Helicycle-- Hoverings & Happenings [Archive]

StanFoster

09-03-2010, 07:52 PM

I will be burning a lot of kerosene the next few days. I have been leaving the camera on the ground while I am getting the feel of this helicopter. I feel like a duck taking to water in it. It has tremendous power available from the turbine when the collective is pulled aggresively. I can't explain the smooth feel of a lot of power back there. It is simply an adrenalin rush to pull collective, and feel the turbine instantly gulping what amount of fuel it needs to satisfy my left arm. This thing actually does feel like a rocket on rails. I have learned a lot already, but I know I have so much more to learn. A few Helicycle pilots have already contacted me and all are saying that I will love this thing more and more as I gain experience in it................................................ .............. I am practicing autos with power recovery now. Quick stops are simply a riot and you can really stand it on its tail. I found a smaller screen size mode for my videos, and they upload to Youtube much quicker. I will have my camera mounted outside the cabin tomorrow, and will activate it while on the ground, and do a few takeoffs and landings with it. I will try to post them this weekend. I will also now have a camera with me at all times to take pictures of all the places I set down and catch on fire! Just kidding. I could not be more pleased so far. I have only to wipe some grease on my tail rotorshaft, about 30 seconds, and will be tightening my belts at 5 hours tomorrow. That takes about 10 minutes. I will drain my tail rotor gearbox also at 5 hours, and then the belts and gearbox are good to go till 25 hours. I have been told that the Helicycle averages about 10 minutes of easy maintenance per hour of flying. I know I worked on my SparrowHawk a lot more than that. Time will tell. I will post my maintenance/flight time ratio in my Helicycle maintenance thread after I get more hours of flying time in. I am already getting feedback from several people how whisper quiet it is in the air. I am fighting euphoria flying this thing, but I have some very strong engrained training about the HV curve, vortex ring state, mast bumping, etc............that I feel will keep me ou of trouble. Just because the machine can go straight up to 12000 feet, my Turbinator won't find me flying it that way! Stay tuned, my adventures by photos begins tomorrow. Stan

bmoore2156

09-03-2010, 08:21 PM

Stan,
Don't you think it's time to get a flight photo of your cycle for an avatar?
I suppose I need to do the same... it's only been a year.. lol
I am looking forward to lots of photos...
Brad

ylf

09-03-2010, 08:56 PM

I better get to bed, sounds like I've got a long weekend of vicarious Helicycle flying coming up.

Mike

StanFoster

09-04-2010, 02:43 AM

Ylf- I posted a lot of pictures from my RAF and my SparrowHawk . I won't be operating the camera inside my helicopter near as much, just because I am not as free to do so. Any pictures will be safely at altitude and just occasionally. I will be taking pictures from many places I have set down that I could only fly over before. This is the part that makes me so obsessive with flying a helicopter, but again, that is just me................................................ .................................................. ................ Flying a helicopter to me is like driving a car down an interstate with dozens of off ramps per mile allowing you to leave the interstate anytime you want, instead of waiting for the next exit 5 miles ahead. Stan

brett s

09-04-2010, 03:57 AM

What sort of fuel burn are you seeing so far?

animal

09-04-2010, 04:59 AM

Videos, where are the Videos? sounds like we are in for some good reading soon. hey does that puppy have cabin heat for the Paxton winters?

StanFoster

09-04-2010, 05:01 AM

Brett- I am burning K1. I will eventually get a tank and burn JetA. Stan

animal

09-04-2010, 05:03 AM

Brett- I am burning K1. I will eventually get a tank and burn JetA. Stan

Oh lord, Paxton is going to have a shortage of K-1 this winter..lmao

StanFoster

09-04-2010, 11:53 AM

The camera is still out of the cockpit. Here is when I landed the first time next to my house. This is just the start of my new career. Jeff took a video of a steep approach I did next to my house. It is uploading now to You tube and will be on here shortly. I wa simply love that smooth powerful turbine. I am really impressed with its abundance of power. You pull that collective..and that machine is clawing up ....

The winds were up to 25 mph today..at this time they were right at 20 mph and somewhat gusty. The Helicycle bobbed and weaved once coming into the tree line turbulence. I was headed right into the wind....and favorored as far north on my lot as I could so as to minimize gusts from the trees. Thats my precious little grandaughter McKenzy who just turned 2. She can say......help o copper

I am getting real comfortable with this machine...it is rapidly lettimg me feel like I am flying it..instead of it flying me. I have been checking out my radio...and GPS. Everything is working great. My vertical card compass gives me a since of security as it steadily points to my direction I am headed. Thanks Gabor for changing my mind on that!

Stan

choppergabor

09-04-2010, 12:05 PM

Love those pictures! She is precious :) Lucky you!!!! I want a grand daughter too.....right now!!!! LOL. I am glad you decided to go with the vertical card after all :) Wise decision. And it also took you off of my fool list LOL. Looking good my friend I couldn't be happier for you. Your dream has come true. Very well earned dream I must add! Ok I'll be checking back periodically see if the video has uploaded yet. Meantime back to the garage of hells. It's like 200* out there. How can one think at all in conditions like that? Yeah I'd rather be flying a helicycle too....... Yeah keep rubbing it in :)

dabkb2

09-04-2010, 12:27 PM

Nice video, you need an H in the middle of that circle.

choppergabor

09-04-2010, 12:32 PM

Awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Dave :)

StanFoster

09-04-2010, 01:50 PM

Here is my first video of landing at my home. Jeff took the video.

YouTube - September4 013 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4lpypZ1WSU)

RotoPlane

09-04-2010, 04:22 PM

Thanks for the video! It is great to see you flying once again Stan....especially in that dude. Your grass is begging for water....don't be cruel.......

StanFoster

09-04-2010, 06:35 PM

My next flight will have my camera strapped to my neck. I can easily let go of the cyclic for taking some pictures. I flew a lot today, and everything is working fine. I am very pleased with my sight gauge going up the right side of my cabin for the fuel amount. It has one of Bear Perkins red floating fuel indicators. I can just glance to the right and my side vision easily sees the level of fuel. I have a yellow caution when I am approaching 30 minutes of fuel. When I am down to 20 minutes the area along the fuel line is marked in diagonal red marks that turn to solid red when I am down to 10 minutes. I trust this far more than any fuel gauge or fuel flow instrument. Its simply always calibrated! .............................................I have noticed the governor keeps the turbine rpm around 61450 to 61480 rpm. It amazes me the preciseness the turbine is kept under control.....................The helicopter is a pleasure to fly as the controls are very responsive. I find myself doing a lot of approaches to land many places, bringing it down to a low hover, not touching the skids without permission from the landowner. Exercising this freedom to hover really strikes a chord with me, as iI pull collective and transition back to forward flight. I just can't imagine tiring of this capability. I am hopelessly ruined for life after acquiring this taste of hovering. .................................................. ..Taking off through that chopper channel is a rush. I have a lot of deer that jump across that channel and I maintain around 60 mph with my skid height around 10 feet. Those suckers can jump! .................................I promise onboard videos and still pictures as I gain experience. Stan

lanichol

09-04-2010, 11:04 PM

Nice landing. For a rockie, you sure look like a pro.

birdy

09-05-2010, 12:25 AM

I gota stop readn your posts Stan, you maken me think bout collectives. :(

I wish you many trouble free hours over the next few decades in you work of art. :)

And dont scratch it, coz you know wot ill be do'n then. ;)

StanFoster

09-05-2010, 07:59 AM

Heres avideo of me taking off yesteday into a strong breeze. Right at lift off...I am in the wind shadow of my row of Blue Spruce trees. I carefully hovered sideways while pointing into the wind...until I had a straight shot out.

There was a lot of buffeting..but the Helicycle plowed right through it.

My external camera mount is a tad shakey...but I am working on improving that.

YouTube - September5 015 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJPRpCCHTrU)

Stan

animal

09-05-2010, 09:14 AM

great videos, but they leave ya wanting more..lol

StanFoster

09-05-2010, 09:54 AM

Tim- Here is a steep aproach landing I did. Again...I am pointied into some gusty wind around 20 mph, and there is a lot of turbulence around my trees...and even at altiitude.

I purposely stayed to the right of the circle so I could be in cleaner air...then once I got into ground effect..I crept over into my circle. There was a lot of turbulence there as I was hovering......but it made it fun to control it.

YouTube - September5 010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tksWJm8kB-o)

Stan

dragonflyerthom

09-05-2010, 10:07 AM

Stan

Heli pad. You will still burn the grass even tho you have a circle drawn on the (now) dirt.

Glad you are having soo much fun. Like I have already said, I'm jealous. But glad for you too. 2 and 1/2 years you have been the model of patience. I wonder if I can convert my RAF so that it will hover. Just kidding. Keep posting the pics and I will learn how to pull the collective. LOL

Passin' Thru

09-05-2010, 10:30 AM

Stan, it's great to see you doing your thing again.

When I saw the vidio of the first start up, I don't know why, but that was quite an emotional experience for me! Maybe I have become too involved in your project, but that start up almost brought tears to my eyes! :hail:

StanFoster

09-05-2010, 03:17 PM

Helicopters are notoriously known for having both hands on the collective and cyclic....leaving one hand only to itch your nose or flip a switch.

Here is a 20 second video....its still breezy out...and my hand is off the collective....cyclic and pedals.....It can fly for almost a minute without adjustment. I ONLY did this for a demonstration.

I also had a radio check...and this is the first time my radio was heard loud and clear more than 2 miles. The aircraft was 15 miles away and he said I was very clear.

YouTube - September5 021 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa-998ZK4NA)

Stan

ylf

09-05-2010, 04:50 PM

Stan, I think you just sold a bunch of Helicycles!

RotoPlane

09-05-2010, 05:01 PM

Now Stan....that is cool!

okikuma

09-05-2010, 06:00 PM

Stan,

Everytime you fly you're building turbine time! Great when you decide to purchase that Bell 206! LOL

Wayne

GrantR

09-05-2010, 06:52 PM

Stan,

I just checked out all of your videos! Excellenct job. Looks like a lot of fun. Love the rotor barking! My wife said my blades were poping today when i was hovering over her at 600 feet :)

StanFoster

09-06-2010, 02:27 AM

Ed- Thanks! It is great to be flying again. I absolutely love this machine. ..................................Larry- glad you liked my landing. I won't be a pro for a long long time. I have lots to learn. .................................................. ....Birdy- You of all people don't need a collective. I am mesmerized with what you do with a gyro. I need a collective to do part of what you can. You sir are one impressive pilot, and a SCG, which means a sophisticated cow grower...........................................y lf- I do believe I will influence more sales, even though there isn't anything in it for me, except to help Eagle R&D continue selling this fantastic kit helicopter........................................ .Wayne- I am building turbine time. My goal is to fly the life medical helicopter at the hospital my daughter works at-------yea right, just kidding........................................... ...........Grant- thanks. I love barking blades on gyros and helos! Stan

RICK MARTIN

09-06-2010, 03:16 AM

Stan, I don't know what to say. I guess a few of the other guys already said what I'm feeling, which is that after watching you go through this whole process and finally reap the reward it is just awe inspiring. As many others have said, I wish you all the joy and happy flight hours that you so well dererve. It's truly a beautiful thing.

StanFoster

09-06-2010, 03:20 AM

Rick- Thanks so much...and I wish you the same on your beautiful creation!

Here is what I feel is my best video yet. The tail end of it you can see the little square woods I am approaching...then flying over. You can see my shop...the "hole" and the chopper channel I fly in and out of. I have to capture and share the view going in and out of the chopper channel. The trees racing by as I fly out above 10 feet so as to clear any jumping deer.. I dont know why I am not talking into the camera....its quiet in the cabin.

YouTube - September5 020 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwcOKN2XzpY)

Stan

animal

09-06-2010, 04:32 AM

you are having way to much fun Stan... wow hands off flight... shhhaaaa your not supposed to let civie know that Helicopters are easy to fly...lol.

that hands off flight,just shows how well you built that machine.

But then again,we would expect no less for the master craftsman that you are.

