Kolibri
FW and Gyros
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2014
- Messages
- 1,636
- Location
- Wyoming
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, 172, 172RG, 177, 206 -- Piper 180 -- RV-7A -- Calidus -- RAF2000 -- Sport Copter II and
- Total Flight Time
- 1000+
Then, in my opinion, they more risk pancaking in by staying "well clear of the ground until most of their energy has been dissipated".When they advance to gusty conditions and discover their approach has become less precision most learn quickly to stay well clear of the ground until most of their energy has been dissipated.
Between roundout and flare I prefer the higher RRPM that comes from ample AS.
By the time my RRPM begins to decay, I'd rather be at 1-2 feet than 10+ feet.
Also, you can't have it both ways, Vance.
I.e., you can't claim that downdrafts either don't reach the ground or are slower near the ground,
and yet simultaneously profess that a higher roundout is safer (where wind shear is stronger).
I'm not sure what is "at high speed" to you, but evidently I fly slower near the deck than you imagine.Most people using your method for landing have an inadvertent touchdown at high speed and learn not to do that again without an accident report.
Occasionally, when I was a rank newbie, I landed a bit hot, but since then my few inadvertent touchdowns are almost never at any unsafe (or even uncomfortable) groundspeeds.
On that note, I've seen many AutoGyro video landings of a noticeably high touchdown speed, including my Calidus training with Chris Lord (who did not teach very slow GS landings).
I land much more slowly than that, at a walking speed or less. Even a jogging speed, to me, borders on too fast.
With anything in life, a healthy balance is key. This takes maturity and experimentation to discover.
I hope that this thread will engender safer gyro flying.
Regards,
Kolibri