barnstorm2
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2003
- Messages
- 14,573
- Location
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Aircraft
- 2-place Air Command CLT SxS (project), & Twinstarr Autogyro
- Total Flight Time
- 750+hrs and climbing
Dennis's video DID make me want to fly gyros but by the time I got the video I already had an AirCommand in my Garage.
I have wanted to fly as long as I can remember.
During my first few years of Collage I took a few FW lessons in a 152 & 172 but found that the Cincinnati weather was not good for regular weekend lessons.
Once I figured out that when you wait a week (or often more) between lessons you really don't gain ground very fast and I quit lessons figuring I could not afford it.
I then decided I was going to buy a used Ultralight fixed wing. Most likely a weedhopper or similar.
One day when installing a computer network near Blue Ash Ohio I went into an office that had some aircraft photos. Figuring the person in the office was a pilot I struck up a conversation.
I told him that I wanted to fly and was hoping to start saving up for an "ultralight" soon. (Back then Ultralight meant FW UL)
He replied "Those light things will get you killed, one strong wind and they will fold up".
That was not an unexpected reply.
Then he said something I did not expect...
He said "You should get a gyrocopter, they are made of strong metal components and can fly in strong winds. They cost about the same as a FW ultralight"
That struck me as odd and I was not sure if he was credible.
He gave me some sort of brochure or hand out. I think it might have been some kind of early PRA material. I don't know. I wish I still had it.
I read up on gyros and sure enough he was right. I was depressed that I could not fly out of my back yard with one.
At this point I decided to go with a used AW95 or what ever they called the Triumph motorcycle powered single place helicopter.
For some reason I was never able to find a complete flying AW95 for sale
Life got in the way and I did not re-visit the dream of flying until after I got divorced.
I started talking flying with my neighbors son-n-law who used to own an FBO in Texas. I told him that I could not afford an aircraft but if I could find one for the price of a used motorcycle I would buy it. ( I had seen the price of RAF's and thought gyros were 15K + )
The next day I found a bunch of classified ads for aircraft stuffed in my mailbox with several Bensen gyrocopter for sale ads circled.
That got me started (again) and I ended up trading a MINT '73 BMW R75/5 Toaster I resorted for a VERY customised unfinished AirCommand. The unfinished aircommand had a custom engine conversion of a EA-81 (or 82 which ever one is the rare truck motor) and one-off redrive with NO STARTER.
I did not like the idea of trying to prop-start this thing and then I learned about high thrust lines (the thrust line of the MODIFIED AC was above my head!). I bought a CLT conversion kit from AirCommand, but before I got it installed I found a deal on a flying Stock 447 commander.
I sold the modified AC with the CLT kit and put a HStab on the flying 447.
I don't know who the guy was that gave me the brochure but I guess he and my neighbor's son-n-law are the ones responsible for getting me started.
Before I had done more then taxi my 447 I went to GA on biz trip and took some time with Steve M in the Black.
After the first lesson I was not sure if I could do it.
After the second lesson I knew, without question, that I was going to be a gyro pilot.
.
I have wanted to fly as long as I can remember.
During my first few years of Collage I took a few FW lessons in a 152 & 172 but found that the Cincinnati weather was not good for regular weekend lessons.
Once I figured out that when you wait a week (or often more) between lessons you really don't gain ground very fast and I quit lessons figuring I could not afford it.
I then decided I was going to buy a used Ultralight fixed wing. Most likely a weedhopper or similar.
One day when installing a computer network near Blue Ash Ohio I went into an office that had some aircraft photos. Figuring the person in the office was a pilot I struck up a conversation.
I told him that I wanted to fly and was hoping to start saving up for an "ultralight" soon. (Back then Ultralight meant FW UL)
He replied "Those light things will get you killed, one strong wind and they will fold up".
That was not an unexpected reply.
Then he said something I did not expect...
He said "You should get a gyrocopter, they are made of strong metal components and can fly in strong winds. They cost about the same as a FW ultralight"
That struck me as odd and I was not sure if he was credible.
He gave me some sort of brochure or hand out. I think it might have been some kind of early PRA material. I don't know. I wish I still had it.
I read up on gyros and sure enough he was right. I was depressed that I could not fly out of my back yard with one.
At this point I decided to go with a used AW95 or what ever they called the Triumph motorcycle powered single place helicopter.
For some reason I was never able to find a complete flying AW95 for sale
Life got in the way and I did not re-visit the dream of flying until after I got divorced.
I started talking flying with my neighbors son-n-law who used to own an FBO in Texas. I told him that I could not afford an aircraft but if I could find one for the price of a used motorcycle I would buy it. ( I had seen the price of RAF's and thought gyros were 15K + )
The next day I found a bunch of classified ads for aircraft stuffed in my mailbox with several Bensen gyrocopter for sale ads circled.
That got me started (again) and I ended up trading a MINT '73 BMW R75/5 Toaster I resorted for a VERY customised unfinished AirCommand. The unfinished aircommand had a custom engine conversion of a EA-81 (or 82 which ever one is the rare truck motor) and one-off redrive with NO STARTER.
I did not like the idea of trying to prop-start this thing and then I learned about high thrust lines (the thrust line of the MODIFIED AC was above my head!). I bought a CLT conversion kit from AirCommand, but before I got it installed I found a deal on a flying Stock 447 commander.
I sold the modified AC with the CLT kit and put a HStab on the flying 447.
I don't know who the guy was that gave me the brochure but I guess he and my neighbor's son-n-law are the ones responsible for getting me started.
Before I had done more then taxi my 447 I went to GA on biz trip and took some time with Steve M in the Black.
After the first lesson I was not sure if I could do it.
After the second lesson I knew, without question, that I was going to be a gyro pilot.
.
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