The adventure continues!

[Vance]

As I arrived at the airport the fog appeared white and was caressing the hills in a most sensuous way. Unfortunately it burned off before I could get into the air and take a picture.

I finished my preflight in a half hour and winds were at 350 at 11kts. This is right at my limit for cross winds.

Off I went and it was pretty windy, especially between the hangers. I nearly returned to the hanger. As I warmed up the oil I was directly across from a wind sock and the wind looked to be straight down 30. I called for a wind check and it was 300 at 11.

The air had that clean feel that happens after a rain. The parched hills took on a green mantel from two days of rain after a long dry spell.

I waited until I was out on the runway before I started my pre-rotation. My blades were moving around more than I am used to and there is a bump in the runway that I feared would start some unpleasantness if I was starting them spinning. They spun up nicely from the head wind and I was off in about 75 feet. It felt like an elevator as I rose above the tower before I arrived at the tower. I was at 500 feet above ground in less than half the runway. Twice the tower asked me to make my cross wind turn early for spacing.

I was leading with my rudder and making more elegant turns because of it. The helicopters were very busy today so they switched me to a left close pattern a couple of times to keep me away from them.

I made a touch and go and I thought I had over shot my spot. It felt like I went backward to hit it dead on. I suspect that this was an illusion. I departed straight out.

It looked clear, but the pictures look just as overcast as the last ones. There was a real bite in the air so I tried operating the camera with my gloves on. The wrist strap kept me from losing the camera.

I called from ten miles out and was told to enter a right downwind and report mid field. I repeated it and off I went, this meant that I was crossing the end of the runway 30. As I got near the flight corridor the tower warned me that I was too close. I reminded him that I was to enter a right base and he said “EXPERMENTAL 2 MIKE GOLF ENTER A LEFT DOWN WIND AND REPORT ABEAM THE TOWER”. I don’t feel that this was my error. I was cleared for the option on 30.

The strong head wind made for my best landings yet. I was not able to make a bad landing and most were really elegant. After a few touch and goes I stopped for gas and a personal preflight.

I was having so much fun working on my descending turns that I didn’t want to stop for lunch. I flew for an hour with 12 touch and goes. I practiced some go-arounds and I felt like I had total control of the aircraft. If a gust would move me I would just move back with power, rudder or stick. It was mostly a combination of all three. I find myself anticipating events and intuitively knowing what to do. I feel the event and just react to it. I am not spending a lot of time wondering what might put me back where I want to be.

I finally stopped for lunch at 1:00 and when I was finished winds were 300 degrees at 14 kts so I spent some time on maintenance and went to work. My desk is in chaos and my flying has defiantly exacerbated my poor work ethic. The people that work with me are being real nice about it, so far.

I will try to learn to shrink the pictures myself. They are really very similar to the other days.

I have to write up something about gyroplanes for the Santa Maria Times and that must take priority. I have a reporter coming out Thursday or Friday and I want her to be educated when she arrives. She promised me that she would read it. She covers the “airport beat” and saw the Predator landing and thought it was interesting. The airport manager has suggested that he might be nicer to me if I do a good job on this.

Thank you, Vance

 

[Lee Scatt]

Vance, I am sure that you will WOW 'em. Please post the article when it comes out, I'm sure all would enjoy reading it.

 

[Vance]

Hello Lee,

I will link to it when it comes out.

I have very little control over the content.

She sounds like a smart young woman and I will give her the link to the forum.

Winds are at 160 degrees at 3 kts. I am off and flying.

Thank you, Vance

 

[Vance]

The sunrise was spectacular this morning, bright red and very complex. The airport was almost deserted as I rolled the Predator out of her home. I loved shattering the silence as her engine caught and came to life. The noise of the prop echoes off the metal hangars. The preparation to taxi is becoming almost routine. My heart stills pounds with anticipation and my mouth is dry when I call ground. My spirit soars each time I hear “Experimental gyroplane November 142 Mike Golf taxi to 30.”

Lately I have been flying in winds around my limit of 12 kts. Today was calm. Each landing, more than 20, was very similar and they were all good. I loved the consistency that the calm conditions gave. They had a lot of traffic and they had me land on Taxiway Alpha. It looked very narrow from 500 feet up. It seemed to grow as I descended. I loved landing on Alpha. I look forward to more practice on Alpha.

