Hauler Gyro

[lynxtrapper]

You guys need a engineering project, heres one. Im going to start building a gyro for hunting in Alaska, I of course live here. I need a two place, single pilot open type. I dont want it to carry two people but I want it to carry me 190lbs and 200lb of stuff in the spot where the other seat would be. I want it to have STOL capability so to speak . Im leaning towards the biggest rotor I can get for lift with a power prop for thrust. I dont need speed or looks. I am going to be putting this machine on high alpine, 6K ' ish areas mostly Dall sheep hunting. It also needs tundra tires and a high suspension stance. Also need the hor. stblzr. to be highenough to not be damaged by brush. I need a flying atv and dont care what it looks like. I have experience with fixed wing and ultralight. Been really impressed with these machines. What do you guys think? I need out of the box thinking.

 

[Timchick]

A tricked out 2 place Dominator with a Rotax 912 engine.

 

[Passin' Thru]

A tricked out 2 place Dominator with a Rotax 912 engine.

That sounds like a plan! :yo:

 

[Arnie Madsen]

Hi LynxTrapper. I like your name. Perfect for Alaska.

In my younger years I wanted to be a helicopter pilot in Yukon or Alaska. In my off time I was going to hunt and trap. I even was raising Russian Wolfhounds (Borzoi) to bring with me.

It was just a dream , I never did get my commercial rating , and stayed in southern Canada. Probably a good thing.. I have read a couple of biographies of Northern pilots. Not an easy life. I probably wouldnt have survived very long.

Anyway , as I read your post I couldnt help but think you need something like the Safari kit helicopter. Pretty costly compared to a gyro. Probably close to $85k for the kit with the certified Lycoming engine. They are located in northern Canada . Ear Falls Ontario I think.

On the higher altitude spots you would land at , are these mountains ? Are there areas you can land a gyro ?


Greetings from Canada
Arnie Madsen
Bell 47 G2

Here is a picture of a homebuilt Safari and a link to his build site.
https://www.bart.gen.nz/safari/

 

[lynxtrapper]

Depending on where you go, there are all kinds of placec to land. The thing is,,helecopters to hunt in this state are illegal. No part of even your gear can be transported with a helicopter. I was trying to get around the 85K part too. For that money I can get a nice Super Cub. Lets keep it cheap, can we? Cheaper anyway.

 

[WHY]

Hi JIm

The very thing that you want the gyro for is the very thing that is going to be your main problem, and that is the low efficiency of the gyro , it uses a lot more power than most other forms of craft to maintain flight(except maybe a helio). So, the high altitude is probably going to have more effect on the rotors than it might on a fixed wing.

Tony

 

[twistair]

2 place Dominator with a Rotax 912 engine.

Keeping in mind that lynxtrapper wants it to fly 6K alpines it would likely be 914
But I'd agree that tandem Dom seems to be the best choice which suits the terms asked.

 

[gyromike]

Keeping in mind that lynxtrapper wants it to fly 6K alpines it would likely be 914
But I'd agree that tandem Dom seems to be the best choice which suits the terms asked.

Ouch.

For what a tandem Dominator with a 914 would cost, I think I would be looking toward the FW route. You could get an enclosed two seater with real range and an enclosed cabin.

I've always been partial to the Murphy Rebel.

 

[lynxtrapper]

Wow guys

Wow guys

I was trying to get into a aircraft for less money than all this. Those murphys look great but I dont know how much yet. I was really hoping to be able to build my own for 15 K or so. I guess I was sadly mistaken. I was going to build a challenger II but I liked the rotorwing idea because its eaiser to tie down in a remote setting. I like the twin dom but looking at it from a mechanics view,,,I am. I just cant see 20K in metal, engine and rotors. Perhaps Im crazy? I just cant immagine 20K for a lawn chair with a fan blade. Just kidding, no disrespect to your machines, I want on too. but wow these things aew pricey. Any other ideas???

 

[gyromike]

lynxtrapper,

A new Rotax 914 engine alone will be more than $20,000.

 

[joe nelson]

Lynx,

I'm like you! I was unhappy with the size and cost of available gyros. I understand why this condition exists and the need to be commercially viable when producing gyro parts.

I've been researching a gyro with off-the-shelf parts with a goal of a 1000 pound payload. It has been an uphill endeaver because all equipment has to be re-engineered due to it size. This means most parts have to be modified or produced inhouse then tested to destruction to assure safety. I guess it will be about two years before I have anything flyable.

I'll keep you updated on my progress here on the forum.

 

[animal]

build an open frame version of the RF-170 buy Don Parham, it was drop keel and was designed as a 3 seater, had a wide bench seat in the back. I Think Don can get you the Plans still and I am Sure Neal Carnes could make you an airframe kit. If I am thinking Right Don said neals makes Kits For it. it is basicly an Drop keel parsons gyro. I am also thinking Don had a shock absorbing landing gear conversion that can be fitted. I will look for a pic of one. I would rise the horz. Stab up some to clear the brush better.

 

[dimwit]

Airwolf quoted me 29000.00 for a 914 And that was only the engine.