StanFoster

09-06-2010, 04:32 AM

Heres a video of lifting off...and flying out my chopper channel. Excuse the too low of angle I had set on my camera. I am hauling butt down through that channel with a very pronounced forward tilt of the helicopter. I am at over 10 feet to clear any jumping deer that may ramble across.

The mount for the camera isnt too bad...its out in the windstream and does get buffeted. That instrument pod doesnt move at all.....its smooth as glass sitting n that cabin. Watching my video feels like I am going down a dirt road! Most of my videos will be inside the cabin from now on.

YouTube - September5 018 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD6ulgST77s)

Stan

animal

09-06-2010, 04:40 AM

Finely a longer video... :) it's looking good Stan. yep will be a winter shortage of K-1 in Paxton this year..lmao

that is one sweet machine you have built, how far was that airport from your house?

jcarleto

09-06-2010, 04:46 AM

What does your fuel burn look like, Stan? Have you got a feel for that yet?

StanFoster

09-06-2010, 04:54 AM

Jon- I havent really checked yet....but it probably will be around 12 to 13. It takes as much fuel hovering as it does going 110 mph.....so if I am going somewhere....I am going fast....

My SparrowHawk burned 9 gallons going 80 mph. That was 8.8 miles per gallon. This can get there much quicker at slightly less than 8.4 miles per gallon. Of course hovering its sucking just as much fuel...but my god...this that is the best part...and feeling that smooth power back there with no cooling system needed....and just loafing at a never changing pitch makes the extra fuel burn miniscule in the big picture.

Gyro_Kai

09-06-2010, 09:57 AM

Great Videos, thanks for posting. I didn't know that helicopters could be so stable.

Kai.

StanFoster

09-06-2010, 10:26 AM

Kai- Glad you like the videos. More will be coming that are handheld, and inside the cabin. That camera is getting buffeted a lot outside the cabin, and. The videos look like the cabin is shaking. In reality, its the smoothest rototcraft I have my hands on. ............................... I don't know where most people get the idea that you can barely scratch your nose , or swith channels in a helicopter. The R22 could be flown with the collective friction on for a long time without your hand on it. Of course that collective must be attended to immediately if the engine quits. I could say the Helicycle can fly hands and feet free for awhile, but a lot of people won't believe it unless they see it on video.. That's why I posted it. Another stigma I intend to prove wrong is that I will be wrenching on this more than I fly it. All I can say is if I have the same luck the average Helicycle pilot has, I will be spending just a fraction of the time maintaining it. Sure, I could have an engine require work, as my Sparrow:awk did, but its very unlikely. Time will tell. Stan

skier

09-06-2010, 10:45 AM

Congrats on finally finishing the Helicycle and getting it flying. When you get more comfortable with the bird, is there any chance you could post a video showing was an autorotation looks like in it?

RotoPlane

09-06-2010, 11:07 AM

One thing that amazes me, is from what I could tell there has been little or no adjustments made to the flight controls and it still handles wonderfully. That means not only has the factory done an outstanding engineering and instruction job, Stan the builder has also had to follow them using precision and workmanship skills that are above and beyond the norm.

Looking at the pictures and seeing quality workmanship is one thing…..but watching this machine fly in the videos is quite another and more telling of both the man and the machine…..

lanichol

09-06-2010, 11:18 AM

Most of my videos will be inside the cabin from now on.
Stan

I know it is more stable in the cabin, but please help us non chopper pilots with more video of the collective. I have watched your hand on the collective as if I were the pilot. Never been in a helicopter, I can't seem to predict what your are about to do. A narration would be nice.

I thought you just threw in a little pitch and go. Obviously not! I guess I have watch too much Magnum PI, TJ's Helicopter Service "Island Hoppers" dodging bullets.

StanFoster

09-06-2010, 12:28 PM

Ed- I can't take credit for how easy and stable this helicopter is to fly. That must go to B.J. Schramm who designed it, and. Doug Schwocherts ingenuity that made the turbine the engine we use. Doug also is the one who masterfully balanced my blades and set the reflex right on. Doug also saw to it that I had a smooth running turbine, on the numbers and no surging. I have flown it a lot now and it has never surged once.
My contributions were I believe I caused Doug to have an enjoyable and easy checkout, but I will let him say. I am really loving this experience, and it has exceeded my expectations quite a lot. I am just savoring the flights right now and probably won't fly for a few days. I have looked it over several times, and it is such an amazingly simple machine to maintain, I actually think it will be very minimal. Stan

ylf

09-06-2010, 04:51 PM

I was looking back through Stan's build thread today after watching the videos in this this current thread and thought, hey, we don't have a good picture yet of Stan's smile while flying the Helicycle. But, I bet it looks something like this:

GrantR

09-06-2010, 06:05 PM

Stan,

Can you run off road diesel in the turbine or does it have to be jet A? What is the difference between jet A and Kerosene?

Redbaron

09-06-2010, 06:13 PM

that is too cool stan, I just glanced through the thread. thats awesome your flying something you built! I bet helicycle will get a sales boost! :lol:

StanFoster

09-06-2010, 06:39 PM

Grant- It will burn diesel but only occasionally is recommended. It gets the inside more sootier. JetA has anti microbial additives and is more refined. Its the fuel of choice. K1 is a close 2nd and is what I am burning now. JetA also stays drier for high altitudes. If I need fuel in a pinch, I would land on a farm and buy diesel. Stan

RotoPlane

09-06-2010, 07:11 PM

I can't see where you've mentioned this yet.....have you done any collective down practice descents to get a feel for a possible needed autorotation? Also how many flying hours will you log before you practice a real autorotation?

StanFoster

09-06-2010, 07:27 PM

Rotorplane- I have been practicing autos with a power recovery. It is necessary practicem. Agressive quick stops are necessary practice also. Most Helicycle pilots do just the power recovery practice, like the R22 does. There isn't much difference with a full down auto, except there is greater risk of damaging the skids. I will settle for now with power recovery. Stan

RotoPlane

09-06-2010, 09:43 PM

I guess I should have known you would be....I feel much better now ;). Thanks!

StanFoster

09-07-2010, 03:16 AM

Ed- I am very aware how important a successful auto will be to the rest of my life, and my Helicycle is to me. I am drilling them into me, but its a very enjoyable drill. I was told to practice them first with no power removal, but just dropping the collective and letting the rotor rpm pull away from the engines normal flight rpm. Its still an auto with instant power awaiting to engage the rotors should I have the rotor rpm's drop below flight rpm. Its like doing autos with training wheels. If I screw up, my engine is there automatically to keep me from going into low rotor rpm mode. Don't forget, I have no instructor to save my botch ups like I did in the R22! This reminds me of going back to my gyro self training days. Doug told me after abiut 25 autos with no throttle cuts, then I could back off the throttle about 1/8th, and that's all that would be necessary. Then I will be getting used to rotor rpm's above and below flight speed. This rotor is much easier to keep control of than the R22............................................... ...................This is fun but a very very important part to my experience. I have the quick stops down nicely as I can stand it on its tail, decelerate, level the skids , stop all forward movement, and apply collective if it were a real auto to the ground. I have learned a lot, but have a lot more to learn. Stan

choppergabor

09-07-2010, 03:23 AM

Good practice. Always have an eye on you rotor rpm. How high inertia would you say your blades are?

StanFoster

09-07-2010, 06:15 AM

Here are some custom markings I put on my rotor tach for rpm ranges. I bought a multi color pack of electrical tape...and used the different colors to mark my gauges. I need to use an exacto knife just to neaten them up a little bit. The rotor stays locked in just into the lower part of the green. When I practice autos....I keep the rotor rpms in the upper green...and just into the yellow.

When I start backing off turbine rpm's....then I will be exploring the lower rpm's but will not go out of the lower green if I can help it! Theres room for error if I let the rotor rpm's get into the lower red, just so I am aware of it and take action.

The airspeed indicator is marked for the preferred 65 mph auto speed...so I like to keep it in the green....once you have the speed locked in...and the rotor speed locked in....its a fun ride down to the quickstop at the end....level to a hovering auto at zero groundspeed.....and then if its a real one....let it start sinking....then p-u-l-l- collective . or do a power recovery......

Stan

animal

09-07-2010, 06:23 AM

looks good Stan,I got curved marker tapes from aircraft spruce,but have yet to put them on yet since I still don't know the ranges on my tachs on the Commuter.

StanFoster

09-07-2010, 06:32 AM

Tim- I had bought some of those curved tapes for my SparrowHawk, and couldnt find any left over. You know how impatient I get...so I just grabbed what I had....I wanted it marked now! ha

Stan

Chuck Roberg

09-07-2010, 06:37 AM

I bought a multi color pack of electrical tape...and used the different colors to mark my gauges.

Careful what you clean your panel with. Any liquid cleaner with time will soften the adhesive on the tape. Then the tape will slide around and/or come off.

The electrical tape is good for a short term fix. But for a permanent fix the adhesive on the electrical tape doesn't hold up well on glass or plastic.

StanFoster

09-07-2010, 08:59 AM

Chuck- I just take a microfibre towel with nothing on it and do the panel.

Stan

Kandace

09-07-2010, 09:01 AM

I'm so happy for you Stan! However I can't watch anymore of your video's. It just hurts too much! Cuz I'm not flying! I'm nearly in tears with happiness for you and a second later green with envy! Too much of an emotional roller coaster!

LOL

Kandace

StanFoster

09-07-2010, 09:07 AM

Kandace- Thanks. You touched on something that is starting to bother me a little. Sure, I am having the experience of my life, and want to share it, but I know some would rather me put a sock in my mouth...and I can understand. I wont post near as aggresively from now on. The news is out...and I am just going to enjoy this thing to the max.

Whenever you want to fly down to my chopper channel...come on in....and I will demonstrate it.

Stan

RotorTom

09-07-2010, 09:52 AM

Stan,

You have captivated the forum. You have posted a lot. AND IT IS ALL GOOD.

We need more positive examples of what people can do with patience, skill, training and perseverance.

You are a shining example and think you should continue exactly the way we've been accustomed.

My only regret is that the Helicycle is not a two-place machine otherwise NOTHING would keep me from flying out for a demo.

Tom

ylf

09-07-2010, 10:23 AM

Stan,
Even if you decide to post less here on the forum, please still upload videos to youtube for those of us who can't get enough and we can just check there from time to time.

Mike

Kandace

09-07-2010, 10:39 AM

StanFoster

09-07-2010, 11:10 AM

Kandace- I get shy sometimes posting so much. It wasnt any different when I was posting flying pictures in my RAF, or my SparrowHawk. I knew I wasnt the only one flying, but sometimes I was the only one posting about it.

Then I get e-mails, private messages...adn comments just like in this thread urging me to keep posting. I never said I was going to quit posting...but just tone it down some. I am flying a lot...and most of the time have the camera off. It is an amazing flying helicopter. I called Carolyn Schramm today and thanked her for producing such a fine high quality kit.....and also mentioned what a job B.J. Schramm did designing the simplicity and easy to fly characteristics into this helicopter. That man knew what he was doing.

Stan

asmuzsr

09-07-2010, 01:46 PM

Stan, you've ruined me. I don't want the RAF I'm finishing, I want a helicopter. After seeing the videios of the takeoffs, landing and hovers I really miss flying a chopper. Maybe I'll soon be able to get a Mosquito. Have to keep the RAF though so the wife can go with me sometimes, she loves flying too.

StanFoster

09-07-2010, 02:01 PM

Tony- Sorry I am so passionate about this thing. The Mosquito is very impressive and it also is breaking two myths, helicopters need more hours ok work than they are flown, and you can barely scratch your nose or throw a switch. You have a beautiful RAF and please don't forget how awesome gyros are too. If I could afford both, I would have one also. Stan

asmuzsr

09-07-2010, 03:12 PM

Well the RAF will always be around. It,s paid for and I have plenty of room in the hangar for another ship.

