Chesapeake Sport Pilot and AutoGyro

[PW_Plack]

...I heard there is a Calidus in Michigan...

Powrachute, the PPC manufacturer based in Hastings, Michigan, is becoming the Autogyro distributor for a three-state territory including Michigan. I'll bet it's theirs.

 

[tadel001]

The three AutoGyros were built. We contacted Tom about acting as a DAR for us. He was ready to help and was awesome to deal with. Unfortunately, the Baltimore FSDO was being slow in granting him out of jurisdiction access. The owners were concerned they would get a 25-40 hour fly off in the Baltimore area. Galen with Soaring Concepts (Michigan) decided to tow his back to Michigan and got his air cert there. He has been flying off his hours and having a blast. You should call him for a pirep.

Roy Hanan in Florida also transported his back to Florida and is/got his air cert. I hadn't talked to him the past few days but he was arranging with his DAR.

The third one is at CSP and will be getting a local cert here in the next week or so.

We have three more kits on the way. Two Calidus and one MTO Sport. With the new LODA guidance out, Roy, Galen, CSP and the guys in Texas should be training within the month.

Thanks, Tim
www.autogyrousa.com

p.s. Tom, thanks for the help and I hope we can get you out here soon!

 

[cbonnerup]

The Cavalon is a veeerrry pretty bird indeed! Waiting for some unknown rich relative to pass-on and leave me some buckets of dinero. sincerely hope to see ya'll do well - exciting times indeed!

Chris

 

[CLS447]

Well,...... looks like this one "died" in June ???????

Now I'm beginning to think I've got the Cavalon & Calidas mixed up ???

Someone refresh my memory !!

 

[GyroDoug]

Well,...... looks like this one "died" in June ???????

Now I'm beginning to think I've got the Cavalon & Calidas mixed up ???

Someone refresh my memory !!

Chris,

The Calidus is an enclosed Tandem machine and the Cavalon is the enclosed Side by Side machine. Both are Beautiful machines but I believe the Calidus has a slighly higer payload which which has some advantages for a training aircraft. But the Cavalon is just a darn good looking Gyroplane (especially in red).

 

[CLS447]

They sure are PRETTY ! Unaffordable for me though. I was hoping to go the the bay & do some flying in these machines.

I missed this....... http://www.meetup.com/FlyingFriends/events/38026562/

Doug, what's up with your SSC ? Do you get to fly anything, now & then ?

 

[CLS447]

I apologize if this thread is located in the wrong section of the forum but in an effort to respond to the inquiries, I thought I would just create a post. By way of background, Chesapeake Sport Pilot is a flight school located at Bay Bridge Airport (W29) in Maryland. We began in January 2007 as a one plane operations (Sky Arrow 600 Sport). We quickly grew over the next four years to acquire 8 light sport aircraft and build a new 6,000' hangar with maintenance, pilot shop and flight training. We jumped in early on the "mainstream" LSA movement and decided we could make LSA work just like a regular Part 23 Flight School (meaning using Part 23 aircraft).

Our passion has always been grass roots flying and fun aircraft. Some of us also fly PPC and Weight Shift. We regularly host BBQs, boy scout events, etc. Gyroplanes have always been on the radar but a perceived negative image and lack of infrastructure limited us. However, having had the opportunity to play with the planes more extensively over the past year and affiliate with some really good gyro people, we decided this was a great market to explore.

Chesapeake Sport Pilot will be importing AutoGyro aircraft (the Calidus and MTOSport) through AutoGyro USA. The kits are initially going to be certified under the 51% rule. We currently have three kits in stock. Two MTO Sports ($75K) and one Calidus ($89K). These kits are complete with everything needed to complete them, including engine and avionics. If you are interested in the AutoGyro, please email me at [email protected] or call 410-604-1719 for more information.

It is our plan to take our infrastructure we developed for the fixed wing S-LSA and translate that into the gyro market. I think mainstream aviation is apprehensive of gyroplane largely because of a lack of knowledge. This was actually the same hurdle we faced with starting a large flight just with fixed S-LSA. We found the key was taking this really cool aviation technology and putting in a structure most pilots are familiar with, i.e. flight school with classrooms, maintenance facility, etc.

We are still setting up the infrastructure for gyroplanes before I would say we are 100% operational as a flight school providing gyroplane services. However, we do have the capability to provide training and service now. We also have kits and parts available now. You will see a lot more on the website in the next few weeks. We will also be at Sun N' Fun if you want to stop by.

Thanks for you interest and support, Tim

Tim, how about an UPDATE here ! Thanks

 

[tadel001]

I have been traveling a bunch so I haven't been on the forum much. Things are going great at CSP and AutoGyro USA. CSP has its LODA and has been doing training in a Calidus. We have a Cavalon being delivered in 2 weeks for a customer and sold a number of calidus and MTOs. Our clientele has been largely pilots who never thought of gyroplanes with a number of long time gyro enthusiast (who never actually flew in one). We hoped the gyroplane concept in a somewhat traditional flight school would be well received by the rest of the aviation community and it has. Very rarely do we get that "your insane look.". Various components of the FAA have been out and they all liked what they saw.

In one year, our calidus has flown to Wisconsin, Indiana, Florida (twice) and a number of other long distance day trips. Landing at a large airport is fun. The reaction is great. Hopefully we will see some of you this summer.

 

[PW_Plack]

Tim, good to hear things are going well. Given the limits imposed on LSAs, a gyroplane could actually do more things that the airplanes in the segment, with only slightly lower top speed as a downside. I have to think there will be a strong market for what you guys are bringing.

But I think you really need to fly that thing out here to Utah for Rotors Over The Rockies, and we'll see how it does at higher density altitudes!

 

[Irishpilot]

CSP Summer Gyro Fly-in?

M

 

[theschultz]

I hope to see..

I hope to see..

Some kinda gyro meet. Love to take a ride! One day....I'll own an enclosed gyro.

Dave