Airplane CFI has caught gyro fever

WaspAir

Supreme Allied Gyro CFI
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Colorado front range
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Bell 47G-3B-1, A&S 18A, Phoebus C, SGS 1-26A, etc.
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A quick comparison between the requirements for a regular CFI for gyroplanes and a Sport CFI for gyroplanes reveals the following:
Flight experience is one requirement. Don't forget to compare aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, and the relevant practical test standards (and who will be doing the evaluating), while you're at it.
 

querist

Gold Supporter
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Longview, Texas, USA
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1956 Cessna 172. No letter after the 172, it's too old.
Flight experience is one requirement. Don't forget to compare aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, and the relevant practical test standards (and who will be doing the evaluating), while you're at it.
And once again, the Sport CFI covers everything that applies to teaching Sport Pilots. You apparently have an issue with the FAA's decision, so maybe you can take it up with them.

I personally intend to work up to a regular CFI certificate and see the Sport CFI as an intermediate step that will allow me to introduce others to gyros sooner.

And as far as who does the evaluating, in both cases a DPE is required to evaluate the CFI candidate.
 

flyinglow

Newbie
Joined
Oct 25, 2022
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Location
Sacramento, California
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Mooney 201
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Airplane: 3800, Gyroplane: 1
At this point during this thread, if you do decide not to become a Rotorcraft Gyroplane CFI, obtaining the Commercial Rotorcraft Gyroplane ticket is still a great benefit. If at any point in the future you decide to desire to fly Helicopters, you will be adding only another "class" to your Commercial Rotorcraft ticket. This means you need to only need to train to proficiency in a helicopter with no minimum hours required. You've already met all the rotorcraft x-country, night time hours requirements, and such in the gyroplane.
This is definitely something to consider. I found this really useful description of how to save money on your helicopter ratings getting rotorcraft time in gyroplanes first. https://capecopters.com/cost-of-ratings.html
 
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querist

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1956 Cessna 172. No letter after the 172, it's too old.

flyinglow

Newbie
Joined
Oct 25, 2022
Messages
16
Location
Sacramento, California
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Mooney 201
Total Flight Time
Airplane: 3800, Gyroplane: 1
If you wanted to fly a gyroplane that did not meet Light Sport limitations (too heavy, in-flight adjustable propeller, …) you would need a Private Pilot, Rotorcraft-Gyroplane certificate or a Recreational Pilot, Rotorcraft-Gyroplane or higher certificate and would need flight instruction from a Commercial Pilot, Rotorcraft-Gyroplane CFI
Everything Vance wrote is correct. I would like to mention that I think it's redundant to say "Commercial Pilot, Rotorcraft-Gyroplane CFI". Every subpart H CFI (not subpart K Sport Pilot CFI) must hold a Commercial Pilot or ATP certificate to be eligible for the CFI rating (see FAR 61.183(c)).
 

querist

Gold Supporter
Joined
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Location
Longview, Texas, USA
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1956 Cessna 172. No letter after the 172, it's too old.
At this point during this thread, if you do decide not to become a Rotorcraft Gyroplane CFI, obtaining the Commercial Rotorcraft Gyroplane ticket is still a great benefit. If at any point in the future you decide to desire to fly Helicopters, you will be adding only another "class" to your Commercial Rotorcraft ticket. This means you need to only need to train to proficiency in a helicopter with no minimum hours required. You've already met all the rotorcraft x-country, night time hours requirements, and such in the gyroplane.

Here's another benefit in having the Commercial Rotorcraft Gyroplane rating. You have the rating in your pocket and you decide to purchase yourself a gyroplane to fly for your own pleasure. 500 hours later, you decide that you desire to obtain that Commercial Rotorcraft Helicopter Rating and fly helicopters for hire. After training to proficiency and passing the Commercial Helicopter checkride, you are a Commercial Rotorcraft Gyroplane and Helicopter pilot with 500+ hours of logged rotorcraft time in your log book. Insurance companies and employers look for total rotorcraft time. There are a number of people in this forum over the years who have successfully obtained commercial helicopter jobs with the majority of their rotorcraft time in gyroplanes. With the continued shortage of commercial pilots in all categories of aircraft, this is the most inexpensive route to obtain the necessary minimum aircraft category hours.

Wayne
I'm of the inclination to try to learn as much as I can, and certification exams are a good objective standard and thus make a good metric for goals.
 

querist

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Location
Longview, Texas, USA
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1956 Cessna 172. No letter after the 172, it's too old.
If you wanted to fly a gyroplane that did not meet Light Sport limitations (too heavy, in-flight adjustable propeller, …) you would need a Private Pilot, Rotorcraft-Gyroplane certificate or a Recreational Pilot, Rotorcraft-Gyroplane or higher certificate and would need flight instruction from a Commercial Pilot, Rotorcraft-Gyroplane CFI
Can you even buy gyros in the US that are too heavy for Light Sport? Every one that I've seen so far is light sport. I'd love to be able to have a four-seater some day.
 

Abid

AR-1 gyro manufacturer
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Can you even buy gyros in the US that are too heavy for Light Sport? Every one that I've seen so far is light sport. I'd love to be able to have a four-seater some day.
Sport Copter II. Some Sparrow Hawks. Basically, anything whose empty weight goes above 900 pounds would not under ASTM standard definition qualify for a light sport gyroplane-land
 

WaspAir

Supreme Allied Gyro CFI
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
6,600
Location
Colorado front range
Aircraft
Bell 47G-3B-1, A&S 18A, Phoebus C, SGS 1-26A, etc.
Total Flight Time
rather a lot
Including Vance's Predator, the A&S18A, the McCulloch J-2, and most Lycoming or Continental engined ships.
 
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