just checked my log book....
I did 3 hrs trying to learn to fly a microlight 3 axis, in 1998, waste of time.
I did 2 hrs in a Parsons with a large HS. We flew out to a valley where the wind was about 30 kn, occasionaly gusting to 45 and when the clouds of dust in the riverbed below arrived so did the gust hit us. Note what happens the instructor said, the gyro would gently rise then remain steady, with our shadow on the ground not progressing.
I did 1 hr in Ballarat in another Parsons with a piece of bent alu for a HS, 1 hr in calm conditions porpiosing all over the sky.
This demonstrated to me the importance of an effective HS. this was in 1998.
I began training in my own gyro with ground instruction in 2000, and after 6 hr was doing short hops, and circuits to 200 feet after 10.5 hrs.
My gyro has a very effective HS, and good suspension,
How long till safe? you should always be safe. the last get together I attended had a bomb drop competition, min ht 50 ft I think, so people were going near near zero airspeed at 50 ft, to improve their chances. this was organised by an instructor. I avoid this kind of bs so did not know what was going on until it started, and was not impressed as this was happening close to my motorhome. The point I am making is you can always be tempted to do some thing silly no matter how many hrs you have, the answer is to set a high standard to your own flying.
safe flying
Bruce