Best gyro for mission?

Hello:

I'm looking for a Gyro to make a regular commute of ~60 miles. I'm a 200 hour PP and own a Cherokee 180. The interest in the gyro is I can fly it out of my house (20 acres and should be able to put in 400 foot+ strip). This saves me 20+ minutes.

Ideally I'd like a cruise of 75+ mph and an enclosed cabin. I'm 240lb. One seat is OK, but two is better. Not being a deathtrap is a real plus. Not interested in building a kit, but buying a used experimental is OK. J2's where of some interest but the ones I've run across where either overpriced, basket cases or both.

Does such a beast exist and/or is there a list of gyros with real world specficiations anywhere on the net?

Thanks

-J

[skypuppy]

The Sparrow Hawk is an excellent Cross Country Gyro

[chuter]

400+ feet is not enough. On an ideal day it would work, but don't plan on it.

Depending on how much of a risk-taker you are, I'd say 750-1000ft minimum, if you don't have any obstacles at the end of the strip.

Don't believe the hype on manufacturers websites; some are more truthful than others, but be wary.

I'm sure others will have differing opinions.

[mceagle]

John, I do not know of any current production gyroplane that can fly out of a 130 yd strip with safety, especially with an inexperienced gyro pilot. There are some lighter machines that could do this with an experienced pilot but their options would be limited should something be not quite right.

[Al_Hammer]

Come on, man, use your real name and location or we'll have to get out the taser.

[automan1223]

Can a 180 operate out of a 400' strip ?

I do not think so.

You have your work cut out for you.

20 acres is plenty if its in a straight line...

You need a minimum of 1000' of unabstructed runway. And then you are playing with skill and power.

J

[GyroRon]

My gyro is not enclosed but will cruise at 75 mph and it will consistently get off the ground in 550 feet.

[skypuppy]

Every post is 100 % correct. I wish that the manufacturer would stop telling customers that thier gyro can get off the ground in only X amount of feet. With a brand new Gyro pilot, 2000 feet is still a short distance. 400 feet is not enough for takeoff for a new gyro pilot, plus add in a grass strip, slope, Hot weather, Density Altitude etc etc etc.

[GyroRon]

Yeah I should have said that I have had a few hundred hours in gyros for practice and it takes precision to get in the air in 550 feet... Stiff winds will shorten takeoff roll considerably, but I doubt there is many gyros out there that will takeoff in much less than 550 feet with no wind.

A fixed wing ultralight type plane can takeoff and land on a shorter runway than a gyro. A Phantom ultralight with even the Rotax 447 can be airborne in 200 feet easily. We had a windy day a month or two ago, and one of the pilots out at the airport offered me to fly his Phantom ultralight. I started on the end of the numbers on the end of the runway by going to full power and holding the brakes, release the brakes and pull back stick almost immediately... the plane rotated and left the ground before it was all the way across the numbers. This translated into a 10-15 foot takeoff roll. I was able to land it right on the numbers but needed about 20 more feet past the numbers to come to a complete stop. The wind that day was around 15 mph steady, straight down the runway.

[dragonflyerthom]

I fly a RAF AAI modified and I can get off in around 1000-1200 feet most of the time. Get to 60 climb out another 400 ft to clear 50'. Thats about right. Fly to the other end and land. Runway is 5000 ft. Plenty of room. With a 5- 10 mph head wind will cut it down alot. But you can't count on a head wind all of the time.

I think it would be hard to find a gyro with the criteria that you are needing.


Thom

[PW_Plack]

John, a gyro that does what you ask would have to be very light, and be able to prerotate the blades to near-flying RPM, which may be beyond the current state of the art in enclosed gyros.

I've seen sub-100-foot takeoffs in a Sport Copter Vortex and in a Monarch, both in light winds, but both are single-place machines, and neither is fully enclosed.

[autogire.com]

John,

Try a ELA gyro, it comes from spain and it's very light and powerfull.
I work every week near of Paris with Magni and ELA gyros. The second need less distance to take off. The airframe is not completly closed, but you're well protected.

Website: www.elaaviacion.com

Hervé TERRASSON
www.autogire.com

[Bob Simmons]

NICE GYRO'S YOU HAVE THERE. How about telling us how easy it is to get one of these jewels? spain is a long over night trip for a gyro. anybody sell them in our country? USA, to be exact. THANKS FOR YOUR INFORMATION.

Originally Posted by autogire.com

John,

Try a ELA gyro, it comes from spain and it's very light and powerfull.
I work every week near of Paris with Magni and ELA gyros. The second need less distance to take off. The airframe is not completly closed, but you're well protected.

Website: www.elaaviacion.com

Hervé TERRASSON
www.autogire.com

[Timchick]

Maybe something like a Mosquito helicopter would be better suited to your needs.