Vance;n1135603 said:Witnesses reported 623AG crashed on takeoff.
It is sad to see so many gyroplane crashes.
This makes thirteen reported gyroplane crashes just in the USA so far in 2018 with one fatality (also in a Calidus on takeoff).
We most defiantly are all sad about the accident rate in gyros.
I did an NTSB search for all Gyro accidents from 2000 and broke them down by phase of flight.
187 Total Gyro Accidents since 1/1/2000
62 Take off
37 Landing
33 Maneuvering
14 Cruise
12 Approach
3 Climb
1 Descent
1 Standing (18A ground resonance)
0 Go around
0 Other
0 Taxi
To simplify we can combine some phases into 3. Take off - 65, Flight - 60, and Landing - 37.
Take off--62 Take off + 3 Climb = 65
Flight--33 Maneuvering + 14 Cruise +12 Approach + 1 Descent = 60
Landing--Landing = 37
Throwing out the 18A "Standing" accident making a total of 186
*We can take mechanical and engine failure out of the stats. That reduces Flight by 10 and Take off and Landing by 1 each.
So we end up with:
Take off - 64
Flight - 50
Landing - 36
It's clear take offs are the weak link here with 43% of all accidents*. The 0 accidents under "Go around" points to the transition from 0 mph to climb/rpm speed as the crux of the issue.
It seems clear to me the accepted take off practice of managing the slow speed nose wheel pop up and then take off while staying in ground effect until climb speed is reached is simply too complex. Throw in another thing to manage like wind gusts, traffic, or some slight mechanical event to distract and one's mind is overwhelmed while still too slow to climb.
A way to stay on the ground until climb speed is achieved would eliminate wheel balance and put you in the air at climb speed with better rudder authority. In an earlier post I pointed out a couple videos from an instructor demonstrating a technique that does just that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW65IY39MPU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJPgQQtLF7w&feature=youtu.be
Eddie mentioned he moved his mains to keep his nose wheel down. https://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/rotorcraft/training/1135175-no-pop-up-take-off-technique
I remember reading that Raphael Celier did the same thing on a Xenon.
Something needs to change despite what the Pilots Operating Handbook says. The 18A jump take off is starting to look good as long touted by WaspAir.
I plan to quiz manufacturers on the "non pop up" take off technique and Eddie's main adjustment. I wish I had know about both earlier so I could have done just that personally at AERO Friedrichshafen.
John