Howdy

Chris513

Be nice - I'm new to this
Joined
Jul 8, 2006
Messages
37
Location
Lafayette, LA
Howdy ya'll. I'm Chris Taylor from Lafayette, LA. I'm a 20-year old college student, and I'm going to be a police officer when I graduate, so this country boy will always be short on cash. The problem is I have one expensive desire, which is to fly. I've long-since decided that being a licensed private pilot is far, far too expensive for me, so when I saw a feature on Ken Wallis and his gyroplanes on the History Channel, a lightbulb came on. Ever since, I have been sifting through magazine racks and surfing Google, attempting to locate as much info as I could on building a cheap autogryo. I have since drawn a _______, until I found this forum. I am here to find guidance, advice, and any help at all in acquiring a cheap kit, or parts, so that I may someday build one for myself. Now, I'm off to surf the forums. Thanks for having this forum here.

~ C. Taylor
 
Hey Chris! You have come to the right place, trust me on that one. Best group of guys this side of the other! The forums here are a wealth of knowledge and you can find great deals in the "for sale" areas, I know I just did! Best of luck getting there, but remember that in time it WILL happen.
 
Chris,
Welcome to the forum. Do as much reading as you can and go to some fly-ins and see some gyros in person, go for a ride, etc. before you rush out and purchase something. You've got some guys with gyros around Lafayette. Mike Gaspard is not too far away (at least looking on a map it doesn't look too far away) away from you. His forum ID is Gyromike. Here's some videos from a flyin this past April.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRrBHzAap04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNaagyhdGJ4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOqJhhUs8Ew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGUy90k9j1I

Again welcome.
 
hey there chris.....good luck young buddy

hey there chris.....good luck young buddy

man did you get lucky finding this forum. down the road from laf. is abbeville.
just so happens that a bunch of the best gyro pilots you ever want to meet hanger at this airport. they have a couple of CFI'S for fix wing, that use this airport and i bet you might be able to get your training there. i learned a good 75% of what i know from 3 of the best gyro pilots that fly that airport. contact gyromike for starters and see if the cfi there is available. i do believe they might have a couple of gyro's for sell there. ;)
 
Welcome Chris

These are a great group. They stay concerned with safty. You are not very far from me in AR. I understand the PRA#20 is having a fly in in Magnolia, AR in September this That is about a 6 hour drive from you. I do plan on being there to meet this great group of guy for the first time. I have just joined this forum last May. Watched them for 2 months before that.


Thom

Live the DREAM
 
Hi all, and thank you for the kind greetings. I've had an interest in gyroplanes for a while now, but haven't been doing any serious research until just recently. I've pretty much set my eyes on getting my SP license before I graduate. That way, after my gyro training, (someday, eventually, hopefully before I die) I can purchase a craft or build one from plans that will have enough power to feel safe, yet be simple enough that it's still relatively cheap. I have decided on an open-frame design. Something about being able to look straight down and see the ground makes me smile :)
Those were great videos, Mr. Chick -- Especially numbers 3 and 4. If only I had twenty grand and could get started right now.
I'm very excited to hear that there are so many experienced gyro pilots within an hour of my home. I'll have to look into that fly-in and hope that it won't interfere with school. That would be a great place to get involved and get a good taste of what's to come.

Thank you all. :)

~ Chris
 
Hi Chris

Since you are new to the workd of gyro's the first thing that I would recommend would be to get very familiar with the nature of the gyro and it's characteristics or in other words, what makes a good gyro design and what does not.

Probably the best article that I have ever read on this subject was written in the August 1994 issue of ROTORCRAFT magazine, this is the magazine published by the Popular Rotorcraft Association (phone 574-353-7227) I do not think you will have to be a member to get this magazine but will have to pay a small fee for it, if they have it. If they do not have it then maybe you can get a photo copy of the article "BEATING PIO" by Paul Bergen Abbott.

This is a very easy to understand article with a lot of illustrations and explanations. Once you have read this article and understand it then you will be ready to pick a gyro or a used gyro and know what to consider and what to avoid.

This article is so good that I think that PRA should copy it to a retrievable file for down loading on their web site.

Good reading and safe flying

Tony
 
Chris you canget into a used Gyro of the type you are looking for ($5000) Now the one you get for that price might need a little work but it should be flyable right away after you get your training. Remember training>>>>




Thom
 
Don't wait until the flyin in the fall to start learning. Find out when the guys down at Abbeville are getting together on a weekend and see if you can go hang out.
 