StanFoster

09-07-2010, 06:20 PM

XenonTom- Thanks for your comments. Anytime you want to fly out to Illinois, you are welcome! I personally tired of exposing myself to the liability of hauling passengers. If my wife loved flying in my SparrowHawk, I would have never sold it. A hot opportunity came along to sell it coinciding with an opening in a sold out run to buy my Helicycle kit. Its very fast with its narrow single place cabin, and its like my personal escape to anywhere machine. Should I want to take a family member up, I can always rent the R22 . That probably won't happen more than twice a year however. Your R44 is a Cadillac of helicopters, and its a beautiful ship to fly. I am hopelessly a helicopter junkie after experiencing what I have the last 6 days. A week ago tomorrow my dream came true of experiencing flying my own helicopter. I anticipated it being a thrill of my life, but way underestimated that thrill, and how nice and smooth my Helicycle flies. I wish everyone could just once feel that smooth power behind the cabin, never changing that vacuum cleaner tone from over 100 mph to hover. Stan

dragonflyerthom

09-08-2010, 05:14 AM

Hi Stan

I too would love to be able to hover my RAF. But the ease of maintaining my gyro has me hooked also. I will just live my heli flying vicariously through you my friend. Every time I fly my gyro I just love the way a rotorcraft maneuvers whether it is a gyro or heli. There is just something about a fling wing.
Happy flying Stan

StanFoster

09-08-2010, 05:50 AM

Thom- Helis and gyros can do stuff that the other one cant. A gyro can be yanked and banked more aggressively because you dont have to worry about tearing up your tail rotor from precession forces if you are turning real fast.

Stan

animal

09-08-2010, 06:58 AM

I know where a nice single seat Commuter can be bought,for those that are getting the helicopter bug.... :)

StanFoster

09-08-2010, 07:04 AM

Tim- Spammers! ha......just kidding...

Stan

animal

09-08-2010, 07:09 AM

Tim- Spammers! ha......just kidding...

Stan Oh no Stan, if I was a spammer it would be more like

" you too can fly your own helicopter, be the envy of your neighbors, annoy the local wild life, spy on unspecting farmer doing the wild thing on the hood of his truck. just 3 easy payments of $10,000 and this rare aircraft can be yours. must be 18 to buy, go to www.buymyhelicopter.com and inter your credit card info. and we will ship your helicopter to you in 2 weeks."

StanFoster

09-08-2010, 07:13 AM

Tim- You crack me up. Hey, I am pulling for you to get your Commuter11.

This is a riot to fly.

Stan

animal

09-08-2010, 07:51 AM

Tim- You crack me up. Hey, I am pulling for you to get your Commuter11.

This is a riot to fly.

Stan
yeah with any luck I can get this one sold and work a deal on the Commuter II, have been in contact with this guy on it for about 4 years on this one, thankfully for me, he is not in a hurry to sell and he knows I am really wanting this one.

the payments on my Forester are soon going to be forceing me to reduce the price of my commuter a bit. But I don't regret buying my forester one bit.

I have been wanting to get the Commuter out and do some more run up's but it seems every day it has been a nice day I have had lawns to mow. and then the days I am free, not good weather.

maybe I am getting old, but dragging a helicopter out of the shop, putting the battery in and doing a few test run up's in 94 degree humid temps, is just not to fun anymore.

StanFoster

09-08-2010, 12:53 PM

In between glueups...I pulled the chopper out of the shop, I finally had a mission. The farmers all heard I had just started flying my helicopter...so they are all out harvesting emergency landing zones for me. Isnt that nice of them?

I took a short video showing the blade slap that sounds like a beaver in heat....I was descending at the right angle to make that sound....and towards the end I leveled off just a tad and you can hear the rotor get quiet. The turbine is just back there just as quiet as it can be....giving me readouts in my dash showing me its alive back there. I was doing some more autos down to power recoveries over the bean fields. My dad is combining corn at the exit end of my chopper channel.....

Some pictures of an enjoyable but short flight....I had to get back to my shop.

YouTube - September8 008 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nveRMEKa4rI)

Stan

MichaelBurton

09-08-2010, 01:13 PM

I hope you thanked the farmers for all those nice large helipads they made just for you. It will be hard to get in the door with a grin that wide.

StanFoster

09-09-2010, 07:51 AM

I added a fuel filter inline...and did a maintenance flight. The turbine lights off almost everytime after a few seconds...but I had air in the line to work out..

She started with a puff of smoke,...and away she went.

I had a stairpart supplier stop by...and I drafted him to be video man.

YouTube - MOV05729 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZJB2JNjyOQ)

Stan

MichaelBurton

09-09-2010, 10:07 AM

That was fun. I like how you disappear through the trees.

Resasi

09-09-2010, 10:31 AM

Stan left for a couple of days and came back to some great videos.

Glad to hear how much you are enjoying flying your beautiful machine and it certainly looks as though your skill level will be building at a pretty good lick with the amount of time I think you will be putting in.

Happy flying in that superb little helicopter you have built.

gyroplanes

09-09-2010, 11:42 AM

Stan,
It is wonderful to see a dream come true. Fly smart, fly safe. I'm proud to call you my friend.

StanFoster

09-09-2010, 02:22 PM

Thank you Tom. You have been a mentor of mine since 1985.

I had it to 105 mph today, and it just seemed it was at home. I installed a yaw string on my front windshield so my feet had something to do.

Still practicing autos....and always will be! The first ones never felt like I was in autorotation....the glide angle is shallower than the R22 I was used to . The rotor rpm's are very easy to control, and now its just repetition and "feel" that I am trying to get down. I want to start doing them from various speeds. Every flight I now come in high....drop the collective to the floor.....give it right pedal...and a little back stick , lock in the numbers and ride it down. I dont have my quick stops down to suit me at the end....but I am working on it.

Stan

okikuma

09-09-2010, 03:04 PM

Hi Stan,

I'm totally enjoying reading about your flights and watching the videos. Too Cool!

I bet you will personally be responsible for increased sales with all your posting, photos and videos! A happy customer is the best salesman!

You're defintely getting me more interested in the Helicycle!

Wayne

StanFoster

09-09-2010, 03:40 PM

Michael- I wish I could capture the feeling that taking off, and accelerating down through that chopper channel feels like. I am flying this thing like a grandma......and of course I should be......but you oiught to see what a Helicycle can do with someone that has a lot more hours in it than I.

That machine just simply loves collective being pulled.

Wayne- Glad you are enjoying it. It feels good to have a machine again thats ready for to fly on a whim.

Stan

animal

09-09-2010, 03:56 PM

Stan,you are one lucky man, you have completed your Dream of your own helicopter at your own house that you can fly at will. that is a great accomplishment.

really enjoy your Videos, keep them coming. I like the in flight ones the most. it is like taking a ride with you.

If my Commuter does not sell,I will probably start working with it more as the lawn season come to an end and I have more free time. right now I am trying to build a winter nest egg up. In the mean time I do love just going out and looking at my Helicopter it does dress up my shop nicely.. :)

retpoc

09-09-2010, 07:40 PM

Hi,
great pics , video and a great looking helicopter, I would stroooongly recommend get some orange wire marker balls installed where you are on approach to that circle. I got some for free from the Arkansas dept. of aeronautics , then called my local electricty provider and they came and installed them for free.......true story

848EC

utahgyrocop

09-10-2010, 06:45 AM

Hey Stan,

Your ship appears to be flying as good or better than it looks. Congrats...

Just wondering on performance, have you done any hover tests out of ground effect?

I know this is not a perfered option, but it does happen occasionally. Just curious what the turbinator will do...

Thanks for sharing all your stories.

Stay safe.

choppergabor

09-10-2010, 07:07 AM

I am so happy to see you having fun. Good for you Stan. Keep posting. :)

StanFoster

09-10-2010, 02:44 PM

Heath- I haven't hovered out of ground effect yet. It has plenty of power hauling this pig around for sure! IIt really accelerates fast when you are taking off. Seems like plenty of left and right pedal is designed into it. Very pleasant and easy to fly. That part far exceeded my expectaions. If anything the company does, its undersell this machine. I just got off the phone with a real hot potential buyer for a new Helicycle kit. I told him its everything they say, and more. Stan

k413

09-10-2010, 02:50 PM

Do you get to fly to Shelbyville tomorrow? The weather may be too rainy, but I wondered if you were going.

Arnie Madsen

09-10-2010, 05:33 PM

Stan . No matter how fast you flew through the chopper channel all I saw was your family farm on the other side of the trees. It looked like soybeans to me. About 3 feet high. Was it ? Are you guys just combining now? What is the bushels per acre or the pounds per acre. I would sure like to know.

Helicopter pilots notice everything and want to know everything. I am one. I have also observed all the video stabilizing systems employed to produce smooth recordings from altitude. Who ever would have thought of making a smooth helicopter in the first place.

B.J. Schramm :)

And a careful builder :)

Now tell me about the damn soybeans :)

Thanks . Arnie.

StanFoster

09-10-2010, 05:55 PM

Arnie- Actually its corn about 9 ft. tall as I have to fly out over it as I shoot out of the chopper channel like a bat out of hell. They picked it today so now I have a better situation. The corn is making 175 so far. They are about ready to start on the beans. 55 to 60 would be my guess. I could be way off because I am not a farmer. Used to be. Stan

laflyboy

09-10-2010, 06:14 PM

Hi Stan, Congratulations on the flight of your helicycle, I know you are thrilled. I was curious about how your CG turned out with the dual battery set up. Did you have to move anything around or add weight anywhere.

ylf

09-10-2010, 06:39 PM

Stan,

Another question regarding balance. I was curious, did you have to adjust the CG when Doug flew it then adjust again for your flights? Not saying anything about your weight, just that Doug's lighter than most of us. Ha.

Mike

StanFoster

09-10-2010, 06:45 PM

David- I didn't have to move the batteries. Doug did my hang angles with me in the cabin, and it was good. I have dual batteries to balance out my aux fuel tank. I can haul over 24 gallons and with my sight tube, can see down to the last gallon to burn. The batteries can move for/aft shifting 28 pounds . Stan

JimLogan

09-11-2010, 03:22 PM

Stan here is a document you should see about instrument markings.

http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/d08fa9393154b636862569ba006f6d7f/$FILE/ATTLMVEO/AC90-89A.pdf

Check there an here is one part from it.

F. Instrument panel: All the instruments

should be properly secured in the panel and have

preliminary markings on them. Airspeed indicator

and engine tachometer should be marked with the

EXPECTED performance range markings. Oil

temperature and oil pressure must have the engine

manufacturer’s recommended operating range

marked. If the markings are on the instrument glass

face, paint a white slippage mark on both the glass

and on the instrument case to alert the pilot in case

the glass/range marks have moved. Attach a temporary

placard to the instrument panel with the

expected stall, climb, and glide speeds. It is a handy

reference in times of emergency.

Jim

StanFoster

09-11-2010, 03:56 PM

Jim- Thanks for the link and the tip. I will look into it. Stan

StanFoster

09-11-2010, 04:14 PM

I logged 3.4 hours today, and was running it through its paces. I learned two important things today that will stick in my mind...............................I had just checked the belt tension before I flew today, and the tension was right tp specs. Looks like they are seated in nice. - was cruising at 90 mph and there is an aerodynamic cabin rumble around 85 to 90 or so. Its not bad, but its easy to recognize when I am at that speed. Then right at 100 mph, it settles in, and this ship just loves 100 to 110 mph. I was happily cruising right at 110, then tried a little faster, I was going 112 when I noticed my rotor rpm dropped 2-3 rpm. I thought about it, and then I just realized that the belts are suppossed to start slipping past 110 , its how B.J. Designed a torque limiter into this helicopter. My belts at that correct tension were doing exactly as designed! I caught my rotor tach dropping just a few rpm, and I am glad it works this way. I slowed back to 110 and all was happy. That helicopter absolutely loves 100 to 1w0. Its smooth and does it ever eat up real estate at that speed. There are some Helicycle pilots who exceed the recommended belt tension, and are flying 130 mph. Not me! I am keeping it the way B.J. Designed it. Its smooth and fast and happy at that speed. Stan

choppergabor

09-11-2010, 04:55 PM

I am glad you do with your instinct and stay with the original well proven design that was intended not to fly over 110. It's pretty plenty of speed considering that a Schweizier poops out for its VNE at 94kts and that's with the doors on LOL. :)
Fly safe.

animal

09-11-2010, 05:41 PM

hey, Gabor. I found a 300 CBI to train in.

