As we all know, for a gyro to take-off or maintain level flight, a relevant respective pair of numbers must be concurrently achieved:
minimum RRPM
and minimum airspeed
In
our experience, with
our machines, the excessive drag of a high AoA to help initially achieve flight-speed 275-300 RRPM is less of a time hindrance for take-off AS than it is to roll with a flatter disk/200 RRPM to achieve take-off AS and flight RRPM.
I.e., we already have flight RRPM, and merely need AS. The drive-shafted prerotators need both flight RRPM
and flight AS, as they launch with only 200 RRPM.
With our fully castering nosewheel design, the pilot can safely hold the
naturally correct AoA by just balancing on the mains and lightly tapping the NW to confirm its inches height above the runway. This is also a safer technique for FW pilots in transition to gyros, i.e., from our high RRPM and balanced mains take-off roll there is no "rotation."
Many other gyro owners have gotten into trouble by forgetting aft stick at the beginning of their take-off roll with 200 RRPM, and then suddenly trying to rotate once they realize their AS is nearing Vx. Drama ensues, depending on the preceding amount of flat disk RRPM decay.
We believe it is safer and better performing to have the stick nearly full aft at the end stage of prerotation, and then push the stick forward to roll while balancing on the mains and tapping the NW as a "feeler." However, few gyro designs allow this.
With such a wind, the pre-launcher rpm doesn't matter: 50 rpm would do just as well. Just to put the stick back slowly enough to avoid the impact of the blades on the flapping stops.
Not only would this seem an unwise technique in the attempt to achieve anything close to flight RRPM, but unsuccessful as well. Even a full value 15 kts of direct headwind wouldn't be sufficient for the M912, according to its POH:
Rough field Take-Off needs 25 mph • 22 kts
Minimum In-flight Straight/Level needs 23 mph • 20 kts
Our field's 15 kt windsock was not then showing full value, but ~10 kts gusts.
Certainly, any headwind helps but winds that day were pretty common for gyro pilots everywhere, so, everybody else with a similar power:weight should be taking off in <20 feet. Are they?
When we have a 0 wind day, we'll film some M912 and M2-915 STOL take-offs and post to our YouTube channel with links here.
Meanwhile, we wish everyone safe flying!