New Butterfly Takes Flight Labor Day!

Doctor Bob

Newbie
Joined
Nov 9, 2007
Messages
124
Location
Dalton, GA
Labor Day was a big day for me. My friend Iven came up to Dalton and test flew my gyrocopter for its first flight. The camera operator (me) is terrible and the video editor (me) is even worse. It was very exciting for me watching something I built actually fly, and fly very well. I could not have done it without Iven. In fact, it was so good right out of the box that no further adjustments were needed once airborne.

Enjoy the quick video, nothing too exciting to watch, but just an exiting day for both Iven and myself.

Bob


YouTube - Monarch Butterfly Gyro First Flight
 
Bob- Big congratulations to you! Its hard to top the feeling of flying something you built with your own hands. Looks nice! Stan
 
Awesome. Bob you must be very proud. Thanks for sharing. Hey the video seems just fine. Lots of happy flying ahead of you as the fruits of your work. Good job.
 
The credit here all goes to Bob, he built a top-notch machine and spared no attention to detail. For me this was just an opportunity to fly a gyro again :)

Now go finish up your gyro training and get that thing in the air Bob!
 
Congrats Bob, a long way from when I met you at Wrens a few years ago. Hope you tote it to Wrens this year if nothing more, just as a static display. If you need the cobwebs blasted off it, I am sure we can find someone to fly it for you! :)
 
Ditto what Ron said.......congrats and I hope you bring to Wrens in a couple weeks.....would love to see it up close!


BarryK
 
Well done Bob, it's a wonderful feeling watching all that hard work get to fly congratulations. Looked really good.

My son and I got our gyro first flight on a Labor day after months of hard work on it and yes it felt totally awesome.
 
Congrats, Bob!

Wish I'd known. I'd have come up there and added an additional handshake. I think we were just flying around the Silver Comet Trail on Labor Day trying to get bicyclists to look up and roll off the trail (everyone needs a good hobby). Nothing that couldn't have been skipped for a "gyro birth."
 
The Doctor that brought me into this world was named Doctor Bob. (probably no relation) But I have always had a soft spot in my heart for that name.

Great to hear your project has officially flown. The world needs more Butterflies, so way to go and congratulations. It sounds like you still have a few hoops to go through before you are ready to fly her. That should get you motivated to know you have such a sweet machine calling out for you each day. I don't mean to rush you as you don't want to try out your machine until you feel totally ready to do that, but I can hardly wait to hear your report on what you thought after your first flight in her. By the way, what did you name her? Keep us informed.
 
Thank you for all the positives. My goal is to wrap up my PPL this fall and move straight on to gyro lessons. It's just waiting to be flown at DNN here in town. Hangared and ready! After my month's lease burns off I'm going to pull it out of there and stick it back at my house until I can find it a new home - probably where I'll be training. I need to hook up with Steve McGowan or at least do the taxi lessons with Jon and his crew in North Georgia.
Doug - I named it "Doctor's Appointment." I figured when I wanted to go flying and a customer called I could use the excuse that I couldn't make it because I have a "Doctors Appointment." :) My boat is named "Service Call" for that very reason.
I guess watching the video is the closest I'll get anytime soon to see her fly again. :Cry:
 
Congrats Dr Bob, look forward to hearing you are up and running.

I'm sure Iven enjoyed the testing.

Cheers,

Mitch
 
Doc,

So that nobody gets the wrong impression....

We at Chapter 56 will be more than happy to provide safety supervision and extra eyes and radio ears while someone is honing their skills...AFTER a CFI has approved the student for a particular level of practice. As long as someone is working with a CFI and has been cleared for a particular level of practice...Taxi, Balance on the Mains, Crow Hops or Pattern Work... we will be pleased to be safety eyes and ears and help make certain there are no traffic or other issues.

There is no substitute for training from a qualified CFI. What we do is not in lieu of training. If someone is going to practice and is approved by a CFI to do so, we'd prefer they have someone watching and listening to the radio than try to focus on practice and airport traffic all by their lonesome....besides...it's another excuse to "have to go to the airport." :D
 
I am very sad beacuse youtube is blocked in our country, so would other people can post this video on this forum?
thanks
Ed
 
Hey Jon - Let me detail what I was thinking. I by no means am trying to short cut on training. My initial thought in the back of my brain is to trailer my bird to Steve and do an intensive several day to week training and leave it there with Steve (if possible). Instead of driving back and forth to Macon, I would rather stay in a hotel and spend the "drive time" training. If it would help, my idea was to get the "taxi" and ground handling out of the way locally if that were a logical and safe option to optimize my time with Steve. I have no idea about the syllabus for gyro training but thought that ground handling and blade management might be one of the first steps?? Before this happens, though, I wish to complete my PPL and put that under my belt. I am going about this the slow and expensive way, but I feel it will ultimately provide me with the best education possible that one day may save my life. Bob
 
Bob that would seem a good way of going about things. Concentrated initial training generally makes for a good start and allows the Instructor to get some good foundations set.

If you would like to look at some different training notes, PM me with an email adress and I will send you some. They will not replace those of the Instructor you will be going to, just give you some idea of what to expect.

Having others watching out for you while practicing is a good way to go.
 
Bob,

Great. That's the right approach. We'll help you any way we can.

I apologize for being hyper-cautious. People hereabouts are quick to be concerned about circumventing CFI income and authority, and perhaps rightfully so in some cases. That's not what we're about. We are about safety and prompting safe gyro flying.
 
Dr Bob, are you a real doctor?
I have these itchy red bumps..............................................

Sorry couldn't help it. :D

Again, Congrats on your machine.
 
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