Now to find that money tree to pay for lessons.

Hey Stan, bet you have loved to have had the Jet-A ,that the Huey I rode in today was burning doing rides all day. that would have lasted you a long time I am sure.

wow that helicycle moves right along don't it.

How many hours have you put on it so far?

StanFoster

09-11-2010, 07:11 PM

Greg Gremminger took Roy Beisswinger up in his Magni, and then did a photo shoot of my Helicycle flying over some nice wooded terrain. Roy has a superb camera and they flew alond side me, and crossed over above me. Roy must have taken 100 shots. He said he is going to put one on the front cover of the Powered Sport magazine. I would like to blow up a few to about 20 X 40. Inches and hang them on my hanger walls.......I will post some pictures from today and a couple start up/take off videos tomorrow. Stan

JEFF TIPTON

09-11-2010, 07:46 PM

Stan didn't I hear there was no film in the camera on that photo shoot!!

ylf

09-11-2010, 08:36 PM

I heard there was film, but the processing facility he uses has about a two week back log!

StanFoster

09-12-2010, 01:29 AM

Mike- I missed your earlier question aboiut adjusting my CG with Doug flying it. Doug had me hanging in the helicopter and checked hang angle. Then he climbed in and put some ballast on the floor of the cabin. He flew with that ballast then. Stan

StanFoster

09-12-2010, 03:53 AM

I am feeling more and more in tune with this helicopter. I can really tell that my much more frequent flights are hard wiring the reflexes in me. It is very easy to fly and each flight I do quickstops and enter into autos with power recovery. Entering autos from various speeds is a must and I have a lot of "feel" yet to develop in my reflexes. Each flight finds me challenging my reflexes , analyzing what I did right, and most importantly what I did incorrectly. .................................................. .....Back to some high speed cruising comments. Slower flight around 70 or so , the pedals are basically neutral, the cyclic can be unattended for short periods of time like my video showed, and the collective can be frictioned slightly to allow the left hand to be free within reason. At high speed cruising 90 to 110. , the collective has to be frictioned up more, but my hand pretty well stays there just in case. At these high cruising speeds, lots of collective is being used, and that means quicker rotor rpm decay should the engine go silent. My feet are on the pedals but I just let the pedals float and just basically keep my yaw string straight and let it go from there. The cyclic needs a little constant forward pressure at these higher speeds. I could imagine rigging up a slight elastic device to allow less constant attention to the cyclic. In other words, if you are wanting to get there fast, more hands on attention is required than flying at lower speeds. Its very easy to fly at 100 mph, hands off control is just not done for very long. I friction up my collective at higher speeds, allowing it to hold the pressure, but still allowing me to drop collective should I have to. When I return to slower flight I just release friction so its smoother to operate. So far each flight is making me more and more appreciative to B.J. Schramms excellent design that was the culmination of his lifelong experiences with helicopters. I am totally convinced this is one of the simplest and easiest helicopters to fly, and will fall into a category I call a "tractor". The fleet of Helicycles are for the most part all behaving like tractors. They are readyy to go to the "field" and work for their owner. .................................................. ....................................I had a very interested Helicycle buyer drive 3 hours yesterday to come and see my Helicycle fly and have a personal pre-flight demonstration, and also to show him how simple this machine is to keep lubed and adjusted. He commented he had no idea how simple this machine actually is to operate mechanically. I believe he will be buying a kit very soon as he was told there are just 6 slots left in the next builders group. Just like gyros are the biggest kept secret in aviation, I believe the Helicycle is another kept secret. I hope to change that a little by just simply posting honestly what I experience. Stan

Gyro28866

09-12-2010, 03:53 AM

Great showing Stan!

ylf

09-12-2010, 09:26 AM

Thanks David, I just found my new desktop wallpaper.

akoschier

09-12-2010, 12:31 PM

Stan,

You may look up Urs Medazzins post on the pilots web on filler cushions in the cabin( near your head on left and right side) which he claims significantly reduce cabin rumble.
avk

StanFoster

09-13-2010, 03:15 AM

avk- Thanks...I will check into it. Its not that loud....and at 100...its the quietest. I am thinking that with my full doors on...it will go away....

Heres a short video I took yesteday of approaching my woods...and flying through the chopper channel and landing at my shop. I love the view...but my camera sitting out in the wind gets all buffeted. I will probably someday put a small bullet cam where it wont shake. That cabin is as smooth as glass and I almost hesitate posting videos like this...but it gives a good idea what its like to fly into my woods and land. The corn is picker around the perimeter of the woods now...and I no longer have to do a steep approach over the corn and into the channel.....which by the way was a blast to do.

You can make out my orange paint can lids I have buried marking the centerline of the chopper channel. Then when I appproach and set down...you can see my torched grass from my angled down too far exhaust pipe. My new chrome pipe is almost horizontal and doesnt scortch the grass anymore.

YouTube - MOV05751 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qRQ_duNoHo)

Stan

StanFoster

09-13-2010, 04:27 AM

Heres a video of startup and departing out my chopper channel. I depart aggressively and maintain 10 feet minimum skid height so I dont hook into a jumping deer!

YouTube - MOV05750 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DunAH8Q5Omw)

Stan

Gary_in_Orygun

09-13-2010, 11:43 AM

I never get tired of watching your videos. Gotta see each one at least twice.

Timchick

09-13-2010, 07:55 PM

The only thing that could possibly make it better, Stan is if it were a 2 place. All those people around town you gave rides to in the Sparrowhawk are probably wondering when they'll be getting a ride in this one.

lanichol

09-13-2010, 08:50 PM

I never get tired of watching your videos. Gotta see each one at least twice.

You got that right. I was surprised at the amount of collective needed to first start off. Stan, your chopper channel looks very narrow to me.

StanFoster

09-14-2010, 02:42 AM

Larry- The channel is 70 feet wide. I have buried orange 5 gallon bucket lids marking the centerline of the channel. It is very easy to fly within 2 feet of the centerline. I would have to be over 25 feet off centerline before my rotorblades start trimming! On windy days, its always calm in the channel and that 200 X 200 square hole by my shop. If it were very windy, I would approach the ooening of the channel slowly as I enter into its calmness. There is a lot of turbulence around the perimeter of my woods, and can be felt downwind easily 1/4 mile. Stan

choppergabor

09-14-2010, 03:01 AM

Looking good Stan. Now if you could just hijack a military Jet A tanker.......

StanFoster

09-14-2010, 01:45 PM

Heres my first steep approach into the hole by my shop.... I was at 1000 ft. agl.

YouTube - MOV05754 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goS96UQtigw)

Stan

hillberg

09-14-2010, 03:24 PM

Your having too much fun!:D 70 ft wide path, Good for a sikorsky or Huey!:o Looking good,reminds me of the mouse......:wacko:

StanFoster

09-15-2010, 12:26 PM

Just a video turning back towards the chopper channel and landing. The collective lovers like to see some collective action. You can see as I roll out of the turn...the collective is dropped a tad. It had some extra collective holding altitude while doing the turn.

I just high speed hover taxi down through the channel with my skids above deer height.

YouTube - MOV05756 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7aHzwIM3-Q)

Stan

Resasi

09-16-2010, 01:34 AM

Really enjoying these Stan, just keep them coming.

Great seeing those lids flicking under you.

StanFoster

09-17-2010, 03:31 AM

A short little flight....I cant describe this new 3rd dimension....so I wont try!

YouTube - MOV05755 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M432bawKyC4)

Stan

choppergabor

09-17-2010, 03:46 AM

Cool as always. Now today I'll give you some time off to fix that camera mount and make it work better. You can make that today's goal LOL. Hell with gluing up...... :)

StanFoster

09-17-2010, 03:56 AM

That camera mount is disgusting the way it shakes. The cabin feels like I ams sitting on the ground...and with my headphones on...I can barely hear the turbine whine.

I have to get to a big glueup....see ya later.

Stan

Timchick

09-17-2010, 06:35 PM

animal

09-17-2010, 06:40 PM

Tim, Stan is to busy making up for lost flying time,to worry about a measly camera mount..lol

Arnie Madsen

09-17-2010, 07:56 PM

Stan, I'm a little disappointed you can't figure out a way to make a solid camera mount. We've been watching you helicycle build thread for who knows how long and we've seen all the photos of your spiral stairways and yet you haven't figured out how to make a tiny sturdy, solid camera mount platform. What's the deal? ;)

Ya know what really gets me Tim .... He is out in his yard digging up a broken waterline with his backhoe and pretending he is a plumber digging for kerosene for a helicopter. That I can understand.

But what really gets me ........ HE HAS HIS OWN BACKHOE !!!!!!! Sheesh !!!!

http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27335

StanFoster

09-18-2010, 03:41 AM

Tim- Thanks for the motivation that your post #123 gave me! My videos are still evolving, but my last bunch of videos have come across a camera angle that I feel captures some of the feel of flying a helicopter. Being able to see the collective and cyclic movements as well as peaking outside the cabin gives a good perspective. Ok, I have the "position" of the camera nailed, I just need to replace the single bolt attachment point the camera has with extra support to stop it from buffeting out in the wind. You have to give me a little time figuring this out Tim...............I am not retarded, just s--l--o--w--! Ha. I will take your challenge and give up some flying time and make a solid camera mount you will be proud of. Just give me" 2 weeks" is all I ask! Stan

RotoPlane

09-18-2010, 05:52 AM

StanFoster

09-18-2010, 06:25 AM

I went to a friends house this morning.......and landed instead of just flying over like I have for years. He has a bunch of horses....so I was cautious about spooking them. Their ears stood up is about all. I landed and took off a few times showing my friend some quick stops.

Stan

animal

09-18-2010, 07:50 AM

cool, I see brown spots..lol surely you did not mark your spot again..

Timchick

09-18-2010, 02:51 PM

I can live with "2 weeks". I look forward to some steady videos.

StanFoster

09-19-2010, 10:09 AM

The Paxton Firedepartment is putting on a big benefit to help raise money for a young man who has brain and spinal cancer. The fire chief had asked me a year ago about getting a picture of their new firehouse someday from my helicopter. When I heard about this benefit and all the fire equipment being put on display......I asked if I could have the honor of hovering and taking a shot of the whole display. They were ecstatic to say the least.

I learned in helicopter training to minimize flying in the grey area of the HV curve....and for this occasion.....and the way that turbine and the rest of my helicopter is feeling.....I put my machine and self at risk for a photo. I took several...heres one of them.

I am going to their next Firehouse meeting and present them with a large blown up framed picture for their wall.

The fire chief is insisting to pay me....and I just said "I have never helped on one fire call in all these years....let me help just a little now. It was my honor to do it anyway"

Man,,,,what a fun mission.

Stan

animal

09-19-2010, 10:13 AM

Oh how cool,now that is a great photo for them. I am sure they will love that pic hanging on the wall.

Monte55

09-19-2010, 10:37 AM

Great pic Stan......did you hand hold the camera?

StanFoster

09-19-2010, 10:50 AM

Monte- Yes...I had the collective frictioned up...and was just flying with the cyclic. It was a rush being able to do this......but I was full aware I was depending on that turbine for several moments. This was a rare opportuniity and very rare for me to operate out of the HV curve....

Stan

Jens

09-19-2010, 11:33 AM

.....I put my machine and self at risk for a photo...
Stan, your next build project should be a PPG for that kind of jobs :)

StanFoster

09-19-2010, 11:43 AM

This is a hand held video....as you can see its not shaky like my external camera mount is. I have retired that mount and am trying something else. I want to keep the collectitve, cyclic, and pedal shots in the video giving the feel of flying this thing. For now...its hand held.

YouTube - September18 019 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoRlcCA1FKM)

Stan

Monte55

09-19-2010, 01:03 PM

Smooth video as is the stick........you are living the dream

RotoPlane

09-19-2010, 05:08 PM

The high rotor rpm helps but this is one of the smoothest two-bladed choppers I've seen…..acts more like a well balanced four-bladed rotor. Thanks Stan for these fun to watch videos!