I went to my acquired brain injury group today and talked about the challenge I have with long read backs. They suggested that I let the tower know of my challenge with unrelated short term memory. I met with two of the controllers and it went very well. I feel that they may have told me they made a mistake sending me on a right downwind when I was coming from the North West. I love all the support and help I get from people. They told me they feel it is their roll to be a little surely when something doesn’t’ go well.

Here is a picture from yesterday. You can see it is still overcast. It has a little better view of the coast, the dunes and the surf. It is a lot better in person. I flew low over the waves but was too excited and cold to take a picture.

I have been flying at 1,000 feet above ground level so that I have more options to land. I want to fly lower. Because of my overconfidence I have resisted the temptation. I took one picture that showed the GPS at 35 miles per hour. I love slow flight!

I aborted a landing at what I thought was well past the point of no return. I might have even touched my wheels. She just leaped back into the air. I thought that the rotor had to speed up to arrest my decent? It seems to respond instantly as soon as the engine stops sputtering from the carb heat.

I flew in the rain this evening, just a drizzle that came up while I was up. I tried to race it back to the airport but it was coming across my flight path and I was not successful. It was cold and wet. I loved it.

I learn so much each time I fly. I have flown over 30 hours from KSMX and done over 100 landings. Each one is a new challenge, each turn can be a little better. Each power change can be a little smoother and more precise. Each takeoff a little smoother. Each turn a little more elegant. Each pattern a little straighter, I tend to get a little closer at the landing end. I love to cut the power and feel confident in my rate of decent and my ability to make the end of the runway and hit my spot. I love progress!

Thank you, Vance

 

[scott heger]

Vance,
Keep this up and your going to be chasing Birdy for most hours flown this year!

Controllers make mistakes all the time. If you think that may have happened, repeat the instruction just given to you.

Last year while passing by LAX, I requested the following:

ME: LAX helicopter N**LR at Marina Del Rey requesting a low level southbound shoreline transition
(the requirement is to fly 150 feet or less )
LAX TOWER: Los Angeles tower, N**LR you are cleared to enter Class B airspace and transition southbound at 1,500 feet or less. Report south of the smokestacks. Caution wake turbulence ,departing Quantas 747 runway 19 right.
ME: Los Angeles helicopter, N**LR, don't you mean 150 feet or less not 1500?
LAX TOWER: helicopter N**LR, affirmative, 150 feet or less is correct.
ME: Los Angeles helicopter N**LR transitioning southbound at under 150 feet.

If I did not know the area better, he would have put me directly into the path of a fully loaded max t/o weight departing 747. A very serious error on his part. The moral of the story is if any doubt repeat the instruction or ask for clarification, or both.

You will also have an occasion eventually where a controller tells you to expedite a takeoff, normally due high speed landing traffic. They don't get that the rotor RPM must be built up, and think when you are rolling you can haul butt down the runway. Tell them immediatey "gyro XYZ unable to comply." Don't rush a takeoff, it is the fastest way to blade flap! If they cleared you to the runway, it is up them to make the other aircraft make a go around. You won't be popular, but your gyro will still be in one piece. If you want later,you can call the tower and nicely educate them about how a gyro must slowly roll and takeoff if the RRPMS have decayed from holding. Remember, most control towers rarely ever handle gyro traffic.

Scott Heger,Laguna Niguel, Ca N86SH

 

[Hognose]

What Scott says, Vance.

"Unable" is a magic word for pilots. It causes controllers no end of consternation because it reminds them that they may be in "control" but we're in "command" and we hold that trump card. Their interest is to move aircraft through their airspace as efficiently as possible, consistent with safety.

Our interest is to get OUR particular aircraft through their airspace, likewise, consistent with safety. 99% of the time pilots and controllers are on the same sheet of music. But never be shy about saying you're unable to do something. I've seen a lot of pilots take risks to make a controller happy, which is not really what the controller wants. (If you think a slow aircraft complicates a controller's work day. just imagine what a mishap does).

"Unable" should be a tool in your toolbox, along with the other magic word: "emergency." There was a famous crash in New York, Avianca 052, where the crew never got up the nerve to say "emergency" and the controllers had no idea that they were running out of gas. They wound up crashing on John McEnroe's father's landscaping and a number of people didn't survive (the one good thing about fuel exhaustion, there was no fire, so many pax did survive). Never, ever, take an unsafe instruction from a controller: it's not what the controllers want you to do, really!

