Are we all just crazy for flying gyro's

Tina

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2005
Messages
976
Location
Temecula, California
Total Flight Time
400+ FW 100+ GYRO
I ask this question because of another Thread that was started called "PRA EXPOSED"

I some how insulted John "All In" for not yet flying a gyro. That was not my intent but I can see why people thought that is what I was doing.

After reading and talking to some people I started thinking maybe John is the smart one here. Are we all just crazy flying these contraptions.

I have a new guy in my life that is a FW pilot and he is always referring my gyro and people that fly gyros, as crazy. I get that a lot from everyone I know and talk to that do not fly gyros.

I am starting to think the same thing now and question my insanity. I may have jumped all over John "All In" because of my self dought on why I fly a gyro in the first place.

It really hit home the other day when I was filling out a Life insurance policy and it said "void if you commit suicide or fly a experimental aircraft" What are they saying? Flying a experimental aircraft is like suicide?

Then I think life is short and you should live it to the fullest even if it kills you right?

I don't know the answers, I guess I am at a cross road and will have to work this out. I think I will go fly my gyro tomorrow morning and find out how I feel then.
 
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...I think I will go fly my gyro tomorrow morning and find out how I feel then.

Tina, I'm betting that if you ask yourself while you're flying your gyro, it will be obvious that the people who limit themselves to flying at high altitudes, always in a hurry, and as simply a means to reach a destination are the crazy ones. ;)
 
I think people who live in cities and drive in traffic are crazy. Or scuba dive, or parachute. I am totally sane in my gyro:) Its just your perspective of what crazy is. If the other people werent crazy, they would be a boring group.
 
Tina, I know you. I didn't take it as jumping on me. We've talked about this before the first time we met and I understand your perspective. I wasn't insulted at you then and certainly not now.

The way you approach flying your gyro it is safe! I sure don't think you're crazy for flying gyroplanes, that's for sure.

Now as for myself, I've never been sure I'm not the crazy one, I've never done things the same way others do or they think I should do them.

Don't worry, be happy!
 
Tina- Flying gyros is one of then neatest sports in my opinion and the majority ''''Here''''. There in lies the problem. I would fly my gyros to fly-ins. or to airports where I would be the only gyro....and even though the gyro attracted the most interest...many times I would be standing around the several people looking at my gyro...and people not knowing it was mine would say stuff like....not for me....unsafe....etc....etc....

I would try to tactfully tell them that even though I can understand their opinion....what they need to do is go to a major gyro fly-in and watch dozens of these machines and pilots fly for days, just having a ton of fun. Then just go up and ask any of these pilots their opinion of flying gyros. Seeing a bunch flying was the biggest confidence booster for my ownself getting into one of these machines and experiencing it.

I find the same situation about the Helicycle. Most even here on this forum havent seen a "bunch" of them flying....maybe one or two. Even though I had flown hundreds of hours in gyros....I was very skeptical of any homebuilt helicopter....until I zeroed in on the Helicycle. Just like in gyrocopters...my biggest confidence booster was watching a bunch of these fly over at Homer Bells fly-in each year. That and talking with all kinds of Helicycle pilots gave me confidence to get one myself.

General aviation will take a long time to accept gyros...simply because practically all of them will never go to a major gyro fly-in and see what is really a neat sport.

Stan
 
Thinking about,or worrying about what is gonna kill you is more detrimental to your health than anything else.
 
We are all quite crazy for climbing out of the primordial ooze. Viva la wacko!!!
 
The biggest danger in life, (besides idiots on cell phones), is sitting in front of the TV, your Butt swells up, your gut expands, and your brain turns to mush. But motorcycles and airplanes are dangerous.......You can either live life, or avoid it.
 
"I may be crazy...but it just may a lunatic your lookin for...... " If by what I fly makes me crazy, then I say with one finger stuck in my nose, "huh"
 
I think it was Pete Johnson who related this story:

Pulled into a gas station in rural Georgia with gyro on trailer.

Old Gentleman at gas pump, covering all bets; “Does that thing go on land or water?”

Reply: “It flies.”

Old Gent; “I wouldn’t get out of the electric chair to get in that thing.”
 
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Skiing, horse riding, motorcycling, hunting, scuba, driving to work all have risks involved.

I have been motorcycling since I was 13 (illegally on the road sometimes, until I was 14 and got a moped).

At that time motorcyclists were seen as crazies and worse. There were many places that did not welcome motorcycles. At one point I had a hard time finding an apartment because I owned a motorcycle.

Society is finally starting to get 'a clue' about motorcycles and now it is even quite hip to ride a scooter around town.

Pilot society is the same way.

I actively fly to as many events as I can with my gyro or Connies Experimental airplane.

Sure , we get the occasional "I would not fly that" comments but you know more and more I get people saying things like, "That is really flying" or "you must really feel the joy of flying in that" and I am finding people are more knowledgeable about gyros in general now.

Flight in a gyro is too magical to let those afraid of new and different things keep me away.
 
