Bensen Days, early report

[Chuck Irby]

It was really good to finally meet some of the people I've been communicating with on line and by phone for over two and a half years now.

This past Sunday night I went to bed at 2030 hours in order to get up real early the next morning and leave for Wauchula. My son woke me up an hour later to give me something I had intended to get from him to take with me.

I couldn't go back to sleep no mater how hard I tried. At 2208, I left the house, Florida bound, pulling my gyro. Ten and one half hours and 706 miles later I arrived at Bensen Days. I only stopped twice for gasoline and brief relief.

I spotted Ron Awad shortly after I got there (he and Russ Gerhardt were the only two people there that I had previously met). I wound up staying in Ron's tent. This was a major mistake. If anyone, who is a light sleeper, has ever tried to sleep within 100 yards of him sleeping, then you know where I'm coming from. That guy can snore.

I got to fly all I wanted to ( I only went up six times in the three days Monday through Wednesday for an average of about 45 minutes each flight ), however on Thursday it got windy early and it was predicted that it would remain windy at least through today, Friday. Since I had planned to leave early Saturday anyway, I packed up and left around 1500 yesterday and got home at 0200 today.

All in all, I would have to say that the trip was well worth the long drive. I too realize that I probably missed the best part by not being there tonight and tomorrow. Oh well, maybe next year.

[Gordon Gibson]

Hello Chuck!

Thanks very much for your BD update, looks like it was worth the trip. What machines did you see there that really interested you and did you have a flight in a Sparrowhawk and did you see a LW there??

Thanks Bro, Gordon Gibson.

[Chuck Irby]

The Magni and the Sparrowhawks were nice to get to see up close, and getting to see them fly was also nice. I suppose that I was more impressed with some of the individual design/homebuilt machines and some of the really nice Bensens than any of the others. (I only went up in my own machine)

Watching Mike Gaspard test a pair of 22' DW's on his machine was probably the highlight for me. Mike has, I believe he told me, 600 hours in gyros. He was so smooth, especially with his landings, that it was really a pleasure to watch him.

To give you an idea about the wind, when I took off at 1845 Wednesday it was about 5 mph straight down runway 18. Within 5 minutes, it was straight out of the West at 18 to 20 and gusting up close to 30, I would guess. By 0900 Thursday it was worse than the day before.

I am a newbie, and that cross wind landing Wednesday with the 20 MPH Wind Socks standing almost straight out across the runway was my first experience at landing with more than about an 8 MPH cross wind. However, it was a piece of cake.

[Gordon Gibson]

Good on you Chuck

Thanks for that report, aren't gyro's wonderful machines?

Thanks, Gordon G.

[StanFoster]

Chuck: Thanks also from me for the Bensen days update. I would love to go to that fly-in next year. How many roughly gyros did you see? Are you coming to Mentone...I may have asked that already....but forgot if you told me.

Stan

[Chuck Irby]

Yes, the auto gyro is indeed a wonderful machine. We, in my opinion, are involved in the most enjoyable sport there is, bar none.

Gordon, I meant to tell you, in my last post, that I did not see any Tractor type gyros at BD's.

After reminiscing more, I must say that I was probably most impressed by the people who are involved in our sport. The fact that everyone, and I talked to a lot of people (and listened in on even more conversations), was willing to take the time to answer a question, and explain, in detail, exactly where they were coming from, was most impressive. The fact that I was able to sit down and talk with people who have been involved in this sport for twenty five to forty years and longer maybe . . . people like Chuck Beaty (a true pioneer), Ernie Boyette, Steve McGowan, Russell Nance, Maxie Wilds and Mike Solano, just to name a few. We are involved in a sport that we share with some really good people, all over the world.

Being able to watch these people fly, both from the ground and from the air, was really a neat experience. On Tuesday afternoon, I went up to about 1500 feet and could see a dozen people flying around beneath me. It was really awesome to sit there and do a slow, flat spiral, and observe all the other machines flying below me.

I suppose that I really can't, in words, do justice to the experience of being at Bensen Days for the first time.

[Chuck Irby]

There must have been between 50 and 75 gyros at BD's. There was one commercial heli (which may not have been associated with the fly-in) and one really nice kit type heli that was owned, I believe, by Mike Bantam (not sure of the spelling).

Stan, I doubt that I will go to Mentone. I really would like to be there, but one long trip per year will probably be my limit.

I was unable to take any pictures. I got my camera out on Tuesday morning to get a shot of a really pretty sunrise and discovered that I had left the memory card at home.

[GyroRon]

Yes, I Snored some... okay alot. But my noise was out of my mouth. chuck made some serious noises out of his butt :eek: right BogMan???

