No Respect!

[Ralph]

For the second year in a row Rotorcraft Magazine has declined to include the Gyrobee in the Rotorcraft Directory issue! This year was particularly annoying in that the implication was that the directory includes all the "proven" aircraft out there! The poor little Bee is beginning to feel like Rodney Dangerfield.

Ralph

[Chuck Irby]

Hello Ralph,

I just wanted to let you know how glad I am to see that you have joined us on this forum. It's really nice to gain a member with your experience, and especially someone who was actually born before I was.

WELCOME!!!

[Chuck Roberg]

Gee Ralph, your right, I took a second look and could not find any mention of any kind of "Bee".

I wonder did anyone contact you for information. I hope it was just an oversite and not intentional.

[Screw]

Screw-In,

I too thought that was wierd. What struck me odder, was there are still advertisements for gyros that have no stab, and are considered proven. Yours was one of the designs and Mad Max is the other I wish were in there.

Screrw-out

[Doug Riley]

There were three 'Bees at Bensen Days. Two of them flew; the third was still under construction. Bo Seignious was there with his 'Bee as usual. He's an old hand who's been flying this machine for several years.

The 'Bee that Ron Awad brought and flew won a workmanship award. So the 'Bees did get a little respect at this flyin.

I'm sure Dana Linn of Starbee Gyros, current maker of Gyrobee kits, isn't happy at being left out of the directory. Don't know if that was an oversight, but certainly the 'Bee is about as "proven" as they get in the homebuilt world.

[Ralph]

No one approached me for information and it could be that the folks who had to put it together were short on time and experience.

I'm in good company, since Maxie also got stiffed, as did Joe Souza and his family of Bandits. Dana is a Rotorcraft advertiser, but that didn't help.

As far as exposure is concerned, the Bee has flown at PRA national conventions at Brookville, Greencastle, and Mentone and the ASC KIMO nationals. In addition, John Landry won some serious awards out at Arlington (best Rotorcraft, I think).

Shouldn't be too critical though - just ran a Google search using "gyrobee" and only got 1270 hits. :=)

Ralph

[ToddP]

Ralph,

I think its a pretty bad that you've been snubbed two years in a row. The first year they could say oversight. Year 2 - Hmmm

[ultracruiser41]

The Bee shall return !! Bensen Days today....tomorrow...who knows! I'm impressed with it and more will follow.

By the way, with the help of Ron A. we're changing out the 447 and installing a 503 on the red Bee from Bensen Days. Ron's been bugging me to go with the 503 and he mad me an offer I couldn't refuse.

Keep ya'll updated !

Barry K

[GyroRon]

Mo power! Now to just get a rotorbrake and a pre rotator....

[PW_Plack]

Oversights like this, if that's what it was, do more damage to the PRA than to the manufacturers. Three years ago, when I started trying to find out about gyros, I quickly discovered that the web was bringing me much more information than Rotorcraft magazine, and all sides of the various debates. I'd bet this forum and the gyroplane web pages reach many times as many people as the 3,300 or so readers of Rotorcraft, especially new prospects.

Maintain a good website for your design. The PRA stopped linking to manufacturer's web sites from its site months ago, but Google will still bring the curious.

[ultracruiser41]

Hey Ron, It's got a rotor break and pre-rotor....your right hand !!!!


Barry K

[GyroRon]

You know what..... your right, I forgot

[KenSandyEggo]

I noticed that Jim Vanek's company is not listed, even though he has about a half-page ad in the mag.

[GyroRon]

Okay I see how it is

[Heron]

I N C O M P E T E N C E
The PRA moves on (or back?)
Normal procedures . . . anyone care to commnet why there is no PRA at sun-N-Fun?
Membership for a free ride is a good trade dont you think?
Heron (tsc . . .tsc . . .tsc)

[donshoebridge]

Heron,

I like that idea, but I don't know about the free part. How about $5 extra to cover the operating costs of the gyro. Don't get me wrong, I like free, it's a very good price. But I think whoever’s giving the ride should have some compensation (fuel, oil, basic operating costs, etc.).

All,

As for Ralph not being on the PRA site, no offense or disrespect to Ralph, but he's currently not a manufacturer or parts supplier, nor does he have a company that is. I wouldn't expect the PRA to put me on their website regardless of how many or how few Hornets are flying. Now if I were to start selling plans, parts, or kits, that would be a different matter.

But like the old saying goes, if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself. Don't rely on the PRA to give you a free link on their site, or a free ad in a magazine. To expect something like that is a bit selfish, in my opinion. If there is a double standard at the PRA concerning webpage links, oh well. I get 10 times more hits on my website from search engines, free links from other people, and the Webring, than I bet I'd get from the PRA anyhow. And it's free to boot!

Just my 1.18 cents worth (inflation adjusted)

Don

[eruttan]

Thats a good point.
If no one is selling Gyrobee supplies then does it count?
Of course the fact is the plans are free and it is one of the most popular gyros.

Ralph did you mention this to them last year?

[Heron]

The free part is only for the public, the PRA ride should be either voluntary by some member with help on expenses or a PRA ship for that purpose all covered.
And if we have several members at a specific fly-in anyone can donate one ride or two for a good cause.
The new members will be exposed to more facts and info that could steer them to try and stay with gyros (I bet they stay)
Anyway just another idea to attract more people . . .
We gave out some 700 flyers in a week at SNF and I hope they travel longer before resting in a waste basket.
We've got to get some TV time!
Heron

[Dean_Dolph]

Don, I'm having a bad day finding reference material so I can't find the last issue of the PRA magazine. But, if I recall correctly, it mentions at the start of the directory that it includes plans built machines. I don't know if that means the plans have to be ones that are sold or not. If that is the case then I think that editor Rick Gilley needs to revisit that. In any case I believe the only plans built machine listed was the Little Wing. Ron Herron and the Little Wing are quite popular and visible so it maybe that they just forgot about the other plans built machines.

I think there was a disclaimer that stated something about there had to be a flying example of a machine before it could be listed. Then again, since I don't have it in front of me that could just be a fantasy of mine! I agree that is a good requirement but in the case of plans built, it is hard to say how many, if any, of those machines are flying. There us no doubt that there are several fine examples of the GyroBee flying.

In addition to the GyroBee there is also the 3DRV that is plans built. There are probably others that deserve to be listed and I don't see any reason to leave them out. The whole idea is to give the enthusiast an idea of what is available. Another disclaimer could be added that plans built machines may not be appropriate for a newbie and etc. There has been some real trash, in my opinion, included in the directory before so maybe there has been an attempt to clean it out. However, leaving a plans built machine with the proven record for safety and performance of the GyroBee out is a mistake. I doubt if there is a conspiracy here but I would be interested in what Rick Gilley has to say on this issue.

[Doug Riley]

Starbee Gyros sells Gyrobee kits. Dana and Laura of Starbee advertise in the PRA mag all the time. So THAT's no excuse. Must just be a mistake.

[PW_Plack]

I thought I read a year ago that no gyro would be included in the future unless the kitmaker/plans-provider contacted PRA to make the arrangements. The old PRA website directory and, I think I recall, the anual magazine issue, were being criticized for listing gyros no longer available. (Like SnoBird.)

It's not worth sweating about. A much bigger problem is the shabby websites of most kitmakers. Almost anyone serious winds up looking on the internet. Most kitmakers give this aspect of their marketing almost zero attention.

[donshoebridge]

That was the point that I was trying to make. Thanks.

Don

[Ralph]

The PRA website finally has a rotorcraft directory on-line again, so the site may be coming back to life. Of course the Gyrobee still isn't listed......:=)

Ralph