2023 Starting on a good note...

[Grodou]

Hello everyone,
long time I didn't share anything with you... I must say avidly reading your many discussions was starting to feel selfish, so I decided to overcome my international shyness and there it goes !

Because of evolving rental agreement, the end of 2022 saw me fall over for ownership. I had the opportunity to get my hands a 2010 Calidus - Rotax 914.
The administrative registration process was much easier than expected due to fairly good coaching by the french authorities (rare enough to be acknowledged !)
The usual owner customization took a fair bit and there are still some improvements to be achieved before feeling fully happy.
The technicals are covered. I'm still working on the cosmetics...
A new winter canopy was ordered to replace the current summer canopy that does not fit my likings and northern France weather.
The final step will be a colorful covering which is still in the process of designing !

STILL...
This week was the occasion to take my loved one for a first flight on this machine. Sylvia loves flying with me and was a regular passenger for the previous rental Calidus. This was the occasion to fiddle with the camera editing software.
There is is :

BTW, when I was experimenting with a former video, something went weird and bugged... Particular enough to share as well :

Safe sky everyone !
Fred

 

[Sv.grainne]

Happy New Year

 

[GyroChuck]

Hello everyone,
long time I didn't share anything with you... I must say avidly reading your many discussions was starting to feel selfish, so I decided to overcome my international shyness and there it goes !

Because of evolving rental agreement, the end of 2022 saw me fall over for ownership. I had the opportunity to get my hands a 2010 Calidus - Rotax 914.
The administrative registration process was much easier than expected due to fairly good coaching by the french authorities (rare enough to be acknowledged !)
The usual owner customization took a fair bit and there are still some improvements to be achieve kikid before feeling fully happy.
The technicals are covered. I'm still working on the cosmetics...
A new winter canopy was ordered to replace the current summer canopy that does not fit my likings and northern France weather.
The final step will be a colorful covering which is still in the process of designing !

STILL...
This week was the occasion to take my loved one for a first flight on this machine. Sylvia loves flying with me and was a regular passenger for the previous rental Calidus. This was the occasion to fiddle with the camera editing software.
There is is :

BTW, when I was experimenting with a former video, something went weird and bugged... Particular enough to share as well :

Safe sky everyone !
Fred

Thanks for posting. Let us know how your progressing.

 

[DavePA11]

Hi Fred, glad it’s all working out. I’d recommend a 100 hours before passengers. But I guess the wifey can’t sue if something goes wrong.

 

[Grodou]

Hi Dave,
thanks for the advice !

She was my first passenger on the MTO in 2017 and comes back regularily since... I guess it is a green light on a wifey scale of appreciation.
My french club instructors signed me in at about that 'hourage' and later cleared me as 'discovery flight' pilot for visitors.
I know my profile mentions not many hours... it is just the humble european side that acknowledges my lesser experience to many in this renown place. (I suppose you did not refer to the machine flying time.)

Just wondering... did you see anything in my flying that lead you to advising ? I always value independant opinions. I like to take notes even if not directly concerned.

Regards,
Fred

 

[Burrengyro]

Hi Fred,
Congratulations on buying the Calidus. I think the 914 Rotax makes a big difference with 2 on board.
Best wishes to you for 2023 and safe flying. John H

 

[DavePA11]

Hi Fred, I just saw “Not much but growing” and I know passengers can be distracting and on top of that you are flying a new machine as I understand it. So glad your wife will fly with you! Can make for a lot of fun adventures together! Fly safe!!

 

[Grodou]

Hi Fred,
Congratulations on buying the Calidus. I think the 914 Rotax makes a big difference with 2 on board.
Best wishes to you for 2023 and safe flying. John H

Hi John,
for the last 5 years, I rented and flew the club Calidus 912 and, if on my own, I always felt more than happy... 2 on board could be challenging !

Basically, the same week the club decided to sell the 912, a friend asked me to taxi him back to base, after dropping his machine for maintenance at a different airfield. I told him I had doubts about flying us both... but had hope that burning fuel on the first leg (and emptying all storage compartment) would lighten us enough !!!