Likewise, don't guess about an instruction or clearance. We all have momentary brainlock. "Did he say left base or right base?" Maybe it's your mistake. Maybe it's his or hers. Who cares? Ask and get it clarified, like Scott did in his example. An "extra" transmission or two may be an annoyance on a busy frequency, but it's a small price to pay for clarity.

cheers

-=K=-

 

[Vance]

Thank you Scott,

Your experience was much bigger than mine and they caught mine as I approached the centerline over the valley. I think that they are amazing and I could not do their job. I feel like they are looking out for my best interests and I think of them as friends.

Thank you Kevin,

I love that word “unable”. I have only had one time when I should have used it and I hadn’t learned it yet. The tower is learning the capabilities of the Predator and that is why they cleared me for Alpha taxiway. They are calling for an early cross wind and a tight base to final more often and so far I have been able to comply. I love to point the nose at the threshold in a descending turn.

I feel like I am learning a foreign language and sometimes they use slang. It is a lot like the foreign language tapes where you repeat back that the red dog has very large ears. It is getting better and I am starting to understand the meaning of the words.

Yesterday afternoon even though I had clearance to taxi to 30 I ducked between the hangers as an experimental biplane approached me in the non movement area because I couldn’t see his eyes and I didn’t want to put him at risk.

Winds are at 340 degrees at three kts. I am off and flying!

Thank you, Vance

 

[Doug Riley]

Vance, congrats on your progress. I'm happy for you that you live where there are no seasons, just climate. I was chatting on the phone yesterday with the owner of my home airport. We're having a January thaw, and he jokingly urged me to come up and fly in the mud. I declined. It would be up to my axles at least.

A busy, controlled airport adds tremendously to a new pilot's workload. Pat yourself on the back for handling it with aplomb.

 

[JEFF TIPTON]

Vance; referencing the slang or foreign language, you might want to stop the FBO and pickup a copy of FAR/AIM. Chapters 4 and 5 of the Airmans Information Manual (AIM) pertain to communications and procedures. Chapter six deals with emergency procedures.

You can view and download the AIM manual at FAA.GOV

http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim/

You can view the CFR's at

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14tab_02.tpl

 

[Vance]

Thank you Doug, aplomb is not a word I would to describe my interactions with the control tower.

Thank you Jeff, I use the FAR/AIM to exacerbate my bewilderment and as a sleep aid.

The sunrise was a stunning red and the warmth of the sun cut through the chill of the morning.

When I left the house this morning winds were at 340 degrees at 3 kts. It took me 25 minuets to get to the airport because I stopped and purchased some goat skin gloves at ACE hardware so I could take pictures with my gloves on. I took a half hour for a preflight. Add another ten minuets to go through my sit down and start up procedure and the new adis Uniform had come out. Winds at 300 degrees and 13 kts. Back to the hanger for me.

Or annual hangar inspection is tomorrow so I spent some time looking for gas cans and paint supplies that are prohibited in our lease. I checked the adis, it comes out around 53 minuets after the hour and Victor was Winds at 310 degrees and 11 kts. Less than 10 minuets later I was calling ground.

I asked the tower for a strait out departure. I felt that I had landed enough in windy conditions for the time being, so it was off to the ocean.

I worked at maintaining altitude, heading and airspeed.

The usually dry river bed of the Santa Maria River was flowing down to the sea.

On the way back I saw over 100 miles per hour ground speed on my gps. My airspeed was 75 miles per hour. There was only a five mile per hour difference on the way out. I was told to enter a left down wind and report abeam the tower. I read it back properly. I suspected that the wind had increased in my short absence. I called for a wind check and it came back 300 degrees at 15 kts. I was bobbing around more than I like so I did a go around. It was worse the second time and again I did a go around. The tower asked if I wanted to change runways. The prevailing wind was right down the runway so I took a deep breath and put her down just where I was aiming. The landing felt challenging and I worked hard at controlling my rotor. It all went well so I feel I may be overestimating the challenge. This is my first flight with only one landing.

I went to work at the software company, checking the adis each hour and at 2:55 it was 300 degrees and 6 kts. I abandoned my coworkers and had her ready to go in about 35 minuets. As I taxed toward 30 the windsocks were picking up and I figured I shouldn’t press my luck.

