Anisoptera is on the way

multimike

***** Supporter
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
209
Location
Hooksett nh
Aircraft
Gyro-mz202-24 DW- N485MP
Total Flight Time
100+
Well it's time I share my new adventure. (my wife calls it my mid life crisis!) I have been reading everything I can about gyros on the forum, PRA website, EAA website, google searches, you name it, I've probably read it! This forum has been an unbelievable source of information. I've been a member well over a year and I still check it at least once a day.

First a little bio:
I made the decision about a year ago to build a gyro and get the proper training to fly safely. I was in the first class that Tim O'Connor taught on the web and am happy to say that I pass the FAA written knowledge for sport pilot-gyro test with flying colors! (Thanks, Tim!) The examiner said I was the first Sport pilot GYRO student he's tested. I'm planning to get flight training from Chris Burgess very soon! I have my student pilot certificate in hand and can't wait to log my flight training hours on it.
I'm a PRA member and also a member of PRA Chapter 39, Yankee Rotors in New Hampshire.

Now, what am I building? I was planning to build a Gyrobee with a 503 rotax and downloaded the plans, bought some aluminum and started buildiing some sub assemblies. But, after reading much information on the forum I decided that I wanted a machine I would not soon grow out of. I wanted a gyro with centerline thrust, enough power, nimble flight characteristics, and relatively easy build. So I've chosen to Clone Matt Pearson's Dragonfly.

Here are the features:

Powered by a MZ202 engine
62 Warp Drive 3 blade prop(both being delivered in June)
Go Ped style prerotator
23ft Dragonwings
7.5 gallon Seat tank (I've bought a thick walled snobird tank)
Asuza 6 inch Main wheel with brakes of my own design. ( It will have differential braking)
Castoring front wheel
Suspension using Go-kart shocks
All flying T tail

Looking forward to any discussion that will make this project safer, more enjoyable, and rewarding.

Pic#1 Gyro in a shipping box
Pic#2&3Basic 2x2 frame
 

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Mike,
It look's like you used radius'ed 2x2 tube, How far from the edges are you drilling your holes?
Where did you get your tube ?
Did it arrive in useable condition ?
Thanks,JETROCK
 
Welcome Mike. You seem to have done things in a methodical and very sensible manner, good luck with your 'crisis'. Problem is your wife might have a 'crisis' when you begin spending lots of time away with the gyro.

Good thinking with regard to growing out of your machine. Matts Dragonfly is a great looking machine with what looks like a lot of capability. Since it is the only one around not a lot know about it how it flies but you can add to that.

Good luck with your build and the training. Sounds as though you are going to have lots of fun.
 
JETROCK:
I actually purchased the radius tube at a local steel company. They carry a limited supply of aluminun and a previous customer backed out of a large order of 2x2x 0.125 6061 t6 tube. It is stamped with the alloy, perfect condition and a 20 foot section cost me about $65 a year and a half ago. Incidently, the mast section of tube you see will be replaced by a double section of 1x2 rectangular stock- the short section you see in the photos will be used to lay out the new mast. The shorter section allows me to build most of the gyro in the basement/garage.

Resasi: Thanks for your PM and the encouragement! I'm fortunate to have a fairly complete shop to fabricate in (a lifetime of collecting and using tools-a disease I seemed to passed on the my 3 sons!) I am enjoying every aspect of this process.

More photos to follow.
 
Here are some photos of my nosewheel assembly. I'm using threadless headsets for the bearings on the castering nosewheel and will be using it for the rudder post bearing. Bearing plates and tubes bored undersized for light press fit.

Pic #1-Bore for the rudder post on drop keel (same as nosewheel- I didn't have that photo)

Pic #2- Nosewheel fork assembly made of cro-moly tube

Pic #3- threadless headset bearing "exploded view"

Pic #4- bearing plates

Pic #5- Completed assembly
 

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Has Matt made the Dragonfly's plans available?

Harold
 
Harold,
There are no plans available that I'm aware of. I constructed rough plans based on enlarged photos that Matt has posted and scaled them to get pretty close to his dimensions. 99% of the building techniques can be found in the forum, i.e. how to build wheel assemblies, rotor heads, empenage, joy-sticks, prerotators, etc. The last 1% are all the questions I ask.
Mike
 
Upper Suspension

Upper Suspension

Here's some of the progress on the suspension.

Pic #1 Go kart shock and a machined adapted to fit a 1" suspension tube.

Pic #2 1x1x1/8 square tube for upper shock bracket.

Pic #3 Completed assembly
 

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Last edited:
Main Wheels

Main Wheels

Here are some photos of my main wheel assembly. I'm using caliper disc brakes intented for mountain bikes.

Pic#1 Machined 5/8" cromoly rod for threads and welded a washer for wheel stop.

Pic#2 Disc/wheel adapter & disc.

Pic#3 Adapter mounted on shop made mandrel

Pic#4 & 5 Turning completed.

Pic#6 Adapter plate mounted to disc

Pic#7 Axle-wheel-disc
 

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Main Wheels part II

Main Wheels part II

More work on the main wheels.

Pic 1 & 2: fabricated brake caliper bracket from 3/4" square cromoly tube and welded to the axle.

Pic #3: Caliper mounted to bracket.

Pic #4 Main axle with bend and shock tube bracket.

Pic #5 Main axle with machined bushing to fit aluminum tube.

Pic #6 & 7: completed axle assembly in place
 

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Rudder Pedal assembly

Rudder Pedal assembly

Been working on the gyro. Here are some photos of the progress.

Photo 1: Rudder plate

Photo 2: Rudder pedal (0.049 cromoly)

Photo 3: Brake pedal

Photo 4: assembled brake/pedal

Photo 5: assembly on frame
 

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Seat support

Seat support

Fabricated the seat support.
 

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You can't really call this a clone of Dragonfly since it's so radically different, it's actually an all new build.

.

Alan, you're right. The word clone implies I'm making an exact copy of the Dragonfly. My intention was to give credit for the Dragonfly design to its creators. Although my gyro shares the same engine, tail design, frame geometry and scale, it will not have the same instrument pod, rudder pedal configuration, rotor head, long stroke suspension, etc. Nevertheless, I still find most of the Dragonfly design elements worth considering.
Afterall, it's said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
 
Instrument pod support

Instrument pod support

It took a day to fabricate, but I'm pleased with the result.

Photo 1: Pod support (0.049 cromolyn 1" tube)

Photo 2: On the frame
 

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That seems to be coming along very nicely Mike.

I am always in awe of the way some people just fabricate the parts they want while I struggle pathetically along. But then I guess we all have our own areas of expertise.

Looks as though it won't be long at this rate.
 
engine mounts

engine mounts

They say good things come in small packages. (They just happen to weigh 100 pounds!) . My MZ 202 engine got delivered and now it's time to fit it to the frame. I think the UPS driver is going to have a retro-active hernia when he finds out he's delivered an actual flying aircraft in pieces!

Photo 1: Christmas comes early
Photo 2: Engine mount a made up from 3/16 x 2" steel bar stock. Bent to
mimic the dynafocal type of mount.
Photos 3 & 4: positioned on the airframe.

More photos to follow
Mike
 

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Nice welding and that is really quick build you have going on without plans.
What size it the square tube, that the shocks attach.
 
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