Lookout! I got a new scanner!

[CLS447]

Not alot going on here so I got a scanner to share my old paper photos with you all!

I think I got it! Here is a pic of of me in 1987 after test flying my brothers' just completed AC532.

OOps thats big . sorry Todd can you shrink that? I am going to post most pics under Air Command thread .

[CLS447]

This was before the bad raps like high thrust lines, non-redundant masts,no H-stabs were out. There was nothing to fear but fear itself. With the 532 & 25' blades this was a rocket ship compared to the 447 I built. I thought I was one of the only people on Earth doin this .. What a RUSH! Was I the coolest or what?

Then I went to the National Conventions & found out there were other cool people to!! Those were the days my friend!

[CLS447]

52 views & not 1 reply! How about an ugly joke or SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!! How about sharing your photos with the rest of the class!

[MikeLindsay]

Who is the guy in the "Motorcycle Costume" ? You asked for a comment. Mike Lindsay

[ben]

chris,
is the biker in the sky!!!! aint it great to be young ha ha ah

ben ps. chris dont bogart the JACK DANIELS HA HA HA

[donshoebridge]

So that's how you hang test a PPC. I always wondered about that.

[ToddP]

Lookin Good Chris. I'm sure those were the days. Some of the old video clips on the tapes from Dan Donley are great. (They're quite a bit older than 1987). Keep the pictures coming. BTW, what did you do for training back then?

[GyroRon]

That is a Paraplane brand chute in that pic, I had one a few years ago. I read the book and went flying, simplest thing to drive in the sky yet. This guy must have had a engine out or was just not a good pilot to drive it in the power lines!

Those paraplanes had twin 15-18 horsepower solo engines turning a pair of counter rotating props, neat but they wouldn't maintain altitude on only one engine with my fat butt in the seat. I had one engine quit on mine and I had to "crash land" in a river near downtown Fort Myers Florida a few years ago.....

[CLS447]

This is great, now we are having fun.

Yeah Todd, I do love that old footage. I trained with Bill Parsons in FL. One whole weekend, divided for 4 people, about 2 hrs each. Bill said I was ready to go home and start my practice, just the way he told me to do it. One set of blades and the rest is history.

Don & Ron,
I watched in horror from my gyrocopter in the air, as this guy flew through yards and into the wires. By the time I got on the ground and told everyone the rescue crews were on the way. They cut the power and got him down. Both he and the machine had no damage.


Ron,
Good job on identifying that. That is how I remember Paraplanes. They sure have come a long way with those things.

Here is a picture of me training with Bill Parsons.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Hey Chris, looks like back in '87 you had a head full of hair......
Where did it go buddy?

Wait a minute,,,, you still have hair, OH MAN! I'm the one that lost it. :-[

[CLS447]

Hey Phil,

Don't scare me like that you made me think my hairline was receding.

One more and we are going to bed.

Can someone identify this machine at one of the national conventions. A 3 seat gyro with 2 503's and twin props. First one to guess right wins!!! I don't know anything about it other than I took the pic.

See you all in the morning!!!

[CLS447]

Alright one more, I think she's finally onto somethin, By George ,I think she's got it!!!!

This is where they get the Mac engines.

[Friendly]

is it the prototype of the Cartercopter, podless edition 8)

[Dean_Dolph]

The dual engine machine is owned by GE, of course! Look at the number on the rudder.

Actually this machine was built by Gary Goldsberry and Art Evans. It went thru several iterations and this is the first time I saw it with the two props inline. Counter rotating? When I saw it, it had a composite prop on each engine in the normal manner but they overlapped with one a little in front of the other. Consequently the overlapping props would warp quite noticeably. I don't know what happened to it but it is obvious that it wasn't a big success.

[CLS447]

Dean,

Here is another shot of it. I don't know if it was Brookville or Middletown Convention.

[CLS447]

Gyros as far as the eye can see!

[CLS447]

The Ron Menzie machine lineup. Can he build a clean machine or what?