Newby seeks advice.

[thevince]

Hello All!
It is a pleasure to meet you here.

My name is Vince.
I am a fixed-wing Pilot, Advanced Ground Instructor and an A+P.
I live in SE Arizona on the Mexican Border.

I am entering retirement and finally feel that I have the time to get involved with Gyros.

Any advice or guidance on entering the sport (selection of training aircraft, CFI, Gyro purchase, etc.) that you felt comfortable sharing with a Newby (me!) would be very much appreciated.

I think that I would like a Bensen B8M, but am open.

Thank you all,
Vince

 

[Resasi]

Welcome to the Forum. A good place for advice is here and the Popular Rotary Association. This has a list of Instructors by state and I don't see one for Arizona but their list may not be up to date. Try and see if there are any gyro pilots near you and start from there.

Popular Rotorcraft Association |

pra.org

Finding an instructor near one can be a problem, you, or they may have to travel and that can add to the cost. Modern two seat gyros are expensive, single seaters all tend to be homebuilts, a good way is to build your own, being an A&P obviously a big help. My son and I built ours and getting all the information on the build we did from people on this forum and that was very educational.

The Bensen is not a bad little gyro and they are around, but before buying it would be sensible to have someone with experience go with you to check it out. That was my first single seat and I hugely enjoyed flying it.

Do not be tempted to train yourself, I had a friend I flew with who had been an ex military fast jet pilot and was a very good stick. He bought a Bensen while stationed in a Naval Air Station in the UK, read a bit about it then rolled it into a ball on his first attempt at taking off. Very lucky not have seriously hurt or killed himself.

Do get lessons in a two seater, then transition under an instructor.

Be very patient, don't train in windy conditions, it is not like fixed wing training and will probably take a lot longer than you expect.

Good luck with the adventure.

 

[Sv.grainne]

Hello All!
It is a pleasure to meet you here.

My name is Vince.
I am a fixed-wing Pilot, Advanced Ground Instructor and an A+P.
I live in SE Arizona on the Mexican Border.

I am entering retirement and finally feel that I have the time to get involved with Gyros.

Any advice or guidance on entering the sport (selection of training aircraft, CFI, Gyro purchase, etc.) that you felt comfortable sharing with a Newby (me!) would be very much appreciated.

I think that I would like a Bensen B8M, but am open.

Thank you all,
Vince

Douglas, Az by any chance?

Bobby

 

[MTO Flyer]

Hello All!
It is a pleasure to meet you here.

My name is Vince.
I am a fixed-wing Pilot, Advanced Ground Instructor and an A+P.
I live in SE Arizona on the Mexican Border.

I am entering retirement and finally feel that I have the time to get involved with Gyros.

Any advice or guidance on entering the sport (selection of training aircraft, CFI, Gyro purchase, etc.) that you felt comfortable sharing with a Newby (me!) would be very much appreciated.

I think that I would like a Bensen B8M, but am open.

Thank you all,
Vince

I can highly recommend a CFI in Arizona.
She took me from no flying experience to being a safe Gyro Pilot.
Britta Penca is based at San Manuel (E77) near Oracle.
You can reach her at (520) 840-0951.
[email protected]

 

[thevince]

Welcome to the Forum. A good place for advice is here and the Popular Rotary Association. This has a list of Instructors by state and I don't see one for Arizona but their list may not be up to date. Try and see if there are any gyro pilots near you and start from there.

Popular Rotorcraft Association |

pra.org

Finding an instructor near one can be a problem, you, or they may have to travel and that can add to the cost. Modern two seat gyros are expensive, single seaters all tend to be homebuilts, a good way is to build your own, being an A&P obviously a big help. My son and I built ours and getting all the information on the build we did from people on this forum and that was very educational.

The Bensen is not a bad little gyro and they are around, but before buying it would be sensible to have someone with experience go with you to check it out. That was my first single seat and I hugely enjoyed flying it.

Do not be tempted to train yourself, I had a friend I flew with who had been an ex military fast jet pilot and was a very good stick. He bought a Bensen while stationed in a Naval Air Station in the UK, read a bit about it then rolled it into a ball on his first attempt at taking off. Very lucky not have seriously hurt or killed himself.

Do get lessons in a two seater, then transition under an instructor.

Be very patient, don't train in windy conditions, it is not like fixed wing training and will probably take a lot longer than you expect.

Good luck with the adventure.

Thank You! Your expertise and reply is very much appreciated!

 

[thevince]

Douglas, Az by any chance?

