Bee Different Photos

[GeneWeber]

As per Chris S. request, here are photos of the Bee Different. I’d rather not spend time on past history, but I do know that detailed photos were helpful to me when I was new. Perhaps these will help someone else. The Bee Different was Ralph Taggart’s Honey Bee Gyro which I purchased and then modified quite a bit. To give credit where it’s due, John Mealey did all the high quality machining work on the Bee Different. He also spent a lot of time trying to teach me the difference between my butt and a hole in the ground regarding aircraft construction. I am greatly indebted to him. As I said, I hope the photo’s help someone. But please don’t bother asking dimensions and weights. I didn’t keep notes and I honestly don’t remember.

Best

Gene

[GeneWeber]

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[GeneWeber]

This was the state of the gyro when I sold it. Obviously unfinished, though I had the major remaining parts. I believe the new owned paid someone to complete it. I do not know it’s present whereabouts or condition.

Best :)

Gene

[Russ Hobbs]

Gene

Wow, nicely done. Thanks

[GyroRon]

Best flying gyrobee I have ever flown....

[Gyro28866]

WOW!
Looks like a Grand Champion

[helipaddy]

Stunning machine!

[Russ Hobbs]

Ron who is the current owner

[Jetrock]

WOW what a neat machine !!
Does anyone have pictures of the inside of that beautifull tail...or plans ??
Anyone know how much the tail weigh's ?

[GyroRon]

The tail is a Dominator tail, can be purchased from Rotorflight dynamics.

the gyro was finished with a dominator head.... dominator / dragon wings rotorblades...... and the control stick throw / movement ratio was simular to a dominator ( typically far more movement on the stick than a typical Bensen or aircommand type stick throws )

It flew just like a dominator... I flew it at Mentone a few years ago and it was a blast to fly.

The guy who owned it at the time was a nice older man from Florida, I think he was near Scott Lewis and Palm beach florida. Haven't seen him or the gyro in a few years and I have forgotten his name

[GeneWeber]

Ron is correct on all counts. I sold it with an RFD slider head and DW blades. The man who purchased it was named Noe Santamarina. Real nice guy. I haven't heard from him since I sold him the Bee Different. I hope he's enjoying flying it.

Best,

Gene

[CLS447]

Thanks Gene....I figured that would spark some interest. It was very well done !

[Dirtydog]

Guy told me he bought the rail from E. B.

[Airone]

Yes It was very well done !

[Dirtydog]

Everyone this is where it is now

I'm still in FL and the gyro is in DE. Let me know what you need and I'll try to help

[AirScooter]

Man that is one cleanly builtg machine. Beautiful.

[All_In]

Sweet!!! Really nice ride!

[NoWingsAttached]

This is a beautiful build, but let's talk business:

The lower seatbelt mounts are dangerous. They may look pretty and preserve the paintjob on the seat supports (the only reason I can come up with for this idea), but in a real crash the extended attachments are going to snap off like twigs. May as well fly with no seal belt at all for all the good this setup is going to do. This is not a 1/4" bolt in shear, as it should be. This is a 1/4" bolt on a pivot arm extended at least an inch away from the pivot point!

The stick travel ("throw") is no different than any other bee as seen here, the yoke at the bottom of the push tubes is a standard Bee piece. The way to increase throw on a push tube assembly is to make the lower yoke wider and the upper arm shorter/narrower - not unlike a big pulley driving a smaller one. I have no idea how the throw ratio to the torque tube could possibly be any different here than on any other Bee, unless perhaps the arm where the push tubes attach to the torque tube are shorter than normal. That would sacrifice leverage and thus increase input pressures required at the stick, so why do that?

The very long arm on the push tube attachments of Dominators increases the leverage advantage and reduces input pressure required at the stick for the pilot. Everyone loves the "light" feel of the Dominator stick with its greater leverages, and some mistakenly attribute the light stick feel to the blade design. If anything, DWs require greater torque to change disk angles and/or maintain straight and level flight. This is easily proven by measuring teeter heights required to tune DWs (increasing the moment by lengthening that torque "arm"), and the increased backstay spring adjustments required to trim them in flight, as compared to other blades on the same machine.

But all-in-all, what a great job on this gyro build, kudos. One other, teeny comment: With all the attention to detail and weight savings, I am scratching my head on the heim joints used to adjust the mains. All you have to do is put washer spacers at the attachment points to do the same kind of tracking adjustment for ground handling imrovements. So why go to all the added weight, trouble and expense of using Heim joints? THere's nothing wrong with it, but it just doesn't make sense to me, is all. There is literally zero movement at this attachment point, so why use a bearing at all? If the struts were live, and the mains had shocks, OK, I can definitely see Heim joint bearings here. But not in this case. And I don't like the bracket used to attach this to the frame. I think Chuck B will agree with me on that one.

I hope you bring this sweet thang to Bensen Days 2013!!! Or how about Mentone 2012??? C'MON!

[CLS447]

Greg, who are you talking to ?

[strantran1]

Wow, this is a beautiful machine, and I see it is a post from last year until someone commented on it yesterday. Being new and researching gyros, coming from a PPC background, why is the landing gear built rigid with no shock or spring to allow it to have some travel?? Is there a specific reason for this? My PPC actually has a dual shock system that works great.
Thank you for your answers in advance.

[gyroman]

The gear legs are fiberglass for the suspension on the gyro. They're just painted yellow so you cant really tell.. This is from the first generation honeybee.