Back to the basics ?

[PW_Plack]

Cita, if the premise is that cost is limiting participation, I would suggest that a few components have escalated much faster than inflation. The big two: Engines and rotorblades.

If we were willing to go back to wood blades which could be made in any garage, or find more efficient ways to manufacture modern blades with less expensive materials and fewer man-hours, that side could be addressed.

Engines? Even basic two-strokes are thousands of dollars these days. There doesn't appear to be anything like the McCulloch drone engine showing up by the pallet at surplus sales. The closest thing we have to the Bensen/Brock era is the old VW air-cooled Beetle motor, but they're relatively heavy for the power they make.

If new, lightweight auto engines suitable for conversion can be found in scrapyards, we may make some progress on engine affordability.

Part of the higher complexity and cost have to do with safety, but I think mostly we're just spoiled. Most gyros are flown from airports with runways long enough not to need a prerotator, but everyone has decided they're essential.

[Sita]

Alan,Paul,

thanks for your input !!

It might be that we have to go the "whole route" as Alan described to discover that there's still some joy to had with things a bit less costly.Perhaps we need to spend the big dollars to appreciate the small dollars.

The discussion on "getting back to wood rotor blades" could be interesting Paul. My impression is that over the years the "comfort" of metal or composite blades has been mixed up with "safety" of wood blades.
The thruth is that there has never been more affordable tooling/material available for the hobbyist to build wood blades than there has been today. Yet,they have vanished from the scene.Are they really so "unsafe" as it seems on the internet or do they just needs more attention and time to be safe,time which we're no longer prepared to spend or which is been replaced by money we spend on composite-metal blades.
I can imagine that there are a lot of people who are working hard and long days to earn a living and who would like, the little remaining free time, spend on flying rather than maintenance,taking care.......which used to be part of the fun.

I agree that rotor blades and engines are the main stumbling block to keep a gyrocopter (lesser for a helicopter) affordable "for everyone" nowadays.
Strange,because those where the exact parts that used to be "cheap" (wood rotor blades) and easy (surplus engines) to come by.

Dennis Fetters is probably right when he stated that "a second hand snowmobile engine" for a new kit rotorcraft isn't the best choice for a gyrocopter manufacturer but what keeps the private designer/builder from doing so?

Is it really "impossible" to find a good second hand engine among the millions and millions that have been produced or have we given up on the "pleasure" of searching for it ?

I have no clear answer on all these questions.

Cita