Fatal - Nisus Aero Nisus OM-M199, Novot', Orava region, Slovakia 18 MAY 2023

[Abid]

WHY ????? would ANYONE want to fly a gyro in IFR anyway ...many(especially composite) rotors/props suffer when flying in rain with sizable drops!
A guy I knew in Australia flew in just 10 minutes of heavy (fat raindrops) as he was in visual with his airport and judged he could get there despite the rain shower! When he landed the leading edge of his Magni rotor looked like rats had chewed it!

Most of us have flown through the edge of light showers/ scattered fog & mist ...and got a bit of lightweight water on our machines ...but those of us with open machines/composite rotors ...are VERY leery of getting caught in REAL rain!

So hard to know a good experienced pilot STILL made such a crazy "get-there-itis " decision & paid the ultimate price!

AQP for GA #3 ...Intentional flight into IMC!

I have flown through 10 to 15 minutes of light rain and once about 1 minute of a medium downpour in the pattern. In light rain I had no problems nor in the limited time in slightly heavier downpour but Averso rotors are metal. Should always slow down in rain. It helps a little. I have seen composite prop blades that did not have leading edge protection damaged in just minutes of heavy rain. I would not deliberately ever takeoff in rain.

 

[GyrOZprey]

I have flew through 10 to 15 minutes of light rain and once about 1 minute of a medium downpour in the pattern. In light rain I had no problems nor in the limited time in slightly heavier downpour but Averso rotors are metal. Should always slow down in rain. It helps a little. I have seen composite prop blades that did not have leading edge protection damaged in just minutes of heavy rain. I would not deliberately ever takeoff in rain.

The KEY ...here is LIMITED time in rain & intensity of rain! Metal blades outperform composite under rain conditions!
YES ...gyro pilots should be fair-weather flyers!
Those who need to deliver units or under pressure to make an airshow need to be VERY careful with their ADM!

A well-known proponent of the GA AQP movement ...has a flash card he uses for GA ....."PICK ONE" ...Terrain / Night / IMC. /Icing ..... IF you get into situations with TWO challenges ...the single-pilot situation ...will almost always guarantee ...a mental overload & loss of situational awareness/control!

For gyros ...Night flying is rare as few are well equipped. Icing (BIG NOPE), IMC ...as we have seen in several sad accidents in recent years ...gyro pilots have not fared well in losing VFR ground reference. so for gyro's ..that leaves TERRAIN! ....I know for myself personally ...as time has gone on and the REALITY of engine glitches that can strike anytime & without warning ...I am quite anxious about flying over anyplace without a good landing zone!

 

[Tyger]

I got caught in some heavy rain last summer as I took off from a small airfield in western NY just as a cloudburst was about to hit. The rainstorm was coming from the west, and I took off to the north trying to get clear. I had barely got into the air when I got well and properly doused – I could not really see through my windscreen and the rainwater was so cold I immediately started shivering quite badly. Luckily, I was clear of it after only maybe five minutes, and I was never flying within the raincloud proper. When I landed at the nearest airport to the north, the sun was shining brightly. I had to warm up and let everything dry out for a while. I had no discernable damage to my composite rotor or prop, though.

 

[Abid]

I got caught in some heavy rain last summer as I took off from a small airfield in western NY just as a cloudburst was about to hit. The rainstorm was coming from the west, and I took off to the north trying to get clear. I had barely got into the air when I got well and properly doused – I could not really see through my windscreen and the rainwater was so cold I immediately started shivering quite badly. Luckily, I was clear of it after only maybe five minutes, and I was never flying within the raincloud proper. When I landed at the nearest airport to the north, the sun was shining brightly. I had to warm up and let everything dry out for a while. I had no discernable damage to my composite rotor or prop, though.

Prop likely has leading edge metal. If so it protects it. The rotor specially the outer 6 to 7 feet leading edge is what usually will get dings in it. If yours didn't, count your blessings. Probably did not remain in there for long enough. Yeah, a proper dousing from rain is very chilly with that 70 mph windchill also if you don't have a windshield the droplets on direct skin contact are like little BB gunshots. Ouch. And when they hit a rotation blade directly moving at 300 mph through them, you can imagine why damage would happen. If you did a windshield coating with a car windshield coating system that beads water droplets off very quickly, it actually helps visibility. Not that you should be flying in rain. Never use anything else but a soft and clean (new) microfiber cloth to apply. No shop towels or paper towels. Also check a small area for any chemical reaction first

 

[Tyger]

Yep, I already do those things re windscreen (I was very glad to have the windscreen to hunch down behind, a bit).
I have no special leading edges on rotor or propeller. My rotor is Magni standard for M16 and my prop is the old "Arplast" prop, which they made in-house after they had acquired the assets of the original french manufacturer.
The rainwater was just plain COLD, aside from any wind chill. Obviously it had come down from a much colder altitude.

 

[ultracruiser41]

Question here for IFR rated pilots (any aircraft types) who may have flown a gyro in IFR or even under a hood, what their thoughts were about differences between controlling a gyro vs fixed wing in such a situation. What are your thoughts about some gyro training under a hood?

Well….. for one….. a light rain sure cleans the bugs off the rotor 😂🤣….. but seriously….. one advantage of a gyro is since we are always flying on a pendulum…… situational awareness is safer……..easy to get sideways or worse in a FW in da clouds! (Unless you put your trust in your instruments as you should!🤓