Flying sideways

[Tina]

I want to start trying new things in my flying. I was thinking of starting to practice flying sideways. I will do this by taking small steps to getting the machine to fly a little sideways going down the runway a little step at a time till I am fully sideways.

I have done this before with a instructor Charlie Mara. I ask the question should I even be doing this in the first place or is it a as simple as I remember it being in my training.

 

[birdy]

Its pretty simple Tina.
just do as your do'n now. [ gently dose it.]

But, remember to keep your AS down before you start standn on the peddle, and keep good hight in reserve, coz if the noise stoped, youv got to transition from a very inefficiant form of flyn to regain'n AS, and that costs more high than normal.
And im not sure wot sorta machine your flyn, but if its got a margional tail end like a RAF, be carefull you dont go too far too fast.

BTW, you cant fly full side ways.
Dont confuse ground track with airflow direction..

 

[Joe Pires]

What I did to practice that was to get a few hundred feet high first so I didnt have to worry about extra issues. Like whether i was behind the power curve or too low.

 

[Tina]

Its pretty simple Tina.
just do as your do'n now. [ gently dose it.]

But, remember to keep your AS down before you start standn on the peddle, and keep good hight in reserve, coz if the noise stoped, youv got to transition from a very inefficiant form of flyn to regain'n AS, and that costs more high than normal.
And im not sure wot sorta machine your flyn, but if its got a margional tail end like a RAF, be carefull you dont go too far too fast.

BTW, you cant fly full side ways.
Dont confuse ground track with airflow direction..

Understood Birdy I have a Sportcopter and the tail/rudder is pretty big. I figured you could not go totally full sideways but pretty close. I will be over the runway about 100 feet doing this but thought it would be a good reference for judging my angle and keeping down the center line wail flying it sideways. I remember its just being a matter of pulling back the power using the stick and rudder to cross control the direction you want to go. I think I will have some fun trying to do this correctly and proficient to where I can really show off what a gyro can do. I will take small steps and if I feel I am loosing to much altitude over the runway then I will go up higher.

 

[Dmorris]

I remember starting to practice sideways flying and flat spins years ago. If flying local I do these just about everytime out. Start slow, have fun and stay safe!

 

[Terry]

It's the only way to fly!

 

[Friendly]

100' sounds low to me, but I am not familer with Sportcopter handling.

 

[Resasi]

It is a fascinating sensation Tina and it appears to be a lot easier to achieve in a gyro than a fixed wing. This could however just be an impression due to the open nature of the machine and proximity to the ground.

A good cross wind also helps.

 

[Walter]

Tina, you will need more power, not less, because of the additional drag

 

[GyroCFI]

I'm going to ruffle some feathers here

I'm going to ruffle some feathers here

I know sideways flying and crankin and bankin looks cool and everything but since you're a flight instructor you should be setting an example for others to fly by. I hate the way some people fly at fly-ins and in fact I've told a few who were on the ragged edge that I don't appreciate their antics. I have no compunction to put a stop to dangerous flying that could potentially give our sport a bad rap, let alone a person who may end up making a wrong move that could cost dearly.

Rather than show people how to fly at the edge of the envelope, why not show them how to make picture perfect landings and takeoffs and following the rules and consistency???

 

[gyro]

folks dont get into gyos for a lazy sunday afternoon drive. A gyro is made for crankn and bankn. And sideways flyn is well withn the envelope of gyro.

If all you want to do is pretty T/O & L then that's fine.... but a gyro is a sports car and once you have the experience i think there is nothing wrong with taken it on a curvey road.

 

[Doug Riley]

Cross-controlled slips are one tool in your kit for coping with crosswinds in a gyro. It's not a bad idea to practice them.

Just be very sure you do not get behind the power curve anywhere near the ground. If you do, you not only will mush in, but you may mush in going sideways. That will not be pretty.

Slipping flight requires more power than straight-ahead flight because (1) not all of the prop's thrust is pushing you in the direction you are travelling, and (2) a gyro has (even) more drag going sideways than it does going forward.

Certain older gyro designs with pods and small tails will sometimes keep yawing if you rudder them vigorously -- and then they'll not want to resume straight flight. If this is going to happen, it will usually happen when the power is low or off.

A few really bad ones have locked into a spiral and refused to come out of it. Open-framers don't normally have this issue, though.

 

[GyroCFI]

To a certain Extent

To a certain Extent

I agree that the gyro is definitely a sports car, not the type for a leisurely drive, but that's a double edged sword too... Things happen fast in a gyro and they can turn bad in a heart beat.