I've often found myself questioning the "sanity" of flying light aircraft of any type. Generally speaking, the smaller the aircraft the greater the risk. And of course gyros are included in that category; we've certainly had our share of unfortunate deaths. But then while acknowledging the deaths, I also see that many can and do survive a lifetime of gyro flying. People like Ken Wallace, Chris Burgess (who also survived flying in Vietnam), Chuck Beaty, Igor Bensen and the list goes on and on. And these people often had to teach themselves how to fly and were flying for many years before much of what we now know about gyro stability was understood (amongst other things). So I ask myself, what makes these people different? How have they survived while continuing to fly, fly, fly while others have crashed and burned? If gyros were that dangerous, if they were inherently dangerous, even these experts never would have become experts and would have been killed long ago. But they were not. Which leads instantly to the question; what is it about these long time survivors that makes them different from a person that goes on to become a fatality statistic?

I believe the thing that separates these long standing successful pilots is, yes skill, but more importantly, GOOD JUDGMENT. You've got to have it, and if you don't you're at risk. The ability to assess and accurately judge all types of situations. Is the design and condition of my gyro safe? What's the weather like now and what will it be like a few hours from now? Can I safely handle flying in these winds? Will icing be a problem? Am I personally skilled enough to handle flying today? Can I handle the gusts and crosswind landings? Or should I pass and fly on a calmer day? Who are these people flying around me? Is there someone here that'll get me killed? Where will I land if my motor conks out? Can I accurately judge distances, heights and velocities? Do I have a good sense of situational awareness and the ability to read "invisible winds" and the effect they'll have on my gyro as I'm turning or on landing approach? Do I understand what makes my gyro fly so I can detect and anticipate mechanical problems that could pose an inflight threat to me?Do I have any health problems that may pose a risk to my ability to safely fly this machine? Have I mitigated them with treatment and meds? etc, etc etc...

I think education combined with the relentless and continual application of good judgment (and not everyone has it) throughout your flying "career" is what distinguishes long term survivors from those that don't make it. The trick for anyone who aspires to fly gyros (or any other aircraft) is to strive to constantly develop this sense of judgment and to rigorously apply it each and every day we go flying. If we do, I believe flying gyros is a manageable risk that has tremendous rewards that simply can't be achieved any other way.
 
I only think you are Crazy to fly a gyro, Is only if you try and fly one with out proper training and understanding of the machine.

I still love watching Gyros fly, and I enjoy flying them, landing them not so much..lol

but I love powered Rotors even more, so that is why I went back to helicopters.

but if I had not found my dream helicopter, I would still be right here working on and finishing up my Falcon Gyro.

looking forward to watching all these Crazy people Fly at ROC in oct.
 
Tina,
The best way to combat your new friends bias against gyros is get him a ride. Most people I have been around that get a ride love it even if in the beginning they were hesitant.
 
Some people don´t have anything better to say and go in to blabber . . . like me! :D
It is time for us to have a response ready and technical.
Heron
 
Tina,

Your new guy is right. These are very dangerous machines. If you want to live a long and happy life, you should sell your sportcopter,,,,,,,,to me.
 
This topic is dead on for me. Hmm, perhaps a poor choice of words! I retire next year, have property I can fly off of and have been looking at several different options. Ultralight trike - it has a short take off, but I don’t like the idea of a wing covered by Rip-Stop nylon. I thought about a personal helicopter, but I envision too much maintenance on the head and tail rotor. Then there is the Zenair STOL which I still consider seriously. Then I remembered gyrocopters and found some very interesting properties; short take off with a pre-rotator (although I really want a jump head), very short landing, not mechanically difficult, very maneuverable, safety in autorotation and not expensive compared to other forms of flying. But still … it just doesn’t look like it should fly! I mentioned the idea to several FW pilots and they also were apprehensive about the safety of flying something without a cantilevered stationary wind.

A few months ago, as I was really looking at gyrocopters and reading this forum, I had one of those moments when I realized I can actually do this, I can afford it and I will soon have the time to do it. That moment scared the crap out of me because it was the point were I was actually making a commitment to start on a course of action. It really forced me to look at the question, as Tina said, “Are we all just crazy for fling gyro’s?” For me the jury is still out as I haven’t even had a chance to look at one close up, much less see one fly. I plan on going to the next Bensen Days in Wauchula, FL to take care of that aspect.

My biggest concerns are, is it safe (from all the video’s on You Tube, I would say yes), will I be a safe pilot with proper skills, will it freak me out to be sitting on the end of a 2x2 inch stick of aluminum with nothing else in sight except my feet and a small instrument pod (I’m thinking about a Dominator Ultra White) and will that whirly thing above my head really stay together? While I press forward and think about flying gyros all the time, I’m still apprehensive. I don’t think we are crazy for considering gyros, it’s just that lack of knowledge keeps us from committing our lives to a machine that just doesn’t look like it should fly. I want to have fun, but not kill my self doing it. We would be crazy if we were not being cautious. Oh yea, I also want amphibious floats on my gyro. Florida has so many lakes, it opens up lots of emergency landing spots.
 
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