gyroplanes
FAA DAR Gyropilot
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2004
- Messages
- 6,207
- Aircraft
- (1) Air Command, (1) Bensen glider project (1) Air Command 2 place kit, (1) Sycamore gyro
- Total Flight Time
- 2650
Recent sad news, PRA Chapter founding member Gene Sokolowski died after a long illness, he was 97. Gene built a Bensen MAC gyro in the mid to late sixties. Gene's thing, as it was called in Playboy magazine, was featured as a "Playboy wish list Christmas gift" I would guess it was a pre-Christmas, issue around 1970. Gene held several patents and was an excellent machinist.
George Kruger built and flew a Helicom Commuter helicopter, way back in the early seventies, before that George built a Hydro gyrocopter and flew it towed behind a speed boat. A guy with a bigger and faster boat offered to tow the hydrogyro aloft. The driver was watching the gyro and almost ran aground, he made a quick 180 degree turn and snapped the tow cable taut, just as the gyro hit the water. That's when George decided to build the Helicom. The Helicom design became theDart, Baby Belle and eventually, the Safari Helicopter. The Helicom was designed by Harold "pop" Emigh, who previously designed the Emigh Trojan airplane.
Our club is celebrating our 50th anniversary this year thanks to the hard work of our founding members. Gene and George were two of the pioneers in the sport and the foundation of our club.
George Kruger built and flew a Helicom Commuter helicopter, way back in the early seventies, before that George built a Hydro gyrocopter and flew it towed behind a speed boat. A guy with a bigger and faster boat offered to tow the hydrogyro aloft. The driver was watching the gyro and almost ran aground, he made a quick 180 degree turn and snapped the tow cable taut, just as the gyro hit the water. That's when George decided to build the Helicom. The Helicom design became theDart, Baby Belle and eventually, the Safari Helicopter. The Helicom was designed by Harold "pop" Emigh, who previously designed the Emigh Trojan airplane.
Our club is celebrating our 50th anniversary this year thanks to the hard work of our founding members. Gene and George were two of the pioneers in the sport and the foundation of our club.
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