Taxi with rotors turning or not ?

I have a modified Bensen (CLT pull start 532 and dragon wings)
I was taught taxi with rotors turning, keep them stiff to prevent damage to the hub and head..... puts my mind into flight mode as well. taxi with wind behind me can be a bit of a hand full though .
It is considered good practice to just hand spin the blades before engaging the pre rotator which would involve getting out of my pod with engine running at the end of the runway in an unchocked gyro, (not good practice) and does not look good in front of the fixed wing guys.
I also have no rotor brake so I taxi back to the hanger with rotors turning.
More critical on grass I suspect.
I recently did some engine run ups and taxied to a remote area of the grass airfield with rotors tied and hand on stick they really banged about so I would avoid doing it again.

it's also not good practice to leave the gyro unchecked with engine running at the end of the runway

Is the answer to this not 'It depends.....'
Smooth paved runway, vs rough or grass field, other airplanes / structures around, Wind conditions etc.

The gyros I see taxying in the UK taxy with rotors stationary - these are factory built gyros at locations such as Old Sarum , Popham, Rochchester and Henstridge.

There are two halves to the gyro community - the older and the newer.

Well, I think you just exchange one potential problem with another real one. Taxiing with a turning rotor is inherently more dangerous (mostly to those around you, if the rotor isn't turning too fast). If you want to limit bending stresses on blades and hub you'd have to turn the rotors sufficiently fast that it might even become a significant worry for you as well in terms of not flapping the blades, keeping track of where the wind comes from and not driving around turns too fast with the stick pointing the wrong way.

Personally, I like to taxi slowly anyway. This allows me to avoid the worst of rough patches and I can pick my way so that I never encounter spots where I would be afraid of doing anything bad to blades or hub. Most of the time I can opt for a paved runway or taxiway. And even the grass runways are of sufficiently good quality that I needn't worry either. Therefore, I taxi with stopped rotor.

-- Chris.

loftus said:

Is the answer to this not 'It depends.....'
Smooth paved runway, vs rough or grass field, other airplanes / structures around, Wind conditions etc.

Click to expand...

I taxi with them spinning on grass and not spinning on hard surface.

My aircraft has a robust pre-rotator system, an adequate rotor brake, and good landing gear suspension. With those features, on typical airport surfaces, I always taxi with stopped blades. It reduces risk for personnel and structures, doesn't hurt anything on the aircraft, and makes other pilots more comfortable as we pass nearby. My old J-2 manual suggested getting the blades moving/flying only if taxiing over very rough surfaces. It did not have a rotor brake, so taxi before flight was done with stopped blades and taxi after flight was done with decaying rpm.

If you have the proper gear, I'm all in favor of stopped blades. If you don't, you have to adapt accordingly.

Steve_UK said:

The gyros I see taxying in the UK taxy with rotors stationary - these are factory built gyros at locations such as Old Sarum , Popham, Rochchester and Henstridge.

There are two halves to the gyro community - the older and the newer.

Click to expand...

A bit like gravity, I doubt metal fatigue gives a frig which "camp" your in.

The decision is probably better determined by the surface your taxiing on than the modernity or otherwise of your gyro.

It is becoming increasingly apparent the so called modern gyro and associated training system is turning out "stick attendants" rather than pilots.




MilesW

A friend visited Rufforth airfield in the UK the other day - it is a major centre of UK gyro flying.


Here are the gyros present


Rufforth -


G-GTFB Magni M24 - brand new
G-MAGN Magni M24
G-CFCL MT-03
G-CGTK Magni M24
G-CGLY Calidus
G-CGZE MTO
G-CGRY Magni M24
G-RMTO MTO
G-CGZM MTO
G-OSVN Cavalon
G-CGVK Caldus
G-CGNM Magni M16
G-CEOX MT-03
G-YPDN MT-03
G-CGSD Magni M16
G-DUDI MTO
G-PILZ MT-03
G-YROA MTO
G-YROK Magni M16
G-KMKM MTO
G-GRYN Calidus
G-IROS Calidus
G-CGEW MTO
G-CEUI Simulator
G-CFCG MT-03 Simulator


in addition there is a museum for the older designs

G-ARTJ Bensen B.8M
G-CDBE Montgomerie B.8M
G-BXCJ Campbell Cricket


A thriving gyro scene for the more recent modern machines. The "stick attendants" are clocking the hours. The older machines are exhibits at this particular airfield.

This is how it is at Rufforth.

Sad but true.

a short 50 second video of a taxying MTOsport over grass and snow - rotors not turning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-JJdIwgwF8

I mentioned this before how I did not care for the forward stick actuated rotor brake. It prevented you from spooling down after taxiing off the runway and facing downwind (with a tailwind). You could only stop the rotor facing the other three directions, preferably into a headwind. This had to be factored into your taxiing sequence.

The real answer is both. It all depends on the situation. If you have the skill to do either way it is to your advantage because you will know how to handle the rotor in all situations. Spending a good amount of time balancing or taxi with the rotor spinning will avoid many landing accidents. This is because ground rotor handling becomes familiar and you know what to expect. I have seen several accidents that were avoidable if the ground skills were taken seriously. One of the biggest problems in many countries is they just do not understand this concept.

In most cases it's not we who decide but what the airport regulations say.
In strong gusty winds I taxi with blades copml. stopped and in all other cases with spinning rotors.

Igor Bensens advice

Igor Bensens advice

was to either have the blades stopped and tied down while taxiing or have them spinning but said not to leave them untied to bounce around while taxiing.
Marion

... in this video says keep them turning and reasons why sounds like an instructor

AutoGyro Mto Sport Rotor ground handling filmed with GOPRO - YouTube

It seem to me that opinions world wide are simailar with some for and some against. I have witnessed three gyro accidents all of which were people taxying with rotors spinning. I understand the science behind rotors spinning while taxying as a means of minimising stress on the rotor head etc but when you look at the potential danger of this practice i think i would rather the stationary option and proceed slowly over bumpy terrain.
As part of our biannual flight revue {BFR} we have to prove our competence taxying with rotors spinning, dealing with cross winds etc but it is left up to each individual which taxying style they would rather. As far as i am aware taxying with spinning rotors is not mandatory.

I liked Desmon's answer. Personally, being without a prerotator and lazy, I like a mate's assistance in patting up my blades before taxiing.

If I am on my own it depends upon where I am, and prevailing conditions. Both spinning or stationary rotor while taxiing have their places.

Taxiing with spinning rotors is dangerous, but then so is having a spinning prop, or indeed flying. You simply apply the appropriate amount of care caution, and required technique to the situation in question.

I don't have a rotor brake on my gyro. So , if I tie my blades with a rope for taxing I will need before a take off to stop the engine , get out of my seat , unrope my blades , get in a gyro ,start the engine and prerotate my blades. My question : is there any way (maybe a special knots on the rope ) so I can pull a rope ( hopefully it won't get in the prop ) to release the blades and avoid all inconveniences ?
Thank you. Georgi.
P.S. Up to now I always taxing with a spinning rotor. But gusts wary me.

Georgi there is a way to do it, a knot the cowboys used with the reins of a horse where a tug on one rein undoes the knot. Unfortunately hard to explain in words.

This might help.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gx6Sof1ZWSY

Excellent...thanks for posting.

Resasi said:

Georgi there is a way to do it, a knot the cowboys used with the reins of a horse where a tug on one rein undoes the knot. Unfortunately hard to explain in words.

This might help.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gx6Sof1ZWSY

Click to expand...

The FAA wants the rotors turning during taxi and taxi at no faster than a brisk walk.