Why are gyros better than trikes?

[Louis]

Just curious what you guys think-having flown gyros and never trikes-I can only speculate.

[Screw]

Screw-In

Isn't that kinda like asking about homosexuality?

Although I've never had sex with a man, it doesn't look that appealing to me.

Although I've never flown a trike, it doesn't look that appealing to me.

I have seen two men going at it, and they seemed to like it! (Use to work in the prison system)

I have seen people fly trikes, and they seem to like it!

Whatever floats your boat.

Screw-Out

[ToddP]

Gee John,

Thanks for painting that mental picture :)

[ToddP]

Louis,

I've only flown in a trike once. I paid for an hour of instruction / demo flight. Performance is excellent in a trike, they climb like a bat out of hell. On the other hand, it was very affected by wind and turbulance. After 45 minutes, I just wanted on the ground. Landings in a trike seem to be a pretty violent maneuver with lots of pushing and pulling, swinging for an aft. While landing in a gyro requires only a few inches of stick travel to land the craft. Here's how I see it:

For Trikes:
Great Performance

For Gyros:
Much better at handling wind and turbulance.
Much smoother to land and ground handle

Last but not least, if you fly a gyro, everyone at the airport thinks you're either cool :cool: or crazy :eek: , if you fly a trike, you're just another guy flying a trike :o

[Louis]

Thanks Todd, I agree; gyros are cooler, and more complex, and I would imagine, have some handling advantages. Are trikes more common up there in WA? I have never seen one down here in GA. I think the trikes would probably be easier to fly (and probably safer by a good bit), but as you say, more turbulence sensitive. I would try one if I got a chance (I guess that makes me gay?). :rolleyes:

[Ralph]

I fly both and enjoy the benefits that each can provide.

TRIKES:

(1) Much greater performance per HP in any category. A two-place trainer easily flies on a 503 with lots of performance. Main aspect here is that you can fly much farther on a given quantity of fuel.

(2) Generally easy to fly but quite different from fixed wings. Landings are a particular challenge.

(3) There are MANY more trikes flying in the world than gyros and trikes are generally considered to be "real aircraft" overseas.

(4) They are more limited in terms of wind and turbulence but often fair much better than lightly-loaded fixed wings. Trikes have been flown around the world several times, other flights equally demanding, and across the Atlantic more times than I can recall. Gyros will never post a similar record.

(5) Aerodynamics well-understood by most pilots and certification and quality standards widely employed.

GYROS:

(1) The most fun you can have with your pants on!

(2) Can be comfortably flown on any VFR day

(3) About as difficult to take-off as trikes are to land, but unequaled in terms of landing performance and ease.

(4) Crummy fuel efficiency

(5) Not widely flown or respected.

(6) Basic stick and rudder machines at one level, but unique.

(7) Most pilots do not understand the aerodynamics and, here in this country, we have yet developed stndards that everyone can accept.

If Sport Pilot comes through as promoted, I will use the trike to give flights to family and friends. Even without Sport Pilot, I will take long cross-country trips in the trike and fly the gyro for sheer fun.

Ralph

[scottessex]

I like gyro's because it's like a flying lawn chair.

[scottessex]

:eek: And John, save those prison stories for another forum!! :eek:

[mceagle]

Ralph,
I find that a couple of your statements about Gyros do not agree with my experiences.

"(3) About as difficult to take-off as trikes are to land" - The Gyrobee must be a shocker to take off. Most correctly trimmed Gyros will practicaly take off by themselves if the stick is held in the correct position.

"(4) Crummy fuel efficiency" - the same as an ultralight of trike at the same RPM's. A lightweight like a gyrobee should have just as much useable throttle range as any ultralight or trike.

While we are on the subject, I wonder if you could answer a question for me. I have always been curious as to why most trike pilots seek out cross country flights, (the longer the better), and then write all about them. I am asking because I have never flown one but have seen plenty flying and flown with many others, and they appear to have the highest workload of any aircraft that I have seen. Surely not conducive to relaxed cross country flight.

[GyroRon]

I have taken one half hour flight in a Trike and it was a blast. I loved it and would seriously consider owning one myself. I have a friend out at our airport who just got his BFI and has a two place trike. Later this summer I plan to take instruction and solo in a trike.

[Ralph]

Ralph,
I find that a couple of your statements about Gyros do not agree with my experiences.

