Flying Around Video

[Rotor-Head]

Wow, Wow, Wow!!! I've only been flying gyros for about 3 months now (including training) and all I can still say is WOW!.

I bungeed a camera to my left leg (so it got hit by the wind a bit) and flew a 25 mile course around Southern Oregon and the TableRocks. The weather and sky was great, things are greening up and it made for a great morning flight.

Here is a link to the video. It's 17MB and QuickTime format (as are all my videos): http://www.rotor-head.com/movies/flying/3_7_05.html

I'm in the process of building a nice stabilized camera mount for my gyro.

[tlanders]

Very nice video!!

[skyguynca]

Great video, thanks for sharing it with us.

[Friendly]

That is my kind of post!!!!!! thanks Shawn

[Rotor-Head]

For anyone that doesn't have high speed internet, here's a picture from the video, just as I am approaching the end of Upper Tablerock with a 1000' drop off.

[Alan Coats]

Shawn,

Great video! I really enjoyed it. The photo above is from the best scene of the video. Bet that was a real rush when the ground dropped out from under you.

Alan

[Jason@Falcon]

Amazing video!

[Rotor-Head]

Flying the gyro is just a rush. I think I have one of the best places to fly here in Souther Oregon. Big open areas, mountains, valleys, cliffs, fields, lakes, rivers, and canyons. But I have also only flow here, so what else is out there?

[Harry_S.]

Shawn:

That was just great...I'm computer ignorant; it took me over 3 hrs. to download for a 100 sec. play...but I really enjoyed it.

IMO...this type of video would be ideal to show to newbies...to impress on them the sensation of speed at low altitude. As viewed in your video, as you fly across the *ridge* at about 50 ft.?...and then the *ridge* suddenly disappears into the *valley* and the sensation of speed is gone. The ground seems to move so slowly, yet your air/ground speed remains the same as it was over the *ridge.*

I look forward to more of your video's. Thank you.


Cheers :)

[Rotor-Head]

Shawn:

That was just great...I'm computer ignorant; it took me over 3 hrs. to download for a 100 sec. play...but I really enjoyed it.

IMO...this type of video would be ideal to show to newbies...to impress on them the sensation of speed at low altitude. As viewed in your video, as you fly across the *ridge* at about 50 ft.?...and then the *ridge* suddenly disappears into the *valley* and the sensation of speed is gone. The ground seems to move so slowly, yet your air/ground speed remains the same as it was over the *ridge.*

I look forward to more of your video's. Thank you.


Cheers :)

yeah, sorry about the download time. I am on a very high speed connections so I sometimes get carried away with file sizes....

About the speed at altitude: it is definately a neat sensation. My airspeed stayed at a constant 65mph and I was about 50 feet off the ground on Upper TableRock (the first one) and about 10 feet off the Lower TableRock "ridge" untill I neared the end, where I slowly brought it up to about 40' and off the edge. Whoohoo...

[barnstorm2]

Excellent video! I enjoyed it very much.

I don't mean to be a party pooper but please when showing this to newbes warn them that going low and slow over a treeline or a drop off can expose you to poentially dangerous downdrafts.

Please correct me if I am wrong but downdrafts in a HTL can induce unexpected PPO. Steve M told me of just such a incident leading to fatality.

Again, I don't want to be a party pooper and I have done plenty of my own on-the-edge flying and taped it.

I just want to remind everyone to stress training.

This has been a public service annoucement from the paranoid posters club... ;)

Now.. back to your original programing.. :)

[banaari]

Fanstastic video - just the thing to keep the inspiration levels high! :)

[Rotor-Head]

Tim, very good point... downdrafts can cause a problem and I anticipate them during that kind of flight, but have not encountered them there (as many ultralighs spend time flying around that area as well)... As far as speed is concerned, I never flew below 65mph on the crest.

So, my flight off the edge is partially based on the wind characteristics of that area, which has been examined and deemed un-eventfull by several pilots at different times of the year and temp.

Excellent observasion... Thanks for bringing it up... fly safe and TRAINING SHOULD NOT BE AN OPTION!!!

[Udi]

One more observation, Shawn. I also enjoyed your video very much! I was just wondering what you would do if the engine stopped just before the cliff - you know, having to land on top but not having enough length to stop before the drop... :eek: Just a thought. I had a bad experience with a cliff and a hang glider.

