades do you have? I noticed the nose weights.

[Earthboundmisft]

It would be nice if Larry would bring some of his machines to B-Days. Seems a perfect venue. Im just sayin...

[utahgyrocop]

Regarding the blades, I don't yet know many of the aircraft specifics.
I will mention to Larry about Benson Days. I know that he is planning on Oshkosh but am not sure beyond that.

Doug, thanks for your comments. I have many dreams that are coming true because of the blessing of my wife. I am married to my best friend of over 30 years and she supports me fully. Life is grand!!!

Stay safe.

[StanFoster]

Heath- Love your journey around the country with your beautiful bride. You two are meant for each other...and I wish you two the best that life can give you. It was an honor to have you stop by my shop.

Stan

[GyroDoug]

It would be nice if Larry would bring some of his machines to B-Days. Seems a perfect venue. Im just sayin...

Larry is trying to spend more and more of his personal time working on developing and improving his designs. He is developing a Dealer Network and trying to turn over more of the marketing to them. This is a young group that is still working on becoming wht they want to be. I expect there will be some Butterfly Gyros at Bensen Days but I don't believe you will find Larry there. But if you really want to meet him and spend time talking to him, plan on attending Oshkosh. He will have a large Tent right off Aero-Shell Square with several flying models that he will demonstrating daily and he will be there all week so he will have time to talk to you.

As for Bensen Days being the perfect venue to sell Butterfly Gyros, I think Larry would argue that. While there are lots of Gyro people there, most of them already have a Gyro or have their goal firmly in mind. If you are looking for people who have an interest in flying but don't really know what they want yet and are open minded and looking, there are other places that can produce bigger numbers of potential Gyro Buyer. If we are going to grow as a sport we need to quit focusing on marketing to our selves. We are a small group that is shrinking every year. What we really need is some new blood and more young people to get excited about the sport. Personally I think Larry is on to something that many just don't see yet.

[CLS447]

Is that the same Golden that he did bring to BDs in 05? ? It had a turbocharged EJ20 on it ? I'd have to dig way back in my pictures.

I also remember seeing the new Butterfly. Or was that Waxahachie ?

Anyway ....that machine sure makes the passengers look SMALL !

Anybody know how many Goldens there are in this country ? Worldwide ?

[GyroDoug]

Chris,

I don't know if that's the one he brought to Bensen Days in 05, but I think it does have a turbo's Subaru on it so it may be the same one. I really don't know how many of them are out there. I am aware of about a half dozen of them, but there could be lots I know nothing about. I know Larry was talking to some foreign governments about providing them with small fleets of Goldens but I never heard how that all came out. Larry doesn't talk much about those kinds of things and I have never felt like it was my business so I haven't asked him.

It really is a Big machine and a fairly heavy one too. It is really built heavy duty to withstand the abuses it would get being used as a trainer. I have yet to get a ride in one but talking to people that have they say it is an incredible ride and lands like your coming in on a mashmellow. I have also seen some video of Larry playing around in one and it is amazing how he can crank and bank in such a large Gyro. I hope to have one some day and be able to offer training in it. It's just money, but it does have a way of limiting what we do and how fast we do it. But Someday!!!

[utahgyrocop]

Although my flight was short, it was a delight to fly. Although very large, it was still nimble, felt very stable and as Doug stated, it did feel like we landed on a marshmellow!!!

It is a safe and very cool platform. Don't let the big size fool you. It simply makes you feel comfortable in the air.

Stay safe!

[Timchick]

As for Bensen Days being the perfect venue to sell Butterfly Gyros, I think Larry would argue that. While there are lots of Gyro people there, most of them already have a Gyro or have their goal firmly in mind. If you are looking for people who have an interest in flying but don't really know what they want yet and are open minded and looking, there are other places that can produce bigger numbers of potential Gyro Buyer. If we are going to grow as a sport we need to quit focusing on marketing to our selves. We are a small group that is shrinking every year. What we really need is some new blood and more young people to get excited about the sport. Personally I think Larry is on to something that many just don't see yet.

I can't understand a gyro manufacturer not wanting to attend one of the largest flyins because they think it's only gyro people there. A lot of non-gyro people show up at Bensen Days to learn about gyros because they know that's where the gyros will be. People make jokes about changing the name of Bensen Days to Dominator Days because there's so many Dominators there. Maybe one reason for that is Ernie is always there with several new gyros. Air Command hasn't been represented at Bensen Days for several years. I think they'd be selling more gyros if they showed up to some of the events.

[GyroDoug]

I can't understand a gyro manufacturer not wanting to attend one of the largest flyins because they think it's only gyro people there. .

Tim,

I don't think it's a matter of him not wanting to be at Bensen Days. Rather it is prioritizing a very small amount of time that he feels he can spend on promoting his products and deciding that there are other events that can help leverage his time and exposure to a much larger group of people. Larry has developed a network of Dealerships and he is trying to turn the responsibility of promoting his machines over to his Dealers at the Gyro Events.

Larry has been an active part of the Gyro world for 30 years. He has been actively involved in the PRA both with his local chapter and even involved with the National Conventions and has a vast amount of experience as part of our Gyro world. He does care about us and the PRA, he simply can't do everything and he feels he has developed something that can change the world and his goal is to expose his products to the world. The one thing he can't delegate to others is to be the person with the insight and vision and ability to design his unique creations. He has to do that himself. He has turned over the manufacturing of parts to others and is now turning over the Administrative and Marketing functions to others. He is trying to spend his time doing what only he can do. I think he has done a tremendous job so far and I take what he has to offer and am thankful for the chance to be a part of his organization. I wish I could get him to come to our "Rotors Over the Rockies" this coming June but it isn't going to happen and I understand he just can't do everything.

[CLS447]

Greg Spicola represents Air Command everytime he flies his machine !

The same would go for Larry's machines . How about Tim's Aurora ? He's a great rep !

[Timchick]

It's been so long since Air Command has been to any events a lot of people think they're no longer in business.

[PW_Plack]

I can't understand a gyro manufacturer not wanting to attend one of the largest flyins because they think it's only gyro people there...

One of the largest gyroplane fly-ins, but Oshkosh draws about 200,000 people. If you believe your product has appeal outside the already-converted, and have to choose one or the other, no contest.

[Heron]

BD 05 was The Golden Prototype plus Bob O´Dell and BRad King. BD 06 we had purchased that ship and O´Dell brought the Turbo Golden and Greg Bradley, so both ships there. BD 07 was a failure, I could not make it work . . . pitty!
Those pictures from Bridgeport made me feel like E.T. (phone home!) :( miss all of it!
As far as Larry and our community, still some dirty under the rug, nothing major but no ironed out yet. Feelings . . .nothing more than feelings . . . :D
He does not like or need distractions and we are way to noisy when together! :)
Heron