StanFoster

09-19-2010, 05:18 PM

Ed- Thanks. It is by far the smoothest rotorcraft I have been in. I sure am glad I decided to polish the blades instead of paint them. Its no problem at all using Purple on the blades to take the bugs off and keeping them like mirrors. It makes me want to keep every bug spec off! When I am flying, my headset is on and I barely hear the turbine whine. Its hardly heard on the videos. Stan

Resasi

09-20-2010, 04:51 AM

Your high standard of workmanship and good design would seem to have been rewarded with some excellent handling qualities.

Certainly showed the difference by taking it off the mount, and yes that stick is not vibrating at all with what looks to be a light grip. Good job Stan.

Look forward to seeing the mount you will be rigging up.

StanFoster

09-20-2010, 05:01 AM

Leigh- Making a mount is harder than I thought. I originally used a latchplate hole for the full door....and simply bolted the camera on a flat iron as short as possible to the cabin.....allowing view of the collective...cyclic....pedals.....and of course scenery in front and below the helicopter. I have the viewing angle NAILED, and all my camera mount needs is another short brace. But......Stan wont let me drill a hole in my cabin door flange to bolt this simple fix to. I cant do it. Every time my drill bit approaches the spot,....I back off and wonder about what I am doing.

That camera has to stay where its at.....I am simply spoiled seeing all the controls moving. If I cant come up with something else.....then I may have to cry uncle and drill that hole. But....I am not going to upload anymore shaky cabin videos...when that cabin is smooth as glass....and it looks like I am in a rock vibrator!

Stan

RotorTom

09-20-2010, 06:47 AM

Leigh- Making a mount is harder than I thought.
Stan

Stan ... in the TV Biz we use a type of gyro steady-cam. Expensive ... but I have seen other guys copy the design using bungees. A mounting plate suspended (an inch) with bungees to absorb vibration. (I'll try to snap a picture).

And I'm sure Rotor-Head has some suggestions too.

StanFoster

09-20-2010, 06:54 AM

I came up with a very simple idea. I use a 1/4 inch bolt that goes in the bottom of my camera. I simple bent one 45 degrees .....and it fits in my door latch. After a few minor degree bends....I now have a much sturdier camera mount....its half inside the cabin....not out on a 3 inch arm.....and it shows an even better view of the collecive...cyclic, pedals....and outside.

I know it will shake less. I am going to kick butt in the shop....and try to find time for a test flight later today.

Stan

StanFoster

09-20-2010, 10:43 AM

Well, my simple idea improved my mount...but not good enough. I will post this one...but thats it until I come up with another idea. I found what my problem is. My camera is bolted to the door flange and I was watching the side of my cabin being buffeted by the wind.

Anyway...here is a video going out my channel....then doing a 110 mph pass over dads corn and soybean fields.....then doing a 180 and coming back into the channel with a partial quick stop in the channel. You can see our combine harvesting soybeans as I fly over and keep track of the guys....ha

The first part of the video....watch the airspeed indicator....its the top left instrument. When the hand is straight down..that is 70 mph, when its at 9 o'clock its exactly 100 mph. It is right at 70 mph when I exited the woods at the end of the chopper channel. I held it at 110 till I started turning. When I come back through the channel......you can hear the blades popping and resonating down the channel. I bet every squirrel in the trees took a dump when I came in.

YouTube - September20 008 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AptkV5NrBLA)

Stan

RotoPlane

09-20-2010, 11:08 AM

I was amazed how quickly that airspeed wound-up as you flew down the channel....good thing you didn't sneeze cause the weight of that cloud would have come back and knocked you silly ;).

dabkb2

09-20-2010, 12:57 PM

That is just too cool. Looks like a lot of fun.

StanFoster

09-23-2010, 06:54 AM

Heres my last video for awhile. I impoved my camera mount as good as I can get it. But that camera is still in the cabin slipstream getting buffeted way too much. Even though this video doesnt shake as much as my earlier ones...it looks like that cabin is hopping...when its glass smooth.

Maybe someday I will get a nice bullet cam and mount it behind the swashplate...where you can see the outside and watch the collective and cyclic inputs.

Enjoy....cause it will just be still pictures from now on. It takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r for me to upload these anyway...and the quality is embarassing.....

This is a video I made yesterday starting up the turbine...and exiting the chopper channel, doing a big turn and coming back into the channel and doing a partial quick stop before I enter the channel.

YouTube - MOV05859 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2-z1PsxUL8)

Stan

animal

09-23-2010, 07:07 AM

Stan, have you tried to mount the Camera inside the cabin, pointed out? I think you can get about the same view and it might keep the wind off it. it's worth a try.

StanFoster

09-23-2010, 07:19 AM

Tim- Its directly bolted to my door flange....half in..half out. There is no 3 inch bracket now...but just directly bolted to the door flange. There is no room to bring it in further. Maybe I will come up with another idea. I noticed on a previous flight how the wind buffets the side of the door flange....vibrating it just enough to move the camera. I wedged a piece of oak against the inside of the door frame where he camera is bolted...and against my seat. That side of the cabin is rock solid now...and is why the last video is better. But......the camera is sitting half out in the wind....and buffeting around. I could mount the camera inside on the instrument pod...but then you dont get the feel of seeing the collective and cyclic actions. These videos clearly show the collective and cyclic inputs. B.J. Schramm has a video where he mounted a bullet cam behind the swashplate...and you could get the sense of the collective and cyclic inputs by watching the swashplate rise and fall...and tilt to control commands.

Stan

Resasi

09-23-2010, 08:22 AM

Stan the difference between that and the hand held is considerable. I'm not sure that even your previous mount may have been a tad smoother than this last one.

You certainly have exiting and re-entering your chopper channel down to a fine art, hell stick some little LED's to your paint tin lids and you could be shooting that little exercise in the dark without any problem.

Keeping your front lawn clear of leaves, and as for cleaning out those squirrels before you wander down and bag a few for dinner well that's just genius.

Sorry to hear that your cutting back on the videos but I know exactly what you mean by editing and posting them. I have been sitting on a few flights worth and just not doing them, it sure does take some time.

Giving that Kerosene Kitty a pounding, but hey you worked and waited for this, enjoy.

StanFoster

09-23-2010, 09:07 AM

Leigh- I am getting real comfortable taking off down the channel and accelerating. The 2nd channel exit in the last video I posted clearly shows 80 mph as I exited the woods. That was only an 1/8 mile of not really aggressive collective and cyclic to get it accelerating with about 10 mph starting speed. I could accelerate harder....and as I get more experienced....I bet 90 mph exit speeds are easily possible just after an 1/8 mile of acceleration.

You can literally feel this thing kick you in the pants during acceleration...especially going through MPRS.....if you add more collective and more forward cyclic....it literally jumps from 55 to 80...

I know I could reach the top end of 110 mph in a quarter mile. To me....that seems impossible with most of the horsepower just to keep it off the ground...and the small tilt of the rotor to accelerate it. When I get some more exact numbers...I am going to ask Chuck Beaty some of his thoughts as to the high acceleration this machine has.

Stan

Timchick

09-23-2010, 06:01 PM

Stan, Don't give up on the videos. The last one looks like it has less shake.

StanFoster

09-24-2010, 04:11 AM

Tim- I will try other mounting ideas, but I don't want to keep posting shaking videos. I am insulting my Helicycle posting them. My problem is I found the perfect viewing angle showing the collective, cyclic, instruments, and outside scenery, but the camera is being buffeted. I will post some hand held videos from time to time. Stan

dragonflyerthom

09-24-2010, 06:54 AM

I agree you will not have to rake leaves around your shop this year Stan. Glad you're having fun. Thanks for the call the other day. I have been a little under the weather. I went to the Drs yesterday and they say I have Bronchitis. Don't give up on the Vids Bro.

asmuzsr

09-24-2010, 12:27 PM

StanFoster

09-24-2010, 03:54 PM

Tony- I am very much in control of that helicopter going down the channel. I don't do anything I am not comfortable doing. The faster I go, the more like an arrow it flies. The tail feathers are doing their job. B.J. Schramm did one heck of a job designing that machine. The more I fly it, the more I love it. Stan

RotoPlane

09-24-2010, 05:04 PM

From what I've seen so far Stan, you fly with commonsense caution…..so I assume once the winds get high enough or become burble cross-windy stuff, you will slow down, vacate the premises by a different route….or stay home. I vote for stay home ;).

StanFoster

09-24-2010, 05:41 PM

Ed- I do feel I am exercising a lot of caution. It is almost always calm in the channel even if its very windy on top and around the woods. There is some turbulence around the perimeter of course, and I get below treetop height and approach the channel cautiously. So far I haven't felt anything rough so far. I have found out however that when departing that channel, faster speeds minimizes the turbulence I feel than if I would come out real slow. I hardly get more than a small wig wag out of my tail and at 80 mph it just rifles through it. I do not do steep approaches into the square hole when its real windy, as there is a lot of turbulence over the top of the woods, and a steep approach means slow approach speeds and a fairly steep angle in to my touchdown spot. I do the steep approaches for practice and training, but take the conservative channel approach when its windy. .........................Again, once you are in the channel, it is very calm. I always study the treetops to see how windy it is because you just can't feel it inside my woods........................................I am getting the feel of my chopper the more I fly it, and it really is the easiest thing I have flown while the power is on. I have to say, while the power is on, because it is of course harder to fly with the power off! I practice autos every flight, and I have learned a lot, but I won't be as proficient as I need to be for some time. Just being honest with myself. I have lots to learn, and I am not waisting kerosene , I am pushing myself to get where I should be. I can tell that flying about every other day is accelerating my learning curve. My logbooks on all my gyros are like diaries each and every flight. I make notations on stuff I have to adjust or piddle with. So far, this helicopter has had the least amount of work on it than my other gyros. That's counting the tail rotor gearbox oil changes that I do every 5 hours, and those are now every 25 hours. Its going to get probably an hour and a half tomorrow. Stan

choppergabor

09-24-2010, 05:52 PM

Being conservative with your flying will never bite you in the butt. Sometimes slow is more dangerous than chugging right through with a decent speed that streamlines your machine. You are doing good Stan proud of yah.

RotoPlane

09-24-2010, 05:59 PM

I appreciate you telling us these things….we all learn by them. I was thinking a while ago about the wind flowing into the channel at a slight angle and the swirls it would create inside it, possibly trying to force you toward the tree line. These swirls wouldn't be too long though, so perhaps it would be safer to fly faster through them than going slower and staying in them longer. I'll keep reading and learning…..

StanFoster

09-24-2010, 07:23 PM

Gabor- Thanks. I feel flying the channel at a higher speed, finds me staying right over my centerline. I love those orange lids. Sure let's me focus straight ahead like I should be................................Ed, I am progressing with my flying almost each flight. I respect that machine, but I am getting the feel of it more and more. I am also at least 10 feet off the ground to clear jumping deer that are sideline spectators! Anything flying over 10 feet needs more speed to stay out of the grey areas of the HV curve. Stan

akoschier

09-25-2010, 04:38 PM

Stan,

BJ did himself in flying at high speed (and low) through a "channel".
Nobody knows what really caused his crash other than a medical issue which was ruled out. All we know he did a movie shot test run, went into the canyon and did not come out the other end.
Bird impact is a good possibility. Just be careful.
so far we have a very good safety record.
avk

StanFoster

09-25-2010, 05:04 PM

Avk- You bring up a good point about a bird strike. Just thinking about that will slow my speed down going through the channel. I do have a few red tail hawks, and turkey buzzards in there. Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it! You ewont see anymore 80 mph channel exits............................................. .............................On another note, I flew 1.5 hours today, flew to a carshow and landed there. Came back and practiced autos and quick stops. Then I had some super fun. My cousin was combining the last of my dads soybeans, and I was hover taxiing alongside the combine, being a huge distraction to my cousin. I went ahead of him and was hovering just about 2-3 feet above the beans. After that I went and set down on dads other farms, making big crop circles of cleared soybean debris. I could see a huge ring of debris radiating outward and upward from the helicopter. I was monitoring this debris making sure it wasn't coming back down through the rotor. This stuff tends to just radiate outwards, then falls to the ground. Corn husks are another story however. They act like leaves and will radiate ouward, upward, back inward, and downward through the rotor. So, bottom line, not all surfaces are friendly with their loose debris. I took a handheld video today but haven't uploaded it yet. Stan

Hillbilly

09-25-2010, 05:45 PM

Stan, how many more local hours do you need before you get you sign off?

