Mark,
Thank you for your kind comments!
I would say performance wise it's about the same. The engine is not quite a 582, but the lighter disk loading and AUW compensates for that to an acceptable level. I believe the main advantage of this gyro comes from the landing gear and the increased range. It 's also much more comfortable in flight due to the seating position and trim system. The only thing I didn't put on was a cup holder for my beverage! I was still able to keep the weight below Superfly even with all the extras.
The tail is great. I have always been a fan of the all flying tail. It is my preference. The tail with all it's hardware weighs in at 14 lbs. It is the same tail that Larry Neal is using on his aircraft, except he made this one all carbon fiber rather than kevlar. He said the cost is prohibitive for the weight savings and I think he's right. It is very expensive to build anything light weight and high performance!
The pod is from Air Command. It didn't seem to be terribly heavy... I don't recall the weight. The landing gear is by far heaviest component. The airshocks are Gabriel truck shocks, and the wheels and brakes are pretty heavy. I think that eachlanding gear leg with wheels and brakes was like 19 lbs! That's a chunk and definitely are a compromise on the light weight factor, but they make the landings so much more exciting!
The prerotator motor and mount set-up weighed like 13 lbs. Definitely a keeper!