It was not counting with summer heat... I attempted take off 2 times, but we were unable to properly get height and were irremediably reminded of Newton's law. Take off safely aborted at the end of the runway. On the same day, the mechanic taking care of my friend's Eclipse, showed me and let metest his personal Calidus 914. Since he could not fly it as regularily as intended, he offered to sell it, matching the value asked for the 912.
Considering both machines had similar flight time... I took the offer.

Your comment fully rings my bell !
I avidly read the narration of your unfortunate episode. It challenged me to review and reconsider much of my own experience on the Calidus. Linked nose gear, disk into the wind, each machine being different, each pilot sensitivity/experience being different... So many things to consider/compare and integrate. Finally, I guess we all do things a little bit different for reasons we all find pertinent on the moment.
Still, we all share the same enthousiasm for getting up there and coming back home with great memories.

BTW, if you ever find yourself in the neighbourhood of Northern France, come share the sky with us in Arras (LFQD).

 

[Burrengyro]

Hi Fred, Many thanks for your comments. It would be interesting to hear from you about your experiences of the Calidus 914 versus the MTO 3 open cockpit machine in different wind conditions. I have always admired the shape of the Calidus. You can be my pilot anytime! John H.

 

[Grodou]

No problem...
Never flew anything but gyroplanes.
Did all my training on club MTO (2010 model) as well as a bit of personnal training for about 40 hrs.
Moved on to club Calidus 912 for 200 hrs.
Logged the Calidus 914 for 20 hrs at this stage.
(Had occasional supervised flights with Cavalon , Tercel and Eclipse but not enough to forge opinion)
The main reason I opted for Calidus Vs open tandem is I don't like wind... want to be able to unfold my map, grab a cereal bar and drink a bit during long distance flights. (Went to Poland in September with buddy' s Eclipse)

No other intent in the above than to let you understand how's and why's of my opinion.
In addition, I video record each and every of my flights since day 2 ! This means I can document all my success but first and formost every mishap !!!
From a severe gust that turned me 90° to the left upon landing on my very first solo to 'explosion' of the front wheel during downwind through aborted take off with machine sliding right on the main.
I also have footage of my own take off's with severe crosswind using what I was taught (and suits me well) before general opinion started to balance between flat disk and into the wind disk. To make it short, I prerotate facing the wind anytime and swerve on central line after releasing the break so I can better feel the rotor disk and choose angling or not.
I also have a specific lesson about landing with serious crosswind with onboard instructor.
UNFORTUNATELY... I'm a french speaker (as you probably noticed from my writings !).
I think a pilot may identifiy what he needs beyond language but fel warned !!! ^^
Should you still be interested in any of this, I would point you at the right vids so you don't have to browse the 130+ collection !!!


Beyond my personal dislike of fresh northern wind I see no particular reason to consider both MTO and Calidus on a different step.
MTO is definitely more forgiving than narrow Calidus in case of directional mishap.
My personal challenge with Calidus is not wind relevant but resides more on balance of the front wheel.
The impression is that, once it lifts, the angle between too much and not enough for proper acceleration is quite thin.
For the rest, I consider the Calidus being the one I need for my personnal needs of combo between travelling, manoeuverability, canopy view...
and I would certainly not push anyone to embrace my opinion.

Fly safe,
Fred

 

[Burrengyro]

Hi Fred, Do you have a Youtube channel for the videos of your flights? I also trained on the earlier MTO3 and MTO Sport gyros. I liked flying my ELA07S. Very interested in your experiences with the Calidus gyro and also what you think of the ELA Eclipse gyro. Was the ELA Eclipse you flew to Poland also a 914 machine? How does it compare to the Calidus for takeoff, landing and general handling and comfort, even from your first few hours flying this machine? One pilot who once owned a Calidus told me that the nose wheel came off the runway too quickly during the takeoff roll. He thought that if the main wheel axle bow and also the rotor pivot point was moved to the rear, by about 100mm, the gyro would perform more "calmly" during takeoff. I don't know if this thinking is valid or not. What do you think from your experience?

