GYROTALES Part 1

[Allantat]

Many thanks to all who have made me feel welcome on this forum after

a "substantial" absence flying gyros. Some have asked for stories from the

past.... so... even though I haven't flown in a while...once you've flown a

gyro...the memories stay with you forever. I'm currently cleaning out the

garage and giving Larry Neal's Butterly a look over!


I live in Fresno,California. For the geographically challenged...just about

halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles in the San Joaquin Valley.

Fresno is about 300 feet above sea level and most of the time the weather is

pretty consistent. Summers are hot...100+ is not uncommon and rainfall

averages about 9 inches a year! I'm currently employed by Clear Channel

Communications as the morning host at Smooth Jazz 96.7.

www.smoothjazz967.com (Yeah...I really have a cool job...they actually pay me

to have fun waking up the city in the morning.) My day starts at 3:15 am. In

the studio by 4:45 and on the air at 5:30a. This may seem early to

some...but my day is done at 9a. Since I'm single I can do what I want. My

entire career has been in broadcasting

and its always been a great way to get the word out about gyros. Having

friends in the TV end of the industry never hurt in providing publicity on

rotary home built aviation.


In May of 1980 a letter on U.S. Navy stationary arrives at the studio.

Thinking it was just another press handout announcing the completion of

basic training for some local resident...I tossed it in the "I'll get to it later

basket" Luckily I didn't, wait too long as it was an official invitation to take

part in NAS Lemoore's Air Faire and Open House. Not only did they want me

to attend with the gyro...but they invited me to FLY it there!


Wasted no time in contacting my gyro flying partner with the news and the

adventure was underway. I provided the Navy public information office with

gyro photographs and a brief description of the gyros for insertion in the

show program. The big day arrived Sunday morning and we trailered our

gyros out to the city airport...FAT. Really!...(Fresno Air Terminal) Rode the

elevator up to the tower cab and informed the controllers we were outbound

for NAS Lemoore and could they please contact Lemoore controllers when we

lifted off.. WE were using CB radios in those days... the Navy WASN'T! Also

showed them the Navy invitations. You don't just "drop in" to a Pacific Strike

Fighter base unannounced. Lemoore is about 30 miles SSW of Fresno so it

wasn't going to be a long flight and the winds were calm. Started engines ...

taxied out to the run up area as the blades spooled up and waited for the

light gun to take off. I knew the controller and he was familiar enough with

gyros to know..."It's good to have rotor speed"... so he held a United 737

awaiting take off...flashed us the green and we were off. I noticed a pair

of "thumbs up" from the 737 cockpit as we hit the active.


The flight was uneventful until we got to NAS Lemoore. "MY Goodness..this

place is huge and look at the sea of humanity down there" If you've ever

seen the films of Charles Lindbergh landing in Paris after crossing the

Atlantic...this was it again. (Well..almost) Navy controllers flashed us the

green for landing

and we set down on a 13,500 runway. Yup...made the first turnoff too! We

were met by a Follow-Me truck directing us to parking....and what a parking

spot it was!


If there is enough interest...I'll post the second part of this adventure. If not..I'll finish cleaning the garage.

Allan Tatarian
Fresno,Calif.

[Brian Jackson]

I eagerly await the sequel!

[Ron Black]

Great! Keep it up.

[ToddP]

We gotta hear the rest of this story...don't hold out

[mcbirdman]

Or..... We could have a guest writer like.... I don't know...... maybe Ken J. fill in the rest? ...lol.....OMG!.....

[PTKay]

More, more, more......

[Heron]

Omygod! Tatarian . . .Karjakistan . . .Ken J. . . .we can make a movie out of it!
Heron

[PTKay]

Where is the rest of the story.... We are waiting !!!!!!

[Wolfman]

Give us the rest!

[Brian Jackson]

I think he's cleaning his garage!

[PW_Plack]

Allan,

I've never worked for Clear Channel, but I used to do mornings here in Portland at Smooth Jazz 106.7 KKJZ. I was married for 29 years, but am about to be single. Small world! Now I do mornings for KUIK, an AM talk station with studios at the Portland-Hillsboro Airport (HIO). It only took one year of looking out the studio window to get re-bitten by the flying bug!

I thought all you Clear Channel guys had to voicetrack 15 stations on a WAN. Done for the day at 9AM? Soooweet!

Do finish the story!

[Aussie_Paul]

Go for it Allan, great stuff.

Aussie Paul.

[Allantat]

Paul. We have 9 stations in our cluster here in Fresno and some of the folks do indeed voice track for other markets...but it's not mandatory. Working 20 hours a week is ENOUGH for me. More time to play!

Allan

[Harry_S.]

Allan, you're runnin' late. Keep it comin'.

Oh yeah...welcome aboard!!!


Cheers.

[gyroplanes]

A customer of mine (when I was an Air Command dealer) became a good friend (as did most) related to me that jazz greats used to stay at their house when visiting Chicago. My customer, John Deagan, is the grandson of the inventor of the Deagan Vibes. Lionel Hampton and many others played Deagans.

John Deagan, himself, is making a name. John suffered a further neck injury when first responders tried to remove his helmet after a motorcycle accident. While recovering from the accident in the hospital, John came up with an idea to remove helmets without further injury....http://www.hatsoff.info/..... he also decide to get into gyros from ultralight fixed wings.

Most auto racing sanctioning bodies now require "Hats Off" systems and, if you saw this years Indy 500, during the rain delay, the did a feature on this gyro pilot's safety innovation.

I know of another famous inventor that also flew gyros. Anyone else know of famous people that also flew gyros.

Not meaning to hijack the thread. I too am anxiously awaiting Allan's story.