situation in Germany, Questions
situation in Germany, Questions
Hi,
I am Ultralight pilot with very little Gyrocpter knowledge, but I want to give you the information I have about Germany.
There has been a article in "Aerokurier" which says that 12 Gyrocopter are known officially to have bend over at ground. The microlight federations, responable here for instructor licences, pilot licences, homolgations and so on have decided for these reasons to define obligation to make 20 hours of practice training for those who are pilots yet, even for professional helicopter pilots.
In the same revue (aerokurier Febr. 2007) the numbers of immatriculations of gyrocopters are published. In 2005 and 2006 together it were 60. Should be understood that some machines have been resold and were counted twice. How many machines were sold in Germany I don't know. If altogether it were 60, that would mean that 20% of the machines were destroyed while ground handling.
I don't know why it takes more than 2 years for the federations to react..
Now I read in a two german forums that someone made investigations in Europe, he estimates that there are errors in training. One man made instructor for many other instructors, and they semm all to have the same opinions. They are contractions to the answers of other european instructors, as it seems. I discussed a little bit, but I have problems of comprehension.
Perhaps in the US there are expieriences which can help to understand the problem.
People here say:
1. If you have to leave the runway quick, you should keep the stick pulled to maintain rotor speed, and leave the runway like that.
What do you think about that?
2. They say that the rotor lift stabilises the gyrocopter in curves.
I can tell you that I would never think so with my trike (? deltawing with engine). The machine looses weight to be well standing at ground, and centrifugal forces would be more important - so I can not imagine how this can stabilise the airplane.
3. They say that the rotor would loose rpm if you put the stick forward when rolling, and that makes the rotor flap.
OK, I read that a rotor flaps only when there are not enough rpm, but if the rotor disk is not inclined, especially at low rpm, the lift is zero or very little, and as the diffence in lift makes to flap - if there is no lift there is no difference - just at my little comprehension of physik.
4. They say that a rotor that flaps makes bent over the machine.
Can a rotor turning too slow make bent over a gyrocopter of 450 kg when there is little lift, because it flaps? I can not well imagine.
Perhaps some one can explane that a little bit. Or post in the german forums, for example
http://gyrocopterforum.de . Usually people here speak some english.
Sorry for not having studyd all your forum befor posting, but it is difficult in english. Also sorry if my ideas should be wrong.
Thank you for answers.
Regards,
Klaus