StanFoster

09-26-2010, 03:59 AM

I have been practicing autos like I should be, but I have no pictures as its kind of hard taking pictures when my hands are busy! My first autos didn't feel like autos. When you do an auto in an R22, your view of your target spot is just about the same angle a possum has when he jumps off a hayloft! The Helicycle is more like a flying squirrel, much more glide and a shallower descent angle. It took me several to make me believe I actually was in autorotation. The defining clues were right pedal being needed and the normally motionless rotor rpm needle showing it pulling away from its frozen position. The turbine just sits there waiting to reengage its quiet power when needed. I am still surprised at how easy autos are in this macine. That being said, I also must stress that my autos are 'setup', I am doing them with lots of altitude, and of course know when its coming. I will slowly progress to autos that I will do on a 'whim' as these are much more real like. Its one thing to setup an engine out, and quite another to be surprised by one at any scenario luck of the draw finds you. Believe me, after a dozen and a half real ones in gyros, they all are different. I feel I have to constantly push myself on practicing these autos, so that should a real one come along, I will be able to handle it. Normal conservative flying at sufficient altitude, I should be able to bleed off all ofmy airspeed at a few feet, and have plenty of collective to land softly. Engine outs in less conservative modes of flying are much more of a challenge, and I have a lot more to learn in these many other scenarios that engines tend to surprise you in. I may never have a real auto to perform, yet I could have had one on my last flight. One just doesn't know, and I fly expecting one. I can at least say I am practicing each flight just in case! Stan

Resasi

09-26-2010, 04:18 AM

Like that Stan, a slow steady exploration of your personal boundaries and skills, and loving every minute of it as well. What a win win situation.

Interesting the varying types of turbulence different trees can give. One airport I used to fly into regularly was the island of Dar-es-Salaam.
The airfield was surrounded by hundreds of coconut palms. A stiff breeze would create a low rolling turbulence that could catch anyone not familiar with it on very short final, low slow and just about to touch down.

Once you knew about it, a glance at the windsock to judge how much and what direction, added some speed and touch down a bit quicker. Gusty conditions could prove a bit trickier.

dragonflyerthom

09-26-2010, 08:01 AM

Man you are just having tooooo much fun. Glad for you tho. I am getting use to my new ride also. Been ill for the last week so I have only done taxis up and down getting use to the controls. Soon my friend. very soon. Today is the first day I haven't felt light headed.

Resasi

09-26-2010, 03:02 PM

Thom getting old is not for sissies.

StanFoster

09-27-2010, 04:35 AM

Heres a shot parked at the old Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul Il. saturday. They came out and picked me up in a golf cart....and I could hardly get away answering questions. I had been told by other Helicyce pilots to expect delays at airports!

There was a huge hotrod car show/airshow there. They let me do a slow fly by as I departed. Having too much fun flying to take pictures while flying. I tried another video..but it was shaky like the rest...and I just dont want to post shaky videos anymore.

Stan

asmuzsr

09-27-2010, 11:09 AM

StanFoster

09-27-2010, 01:47 PM

Here are a few snap shots as I checked out a bunch of farmers today. I have certain ones that love me hover taxi alongside them about 50 feet away. I wish I could take pictures then!

That last picture with the John Deere tractor and grain cart is one of the biggest farmers in the area. He wants to pay my R22 time and take him over his place. I came down right after these pictures and hovered around that grain cart and watched them unload the combine on the go.

Stan

StanFoster

09-27-2010, 04:01 PM

I didn't have time to post the best part ot todays flight, the hovering and hover taxiing I was doing around some of my farmer friends. The best 90% of my helicopter experiences will have no pictures or videos. I am down on the deck having fun hovering near my friends. Can't take picture as I am having a ball with both hands and feet utilizing what I bought this helicopter for---- this 3rd dimension of flying! You just have to experience it to know what I am talking about. For years I would fly close to my friends, ones that I know wouldn't mind me buzzing by. I just wouldn't want to be caught, and I had to be careful with all the cellphone cameras nowadays. Well, that is no longer an issue. I can hover real close and I can't explain the feeling. Its like.......this is not right, being able to fly without a lot of airspeed. The combine I was hovering next to was getting a kick out of seeing a helicopter off to his side following him around the field. I flew down a channel of picked corn and came to a dead end. I could not believe the euphoric rush I had doing a quick stop at a dead end, hover turning, then doing a takeoff and departure out of that corn field. This only led me to another farmer on the other side of the ditch, whom was waving to me as I was hovering around him. Next I visited a hi-hoe that dad had hired to dig a drainage ditch on one of dads farms. The guy was about to split his sides as I was just hovering and watching him dig. Man, I could go on and on. Stan

choppergabor

09-27-2010, 04:04 PM

One can never have too much fun Stan :) I am happy for ya big guy! Enjoy the fruit of your work.

GrantR

09-27-2010, 04:12 PM

StanFoster

09-28-2010, 03:13 AM

Grant- They empty on the go up here. Too much down time sitting an unloading on the endrows like I did when I was farming. Farming evolves to higher and higher efficiency. Thats why the american farmer will never be surpassed in producing food for the world......as long as we can keep the socialistic advances in check.

Here is a hand held video from yesterday. Notice the only shaking is my hand holding the camera. The collective is frictioned up freeing my hand. Dont kid yourself though....my camera is strapped around my neck...and that left hand will drop the camera and grab the collective should I need to in a split second.

The real absolute fun of flying my helicopter can not be filmed at present with my equipment. I love hovering and checking out scenery....combines...and just exploring this 3rd dimension of not needing forward movement of at least 30-35 mph to look at something. My hands and feet are feeling alive controlling this machine....and all thats left is my eyes to move around in amazement of what I am being able to do.

Someday I will have a bullet cam mounted behind the swashplate....so that you can get maybe a little idea what I am talking about....and see the collective and cyclic moving the swashplate as various maneuvers are performed.

Heres the video I took yesterday....and you can see the grain cart and combine...which I shut the camera off and went down into the 3rd dimension.

No pictures...I guess that means no proof that I did what I said I did. ha. Ask my wife how wound up I was when I came home.

By the way.....I installed my full door on the right side of the cabin as the weather is cooling down. I flew my SparrowHawk in the summer on cross countries with the right door on. Stops a lot of wind noise....maps are being blown on my kneeboard etc. When it gets real cold...the left door goes on.

YouTube - September27 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhyXxh7sKfI)

Stan

animal

09-28-2010, 05:06 AM

Looking good Stan, you are having way to much fun.....lol I think you are on a mission to make up for those 2 years of not flying before winter hits.. :)

yep going to be little old ladys freezing this year in Paxton due to a lack of K-1..

StanFoster

09-28-2010, 05:30 AM

Tim- If you go back in the archives....I think I flew my RAF and my SparrowHawk up here in the winter almost as much as I did in the summer. I also flew my Bensen with a snowmobile suit on when it was 5 degrees. 30 degrees was easy. I have one season for flying......year round!

Stan

lanichol

09-28-2010, 09:11 AM

Stan,

I saw the combine empting the hopper still going on your video. I had no idea that the combines dump the hopper while harvesting at the same time. They don’t do that down here. Of course our fields are nowhere near the size of the ones around you.

Do the ag planes spray at night there?
.

In the Great Plains farmers stop what ever they are doing and start cutting the minute the crops are ready. We have heavy winds and hail. A farmer can loose a years work in 15 minutes. The elevators stay open late until the trucks quit coming in or the moisture gets too high.

How many 13-14yr old kids do you know that can stay within a foot driving a tractor & cart down the field next to a combine?

I have a friend that has sprayed for nearly 35 years in the flattest part of Kansas. He tried spaying at night when he was young, but it was not worth the risk. One problem was the the watts needed for the lights overran the batteries & alternator.

StanFoster

09-28-2010, 01:11 PM

Burned just a little kerosene awhile ago. Had to check out the farms.....we have a hi-hoe cleaning out about 1/2 a mile of drainage ditch. I have a video flying over it....then when the fun really started.....I shut the camera off and hovered and landed alongside the hi-hoe.

The one picture is a BIG A fertilizer spreading lime......and a few combines rolling. My dads farms are all harvested....and he is wanting to get to his winter hone in Bradenton, Florida.

The 2nd picture is my chopper channel and you can make out the centerline I have marked. There is a branch way overhead, like 70 feet up that I fly under. I typically am never more than 15 feet off the ground when I fly out the channel.

Stan

helopilot2be

09-28-2010, 02:13 PM

Stan,
You might rethink your one door use. I understand the use of one door and how it is better than two at times. What I would like you to consider though is switching to having the left door on. If I am looking at your pictures correctly your tail rotor is on the left side. If so I would fly with the left door on if you are flying with only one door. Left door off is asking for something to leave the cockpit and head straight for the tail rotor. Just food for thought. This was stressed during my R-22 training.
Chris

StanFoster

09-28-2010, 02:22 PM

Chris- My door is bolted in, it can't come off! They even have latch pins that will hold the door on even if the hinges came off. The R22 has cheezy hinge pins that some even fly without the safety rings on them. My doors are fine! Stan

helopilot2be

09-28-2010, 03:06 PM

Stan,
I'm not worried about the doors coming off. I saw the way you built it. I'm worried about objects leaving the cockpit. Your hat, a chart, a pencil, your camera. Any of these striking your tail rotor with any significant forward airspeed are going to be a big problem. Anyway, just food for thought. Put the left door on and leave the right door off.
Fly Safe and enjoy your beautiful bird.
Chris

StanFoster

09-28-2010, 03:36 PM

Chris- Not trying to argue here, but I keep a sterile cockpit. No maps, no pens, I don't wear a hat, my camera is on a lanyard around my neck. Flying with a full door stops all turbulence in te cabin. It will be fine, but thanks for your concern! Stan

helopilot2be

09-28-2010, 04:38 PM

Ok, don't mean to argue either. Happy Flying and be safe!

choppergabor

09-28-2010, 04:43 PM

The R22 has cheezy hinge pins that some even fly without the safety rings on them
come on man make up your mind about the Goat! Is it the $hit or is it garbage? Gotcha!!!!!!!!!!!!

animal

09-28-2010, 04:48 PM

269 Rules! R-22 Drools..

Gabor, Stan is now flying a helicopter with real performance.

StanFoster

09-28-2010, 04:51 PM

Gabor- I will always love the R22. I learned to fly a helicopter in one. Ha. Stan

StanFoster

09-29-2010, 04:47 AM

Heres a very short hand held video flying over the hi-hoe that is digging on one of dads farms. Dad is standing on the ground..just across the ditch from the hi-hoe. He will be 90 next Febuary....he is still running the show directing the hoe what to do! Again....once the real fun started in the helicopter...I had to drop the camera on around my neck...and get done there and hover and land. I landed in the grass waterway. I think I may have cost dad some big bucks as the hi-hoe operator got out of his cab and was talking to us. His engine was still running and dad pays him over $2 a minute. Yikes....I better not do this anymore! ha

YouTube - September28 019 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J39cGpP0sQ)

Stan

StanFoster

09-29-2010, 08:37 AM

There was talk in another thread about microbial action plugging fuel filters. I am supposed to check my fuel flow every ten hours, and I just checked it again. I unhooked my hose up high so the pump had to work to get it to engine height...and it is pumping right at 30 gph with myi boost pump. That is through a 25 micron fuel filter that my original pump test did not have. It was right at 30 gallons per hour initially without a filter. So, this will be a test I will do every ten hours...until I burn JetA which has Prist added to it automatically. Scott educated me on Prist...then I did some further research and this is exactly the additive JetA has for anti-icing and antimicrobial action.

