Marchetti Avenger

okikuma

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Anyone know what ever happened to Randall "Randy" Workman? I see his old Marchetti Avenger N660RW is now registered to Johnny L. Hay of Bethel, OH.

Wayne
 

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I had a lot of fun flying Steve Grave's Marchetti. If memory serves, 45 MPH for takeoff, cruise, and approach. In smooth air it felt great. I remember it as being a bunt-o-matic in any turbulence.

Jim
 
I had a lot of fun flying Steve Grave's Marchetti. If memory serves, 45 MPH for takeoff, cruise, and approach. In smooth air it felt great. I remember it as being a bunt-o-matic in any turbulence.

Jim
You left out it fly's like a bus. :rolleyes:
 
Because the early 28' Skywheels rotor blades center of gravity was aft of the center of lift. It is to my understanding that when the Marchetti hit an updraft/thermal, the aircraft would pitch up and one would have to reduce the throttle somewhat before lowering the nose to reduce the chance of power pitch over. I don't know if the new Skywheels company have corrected the aft CG differential the early rotor blades possessed. Hopefully they have done so. With rotor blades that have proper CG location at or slightly ahead of the center of lift along with a horizontal stabilizer would certainly tame the Marchetti Avenger.

Here's more photos of Randy's Marchetti Avenger. Note the markings on the air speed indicator.

Wayne
 

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Can't tell from the photos if it has an HS on it.

Edit: Think I see it as a black reflection under the V stabs. Appears close-coupled to the prop, like the Bensen rock guard.
 
Because the early 28' Skywheels rotor blades center of gravity was aft of the center of lift. It is to my understanding that when the Marchetti hit an updraft/thermal, the aircraft would pitch up and one would have to reduce the throttle somewhat before lowering the nose to reduce the chance of power pitch over. I don't know if the new Skywheels company have corrected the aft CG differential the early rotor blades possessed. Hopefully they have done so. With rotor blades that have proper CG location at or slightly ahead of the center of lift along with a horizontal stabilizer would certainly tame the Marchetti Avenger.

Here's more photos of Randy's Marchetti Avenger. Note the markings on the air speed indicator.

Wayne
I remember allowing the airspeed to get up to 50ish. The aircraft flared and scared the crap out of me. I reflexively reduced power. After a couple of heart stopping oscillations, I flew back to the airport.......carefully.
 
I had a lot of fun flying Steve Grave's Marchetti. If memory serves, 45 MPH for takeoff, cruise, and approach. In smooth air it felt great. I remember it as being a bunt-o-matic in any turbulence.

Jim
I too had quite a bit of time in Steve’s original machine which later he equipped with Dragon Wings. He built a second one later and had Dad equip it with one of Dad’s tails on it. It also had Dragon Wings on it. The machine became very tame. The stability was greatly improved Steve freaked out when he and Dad were test flying it. Dad was PIC and Steve put his hands under his legs. Steve was as you say only used to going 45. Dad pushed it up to 90 and Steve’s eyes almost popped out of his head. They came back after Steve asked how could you do that? Dad explained that the Sky Wheels were the limiting factor on speed and that the Tall Tail stabilized the airframe. I took my training in the new one with Steve my instructor. The examiner Steve made me take my flight test in the old machine with no HS. It had been equipped with DW’s was still twitchy in pitch. My test was no picnic.
 
Can't tell from the photos if it has an HS on it.

Edit: Think I see it as a black reflection under the V stabs. Appears close-coupled to the prop, like the Bensen rock guard.
The photos with the Marchetti on the ground, shows that Randy placed a horizontal stab just under the vertical stabilizers. With the flying photos (I'm guessing from a pervious date) the horizontal stab had yet to be mounted.

Wayne
 
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I had a lot of fun flying Steve Grave's Marchetti. If memory serves, 45 MPH for takeoff, cruise, and approach. In smooth air it felt great. I remember it as being a bunt-o-matic in any turbulence.

Jim
Same here. Not my favorite, by a long shot.
 
Some more interesting photos of then Randy Workman's Marchetti gyroplane that Tim O'Connor posted on the Rotary Wing Forum and on Flicker back in 2007.

Wayne2917709242_842c1c8db6_k.jpgN660RW 02.jpgN660RW 01.jpg7175199353_2df0d496c3_o.jpg7360427054_12102b9f97_k.jpg7360421388_65d01fc3ab_k.jpg
 
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