StanFoster
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2003
- Messages
- 17,142
- Location
- Paxton, Il
- Aircraft
- Helicycle N360SF
- Total Flight Time
- 1250
I decided to start this thread so as not to sidetrack Vances latest thread.
Back in 1985 I was at the Paxton airport watching a movie.."The Road Warrior". I was mesmerized by that gyro in the movie. My interest and long time goal at that time was to eventually own a helicopter, but the Scorpions didnt impress me with their limited power with the 133 engine...and I couldnt afford it anyway.
I went home after seeing this movie and got a Trade-A-Plane out...and searched the ads. I found a Bensen 90 horse Mac out in Medina, Ohio. I had little knowledge of such machines....no internet then....no connections with anyone....but there were a few ads selling or looking for Bensens. I contacted these people and got a little more education. I remember being told to get a 90 horse..not a 72....plus lots of other info that went right over my head at the time....except for following Dr. Bensens training manuals.
Note-------I am not condoning self training....for me at this time in my life....this is all I knew. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!!!!
I contacted the gentleman...a Mr. Greg Ward out in Medina, Ohio about his 90 horse Bensen. I had to personally see it fly before I bought it. He said he would give me a good demo. I fueled up my dads Cherokee 180, took a friend along and off we went on a non-stop flight from Paxton to Medina, Ohio.
There sat the gyro...a very nice looking one, tail numbers N32GW...built by Greg Ward...the GW on the tail. Greg did what I thought was a very radical demonstration....remembering back...its like watching Gary Goldsberry flying...he was that good.
I paid the $3000 for it....and we agreed to meet half way a week later to exchange the machine to my trailer.
I brought it home....and had it hanging from the rafters in dads tool shed doing a hangtest. Dad knew I has bought something to fly...he was expecting another ultralight...but he was in for a shock.
There I was strapped in the seat...with a rope hoist....I had just lifted myself off the ground while sitting in the seat.....and had a gauge on the mast reading the nosedown tilt. I tend to work alone and to this day...stilll do!
Anyway...dad opens the door...and just stood there with his jaw open....he said.."You flying that?" I remember sheepishly nodding my head....and he didnt say a word....but his body language spoke volumes. He just fanned his hand...and out the door he went. Needless to say I didnt quite find that too confidence building!
I continued learning how to start the engine...and that I always thought should have a placard on it..."MADE IN HELL" . I would tie the tail up...and have concrete bricks in front of the tires.
I soon was taxiing up and down our 2500 foot grass strip dad had for his plane. I did this for 3 weeks....getting the feel of it...balancing on the mains...till it felt good.
I knew one thing...I was going to lift off only when I was by myself....if dad was around...I was not going to attempt it.
One day I decided I was going to start rolling on the power...and keep getting it lighter and lighter. I was about a third down the runway...the rotor was really biting...and I twisted on a little more power...and I could really feel some new forces in the stick. I did this a few passes...then the next run I planned on rolling on all the powere and doing a crow hop. I was at my previous power setting...it felt good...and I applied the power...little more back stick....and all of a sudden...the vibration stopped....I remember quickly looking to my right tire...and there was air under it! I rolled off the throttle...and settled back down. I had my first flight!
I let out a big ya hoo...and went back to redo this again. ....Again I lifted off...had no problems keeping it straight....and this is where I deviated from my self training course...and I admit it could have ended up wrecking it. I climbed to about 20 feet and accelerated to around 60 mph. The thought went through my head....why dont I just go fly it for half an hour...then come down and crash? So...off I went....I flew up to 1000 feet....kept in gliding distance of the runway...and had no problems at all. I just came down and knew to keep my speed at least 45 mph...and then flare....and I did....and it was very nice.
Now that I had kind of skipped a few chapters in my self training and had gone from a crow hop to full pattern work...I resumed my training more conservatively and flew S-turns....and other stuff...and did this all on calm days.
Next on my agenda was practicing real dead engine landings. I remember going up to 3000 ft....and reaching up for the kill switch...took me about 3 times to cut that motor...but I did.....and man....that was the loudest silence I have ever heard! I could hear the rotor barking as I flew nice lazy spirals down to the runway....keeping in my mind 45-50 moh minimum...and I landed like a feather. I was ecstatic. I practices a few more of these...and little did I know that with only 5 hours under my belt...I would have my first real engine out.
I was flying southwest about 3 miles at 400 ft. The engine all of a sudden just stopped. I immediately said outloud...50 minimum..and headed into the wind. I was over a soybean field that was about 10 inches tall. The wind was around 10 mph out of the southwest...and thats the way I was headed anyway. I remember keeping 50 mph till about 40 feet...then just flared just above the beans...and set it down diagonally across the bean rows...the rows were planted east-west. That was the happiest day in my life. I didnt even roll one foot as the proof was my tire tracks and just a foot of bean foliage was disturbed. I walked 3 miles back to my house...where dad brought the truck to tow it down the road with me sitting in it. I had easily moved it out of the bean field...it was about 100 yards in...and had it sitting by the county blacktop.
I later found that it was a float that had broke in my carb. I learned that these arms should be radiused so I did that operation on a new float...and soon had it in the air again. Although next time I wasnt quite so trustworthy of this engine. Little did I know I would go on to have 9 more engine outs with just this gyro. Various other happenings due to bad luck...my ignorance...or whatever. I will continue on with more of these experiences. All this stuff is detailed in my logbooks like a diary.
