Futura from AeroCopter Span

[GyroRon]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

And Kevin that is a good way to look at it. And while I and others with loans of some type are out flying you can sit there and watch us while your saving up your money so you don't pay a little interest! Screw that life is too short to wait that long!

and Kevin just to shed a little more light then I wanted to... I didn't sell my Dominator because I couldn't make the payments. I didn't even have a payment on my Dominator... It was paid for. I did have a balance on one card for my hangar I built earlier this year and another balance for the Piper Pa-20 airplane I just bought. I didn't have to sell anything, but wanted to sell the Dominator to free up some cash - since it was paid off - to pay down one of those credit cards and to help pay for my flight lessons to get my private pilot rating in my airplane. I plan to buy a cheaper gyro with the left over cash so I still have a paid off gyro. I don't mind owning and flying a cheaper gyro because I now have a nice airplane too, instead of a nice gyro only. It is all goals and limits I have set for myself Not how much money I have in the bank. I got plenty! trust me ;D and It just made more sence to sell the Dominator and buy a less expensive gyro............................ Besides those that know me, know I grow tired quickly of my toys and like to buy and sell. I had had my fill of the Red Dominator. It was time to move on to the next one. So there Kevin, now you know a little more about why I sold my gyro.

Mr. Kevin.... Do you have a gyro? If not.... How may Bensen Days and ROC's and Mentones will you be sitting there on the ground watching us fly while you save your money up? At the interest rates being charged today, for what the average single place gyro costs used - about 7-10 grand, the interest being charged monthly for the loan is less than you might think, In most cases you will spend more just to fill up the gas tank one time. A small price to pay to have you cake and eat it too.

 

[PW_Plack]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

Ron,

I agree perfectly with your logic, and frankly, the Federal Reserve can only prop up the economy with lower interest rates if there are people willing to borrow and use the money. But, one caveat: If times were to get suddenly really bad, you might not be able to find buyers for the toys who'd pay enough to cover the debt.

You know, Ron, you should get a job as a commissioned aircraft salesman. The buy/swap/sell part is your favorit part of flying...you'd kick butt as a salesman!

 

[KevinKing]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

Ron, no I don't have a gyro, and I'm currently not in the position to buy one or make payments on one. That's ok though, there are lots of things that I would like to have, but I know I can't have them, at least not for a while. I'm not worried though. I'm still young, and I will get there eventually.

When I said "No wonder you had to sell your Dominator", that was not meant to be taken seriously. I'm just teasing you. Other people here seem to enjoy it, so I figured I'd get in on it.

 

[ToddP]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

I don't want to convince everyone that they should run out and take on a bunch of debt, but consider this:

Go to your credit union and get a loan for $10,000 to buy a gyro, finance it for 4 years at todays rate of 5.9%.

Over the next four years you'll make payments totalling $11,250.72. So the cost of this credit has been $1,250.72 or if you break it down $312.68 per year. Personally I will take on the extra expense of a little over $300 a year to get in the air now. Another thing that you might want to consider. The same gyro you can buy today for $10,000.00 could very likely cost you at least $11,250.72 four years from now...or perhaps even more. If thats the case, it will actually cost you more money to wait. Now granted you will make some interest on your money as you save it up but most places are paying somewhere around 1- 1.5% on savings.

NOW getting into something you simply cannot afford is a whole different discussion. I would never recommend that.

 

[GyroRon]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

What a lot of people don't understand is if you do not use credit cards, and take out a loan to buy a new car and so on....because you pay cash for everything, You will end up with a Crappy credit rating - where as the guy who takes out loans and makes his payments etc... will have a real high rating.

One day we will all need to get a loan for one thing or another, At least have a good track history for the bank to base your getting a loan at all, and to decide your rate they will charge.

 

[MattPearson]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

Here is an email with some pics I received from Carlos at Aerocopter.
"
"Hello Mr. Pearson,

Sorry for the delay in answering.

I checked one of the forums you kindly enclosed. I was happy to read some nice words about our machine and why not, also accepting the not so good ones! I did laugh at some comments.

Well I can understand most of it as so little information is available on our machine. I must confess that we are so busy that even our website is kind of "old" with not much time available to upgrade it. A lot of things have happened since it was issued. The FUTURA has changed in some aspects (for better, of course!).

Right now we are just about to release a new model, equipped with a 914 Rurbo ROTAX engine, so we will be getting some less weight there. That's always interesting. Performance is great. The machine has also been affected by a new exterior design (more streamlined) where we have eliminated the top air intake and changed the side air intakes for a more effective NACA scoops. We have incorporated a big F-16 style air intake under the machine which looks impressive. Also we have enclosed the forward undercarriage leg and added a mast fairing. I will be able to send you some pictures in short, it's still a small secret!

I would like to enfasize in the fact that we have gone thru a lot of testing in the whole project. It's not just a private venture made out in the back of our garage. For example the front leg will not break (as mentioned in the forum) that easily! Nothing in it's design is casual. We have tested every single thing and calculated each single part of that machine, that's why it took us so long. We've done all that in the most and absolute darkness so we weren't disturbed and we didn't want to be tempted in giving false expectations to potential customers. In this time we've had all kind of problems which have been slowly solved and we have spent all our money and some that we didn't have but our goal was clear. Our wives, friends, banks, etc. had lost their faith in us but luckily we got there just in time.

Enclosed I am sending you some pics (not so good quality). I hope you enjoy them. Regarding a video, maybe I can send you a CD if you inform me of your address."

 

[MattPearson]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

pics

 

[MattPearson]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

The rest of the pics he sent have aready been seen. I hope these are not repeats.

 

[jos]

Re:Futura from AeroCopter Span

The BMW engine was impossible to keep cool in the Futura machine.
After a couple of hours it was removed from the machine.
The german BMW site still shows this engine on the Futura. As far as I am concerned this is very misleading and absolutaly not professional.
I am aware of quite a few gyro projects and fixed wing projects with this engine.
The BMW seems to fly well in fixed wing but overal comments are low power output,from acceptable to law suits.
On trikes it performs pretty well
I know several gyro projects on two seaters flying solo, but not one dual.
Can anyone prove me this engine can keep up two people in a well equipped gyro with (semi enclosed)cabin and some instruments and dual controls?
As far as my experience goes the 35 percent aircooling is ok at motorbike speeds around 60m/s
In a pusher gyroplane there are not such numbers specially not at airspeeds like 40 km/h at full power.

JOS