:D

[Chuck Irby]

Ron, That's just hearsay. How could you possibly know firsthand? You were sawing logs.

Ron, was it real windy on Friday also, and how was the banquet and Saturday?

[daveeisler]

After reading all 4 Benson Days post's , I only wish I was there, your post's are great . Thank you Dave.

[bogman]

Aw man I'm still laughing about all the noises comin out ya'lls tent.:D:D And big Chuck Bivett(sp?) comin out of his camper at 12 noon in a bathrobe was hilarious.

[Chuck Irby]

Give us a report on how everything went Friday and Saturday, weather, etc...

[GyroRon]

Friday and Saturday there was barely any wind. Lot's of flying and the Banquet was great fun. Saturday was pretty packed till at least 2pm when we left.

[bogman]

Hi ya Chuck, Ron is right, the wind was not blowin Friday. A really great day for flying.

It was really great to meet you and all the other folks. Catfish and M.J. and all of their fellow chapter members that put this flyin together did such a good job. And mother nature was agreeable too. :)

I got to see every kind of gyro that I wanted to except for the Lil Wing tractor. I even got to help big Frank (Bull) Brown get his Bensen with the overhead stick and 90 mac get going. He had a broken weld on his exhaust bracket but Dave Prater came over and we got it fixed in record time. He sure didn't look like he was 74 years old while flying that thing!!

The fellows from Louisiana, Mike Gaspard and Mike Morgan were there with their beautiful machines and answered all the questions I shot their way. I was really proud of their manners, but heck everybody was very friendly and easy to get along with.

I got to hear Maxie sing and I want to tell you he should be on a stage somewhere. Great voice. Mike Solano and his dad were just like home folks. Dan Leslie had his beautiful tandem there and Steve McGowen did some amazing things with his gyro.

Ron Awad is as nice a fellow as you'll ever find and flew everything he could get his hands on. A natural pilot.

I loved every minute of it.

[Chuck Irby]

Thanx Miles for your great report. It was really good getting to know you. We made a good team putting the Gyro-bee back together for Ron too.

You need to really concentrate now on getting your machine into the air so you can join us in some of our local fly-ins. There are 8 or 9 of us planning to fly off together this coming Saturday from the Laurel airport. Several of the guys in our local club have private strips within 20 miles of the airport.

[Chuck Irby]

I really appreciate you getting all the pictures that you did. It is pretty amazing that you kept up with all the names to go with the pictures.

Thanx too for the use of your tent and scooter from time to time.

Incidentally Ron, re my rotor rpm, I flew twice Saturday afternoon and the rpm was right at 300 when I lifted off, and within about one to two seconds it was at 345, which is my normal flying speed, and that was while climbing steeply.

Thank you again Ron, for everything.

[MMorgan]

Hey guys,

I'll second all the great comments made above about the great fly-in. I left in the wee hours sat am for the 13 hour drive home.

There were 50 gyros registered Thurs so I'm sure there were close to 75 or so by Sat.

It was great to meet some of the guys here on the forum and put faces with names.

[Chuck Irby]

It was really good meeting you. I'm really glad that you and Mike Gaspard were able to make such a long drive to be there. Your Air Command is really a nice looking machine and it seems to perform quite well. I hope to see you at the Marksville fly-in.

[gyromike]

Chuck Irby and Miles Mason,

Thanks for the kind comments. I enjoyed the visit.

Chuck, after you left, I went back to the 23' Dragon Wings for another test flight and that's what I ended up taking home with me! They are a little more floaty on landing, and it climbs out very well.

Oh yeah you must have missed my landing where I plonked it in! I landed on the taxiway intersection because of the crosswind, and about 3 feet off the ground, the wind died.

Ka-plonk! :eek:

[Chuck Irby]

Sorry to hear about the drop landing. It wasn't hard enough to hurt anything, was it? I hope that some day I'll be able to land as smoothly as you were with the 22 footers. You were truly a pleasure to observe.

I'm glad you decided to get the 23' DW's.

If you and/or Mike Morgan ever want to fly with us here in Laurel, just let me know. You'll be more than welcome and will have a free place to stay.

I hope to see you in Marksville.

[greg spicola]

Hi Chuck I did't get to meet you because I did'nt get there till thursday an then had to do some running a round for Mike Solano and pick up my machine when I got back from all that I started to ask around for you and someone said you just left for home, glad to hear you enjoyed the event I my self had a great time! I'm allready planing for mentone. glad to see you made it down and back safey.
Greg

[Chuck Irby]

Thanks a lot Greg. I am really sorry I missed you. If you ever get up this way, please let me know.