I don’t learn as much just flying along but I love the unstructured freedom. The rotor makes a slow swishing sound that I find especially alluring. I am starting to feel more comfortable and now that I have landed on the taxiway and had it grow I feel that I will have the same experience if I have a real engine out landing. My flying at 1000 feet probably intensifies my insecurity because it makes the landing spots appear smaller and I might feel more comfortable flying lower.

Thank you, Vance

 

[Vance]

The sun was already up as I headed for the airport. I love to drive with the top down and feel the way my car handles and accelerates. The hills around here are turning green from the rain and this is my favorite time of year. I had the amazing experience of wishing I was already flying instead of enjoying the drive. I intend to work on this. I think that gratitude for all the nice things in life is important. Thinking of Doug in the snow did pick up the mood a little. It does show me how much I love flying the Predator.


Today was my best day of flying yet. I started in calm conditions and the wind gradually picked up until it was over my limit. I flew for a little over 2 hours and made over 30 landings. Every landing was very smooth and within 5 feet of my target. My take offs are improving as I work at being smoother on the throttle.


I have so many more tools to adjust for conditions that, at least for today, I made no desperate moves. I could not have imagined the progress I have made.


Today I was working at being right on with my altitudes and airspeeds. I was making quicker 90 degree turns over the same place each time. I was working at making base the same distant as cross wind.


As the winds picked up this consistency paid off and I could recognize divergence from the plan a lot sooner.


I found I could keep track of the winds by watching the difference between my airspeed and my ground speed. I watched all of the wind socks on each pattern.


I found myself wanting to show off for the people holding short. I recognize this as a way to make a mistake so I consciously resisted the temptation.


I made some go-arounds that amazed me. I can see that it is a good thing to practice so I don’t hesitate when it is the right choice. They are possible much later than I imagined.


I improved my radio calls and my read backs by being more careful to read one line at a time. It slows me down a little. I am, after all, trying to communicate. I need to let go of wanting to sound like a pilot and focus on saying what I mean and being understood.


I am not sure how it can get any better than this. My situational awareness is constantly improving. I am able to find aircraft much sooner in the pattern and often recognize what they are. Complex read backs are starting to feel effortless.


I know that progress doesn’t come in a straight line so I am ready for some reversals. For now I am pleased with my expanded capabilities.


I am meeting with the reporter tomorrow.


The hangar inspection has been moved to Tuesday afternoon.


Thank you, Vance

 

[StanFoster]

Vance: Your posts make me smile....


Stan

 

[scott heger]

Vance, you know you are getting better when you bail yourself out of a less than perfect landing that you could not have made last month. Remember, I said before you will learn to be able to get yourself out of a landing from a few feet off the runway and almost no ground speed? Seem more possible now?

Dang, 30 landings? You are going to need a full time controller assigned to you. They are going to start a betting pool to see how long you will stay in the pattern...just kidding. Give those guys a break and go enjoy somewhere outside the airspace, but still within radio distance.

Scott Heger,Laguna Niguel,Ca N86SH

 

[Friendly]

Vance,
Where are the pictures of your gyro? I can't believe you get to fly so much!!! Maybe I ought to move

 

[Vance]

Thank you Stan, knowning you makes me smile.

Thank you Scott, I could not have imagined the progress.

Hello Mark, There are pictures of the Preditor in a thread entitled Progress.

I went to a safety meeting at the Cessna pilots association put on by the Van Nuys fsdo. They asked everyone what they flew. I was the only autogiro. The faa person had noticed me flying and was very complimentary. The meeting and the pilots helped me appreciate the CFIs that I have dealt with. There was a discussion about fuel exhaustion. One fellow had crashed because he didn’t know that they sold fuel by the liter in Canada. I was taught to dip my fuel tanks and never to trust the fuel truck. The question was asked has anyone checked their actual consumption. Most relied on the Pilots operating handbook. I was taught that part of a flight plan was estimated consumption and actual consumption. Thank you Terry and Sergio.

Winds were North West at 11 kts when I arrived at the airport. I decided to head out to the coast. My compass is not working well. They asked me for my heading and I made it up. I took off from 30 and turned left about 10 degrees, the isogonic lines say -14 degrees. That sounded like 276 degrees to me. I found the compass on my GPS but I don’t know if it is magnetic or true heading. I have misplaced the manual.