I just want to error on the side of caution while I am burning kerosene. My fuel supplier has a clean operation.

Heres some pictures. I filled my 5 gallon can exactly at ten minutes.......30 gallons an hour. If I see it go down any significent amount...I will just change out the $6 fuel filter.

Stan

RotoPlane

09-29-2010, 09:28 AM

I don't know the size of your storage tank but is there some reason you can't add the proper amount of Prist just before this tank is refilled with kerosene....and save money over the JetA?

StanFoster

09-29-2010, 10:50 AM

Ed- I just did some research on adding Prist. It has to be be sprayed into the fuel as its filling. They say you cant slosh it in a fuel can...to add it to the fuel. It is heavier than the fuel and will just sit at the bottom of the tank in a thicker concentration and can even coagulate. I even read this thick concentration can even cause microbial action. Go figure? I understand that it attaches itself to any water nearby...this while being injected in the fuel stream. So, I am not set up to properly introduce Prist into my kerosene. I am just going to monitor my fuel flow rate...and switch to JetA next year. Jet A has Prist automatically injected as it flows out. I figure I have way more fuel flow than needed and if I monitor it closely....I should be able to catch my filter starting to plug some.

Stan

lanichol

09-29-2010, 01:20 PM

Stan mentioned grain carts.

This was next to the hiway today. Every farmer taking his grain to town drove past it. The kids that overloaded it fixed it fairly quickly.

Brother-in-law asked if I wanted to pickup 30 bushel of corn for deer stands.

RotoPlane

09-29-2010, 06:11 PM

Thanks Stan. That Prist sounds unfriendly and scary. I will be using some other antibacterial with bulk kerosene......

akoschier

09-29-2010, 08:14 PM

Stan,

I'ts my view that with the amount of flying you do and at the fuelburnrate of around 13GPH you will not have to worry about bugs growing in your fuel.
You park the ship for a few months in warm climate with a 3/4 full tank so oxygen can get to it- you have a different story. Looks like you don't read fuelflow on an instrument.
This might be a worthwhile addition for a variety of reasons.
avk

StanFoster

09-30-2010, 04:28 AM

avk- Just curious, I know a fuel flow meter reads out what the engine is burning exactly.....no doubt that at all. But does it read out the potential fuel flow to the engine like my fuel flow rate check yesterday? My pump will deliver 30 gph now....and I would like to know when its down to say 25 gph....and definately when its below 20 gph....because that is definately showing the fuel filter is getting used up. I dont see how a fuel flow meter could monitor what the pump is actually delivering through the filter....unless its one of those fuel flow meters that show used fuel and return fuel to the tanks both together. I just want to know when my fuel filters are starting to get plugged a little. This manual test takes just a minute to get started...then 10 minutes of pumping into a 5 gallon can and I know if I am good to go. Maybe the right fuel flow meter can do this....I dont know.

I personally will trust only my little sight gauge that I have inside my cabin with the floating red cylinder inside it. I can read from completely full to down to one gallon, and can guarantee it would fly at one gallon...even though I wont ever let it get that low. But just saying had I flown my fuel down to 3 gallons.....I know and can watch the fuel go down to one gallon knowing it wont flame out.

I know those $500 fuel flow meters are the cats meow....but I would never have confidence using one to fly down to a guaranteed one gallon like I can now. However.....using them to tune the engine for better economy, etc.....sure....it would be nice to have one. My budget had to draw a line somewhere!

Hows your turbine install going?

Stan

Jason O

09-30-2010, 10:57 AM

Hello Stan,

I dont know how your fuel system is laid out but if it recirculates fuel, could you use a pressure gauge to determine resistance through the fuel filter. Pressure goes up means the filter is passing less fuel.

Jason

akoschier

09-30-2010, 07:55 PM

Stan,
With a fuel flow meter and a 3 way valve you get a reading in seconds if this is what you want. (third branch of the valve goes back to the tank)
I personally do not think bacteria growth can be an issue if the ship gets flown reasonably and you filter the fuel coming from the fuelstorage farm. If you are still worried switch to a larger filter unit on the ship.
I'm using an EIS system from Rapids Technology which I had from the Hirth days. It now reads fuel flow, Engine and tranny oil temps, Voltage,engine RPM,engine running time and will read EGT once I hang up another probe. It has adjustable limits for high and low on each parameter and will trigger an alarm .It also has a download feature to a laptop which I never used.
I felt then I needed the EIS since there were just to many gages to watch. After I had it installed life became much easier. Large idiot light blinks and you check the instrument to see which parameter exceeds pre- set limits. For me it was mostly coolant temp during extended hovering on hot days since the cooling system was marginal for that. As it turns out the one I should have watched (injection oil pump flow) was not in my list since it was this little bugger which stopped and the engine seized while in hover despite carbon pistons.
It was a gradual seize however - rapid loss of power without any of the other parameters flagging something is wrong.
As for my turbine installation I was ready to go and call the Feds for a re-inspection when during a system check-out ground run I had problems with the MRT. This seems to be an isolated issue with RTV restricting oil to the rear pinion roller bearing.
Hardware is with Blake - will get a new one when I'm back from Colo where I spend summers in 3 weeks.
avk

StanFoster

10-01-2010, 02:09 AM

Avk- Thanks for your explanation. I can see how having all those readouts in one nice instrument would be a nice management tool. I will be a frequent flier in my Helicycle, probably flying mine more in the winter than others do in the summer. I love to fly and averaged 150 up to 175 hours per year my last 3 years flying my gyros. I will for now just monitor my fuel flow rate every 10 hours since its so easy to do. I can't say how much I enjoy flying this thing. Stan

kingo

10-01-2010, 04:50 AM

Hi Stan, you should see if you can round up one of the original filter housing's off the T62-27 /38 as they have a real nice element filter and if the filter becomes blocked then the filter will pull in against a spring allowing fuel through , unfiltered yet fuel for a engine to keep going.
kingo

kstorm32

10-01-2010, 10:08 AM

Stan

I have a waterman racing fuel pump and filter system and it works great

Ken-

Rotor-Head

10-01-2010, 11:47 AM

Nice looking machine.. I'll take one.

StanFoster

10-02-2010, 05:28 AM

I have a whole new camera mount to try out....except its raining and very windy today. I mounted the camera alongside my cabin, but not on the cabin. This time I bolted it to the frame. For reference...you will be able to see the nose of the chopper in the upper right corner. The camera is pointed dead ahead.....and it should make some interesting combine buzz pictures...and everything else including quick stops and my autorotation practice. Hopefully it will show a smooth video. Stay tuned.

Stan

birdy

10-03-2010, 02:00 AM

Bloodyell Stan, iv been avoidn your heli vids, for good reason.
Love to have one of them sitn in my shed.

And, at 30 GPH, your guna need truckloads of fuel wen you come out ere. ;)

Keep on enjoyn your pristine work of art mate. :)

StanFoster

10-03-2010, 03:33 AM

Birdy- You misunderstood my 30 GPH figure. That's what my pump/filter can deliver to the turbine. That is a healthy 2.5 times more than required so I can allow plenty for if microbial action starts slowing down the available fuel flow rate. I have plenty of reserve that my fuel flow tests should catch it. Thanks for the comment Birdy, I will do my best to keep it looking like the first day it flew. I am actually going into more of a savoring mode now. I have flown it probably 2 out of every 3 days, and now that I have gotten a lot of feel for flying it, and how simple it is to look over and maintain, I have it sitting in its stall on constant pre-flight complete mode, ready to fly on a whim. I have had more fun the last 4 days not flying but instead polishing it, pre-flighting, and REALLY looking over everything extra good. I have torque seal on all critical bolts. I have a new camera mount that I believe will make smoother videos. I plan on flying later today. Stan

Resasi

10-03-2010, 05:09 AM

Looking forward to seeing how that new mount turns out Stan, hope it manages to show how silky smooth your bird really is.

birdy

10-04-2010, 01:06 AM

Birdy- You misunderstood my 30 GPH figure.
Thank crist for that, id lost interest in turbines for a bit there. ;)
So, how much dose it drink?

BTW, youll have to give me plenty or warning your comen so's i can get a "grassed" pad setup for you. Hate to see you land it in my dustbowl and sandblast those blades :).

StanFoster

10-04-2010, 04:15 AM

I finally have a rock solid video camera mount. You cant see my controls as there just isnt anyway short of welding a frame outside the door for the camera. But here is my new mount..the camera is bolted to the left skid and I adjusted it so the belly of the cabin is there for reference.

This is a take off through the chopper channel...then I did a practice autorotation into that grass waterway...a power recovery of course...but the glide isnt that steep as an R22 auto.

More non shaky videos to come.

YouTube - October3 004 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5K97wuSnBk)

Stan

choppergabor

10-04-2010, 05:22 AM

Cool finally a good quality video! LOL Why did we have to wait this much? It was great to see the TL kicking in :)

animal

10-04-2010, 05:37 AM

You can't fool us Stan, you just wanted us to see how your new 40 grand leaf blower works..lol

that was a nice stable video. looking forward to seeing More Videos in the future.

StanFoster

10-04-2010, 05:51 AM

Gabor- It took so long...about 2 weeks...ha....because I was having too much fun flying it.

Heres a farmer I intercepted and flew about 50 feet from. I will go make some more videos!

YouTube - October3 003 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og5JBHC2KQI)

Stan

RotorTom

10-04-2010, 06:26 AM

Stan,

Can you post a photo of the mount itself? Video looks great with absolutely no vibration. Where did you get it? I want one. Or did you build it?

StanFoster

10-04-2010, 07:25 AM

Tom- I just took an adel clamp and used a 1/4 inch bolt that I had to bend a radius in so as the camera would mount level. The radius had to be gentle enough so that I could get the nut threaded down past it so I could clamp it tight to my landing leg. I can simply reach out and turn the camera off and on easily....until I put my full door on!

I am pleased as it now makes smooth videos that are like flying it really is.

Now that I know it works well....I will upload more interesting videos from now on.
Heres another video. Nothing special...I was just out testing my new mount yesterday and this was the last one. I will have much better action in the future...I promise.

YouTube - October3 002 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9JmGU-Y4KY)

Stan

gyroman

10-04-2010, 08:04 AM

What is wrong with you Stan? The farmer may take offense to you buzzing his tractor like that. Why those things are what 100 - 200K? You might have spooked it and it could have crashed into a fence.... :whoo:

StanFoster

10-04-2010, 08:56 AM

Toby- Please...................I never fly close like that unless they love it. I know that farmer...have given him rides. I had been circling in front of him...got his attention and he was waving at me....then I took off and remembered I had the camera I could turn on...so I turned around ..and came back. He loved it! No way would I sneak up anyone...and I never do this unless I really know the farmer.

Stan

Turbineheli

10-04-2010, 09:56 AM

Hi Stan,

Could you send me a couple of pics of your sight tube and how you installed it ?
I'm installing an Electronics Int'l fuel flow and fuel gauge but it's great to actually be able to see the fuel level. I'm also installing the aux tank.

Angier
N4ZQ@verizon.net

StanFoster

10-04-2010, 10:20 AM

Angier- Heres my site tube. It goes up the right side of my seat. You can see the floating red cylinder that I bought from Bear Perkins. I love that site tube. A quick glance and I can tell EXACTLY down to one gallon my fuel level. I wouldnt do it exactly the same way if I were to do it over again.

I have marks at 19 gallon...17 gallon...15 gallon...10 gallon.. 5 gallon...then the slashed red marks beging.....and I have a full one gallon of usable fuel if I should ever stupidly run the fuel down to the bottom of the red. I wont let it get below 4 gallons....

Stan

RotorTom

10-04-2010, 10:47 AM

Stan! How wonderfully simple! Love that mount.

gyroman

10-04-2010, 11:48 AM

Stan,

I was just joking... trying to relate your experience with the tractor to Ron's flyby of the cows... all in good fun.....:)

Them tractors can be finicky animals... they spook at the slightest scare...

