Training Wheels for gyro

[junkyardbear]

Ok ha ha, yes I know I sound silly...but you spend hours building your pride
flying machine and have done everything right lessons ,crowhopping etc.
you take it out....then bamm you flip it! Would it help for some extended
spring tension bolted on ,non permanent little set of wheels, same concept as
kids bike? Yes I have no pride for asking!lol

Kirby

[Brian Jackson]

Hi Kirby.
For what it's worth, the stock GyroBee landing gear kinda serves that purpose. It's 7 feet wide; much wider than that of many other gyros' main gear. The reason Mr. Taggart designed it this way was precisely for the reasons you detailed above: rollover prevention. In fact, of the plethora of stock flying 'Bees, I believe there's only been one mishap, which was a cyclic control issue and not a consequence of the gear design.

So I'd say your suggestion is right on the mark, since it's already incorporated in the GyroBee design.

Thanks,
Brian Jackson

[gyropilot]

Beside my early goof-up trying to fly with an overhead stick, I know of one other roll-over accident in a Bee.

After flying my Bee for a few years now, my feeling is that if you get plenty of proper training with a qualified instructor, have a rudder with sufficient authority (the Watson tail is fine), and your initial solo flights are accomplished with no crosswind under an instructors supervision, a roll-over accident is highly unlikely and you don't need "training wheels." After your initial solo flights, continue to proceed carefully in flying conditions that don't exceed your ability. Work into cross winds little by little as your experience increases and ability handle more difficult flying tasks grows.

The Bee is a very easy to fly and forgiving gyro for a properly trained pilot.

Regards,

John L.

[Doug Riley]

When I started out gyroing in the Bensen era, I had a 78" float-gyro axle instead of the stock 58" one. I bet it saved me from a rollover or two. I cut it down to stock length later in my training.

A wider axle does help prevent rollovers to some degree. The wheelbase (length from mains to nosewheel) is important as well, though. With a short wheelbase, the machine will tend to tip forward-and-sideways, however wide the mains may be. This is the great weakness of three-wheeled vehicles in general.

In addition, wheel arrangement only takes you so far in preventing rotorcraft tipovers. A rotor that's at or near flight speed will "fly" you over with the help of a crosswind. Once the machine tips to more than the maximum roll control angle possible with your rotor head, you're done -- all the side stick you've got won't prevent the rotor from achieving a greater and greater positive angle of attack (with respect to the crosswind) and continuing the rolling action. At that point all you can do is hold on, duck and yell
"Aw, s---!"

There have been several destructive tipovers of Gyrobees. At least a couple that I know of were not rebuilt. I know of no injuries in any of these accidents, however.

[mceagle]

Doug has put it very well. I would like to elaborate just a little more. If you do the figures on the track width and the roll over angle, you have to make a sizable difference in track to make much difference to the "roll over angle". However any widening will help, but we must realise that the help is only marginal and is no substitute for correct training. In my opinion the largest percentage of roll overs would still have happened if the track was 10 ft. Incorrect rotor management can fly you over mo matter what the track width is.
Once you yell "Aw, S---!" then you can count the bangs, at $1000 per bang.

[Brian Jackson]

Originally Posted by mceagle

Once you yell "Aw, S---!" then you can count the bangs, at $1000 per bang.

Man I hope to buy you lunch someday. As simple as that sounds it's irrefutable. I wish as many people exorcised that common sense.

[birdy]

Hell,wot a head.

Doug,mate,you have my sincere,hart felt sympathys.

[Doug Riley]

Funny, me mum sez the same thing.