I stayed at 1000 feet until I was out of KSMX airspace, then I slowed and let her climb without changing the power setting. I was at 2000 feet pretty quickly. I flew up the coast for a while and monitored the Oceano frequency. No one was talking.

When I arrived at the coast it was put on the new gloves weather, I didn’t and when I climbed to 2000 feet it was warmer?????

When I arrived back at KSMX I was just entering the pattern when the ATC told someone to watch out for me. He had a heavy German accent and he couldn’t find me. The control tower said the autogiro is very low and very slow. At least he didn’t call it a gyrocopter.

I filled up with fuel and went back up. There were four aircraft working the pattern and several transients. I requested closed traffic and he gave me right closed traffic approved. I came around the first time and he offered me taxi way Alpha. Everyone else was lining up four and five deep. The dark side of me enjoyed the special privilege. I suspect that it was not good public relations. I landed behind a Citation four times before he was cleared for 30. On my fifth circuit I was cleared for a touch and go on 30, the Citation was still holding short. My GPS was reading 70 miles per hour when I was showing 50 miles per hour airspeed. I felt this was over my wind limit of 12 kts and requested a full stop. I was cleared for the option on taxiway Alpha. A Cessna was blown a little close for me and I probably banked a little harder than I should have. I came in a little high and did a simulated engine out. It was perfect and it turned out that several people were watching the goings on. I heard later that the people watching thought it was good flying. I continue to fight arrogance and a desire to show off.

I met with the reporter and her photographer at 2:00. I have no idea how it will turn out. It is supposed to come out Saturday, January 19. He wants to take pictures of the Predator flying tomorrow morning.

I was finished with the reporter at 4:00 and winds were at 9 kts so I went up and was going to fly to the coast. My mouth was dry and my heart pounded as I lifted off. There was a huge fog bank oozing over the hills and I decided to stay close. Five more perfect landings and take offs. I love this stuff. I landed as the fog was covering the west side of the airspace and filled up 100 ll for tomorrow.

I did a 45 minuet preflight and found the screw that holds the spinner had come loose. This could have been ugly. I am ready to fly tomorrow morning as soon as I get done with my contractor who is fixing my ceiling.

We rearranged the hanger so that the Cessna 152 that was trapped behind my aircraft can get out now. I am on the opposite side of the hanger from the refrigerator and I like this better. There seem to be some strange experiments with unusual life forms going on in that refrigerator. I am also less able to hear the siren song of the strawberry cheese cake.

I am going to work on my check lists and emergency procedures tonight. I feel that I need a run up and shut down procedure and an engine out emergency procedure. I think that the process will be useful. I want to laminate them along with my preflight check list.

Thank you, Vance

 

[Hognose]

My detractor brought up the radio confusion and the hero said that runway incursions were a very real and current problem and it was good I asked.

Two things about this, Vance my friend. One about runway incursions and one about heroes. Bear with me, because they tie together.

Today there was a dreadful incursion at ATL (Atlanta). A Delta Air Lines 757 full of passengers to Guadalajara (I think...) just barely cleared an ASA regional jet that was crossing the runway. For a few moments it looked like two hundred something human beings were going to die... and then the big jet climbed away with no contact made. The news story tomorrow will be on the inside pages, not Page One. Thank God.

How did it happen? That was two jetliners operated by professional two-pilot crews, under positive control, in clear visibility, on a major Part 139 airport with all modern conveniences for the controllers -- including ground radar. The ground controller had no time to shout a warning, and wound up being relieved and going home, badly shaken. (Controllers are normally relieved after a "deal" or loss of separation, even if they want to stay on the scope -- as I understand it, it's SOP).

The question was -- who screwed up? The Delta guys said they were cleared to take off. The ASA guys said they were cleared across the runway. The tower controller said the ground controller was holding traffic for the takeoff. The ground controller insisted ASA had been told to hold. They couldn't all be right.

As it turned out (and more may be coming out that I have heard already), the ASA jet had been issued a hold short instruction, but the crew thought they'd been cleared. Both pilots! I suspect they will be spending some time in simulators before they get back in the jet... if the FAA doesn't give them some time off. The controllers hadn't screwed up, and the Delta crew hadn't, but the mistake the ASA jet made was enough to mess up everything.