 

[lynxtrapper]

Animal, Ill look into that style you mentioned. If you find anything, send me a PM. I have been in contact with Raven rotorcraft out of colorado. They are getting ready to introduce a new design at oshkosh this summer. They have some neat ideas there trying to introduce. You guys may want to look into them. As for the 914 rotax, I know there pricey. I was really interested in a blue head 582. That 914 is a beast though.

 

[Arnie Madsen]

Depending on where you go, there are all kinds of placec to land. The thing is,,helecopters to hunt in this state are illegal. No part of even your gear can be transported with a helicopter. I was trying to get around the 85K part too. For that money I can get a nice Super Cub. Lets keep it cheap, can we? Cheaper anyway.

Lynxtrapper . As soon as you said Super Cub my mind went immediately to Chuck Fipke who discovered the diamond mines in the Northwest Territories of Canada. He used a Super Cub with huge soft balloon tires on it to land in the rock , slush Ice , and snow. There was a set of skis mounted above the tires for deep snow. If I find the picture I will post it. Amazing things they could do with an early aircraft design.

My comments dont help you with your search for a gyro for the north but I have always admired the ingenuity of the north country aviator. A rare breed.

By the way , when interviewed , Chuck fipke was asked if he had any regrets regarding his years of hunting for diamonds in the north. His reply was yes , I regret not being a millionare , I went from bone poor to billionaire overnight......

Arnie
Southern Canada
Bell 47 G2

 

[Arnie Madsen]

Lynx,

I'm like you! I was unhappy with the size and cost of available gyros. I understand why this condition exists and the need to be commercially viable when producing gyro parts.

I've been researching a gyro with off-the-shelf parts with a goal of a 1000 pound payload. It has been an uphill endeaver because all equipment has to be re-engineered due to it size. This means most parts have to be modified or produced inhouse then tested to destruction to assure safety. I guess it will be about two years before I have anything flyable.

I'll keep you updated on my progress here on the forum.

Good to hear from you Joe. You always remind me of the ultimate inventor. You come up with some ideas , go out to your shop and build and test some prototypes , come up with more ideas and try something new again.

When we dont hear from you for a while joe.... dont worry ....... we know where you are ..... out in the shop building and trying something new ..... you are an inspiration. Very interesting.

Many thanks
Arnie

 

[Arnie Madsen]

Lynxtrapper
I am swiping some of your thread here but I want to throw in a northern helicopter story about Charles Fipke and his diamond mine.

As I said earlier Chuck Fipke used a Super Cub with balloon tires to land on the Northern tundra searching for diamonds in the Canadian North.

Chuck was on one hand a geologist and as tough as an oak stump. On the other hand he had a brilliant mind and studied trace minerals associated with diamond bearing kimberlite pipes. Against all odds he found those trace minerals starting in British Columbia and all the way to North of Yellowknife NWT.


He found the "mother load" source of the diamonds in the far north. He had no money left and yet had to stake the claim to the mine before going public about the discovery.

His partner Stuart Blusson had a worn out Hughes 269 helicopter that they loaded up with claiming stakes. They had to boost start the helicopter battery and the engine knocked until it warmed up. They flew the claim area and dropped the stakes from a low hover and from that point on the claim was registered as theirs. Home free. Money in the bank. (billions)

However on the way back they got caught in a cold thermal over a glacier. The downward air movement and worn out hughes 269 resulted in a hard landing on the ice. Machine destroyed , nobody hurt , middle of nowhere , no flight plan , everything was top secret, no one would even know where to look for them.

No radio (dead battery remember) and no hope. They built a fire with the remaining wooden claim stakes.

Chuck spotted a 747 high overhead heading for Japan. With his bare hands he ripped the battery out of the wrecked helicopter and threw it in the fire. He had heard that if you heat a dead battery you can get a couple of volts. He then ripped the radio out of the dash and twisted some wires together on the battery in the fire and was able to send an SOS to the airliner overhead.

 

[lynxtrapper]

Arnie

Arnie

Dont mind at all about you using the thread. Fipke sounds like my kind of guy. As for the supercubs, there just short of amazing. I did a sheep hunt this year and got flown in remote with one. The capability of those never dissapoints. There the reason I started this thread in the first place. Id love to have one but its a stretch raising a family on one income. 70K cubs or 30K gyros just cant be reached. I havent heard back from animal about that three seater he suggested. I cant find much online. I guess Ill just keep hunting.

 

[animal]

I havent heard back from animal about that three seater he suggested. I cant find much online. I guess Ill just keep hunting.

here is a thread that showed one that was for sale awhile back.

do a search on the Forum. click search an type RF-170


https://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4230&highlight=RF-170

I am still waiting to hear back from Neal,I E-mailed him the other day.

 

[PW_Plack]

Jim, a 582 bluehead on a tandem at 6K' elevation is not realistic. You might not need the expense and complexity of a turbo, but you'll need more power somehow, even if it brings with it more weight.

If you're on a tight budget, a converted Subaru 2.5L car engine might be a candidate.