Training. Definitely so. I'm not one of those people that just want to bust out and go flying straight off, teaching myself, or any of that nonsense.
I remember seeing a member page for PRA #20. I can probably find e-mail addresses for some of the guys in Abbeville and find out when they're meeting. That's only a 20 minute drive from where I'm sitting right now. :)

Thanks again everyone. I'm very glad I found this forum.

~ Chris
 
Chris,

Welcome! I'd offer you three cautions...

(1) There are many people who choose to take to the skies in a gyroplane built for less than the cost of a reliable used car. You can do it, but take a deep breath and think carefully about the compromises as you make them.

(2) Speed kills. I'm not talking about the speed of the machine through the air - I'm talking about letting excitement cause you to rush construction, maintenance or training. There have been many stories posted by people who knew their machines needed attention in some area, but just couldn't wait to fly first. (And were old enough to know better!)

(3) There will be occasions when it would be easy to take offense at something said to you here on the forum. If you're about to do something that's killed people in the past, or even cost them repair money, many of the more experienced guys here would rather risk losing your friendship than avoid telling you what you need to hear. Don't write off good advice just because it hurts your ego.

You're right...there's nothing like flying open-frame. Good luck!
 
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Thank you Mr. Plack. I have seen some of the harsh advice by browsing through the forum, such as that offered by Ron. I'm much the same way when it comes to areas that I am knowleadable in. Ya'll won't hurt my feelings ;-) I'd rather look the fool now than be dead later.
 
Chris,

If you are looking for the old Bensen idea of building an affordable gyro from plans and hard work rather than expensive parts, learn about the Gyrobee. Several members here are building or flying Bees, and the designer, Dr. Ralph Taggart, posts here.

You can learn all about the 'bee and download the complete documentation package at his website:

http://taggart.glg.msu.edu/gyro/gbee.htm

In essence, the GyroBee is the first open-source gyro.

You might decide you want to do something other than a Bee, but the documentation package and plans are worth studying anyway.

cheers

-=K=-
 
Chris came down to Abbeville yesterday, and I gave him the nickel tour, and did a little demo flight in my Bensen. He was able to see several types up close, including a side trip to Glenn Duhon's to see his GyroBee up close.

I also fixed him up with several videos.

I think he's hooked.:)
 
Yeah, how 'bout that. I finally got serious about getting into this, so I find the forum Saturday and I'm down in Abbeville shootin' the bull about gyros on Sunday. I couldn't ask for a much better turn of events. I've already started watching some of the videos. It sure does make going to work in an hour hard. Gotta save though. Small paycheck. Expensive dreams. But I'm pretty well hooked. :)

Thank you, Mr. Mike, Mr. Glenn, and everyone else. :)
 
Hi Chris. You're in the position I was in about eight years ago, except I wasn't lucky enough to have a community of gyros based nearby. I discovered gyros in college, and became hooked pretty quickly. What little money I had was going into college, so of course I couldn't afford anything, so I read everything I could get my hands on. I joined the PRA, and read the old forums (which no longer exist) religiously for years. It's taken me about eight years, but I just finally bought my first gyro this past Saturday. It may take you a while, but don't give up the dream!
 
Thanks Kevin. I know exactly how your 8 year old shoes feel. I read the 503 Dominator post where you announced the acquisition of your gyro. Congrats on that. Living at home is helping me save up for everything as well. There's a full-time CFI here in Lafayette, so I'm thinking about contacting him about taking regular lessons next summer for my PPL. I also took ground school with him a few years back. I know the money situation, that's for sure. But little by little, here I come.

~ Chris
 
Chris,
As tight as money is now for you there's no better time to start. For a lot of us funding our kid's education has been the priority for a few years. You're way ahead if you can start now while your living at home and before you start a family.
 
Oh yeah, I've always been one to plan far ahead, at least as major life decisions are concerned. Once I graduate, I'm going to the police academy and then getting a job with the local department. I plan on staying at home for a year, that way I'll have 20k+ to play with and save. (Basically all my bills are my credit card which is only gas and food, my cell phone, and my truck insurance.) Once I move out, I'll be finding an apartment complex in need of a courtesy officer. That'll give me free rent which is another 500+ every month to play with. :) Being a police officer has it's benefits, even if the pay isn't that great. :) So within the next 3 years, I'll be pretty well set. Just takes patience.
 
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