Ever seen the animated film CARS? Tractor tipping is fun!!! Watch it with your grandkids...

StanFoster

10-04-2010, 12:29 PM

Toby- I see your humerous view. It wouldnt be cool if I was buzzing some farmers without them knowing it. There are always certain ones though that you can really play with. One of my favorite tricks was on a windy day in my gyro...be up a few hundered feet and cast my spinning rotor shadow right in front of the combine....and if the winds right...just stay there....I can usually see the farmer opening the door and looking for me...of course I am right in the sun.

Stan

StanFoster

10-04-2010, 12:35 PM

I flew over noon hour and made this 15 minute video of just meandering around doing my thing. You can see where I came down on some private property...and just hovered. I am sure they wouldnt have minded had I set it on down the last foot.....but I didnt have their permission....so I just shared the airspace that belongs to all of us! Towards the end you can see where the hi-hoe is lowering a ditch alongside my woods. He will soon be cutting a ditch right across where my chopper channel starts at the edge of the woods.

It is such a neat feeling going from normal flight to saying, hey ...I want to go down and look at something real close...then just go down and hover. I cant explain it properly, but its such a sense of freedom flying without having to have forward speed all the time.

More to come.

YouTube - MOV05938 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Memu6qNwTnc)

Stan

Monte55

10-04-2010, 03:12 PM

Great video Stan. Camera mount seems very solid. I did like the view of the collective and cyclic in your past videos. You need to do a split screen. Bird sounds great.
Nick
ps how did you get 15 min video on youtube

Timchick

10-04-2010, 03:54 PM

I knew you could find a solid mounting spot. I had faith in you, Stan. Videos look great.

StanFoster

10-04-2010, 04:02 PM

Monte- They allow 15 minute videos. That was just a few seconds under. Tim, I couldn't let you down. Thanks for keeping the pressure on me! Stan

RotoPlane

10-04-2010, 04:22 PM

This video is sickening……oh yes, I'm coveting and I'll also admit that I smiled a lot ;). You are like an eagle on the prowl for farmers….you deserving lucky duck! I wonder how many times I will watch this one…..

Resasi

10-04-2010, 04:39 PM

That mount really worked out well Stan, and as others have commented, delightfully simple. The videos have turned out very well.

Do miss seeing your controls though, that was a neat angle you had on the last one.

You really are racking up the hours, great to see you visiting your buddies and giving them some joy in seeing you whirling around the area like a dervish.

dragonflyerthom

10-04-2010, 04:55 PM

The chopper channel seems very well swept. Nice Vid Stan.

Resasi

10-05-2010, 01:13 AM

Yup, Stan's got a big air-blower with a camera on it that he just loves to use.

StanFoster

10-05-2010, 02:55 AM

Leigh- I am on a learning curve with this hovering leaf blower. Yesterday I was hovering over some bean stubble at the edge of my yard. My wife Barbara had just cleaned the windows on that side of the house. Errrrrrr............whooppppppsssss!!!!! I was blowing soybean hulls and very fine cling to window chaf everywhere. Believe me, the. " MAA" has more authority than the FAA! I may be uploading videos of how to get windows as clean as my wife can! See you all in about 2 weeks! Stan

Anthony Melody

10-05-2010, 03:50 AM

That did make me laugh Stan. I have quite a lot of experience with window cleaning, have a Swiss product that keeps them shiny for a while. In fact that is one of my jobs when I get home.

Oops see I have posted from Tony's computer, over with him to look at the radiator, and search for a rectifier for the Cylinder temp guage.

Leigh

choppergabor

10-05-2010, 03:52 AM

Well Anthony you can't just leave us hanging like that! Swiss or not we enslaved husbands need to know the brand ya know so we can earn credit from our better half. Right Stan?
So what's the product?????? :)

StanFoster

10-05-2010, 04:05 AM

Anthony- Please..........hurry with this information.....I would love to fly again in October. I may be permanently grounded by MAA

Yes dear,,...I am looking for the Windex!

Stan

StanFoster

10-08-2010, 09:53 AM

I just flew my first confined area takeoff today in my Helicycle. The trees I had to clear are just over 70 feet tall....and 200 feet away. This was not a max performance takeoff as I had plenty of collective left. I am learning the capabilities of this machine. I did the same takeoff in the R22 with my instructor.....except it was indeed a max performance takeoff. We were at gross and I had to give it everything she had. The departure inclination angle was the same, but we were going much slower in the R22.

YouTube - October8 001 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5tv9xKecYI)

Stan

lanichol

10-08-2010, 10:02 AM

Really amazing. Need a tool basket.

Monte55

10-08-2010, 12:23 PM

The videos make ya kinda feel that you're there. Great job Stan

StanFoster

10-09-2010, 08:09 AM

I made this 5 minute fun video this morning. Departure out my chopper channel.....just missing the bulldozer that is tag teaming with a hi-hoe to drain the water down our farm. Short 1/2 mile flight to my lot next to my home where I just hovered....turned around and came back towards my woods.

If you look close when I hover on to my lot....there is a small wind flag to the left of the powerline pole. Its real sensitive and its handy to have there.

I wanted to make a complete takeoff and landing video....so I flew back into the channel and landed at the stairshop....then shut the camera off and flew to a friends house about 20 miles away. I took a video on the way...but the batteries pooped out.....so this little 4 minute one is all for now.

I did a lot of autorotation practice at the airport...but no video with the dead batteries.

YouTube - MOV06011 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OQWf3TtrsA)

Stan

Doug Schwochert

10-09-2010, 02:30 PM

Hi Stan

Looks like all your hard work has paid off for you.you are doing all kinds of flying but you never mention how many hours you have put on so far.
are you still building stairs yet or did you give that up to fly your helicopter.

Doug

StanFoster

10-09-2010, 04:33 PM

Doug- I am very much still into stairbuilding! Its how we eat and buy kerosene! Stan

Resasi

10-10-2010, 12:48 AM

Sweet vid Stan, silky smooooth, you are getting very practiced and it shows.

I was round at my Instructor Anthony's house and using his computer hence the confusion. Tony is a great guy who has been flying gyros for over thirty years and isn't sure of his hours, I think he has 3,000 odd logged. A quiet very modest man he has instructed on gyros in various places round the world Thailand Africa Australia Ireland being a few. Was a serious motorbike racer when he was younger racing in England and on the Continent, did the Isle of Man TT along with a number of other well known events along with doing flying demos with his gyro's. Aussie Paul and Helipaddy Fergus know him well.

Guess you already did the windows since your airborne again however presently trying two different glass cleaners. The Swiss one is called Schiebenklar or Window Clear and made by Cadie Products Corp in Patterson NJ. Works well and the glass stays clean for quite a long time. Takes time to apply and buff off.

The second is Webbclean Industrial glass cleaner made in Liecester. This is easier to apply and wipe off but doesn't seem to last as long. One complete wall of my flat in London facing the Thames is glass and shows the dirt immediately so I find myself cleaning those more than I would really like.

StanFoster

10-10-2010, 03:11 AM

Leigh- Yep, the queens windows were cleaned immediately, and my flight status was returned to 'active'. Ha. I am real happy I found a simple way to mount my camera for taking videos that are smooth . My first videos had issues the way the camera was being buffeted. I was landing in remote spots yesterday and I would set down and just say "this is so cool". .................................................. ................... I would go down and hover in many desolate places that I can now just sit and study. I have permission from many farmers to land whereever and whenever I want, and I am using those tokens. If I am in a desolate area and haven't received permission to land, I can still hover at one foot and use the airspace that allows all of us pilots to fly or hover at that altitude! Its really a sense of freedom that someone only as Vance could properly capture into words. For now, my wornout words like "cool" , "awesome" , "freakin", is about the best I can do. .................................................. . I will simply say that this new freedom is being exercised as planned, but I underestimated the feedback my senses give me while doing this stuff. Vance.........help me out here pal! I am word challenged! More videos coming. Stan

StanFoster

10-10-2010, 08:18 AM

This is a small 52 acre patch of bottom ground that dad has. He is all done with farming except for these two little patches of beans that were replanted after a lot of rain this spring.

I love setting down....getting out and just being in the middle of no where...then fire it up and escape.

YouTube - MOV06016 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCitCYLm7Jk)

Stan

Passin' Thru

10-10-2010, 08:51 AM

Stan, you are definately living the good life!
Enjoy it to the max!:first:

Resasi

10-10-2010, 04:43 PM

That man is showing all the restraint of a crack addict. He's a Flyin Fool, that what he is.:smokin:

StanFoster

10-11-2010, 12:48 PM

I sacrificed my noon lunch and made a flight over to the 2nd largest windfarm in the country. It is about 20 miles west of me.

These windmill rotors are huge. You would just have to see one laying on the ground and walk alongside it. Each blade is 148 feet long...has a 20 foot hub...and the rotor is almost 320 foot in diameter. I felt so miniscule with my little 21 foot rotors as I hovered around these behemuths.

I was careful not to get in the downwind turbulence as I flew around these towers. Last time I flew over here..was in the summer of 2007 with my SparrowHawk. I had to maintain 500 feet from these structures...and it was fun to come up to one and just hover within 100 feet.

I came down and hovered in the grass waterway...but since I did not have permission to land...I used the airspace above the property that we have rights to!

YouTube - MOV06019 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGovWVaeAbA)

Stan

Resasi

10-12-2010, 01:44 AM

Seen those rotor blades going past me on the highway on low-loaders and they truly are massive.

I believe Jay Carter was into making those at one time.

Vance

10-12-2010, 02:12 AM

I was landing in remote spots yesterday and I would set down and just say "this is so cool". .................................................. ................... I would go down and hover in many desolate places that I can now just sit and study. I have permission from many farmers to land whereever and whenever I want, and I am using those tokens. If I am in a desolate area and haven't received permission to land, I can still hover at one foot and use the airspace that allows all of us pilots to fly or hover at that altitude! Its really a sense of freedom that someone only as Vance could properly capture into words. For now, my wornout words like "cool" , "awesome" , "freakin", is about the best I can do. .................................................. . I will simply say that this new freedom is being exercised as planned, but I underestimated the feedback my senses give me while doing this stuff. Vance.........help me out here pal! I am word challenged! More videos coming. Stan

They are your feelings and I don’t know how to describe them.

Cool, Awesome and Freaking seem to work just fine for you.

I feel I am able to understand your implication and empathize with your experience.

It appears to me that you rejoice in breaking your 500 foot bonds and escaping the limitations of a gyroplane.

I had a Doberman like that. His whole world revolved around going where he wasn’t supposed to. He was a guard dog in my auto parts store. I thought he would break the window trying to get to the postman. He used to chew on Volkswagen cylinders, something about the Cosmoline they were preserved with. He was not able to articulate his feelings but I generally understood without words.

It seems to me that someone telling you “you can’t” creates a petulant desire to prove you can.

Your flights seem to border on the erotic. I am able to imagine what the culmination of your escapade looks like.

Thank you, Vance

StanFoster

10-12-2010, 05:30 AM

A short video of coming back from the windmill farm yesterday. You can see a bulldozer and h-hoe still working on the drainage ditch just by my woods.

I buzzed the dozer and then came in and decided to do blow some leaves off my driveway.

YouTube - MOV06021 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owi6ysNQd58)

Stan

kstorm32

10-12-2010, 06:43 AM

How many hours do you have now?

Ken-

Resasi

10-12-2010, 07:30 AM

Hang on a second, he's just out on another.:D

StanFoster

10-12-2010, 11:50 AM

I was over by a large ethanol plant just 15 miles from my homebase. They actually pump water to this facility from a well within a mile of my shop. We are sitting on top of what they call the Mahomet acquifier. Practically unlimited source of water.

This ethanol plant benefits the farmers in my area...but I hate the fuel. Its cheaper but also gets about 25 to 30% less mileage.

Right past the ethanol plant is a grain terminal. They are way ahead of schedule...one giant overflow pad for corn is already hauled away. The remaining overflow are under the large white covers.

Just meandering around doing some easy cruising.

YouTube - MOV06020 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPcMhK67V40)

Stan