How to determine which MTO gimbal head version?

Piot135pd

Here to Learn and Help
Joined
Jul 19, 2018
Messages
82
Location
Ben Wheeler, Texas
Aircraft
2013 MTO Sport is my "starter gyro". I trained in one so I might keep it or buy another make & model
Total Flight Time
4600
I just purchased what I'm calling my "starter gyro". It was the best combination of modern gyro, price, availability, and hours flown (65 hour total). Still highly considering buying a brand new one that I build because I love to learn about how to maintain it. Anyway, back to my question, Here are pictures of my gimbal, how do I determine what version it is?
 

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Congratulations on your purchase Carlos.

AutoGyro has excellent maintenance manuals with good documentation available on line. I suggest you consult them.

They suggest a high level of maintenance with 100 hour services that are fairly comprehensive.
 
I have the paper and the computer manuals and they even have pictures but unless you take it apart there doesn't seem like an easy way to find out which version. I already emailed them with my serial number and pictures too. Thanks !
 
I know nothing about the MTO but I would think the serial # would suffice.

Welcome to gyros,I have a good friend that is a high time helio pilot , Viet-nam to present ,has a boat load
of hrs and is really enjoying his gyro.
 
Thanks. I'm getting the hang of this EXPERIMENTAL deal because AutoGyro in Maryland replied to my email telling me to check the maintenance manual. I told them that's what I did and it says to check the version and upgrade to version 2 if you don't have it. I told them that's why I'm trying to figure out what I have ! The reply is they don't know.

I think I might have made a grave mistake buying an AutoGyro.
 
I always received great service from AutoGyro USA.

Several times they went above and beyond for me.

AutoGyro products hold their value well so if you change your mind you may be able to get most of what you put in out.
 
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I sure hope it was just this person and not the entire company because this is the second time it happens. Previously I was asking about parts for the 100 hour inspection. I asked if I needed to change some parts because it said so in the 100 hour inspection list. Good thing i went to the German website because Maryland had sent me an obsolete checklist. They sent version A and the current one is version J. The parts I was asking about are now "On Condition" instead of every 5 years (especially since my machine only has 65 hours) so I didn't have to spend the $500 changing them.

I hope the reason is they're overworked and don't have time to read the emails before replying.
 
Sometimes companys get successful and forget how they got there,then they wake up

one day and there out of business and blame everyone except themselves.
 
What year is your MTO? Most likely is the updated version if the gyro was sold / built in the last few years. Where are you based, contacting one of the local MTO CFI's like Steve Rastanis in Louisiana, Des Butts in Houston or Craig Mc Pherson from Blue Sky Gyros near Dallas will be helpful
 
I'm right in the middle of all three in East Texas. I personally have flown with Steve and Craig but haven't the pleasure yet of meeting Desmon, hopefully when I fly down for the T00 fly-in.

It was built in 2013 and there's nothing about it in the logbooks.
 
Terri Rose with AutoGyro provides excellent customer service and is typically very responsive (BTW, Chris Lord is there now as there COO and a great resource). I'd give them another shot, maybe you caught them at a time when they were swamped. I'm not aware of any rotor head changes between 2013 and 2016 (not saying for sure there wasn't but I don't remember any). AutoGyro typically ships with a folder that has the factory QA sheet and some info on the kit, blades, engine, etc. That should have your kit serial number. Enjoy it! The MTO is an excellent machine and 65 hours is basically new.

One thing to consider with such a low time machine is the Rotax. Take a close look at it since only 65 hours in 5 years, it may have some issues with internal corrosion. Change the oil and cut the filter, and consider sending off an oil sample.
 
Double on Terri Rose, she is the one who understood my sense of urgency.

Jason brings up an excellent point about time. The soft parts on a Rotax have specific change intervals so be sure to follow their recommendations.

The Bing carburetors are very sensitive to old gas. On the 914 the float bowel gaskets can dry out and that may make the turbo not work correctly.
 
All good advice. I'll answer in one long sentence : Seller didn't know, I've only emailed AG USA so I might call them and ask for Terri, I'll check the manuals I got with the aircraft to see if it says anything, the serial number is M00961, the engine has been taken care of regarding the carbs and the floats, that was well documented in the logbooks. Thanks to all !!
 
Thanks for seeing that. I walked out to my hangar and took my trusted Stinger flashlight ( they call it a torch on the other side of the world where I bought it ) and looked at that weld. The angle of the picture makes a shadow that looks like a crack. When I shine the light from the top the "crack" moves to a lower position due to the shadow, same on the other welds. No crack thank God !!

And for your interest, since it could have been a crack, if you ever fly over here to East Texas stop at my place TA37 Vaca Moo airport and I'll take you to lunch.
 
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WIERD.... I got an email telling me :

Dear Piot135pd,

Alan_Cheatham has made a new post under
How to determine which MTO gimbal head version?

The discussion is located at:
https://www.rotaryforum.com/node/1137207

So I click on the link and I get this :

Sorry, you are not authorized to view this page.
Please try logging in or logging in as different user Login or send a message to the admin


But this is the thread he posted on so what's going on?
 
I tried to post a link to the Heavy Maintenance Manual but the link didn't post correctly so I deleted the post, then I noticed your post had disappeared and was wondering if I had done that somehow by mistake, which shouldn't be possible. I think you moved your post to a new thread. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Thanks for the explanation, between disappearing posts and the lack of support from Auto Gyro USA I was getting pretty frustrated. I'll go over there and check,
 
Just to be clear I finally got a hold of Terri at AG USA and as people here have commented, she was extremely helpful. She also told me all AutoGyros currently in the USA have Gimbal Head 2.

After finally completing the condition inspection, I went for a flight this afternoon. Smooth as silk all the way to 95 knots !!


https://www.facebook.com/VacaMooAirp...1492055900111/
 
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