Delta saw them too late, when their plane was already at V1 (takeoff decision speed -- at that point there's no stopping). I believe the Delta crew did go to full throttle or "TOGA" (jets normally take off at less than full throttle for fuel conservation & noise abatement). Nobody's really sure how close the two planes came to colliding, which would have killed scores or hundreds of people. But it's clear that a simple human error made a mishap possible, and only blind luck (and maybe, some help from an alert pilot in the 75) prevented one.

So the point is -- your pylon racer acquaintance is correct. Incursions are still happening and they can have dreadful consequences. I am sure that all concerned (pilots and controllers) had some moments of the "post-combat shakes" once they got through the emergency and the adrenaline started draining off.

Now, on the subject of heroes. I have had many heroes in life, and one thing they all had in common -- they didn't put themselves up on a pedestal. Whether it was Medal of Honor guys, great teachers, or great pilots. I recall meeting Larry Neal for the first time, when he was testing the CarterCopter Technology Demonstrator, and Larry was coaching kids on the simulator Carter built around Austin Meyer's X-Plane. When I got to talk to him, what did he want to talk about? Some of his heroes: Ken Brock and Dr Igor Bensen. (He showed me an autograph of Brock's he still has!)

Heroes are just guys like you and me, and they have heroes of their own.

In the same way, the airline pilots in those big jets, bearing all that responsibility, are just pilots like you and me. And it's your call if you want to fly like a rogue, or fly like a professional. Once every one of those pros was nervous about a first solo and sweating a first checkride, but today they fly like pros because they decided that's what they would do. And even at their current high professional estate -- as the Atlanta incident shows -- they're still human beings who put their pants on one leg at a time, and make human errors.

The point of saying they're just guys like us, is not to bring them down, but to bring us up: every one of us should strive to fly with the professionalism that airline, and military, and other professional pilots do. Maybe it comes easy for some people but for most folks it's a lot of hard work. It's very rewarding hard work, though, isn't it?

cheers

-=K=-

PS I made my two points, but now want to add a third: Vance mentioned in another thread that the bitter, argumentative threads get the most page views. Perhaps, but this thread has been read (at this writing) over 2,100 times. So a lot of people enjoy reaging the positive news coming out of Santa Maria, California, as one guy works to master his gyroplane. Just a thought. -K

 

[Vance]

Thank you Kevin,

I love sharing the fun and maybe even helping a little. Usually I am not the only one with a particular question.

I was told that it is required that you read back hold short instructions.

If the pilots had read back the misunderstanding or the controller had recognized that they hadn't read back the hold short instructions, this would not have been so challenging.

I feel like the people in the tower are looking out for me and I am looking out for them. I am also looking out for me because I am the one who is going to die if something doesn't go well.

Thank you, Vance

 

[route66]

Nice precise post Kevin.

Vance, again to use your phrase, Thank you for sharing your adventure.

Your progress posts are a highlight in my day and in my opinion some of the most enlightening words posted on this forum. They are not only fun to read but answer so many questions and show that commitment to a dream, acquiring proper instruction and following their advises can be rewarding. It is so refreshing to watch your progress and the fun you are having and also your diligence to follow the rules and guidelines set by your instructors. It is an inspiration which will help others understand that there are no short-cuts to do it right. Everyone new or old to the gyro world need to read your adventure.
Thanks again!

 

[Vance]

Thank you Brandon,

I miss you daily help and your wonderful presence.

I enjoy the gift of our friendship.

I love sharing these experiences and the idea that other people are able to enjoy my attempts at describing the adventure enhances it all the more.

I loved the connection with the spectators at my races long ago. I could feel the excitement in the crowd if there was a particularly exciting battle. Each person saw the events through their window to the world. Passion is best shared.

Thank you all for the opportunity to share my passion and my journey. I am rapturous about my progress. It exceeds even my most exaggerated fantasy. I am holding things that I could not imagine even two months ago. My excitement is escalating with each flight.

The reporter asked me today, “What drives you?” It is the opportunity to feel alive and I ride a mad horse!

Thank you, Vance

 

[Friendly]

Vance,
I remember the gyro now that I reviewed the progress thread . I forget so much lately. Keep writing, You and Kevin are adding some progress to the forum as well.