 

[Grodou]

Hi Fred, Do you have a Youtube channel for the videos of your flights? I also trained on the earlier MTO3 and MTO Sport gyros. I liked flying my ELA07S. Very interested in your experiences with the Calidus gyro and also what you think of the ELA Eclipse gyro. Was the ELA Eclipse you flew to Poland also a 914 machine? How does it compare to the Calidus for takeoff, landing and general handling and comfort, even from your first few hours flying this machine? One pilot who once owned a Calidus told me that the nose wheel came off the runway too quickly during the takeoff roll. He thought that if the main wheel axle bow and also the rotor pivot point was moved to the rear, by about 100mm, the gyro would perform more "calmly" during takeoff. I don't know if this thinking is valid or not. What do you think from your experience?

In my opinion the Eclipse runs with higher standards for comfort. Roomy and classy designed for his looks.
Still my friend had some issues with the quality of some cheap components for a machine with such a price tag (e.a. undercalibrated bolts holding the main gear resulting in breakage of 3 out of 6 on a single incident !)
F-JCRM is 914 driven.
Laurent, the owner, took off from a microlight airfield of 250 meters with 2 on board but would not renew and vouch for any runway with minimum 400 m for standard operations. I trust his jugement.
Landing under a 8,60m rotor feels slower than what I'm used to.

When it comes to manoeuverability, the Eclipse feels heavy for my level of qualification and I prefer the agility of the Calidus.
Yaw stability is better on the Spanish machine.
As for travelling both machine requires improved butt pads and the Eclipse tank capacity of 80L bests the Calidus 70L.
It took us both to Poland at 160-165 IAS cruise drinking between 20-26 liters / hour according to environment.
Here under, you'll find the Nav and flights logs.




I think you friend has the right diagnostic regarding the Calidus balance. I rode horses for a living and found some equal rearing qualities in the German gyro !!! I have no mechanical knowledge to propose a 100mm improvement but it discribes well what the general picture is.
I takes a bit to get used to it but then... it looks quite cool to speed up to lift off with a front tire just brushing the grass !!! (Observers compliments always feel good, no ?) ^^

I do have a Youtube Channel for all my vids : Hackamores Youtube Channel
Because all recordings are made for my own pleasure and passengers the content and interest are very uneven.
The lesson vids were used to review with my instructor before the next lesson.
Others were edited for promotional purpose.
Most are to remind me of good moments and discuss with buddies of the french gyro forum !!!
Shamelessly, I would advise :
Challenging moments (Ooooops !)
Crosswing take off - Cross country to StOmer
Crosswind landing instruction
Other topics are War memorial tour, take off at dawn, flying the MTO from the back seat...

Take care,
Fred

 

[Burrengyro]

Hi Fred,
Thank you for sharing this information and for the very scary suggestions from your videos. The "Challenging moments video is very scary. I think you were very lucky your gyro did not roll over! I am not sure what is happening, especially in the last video?? I think a comfortable gyro seat should be given a high priority. Our runway is 500m long so I agree with your friend that 250m runway is risky for MTOW, even with the Rotax 914 engine. A 250m runway is probably fine for only 1 pilot solo. ELA requires owners to inspect the main wheel bolts regularly. Maybe better bolts would be a good idea.

 

[Grodou]

Hi there !

First segment was a lack of right foot on a very wet ground. Lateral slide resulted. Indeed lucky there was no flip over on that one !

Second segment is a lack of control that end up in aborted touch & go.

Third segment is a miscommunication with instructor asking for take off, flying over taxiway and expecting landing into the wind. I understood take off, flying over taxiway and landing center line. Was a bit abrupt and could have ended in a flip.

Fourth segement is landing on my first solo... A storm was approaching with its gusts (from the right). Upon touching a gust lifted the machine and turned it to the left 90°... Felt like a rearing horse !

 

[Burrengyro]

Gusts are so unpredictable! Sometimes the wind helps. Sometimes I have not helped the wind to help me.