"(3) About as difficult to take-off as trikes are to land" - The Gyrobee must be a shocker to take off. Most correctly trimmed Gyros will practicaly take off by themselves if the stick is held in the correct position.

That is true Tim as long as you have the blades up to speed. Blade management is an additional task with gyros and that makes gyro takeoffs the most demanding task you will face. Once you have the experience, you do it without a second thought, but the same is true of trike landings.

"(4) Crummy fuel efficiency" - the same as an ultralight of trike at the same RPM's. A lightweight like a gyrobee should have just as much useable throttle range as any ultralight or trike.

There is no way that any rotor system will be as efficient as a rigid or flex wing. Assuming that we start with a gyro and a trike of similar gross weight and equivalent fuel, the trike will fly a significantly greater distance.

While we are on the subject, I wonder if you could answer a question for me. I have always been curious as to why most trike pilots seek out cross country flights, (the longer the better), and then write all about them. I am asking because I have never flown one but have seen plenty flying and flown with many others, and they appear to have the highest workload of any aircraft that I have seen. Surely not conducive to relaxed cross country flight.

Depends on conditions. In smooth air you can let go of the bar and change a roll of film in your camera. In moderate air the pilot looks busier, but 90% of what you see is movement from just passively riding the bar as the wing adjusts to the air. In really active air it can be work.

Ralph

[Chad]

While we are on the subject, I wonder if you could answer a question for me. I have always been curious as to why most trike pilots seek out cross country flights, (the longer the better), and then write all about them. I am asking because I have never flown one but have seen plenty flying and flown with many others, and they appear to have the highest workload of any aircraft that I have seen. Surely not conducive to relaxed cross country flight.

I think it is a numbers game. You read about more long distance trike flights because there are more trikes than gyros.

I think fuel burn will come in around 30% less in a trike.

Here is the current around the world go in two trikes:

http://www.safreedomflight.com/

They are currently in Australia

[scandtours]

Dr. Bensen made the following comparisons
Gyrocopters Powered Hang Gliders
Can it stall? NO YES
Would it spin? NO YES
Fall out of control at zero airspeed? NO YES
Overly sensitive to wind gusts? NO YES
OK for crosswind and downwind landings? YES NO
Flies OK in strong winds? YES NO

Giorgos Kouzapas
Cyprus

[barnstorm2]

I would like to try one out some day. Don't think I would give up a gyro for one though. Yesterday I flew for for an hour and a half but NONE of the FW style ultralights were willing to 'brave the terrable wind'. My little 447 Air Command bearly noticed the wind other than my lousy ground speed made me a few minutes late for lunch :rolleyes:

[Screw]

Screw-In

Louis, I appologise if you thought my last post was saying, "If you like trikes, your gay." That was not my intent. I was trying to say that a question like that has no correct responce sence every responce is based on a personal prefferance, like homosexuality. As far as that goes, I like the military responce of don't ask, don't tell.

Screw-Out

[Louis]

John: no offense taken, I was kidding. I think you are right, it is largely a case of different tastes, though there are some significant diffs, too.

[birdy]

Louis,if you is interested,I used a 462 powered trike with a slow wing before I changed to gyros.
Did about 370 hours mustering in two years,and while it was good on fuel[9 hours on 50l],very manouverable and structuraly strong[I think,+5g -3g],it was a handful when it got hot or windy.Even tied down at the "STRIPS" it would get a hammering in a strong wind.[dust storm].After two years I'd developed a fobia of wind and looked like I had Arnie's arms.I know they aren't made for that sort of thing but it was all I knew,untill I descovered gyros.
The gyro is the closest thing to an all weather aircraft.Because i use it for work,I'v flowen in some pretty crappy air,and never had to pull out of a job coz of the weather.

But trikes and gyros are like chalk and cheese,their only simmilarities would be that they both fly and are fun to fly,just depends on what you want to do with them.


PS; anyone who is thinking of trying a trike be warned,the peddles react opposite to any other craft.[right to go left and left to go right.]While this is only for ground steering in a trike,it can confuse the "computer" if you arn't aware when you go back to a gyro.[or maybe I'v just got an old,slow computer that confuses easley]

[Louis]

Yeah, that is pretty much the universal opinion that I have so far heard on this forum: trikes are good weather machines only. Although I expect that having a slow wing made it more so, seems like gyros are just less of a handful in gusts.