dcarr4321
Dan Carr
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2004
- Messages
- 133
- Location
- Friendswood, Texas
- Aircraft
- helo & fixedwing
- Total Flight Time
- 1500
I scraped my rotor blades on the ground today doing high speed taxi runs. :Cry: I am not completely clear on exactly what I did/went wrong. Winds were variable but reported to be 230/05. The only runway was 14/32 which is means there was a 90 degree cross wind @ 5 knots. I was using 32 but the winds would occasionally shift and there would be a slight tail wind then change back to a slight head wind if not directly abeam. On the run just prior to the incident I considered changing directions while watching the sock showing a tail wind and then it changed back to a head wind so I proceeded on to 32. Things were going good and balancing on the mains well. I felt the wheels getting too light and thought I was going too fast and reduced throttle while adding just a little back stick to slow down a bit. That action caused the gyro to lift off about 3 foot. No problem I’ll just settle back down and was aligned well with the runway at that time. As it began to settle it picked up a hard left yaw that could not be corrected with full right peddle. I added full throttle to try and fly out of it. The controls were very mushy and the gyro seemed unresponsive. It still settles, it now picks up a right yaw from what I believe was the engine spooling up and the rudder taking effect. Now I touch down in a right yaw and the gyro rolls left. The blades scrape the runway 3 times before I get it level again. Now I run off the right side of the runway and stop in the grass. Fortunately it did not hit a runway light. Except for the blade tips being turned up about 4 inches on the end, their does not appear to be any other damage. I will inspect it more toughly tomorrow. Not a good showing for my debut at the airport with my gyro. All my friends will be vindicated; you know the statements where they say you are crazy to fly those things........... The wife is suggesting I get out............
Not a good day.
Man those blades were tracking good after balancing them. There was no stick shake at all. It was a sickening feeling on the stick as the rotor drags across the deck. I could feel the rough surface and scraping of the runway and every pebble it slid over in the joy stick. There was no hard yank or shock feed back through the controls, just a grinding vibration in the stick.
Not a good day.
Man those blades were tracking good after balancing them. There was no stick shake at all. It was a sickening feeling on the stick as the rotor drags across the deck. I could feel the rough surface and scraping of the runway and every pebble it slid over in the joy stick. There was no hard yank or shock feed back through the controls, just a grinding vibration in the stick.