I'd also agree that this particular maneuver has some merit when dealing with a cross-wind, however you're to a much lesser degree than flying sideways.

No doubt the gyro has the capability to tear up the sky, but I think (From what i've read and been told) the main design criteria was safety, which I think the gyro excels in.

I'm just saying that some people who fly these take these type of maneuvers to the extremes.

 

[Paul_Zurawski]

You should start at least 500ft up practicing a new manuever like that. If you are flying sideways at 100ft, and thats were most of your concentration is, if the engine quits at that altitude you will be on the ground before you can say new rotor blades.

 

[BEN S]

I ususally fly an new manuever...

I ususally fly an new manuever...

at 750 or 1000 ft depending on wether I need a ground reference or not. I have some peaks that are right at 750 so that sometimes helps to line up on.
Tina, remember there isn't much on this planet less useful than altitude above you!
Ben S

 

[scott heger]

Tina, I think you should have at a minimum 300 feet of altitude, but the more the better. A open frame Sportcopter 582 has enough power and rudder authority to allow it to track 50MPH sideways. With a bit of headwind to prevent initial sinking until speed increases, just keep building speed up slowly. With experience, you will see for yourself that you can go as long as you wish. If you get into a sink that is uncomfortable that you don't like, just let the tail come around(it will do this naturally), fly straight and recover your altitude as necessary.

Corona today was a "backwards" flying day.20 mph gusting to 30mph.

SCOTT HEGER, Laguna Niguel,Ca N86SH

 

[birdy]

Rather than show people how to fly at the edge of the envelope, why not show them how to make picture perfect landings and takeoffs and following the rules and consistency???
You can do that in any aircraft, even a balloon.
Tina wants to demo wot gyros can do, with ease.

I'm just saying that some people who fly these take these type of maneuvers to the extremes.
And wot do you call extream?
One of the most effective moves i have used for shiftn cheeky critters hiden under trees is to blast them with the prop.
Preload the rotor with a powered dive, leveling out and powering off at ground level just short of the 'target', pointn the machines ass towards it with heavy rudder, [ sideslipn] and before the rotor inertia bleeds off too much, rip the power back on and send bucket loads of dust into their face.
Works with sleepn ringers too.
Sumtime ill follow them for a few yards like this, just to be sure.

But, thats hardly extream ether.
Ill keep the extream stuff to meself.

 

[scott heger]

Birdy, I know Tina, I have flown her gyro myself,and know what it can do safely. She does not take chances,and flying this model in a 90 degree direction has no bad flight characteristics that I have ever encountered.

As far as 'dusting' those little critters you push around and scare to near death. I will have to practice for my mustering career if I loose my day job.

Scott Heger, Laguna Niguel, Ca N86SH

 

[Tina]

Tina, I think you should have at a minimum 300 feet of altitude, but the more the better. A open frame Sportcopter 582 has enough power and rudder authority to allow it to track 50MPH sideways. With a bit of headwind to prevent initial sinking until speed increases, just keep building speed up slowly. With experience, you will see for yourself that you can go as long as you wish. If you get into a sink that is uncomfortable that you don't like, just let the tail come around(it will do this naturally), fly straight and recover your altitude as necessary.

Corona today was a "backwards" flying day.20 mph gusting to 30mph.

SCOTT HEGER, Laguna Niguel,Ca N86SH

Your right Scott and others that said I should try this at a higher altitude of 300 feet or more the first time I am learning this. When I get it down then I can go a little lower when I am more proficient.

I love this forum because when you talk about doing something new like this you I get all this great advice and wisdom. Thanks again guys :yo:

Now I am just waiting for the weather to get better so I can go flying. Believe it or not we have had really bad weather here in California, it seems the last few months with hardly any sun mostly cloudy,rainy and cold.

 

[Tina]

One of the most effective moves i have used for shiftn cheeky critters hiden under trees is to blast them with the prop.
Preload the rotor with a powered dive, leveling out and powering off at ground level just short of the 'target', pointn the machines ass towards it with heavy rudder, [ sideslipn] and before the rotor inertia bleeds off too much, rip the power back on and send bucket loads of dust into their face.
Works with sleepn ringers too.
Sumtime ill follow them for a few yards like this, just to be sure.

But, thats hardly extream ether.
Ill keep the extream stuff to meself.[/B]

Wow Birdy what a move, I can't even imagine what is extreme to you after reading that.