Chuck Roberg
02-27-2004, 04:07 AM
Heres a picture of George Krugers hydrocopter being towed out in the Chain of Lakes (northern Illinois) in either the late sixties or early seventies.
Although George had an engine on the gyro, for training he was using a friends boat and long rope in order to get airborn. The friends boat was just barely adequate to get him in the air. Along comes someone saying his boat has a larger engine and he can get George up faster and flying faster.
So ole George agrees, and off they go for the first time. The boat operator is so transfixed on watching the gyro fly he isn't watching where he's going. He happens to look ahead and sees the shore line coming up fast. So he makes an immediate turn to left. George tries to turn to keep up, but doesn't quite manage. The rope jerks the gyro around and at the same time pulls the nose down. The outcome. George and gyro end up in the lake. :-[
Although George doesn't fly gyros any more, He's still in one piece and usally shows up at Dick Wunderlichs on thursdays evenings to chat with the rest of the gyro nuts. :)
Although George had an engine on the gyro, for training he was using a friends boat and long rope in order to get airborn. The friends boat was just barely adequate to get him in the air. Along comes someone saying his boat has a larger engine and he can get George up faster and flying faster.
So ole George agrees, and off they go for the first time. The boat operator is so transfixed on watching the gyro fly he isn't watching where he's going. He happens to look ahead and sees the shore line coming up fast. So he makes an immediate turn to left. George tries to turn to keep up, but doesn't quite manage. The rope jerks the gyro around and at the same time pulls the nose down. The outcome. George and gyro end up in the lake. :-[
Although George doesn't fly gyros any more, He's still in one piece and usally shows up at Dick Wunderlichs on thursdays evenings to chat with the rest of the gyro nuts. :)