Stan
Back in 1985 I was at the Paxton airport watching a movie.."The Road Warrior". I was mesmerized by that gyro in the movie. My interest and long time goal at that time was to eventually own a helicopter, but the Scorpions didnt impress me with their limited power with the 133 engine...and I couldnt afford it anyway.
I went home after seeing this movie and got a Trade-A-Plane out...and searched the ads. I found a Bensen 90 horse Mac out in Medina, Ohio. I had little knowledge of such machines....no internet then....no connections with anyone....but there were a few ads selling or looking for Bensens. I contacted these people and got a little more education. I remember being told to get a 90 horse..not a 72....plus lots of other info that went right over my head at the time....except for following Dr. Bensens training manuals.
Note-------I am not condoning self training....for me at this time in my life....this is all I knew. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!!!!
I contacted the gentleman...a Mr. Greg Ward out in Medina, Ohio about his 90 horse Bensen. I had to personally see it fly before I bought it. He said he would give me a good demo. I fueled up my dads Cherokee 180, took a friend along and off we went on a non-stop flight from Paxton to Medina, Ohio.
There sat the gyro...a very nice looking one, tail numbers N32GW...built by Greg Ward...the GW on the tail. Greg did what I thought was a very radical demonstration....remembering back...its like watching Gary Goldsberry flying...he was that good.
I paid the $3000 for it....and we agreed to meet half way a week later to exchange the machine to my trailer.
I brought it home....and had it hanging from the rafters in dads tool shed doing a hangtest. Dad knew I has bought something to fly...he was expecting another ultralight...but he was in for a shock.
There I was strapped in the seat...with a rope hoist....I had just lifted myself off the ground while sitting in the seat.....and had a gauge on the mast reading the nosedown tilt. I tend to work alone and to this day...stilll do!
Anyway...dad opens the door...and just stood there with his jaw open....he said.."You flying that?" I remember sheepishly nodding my head....and he didnt say a word....but his body language spoke volumes. He just fanned his hand...and out the door he went. Needless to say I didnt quite find that too confidence building!
I continued learning how to start the engine...and that I always thought should have a placard on it..."MADE IN HELL" . I would tie the tail up...and have concrete bricks in front of the tires.
I soon was taxiing up and down our 2500 foot grass strip dad had for his plane. I did this for 3 weeks....getting the feel of it...balancing on the mains...till it felt good.
I knew one thing...I was going to lift off only when I was by myself....if dad was around...I was not going to attempt it.
One day I decided I was going to start rolling on the power...and keep getting it lighter and lighter. I was about a third down the runway...the rotor was really biting...and I twisted on a little more power...and I could really feel some new forces in the stick. I did this a few passes...then the next run I planned on rolling on all the powere and doing a crow hop. I was at my previous power setting...it felt good...and I applied the power...little more back stick....and all of a sudden...the vibration stopped....I remember quickly looking to my right tire...and there was air under it! I rolled off the throttle...and settled back down. I had my first flight!
I let out a big ya hoo...and went back to redo this again. ....Again I lifted off...had no problems keeping it straight....and this is where I deviated from my self training course...and I admit it could have ended up wrecking it. I climbed to about 20 feet and accelerated to around 60 mph. The thought went through my head....why dont I just go fly it for half an hour...then come down and crash? So...off I went....I flew up to 1000 feet....kept in gliding distance of the runway...and had no problems at all. I just came down and knew to keep my speed at least 45 mph...and then flare....and I did....and it was very nice.
Now that I had kind of skipped a few chapters in my self training and had gone from a crow hop to full pattern work...I resumed my training more conservatively and flew S-turns....and other stuff...and did this all on calm days.
Next on my agenda was practicing real dead engine landings. I remember going up to 3000 ft....and reaching up for the kill switch...took me about 3 times to cut that motor...but I did.....and man....that was the loudest silence I have ever heard! I could hear the rotor barking as I flew nice lazy spirals down to the runway....keeping in my mind 45-50 moh minimum...and I landed like a feather. I was ecstatic. I practices a few more of these...and little did I know that with only 5 hours under my belt...I would have my first real engine out.
I was flying southwest about 3 miles at 400 ft. The engine all of a sudden just stopped. I immediately said outloud...50 minimum..and headed into the wind. I was over a soybean field that was about 10 inches tall. The wind was around 10 mph out of the southwest...and thats the way I was headed anyway. I remember keeping 50 mph till about 40 feet...then just flared just above the beans...and set it down diagonally across the bean rows...the rows were planted east-west. That was the happiest day in my life. I didnt even roll one foot as the proof was my tire tracks and just a foot of bean foliage was disturbed. I walked 3 miles back to my house...where dad brought the truck to tow it down the road with me sitting in it. I had easily moved it out of the bean field...it was about 100 yards in...and had it sitting by the county blacktop.
I later found that it was a float that had broke in my carb. I learned that these arms should be radiused so I did that operation on a new float...and soon had it in the air again. Although next time I wasnt quite so trustworthy of this engine. Little did I know I would go on to have 9 more engine outs with just this gyro. Various other happenings due to bad luck...my ignorance...or whatever. I will continue on with more of these experiences. All this stuff is detailed in my logbooks like a diary.
Stan
Last edited:
. I assume you were not married at the time….with that many engine-outs….or she was very understanding…..or you were carfully silent……![[RotaryForum.com] - My Early Gyro Experiences](https://data3.rotaryforum.com/attachments/59/59546-3632a699129fcefa9ad728fe80c84527.jpg?hash=L53WS7IlqC)