Udi

[barnstorm2]

Tim, very good point... downdrafts can cause a problem and I anticipate them during that kind of flight, but have not encountered them there (as many ultralighs spend time flying around that area as well)... As far as speed is concerned, I never flew below 65mph on the crest.

So, my flight off the edge is partially based on the wind characteristics of that area, which has been examined and deemed un-eventfull by several pilots at different times of the year and temp.

Excellent observasion... Thanks for bringing it up... fly safe and TRAINING SHOULD NOT BE AN OPTION!!!

Thanks Shawn. I hope I did not come across as someone who wants to put disclaimers on everything, I am not of that kind of mind.

I was just watching the video (again, it's so good) and the voices of both of my primary instructors came into my head with their warnings about crossing treelines and downdrafts. And the thought occured to me that a little be aware blurb might be a good idea every once and awhile.

I am no expert but from what I could tell you had losts of airspeed in the video and it turns out you did :)

I am inspired now to make a post in the training thread asking some advise on down drafts.

[Rotor-Head]

One more observation, Shawn. I also enjoyed your video very much! I was just wondering what you would do if the engine stopped just before the cliff - you know, having to land on top but not having enough length to stop before the drop... :eek: Just a thought. I had a bad experience with a cliff and a hang glider.

Udi

Another good point... Since there used to be an airstip on top of the TableRock (during WW2, when the valley fogged in, it was the only high place for the bombers to land), I felt comfertable flying low "UNTIL" I reached the point of landing on top or making it over the edge to land below, which is why I climbed up 20-30 feet after the point of no landing on top.... along with an airspeed of 65-70mph.
I suppose though, there is that small window of opportunity for the engine to quite right at the wrong time, but I felt like, as I was flying over, that I would be okay either way to land on top or glide to a field below.

It was definately part of my thought process!

[animal]

Another good point... Since there used to be an airstip on top of the TableRock (during WW2, when the valley fogged in, it was the only high place for the bombers to land), I felt comfertable flying low "UNTIL" I reached the point of landing on top or making it over the edge to land below, which is why I climbed up 20-30 feet after the point of no landing on top.... along with an airspeed of 65-70mph.
I suppose though, there is that small window of opportunity for the engine to quite right at the wrong time, but I felt like, as I was flying over, that I would be okay either way to land on top or glide to a field below.

It was definately part of my thought process!

that is a great Video,what a rush to watch and the sound was right on the money also. thanks for posting it.

[automan1223]

Ok, Looks great. No make that fantastic.

You have some incredible places to fly over. On one hand you have to know you are going to take some advice from people that do not have such areas to fly over/around.

However do please be careful. This is a time when you should be double careful do a good preflight and be at least 1 move ahead of your next pine tree.

Now the real question I have. How is your grass so green ?

Here in east nc its all brown, winter dull brown with an occassional field of green with farmers winter wheat.

Keep them coming. My video hobby has been sidelined with other things but I hope to have a camera mount and show you guys some newer stuff by mid spring.

Jonathan

[gyroblackwell]

Shawn, love the video .... I must have watched it 10 times!

Would be willing to place a copy of it on the NEW PRA website ?

I will put it under the video clips section at the NO# 2 SPOT !!

my E-mail is timothy.blackwell@comcast.net


Thanks again for giving me a little "flying time" here in my office !!

[Rotor-Head]

Would be willing to place a copy of it on the NEW PRA website ?



Yeah, anyone can use any of my videos or links to my site as long as you just let me know where it is being used, just so I know. email: adamsshawn@mac.com

I'm glad it's being enjoyed. Hopefully next week I will have abetter camera mount to give more stable shots.

[barnstorm2]

I would like to put it on my second DVD, if you are ok with that.

[Rotor-Head]

I would like to put it on my second DVD, if you are ok with that.

Sure. Don't forget that I am about 1/4 way through my gyroplane documentary and some of the footage to come will put my older stuff to shame. I will make the DVD available is some way, depending on how distribution goes. I will hopefully have it done by the end of summer '05 as long as the money holds out.

[route66]

Shawn- Keep up the great work! It's fun to watch and also brought up many memories of flying friends to the Grand Canyon. We would approach low so not to see it till it dropped out 3000' from underneath you. Definately an E ride. Thanks again, I can't wait for more video from you!