Police testing Gyros

The best is to speak to Jim Logan. A former police helicopter pilot, with a lot of freinds in the police, and he is a raf2000 professional pilot...He is a member of this forum.
 
Actually, if you want the straight story on R22's, Tom Milton is the man to ask. I'm sure he can lay out the acquisition costs, operating costs (direct & indirect), and maintenance schedules and their costs.
 
This time more "relaxed", joking report,
but most important is, that it gets
to the mainstream news at all...

Dziękuję Mirku.

;)
 
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The latter is a less renowned TV station with obviously the same story.

The Spiegel report translated, everything in brackets by me.

"Small, agile and up to 100 mph fast. In Brandenburg the Police tests the usability of so called Gyroplanes (indeed Tragschrauber). In overall 40 flight hours the officers want to find out if they could be useful in police service. However only special tasks can be performed with the two seated mini helis. "

Officer:
"The gyroplane is not intended to serve as a substitute for the police helicopter, because it cannot hover, start land on the spot, carry loads or passengers. Instead it is intended for aerial documentation, reconnaisance, observation, possibly even tracing (?following suspects)."

"The gyroplane has all makings for these tasks. Besides its velocity it offers full round view over the terrain. It can travel for 400km (250 miles) on one tank and also the overall cost is smaller."
Officer:
"Compared to a police helicopter which costs approx. 2000-3000 Euros/h (2700-4050 $/h) we could cover a lot of the work with these devices at 100-150 Euros/h (135- 190$/h). That is a novelty"

"The Gyroplane weighs little more than 200kg (that is not true, empty weight is 245kg (540 lbs)) and still it is safe, but critics doubt it. The call the system immature and therefore life threatening. There are no official accident statistics as there are too few gyroplanes in the air. The trade union considers the project too expensive. The first test phase costs 20000 Euros alone(you can do the maths now). But the officers on site cannot be led astray."
other officer:
"I'm certain this will succeed. Like most technical achievements that were first smiled at, this will also be a success."
"The first test phase will last until November, then the decision will be made if the gyroplane will be purchased."

Kai
(good to have a kraut in this group :) )
 
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Why ask Jim?

Why ask Jim?

André,

You type allot but apparently don't read allot. If you'd look at my previous posts and links provided you'd notice I'm already part of a Sheriff's office search & rescue team. I fly side by side with police helicopters and I'm quite familiar with the Sheriff office’s risk management, etc, etc. I'm also fully aware of all the times the primary helicopter was down for maintenance or awaiting overhaul for the price of several million. My gyroplane has been called into service several times to perform tasks well suited for the gyro. I can even provide news coverage of missions we have flown with our Sheriff praising the Gyroplane.

Acceptance of the gyroplane for missions suited for gyros is closer than you think. The hyperbole you spew appears to be second hand at best. When you can comment on YOUR experiences in these matters please do.
 
rfsolutions wrote:"Sheriff Joe loves anything that's free (I'm a volunteer Posse member)."

As long as you stay "volunteer", there is no problem!!! you can continue to make a fool of you (by paying with your money)!!! check with your insurance compagny if you can do it!...Today, that's the insurance compagnies that tell you what you can do!!!...

I write from experience!!! (almost) every gyro school i saw, and was using a RAF2000, passed very closed of the bankrupcy for having underestimated the costs and drawbacks to operate gyros (when the CFI has not been killed!)...
 
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Fools

Fools

Andre',

99% of all search & rescue posse's are volunteers. We do it to give something back to our community. If that's your definition of a fool, I guess I'm a big one. Again you speak of everything you've seen or read, not YOUR experience. Our County risk management insures our aircraft while being used in operational missions, not my insurance! They pay for fuel too. This is the first step of acceptance in the law enforcement community (here in AZ anyway).

A very good friend of mine has been an experimental Gyroplane instructor for years and has made his living (or bankruptcy by your standards) entirely from experimental gyroplane instruction.

What about Jim Logan? He’s been a gyroplane CFI for at least a couple of years too hasn’t he?

You are what is typically referred to as a naysayer. Following your views and opinions (not experience) the Wright flyer would never get off the ground, a non stop Trans-Atlantic flight could not occur and some crazy guy building experimental aircraft would never be able to put a private spacecraft into space (Burt Rutan).

When you get an R22 let us know how cheap it is to fly & maintain & what it’s worth after 2200 hours! They scrape them off the runways after practicing auto-rotations all the time (Remember the special training requirements?). When you can speak from experience let us know.
 
All i can say to you is: when things go well, it is OK! but when things go wrong, things can go very bad!
So, i recommand you to read the insurance policy which covers you during your "SPECIAL OPERATIONS" with an "EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT"...
Jim Logan is a retired policeman. I think he doesn't earn his living with only his CFI endorsment!...
Again and again! To my knowledge, and things could change...YOU CAN NOT DO COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL (AIRCRAFT) GYRO, EXCEPT INSTRUCTION (and related matter) UNDER THE PRA EXEMPTION!
 
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Andre',

Again, you don't read. The County covers my insurance as a working Sheriff’s deputy (Yes I actually have a badge). My personal insurance has nothing to do with missions flown during my official capacity as a Sheriff’s Deputy.

You are a very un-informed person. Governmental agencies in this country can utilize anything they want to perform missions for the public (law enforcement, health, safety, etc.). Our armed forces fly without pilot licenses, airworthiness certificates or insurance (yes under public law). They fly under the public law and are government insured (most municipalities are self insured I.E. risk management). There is a big difference between commercial operations and performing flight for the public (law enforcement etc.). Law Enforcement can use anything they want without licensed pilots (Like the military). The risk management people dictate what will be required to perform operations and what aircraft can be utilized (certified, experimental or a big kite).

I’m done with this thread because you are obviously an authority on these matters and very experienced too. I’m very sorry to have disputed you. Please accept my apologies as an ignorant person. I thought I understood what I was doing but have been shown the light by you.

Best Regards,
 
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