Flying off to the right.

[JETLAG03]

I mentioned on another thread a while ago about my gyro seems to want to always go to the right in cruise and I'm having to correct it all the the left stick to maintain a straight line. So, I have aligned the rotors front to rear, checked for level ground and further confirmed that the mast is at 90°. Placed a digital angle finder on top of the rotor bar directly above the bolt and then moved the stick (manche) to find level 0° and this is where I find the stick (photo). I suspect, but would like your input, that I need to lengthen one control bar and shorten the other to bring the stick (manche) back central. The photo was taken with me sitting in position and the camera on my nose. Looking forward to your input ... If I am being a "plonker" and overlooking something obvious ....... be gentle ...... TA very muchly Phil (de fer)
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[Vance]

I mentioned on another thread a while ago about my gyro seems to want to always go to the right in cruise and I'm having to correct it all the the left stick to maintain a straight line. So, I have aligned the rotors front to rear, checked for level ground and further confirmed that the mast is at 90°. Placed a digital angle finder on top of the rotor bar directly above the bolt and then moved the stick (manche) to find level 0° and this is where I find the stick (photo). I suspect, but would like your input, that I need to lengthen one control bar and shorten the other to bring the stick (manche) back central. The photo was taken with me sitting in position and the camera on my nose. Looking forward to your input ... If I am being a "plonker" and overlooking something obvious ....... be gentle ...... TA very muchly Phil (de fer)
.View attachment 1146788

I am not a mechanic or an aeronautical engineer.

On the gyroplane I fly I center the stick for straight and level flight by adjusting the control rods.

It usually does not come out with the rotor head level on the ground with the stick centered.

 

[Frans]

I am not a mechanic or an aeronautical engineer.

On the gyroplane I fly I center the stick for straight and level flight by adjusting the control rods.

It usually does not come out with the rotor head level on the ground with the stick centered.

Jetlag03
I have the same problem.If you have to maintain back pressure to the left the problem is not the control rod settings.I also found that the problem is not related to engine torque.Maybe some of the experienced people can help.
Frans

 

[AirCommandPilot]

I have found on some gyros, mine included if you center the stick, the head will be tilted about 3 degrees to the right if standing behind the gyro. From the picture, it looks as if your's is aligned this way. Try aligning the stick and the rotor straight and level.
While flying, if you let go of the stick, will the gyro fly straight? Does the stick want to rest to the left of center?

 

[JETLAG03]

@AirCommandPilot I will do another flight and test letting go when next we are allowed out of the house. Here in France we are in lockdown for the past ten days with another 14 days extension on the horizon.

phil (de fer)

 

[JETLAG03]

Sorry for taking so long to get back. I have adjusted the control rods to bring the stick more to the centre and slightly further back to a more comfortable position for flying.

She flies straight with the stick in a much more comfortable position.

phil

 

[Jean Claude]

It is absolutely normal for the rotor head to be tilted to the side when the plane of the tips is horizontal (straight flight). This is due to the difference in lift when the blades pass in front and behind. This requires a difference in the length of the connecting rods, and also a transverse force on the stick to compensate, except with a transverse offset of the roll pin below the teeter bolt.

It is also common for the airframe to tilt under the rotor during straight flight due to engine torque. This requires adding (*) another difference in the length of the connecting rods. But no effort on the stick is required here.
(*) positively or negatively depending on the direction of rotation of the rotor and propeller.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[Racer87]

This is good information. I had the same issue with my command. I also found out out that the adjustments of the control rods are very sensitive.

 

[Eric S]

If you are adjusting the control rods by unscrewing one or more of the control rod ends, be aware there is a thread limit where they can fail if screwed out too far. It depends of the manufacturer and also there are different thicknesses of stop nuts which can affect how many threads you can see, so just be careful.

 

[JETLAG03]

as per @Racer87 I found screwing out one side half a turn and the other in half a turn has an effect on the position of the stick, I did this a couple of times until I found a position for the stick in flight more comfortable.

 

[Doug Riley]

What type of tail surfaces do you have, Phil? If the height of the vertical tail is about one-half propeller diameter (a la Bensen and most others), then the rudder will have to be deflected in flight to prevent yaw caused by the rotation of the propeller slipstream. A deflected rudder that is well below the aircraft's CG, however, will also cause a banking tendency in the same direction as the banking tendency caused directly by the torque reaction of the propeller on the frame.

Example: If the propeller turns counter-clockwise viewed from the rear, then it will create a direct torque reaction tending to cause a bank to the right. The impact of the prop slipstream on a short vertical tail will push the tail to the right and the nose to the left (a left yaw). The rudder will be deflected to the right to correct this yaw. Because the rudder is below the aircraft's CG, however, the right rudder will also add a right-banking tendency.

A full-span "tall tail" eliminates this problem. With a short tail, it is necessary to use an off-center spring in the control system to achieve hands-off flight. Adjusting the lengths of the control pushrods will center the stick, but will not adjust the stick pressures.