Bobby

Hi Bobby!
Thanks for the reply 👍.
I live not far from Douglas, in Sierra Vista.
I earned my A+P @ Cochise College in Douglas.
Douglas is a great town!
Nice people there.
Thanks again,
Vince

 

[GyrOZprey]

Hello All!
It is a pleasure to meet you here.

My name is Vince.
I am a fixed-wing Pilot, Advanced Ground Instructor and an A+P.
I live in SE Arizona on the Mexican Border.

I am entering retirement and finally feel that I have the time to get involved with Gyros.

Any advice or guidance on entering the sport (selection of training aircraft, CFI, Gyro purchase, etc.) that you felt comfortable sharing with a Newby (me!) would be very much appreciated.

I think that I would like a Bensen B8M, but am open.

Thank you all,
Vince

Blue Sky Gyros, LLC Blue sky gyros offers Gyroplane flight training for pilots in a Rotorcraft Gyroplane Private,... 86181 Avenida De Aviacion, San Manuel, AZ, US 85631 www.facebook.com

Look up Britta Penca who lives in Oracle & has a flight school based in San Manuel airport ... she would be your nearest CFI ...she trains in our TAG Titanium (which is for sale BTW) ...and MTO sport. She would give you a GREAT founding in add-on gyro & looking for new CFI's in the area to train ..so she can get back to flying for fun!
I can PM you her contact # /email ..... covid ruined her flight-school business ...& she now has other work to pay bills ...but will still take you on demo flights & get you started training! (You may have to buy a gyro first to fully train -as insurance is an issue!)

 

[thevince]

I can highly recommend a CFI in Arizona.
She took me from no flying experience to being a safe Gyro Pilot.
Britta Penca is based at San Manuel (E77) near Oracle.
You can reach her at (520) 840-0951.
[email protected]

Thank You MTOFlyer!
I shot out an email to Britta.
She and I met around 12 years ago at the Memorial for Charlie.
I apologize that I cannot recall his last name.
Charlie took me up for my one and only Gyro ride.
It set the hook in me 🤣.
Thanks again,
Vince

 

[Sv.grainne]

Hi Bobby!
Thanks for the reply 👍.
I live not far from Douglas, in Sierra Vista.
I earned my A+P @ Cochise College in Douglas.
Douglas is a great town!
Nice people there.
Thanks again,
Vince

Vince:

I lived in Sorry Vista for 14 years! Started working for the Army there. I went to Cochise, was in a Reserve unit in Douglas, and worked for the FCC near the Douglas AP for awhile. I liked the area alot.

Bobby

 

[thevince]

Blue Sky Gyros, LLC Blue sky gyros offers Gyroplane flight training for pilots in a Rotorcraft Gyroplane Private,... 86181 Avenida De Aviacion, San Manuel, AZ, US 85631 www.facebook.com

Look up Britta Penca who lives in Oracle & has a flight school based in San Manuel airport ... she would be your nearest CFI ...she trains in our TAG Titanium (which is for sale BTW) ...and MTO sport. She would give you a GREAT founding in add-on gyro & looking for new CFI's in the area to train ..so she can get back to flying for fun!
I can PM you her contact # /email ..... covid ruined her flight-school business ...& she now has other work to pay bills ...but will still take you on demo flights & get you started training! (You may have to buy a gyro first to fully train -as insurance is an issue!)

Thank you Christine!
I contacted Britta and her husband Mark, as well.
Very helpful people!
I appreciate your expertise and reply very much!
Vince

 

[thevince]

Welcome to the Forum. A good place for advice is here and the Popular Rotary Association. This has a list of Instructors by state and I don't see one for Arizona but their list may not be up to date. Try and see if there are any gyro pilots near you and start from there.

Popular Rotorcraft Association |

pra.org

Finding an instructor near one can be a problem, you, or they may have to travel and that can add to the cost. Modern two seat gyros are expensive, single seaters all tend to be homebuilts, a good way is to build your own, being an A&P obviously a big help. My son and I built ours and getting all the information on the build we did from people on this forum and that was very educational.

The Bensen is not a bad little gyro and they are around, but before buying it would be sensible to have someone with experience go with you to check it out. That was my first single seat and I hugely enjoyed flying it.

Do not be tempted to train yourself, I had a friend I flew with who had been an ex military fast jet pilot and was a very good stick. He bought a Bensen while stationed in a Naval Air Station in the UK, read a bit about it then rolled it into a ball on his first attempt at taking off. Very lucky not have seriously hurt or killed himself.

Do get lessons in a two seater, then transition under an instructor.

Be very patient, don't train in windy conditions, it is not like fixed wing training and will probably take a lot longer than you expect.

Good luck with the adventure.

Resasi,

Thank you for the excellent advice!
It is a pleasure to hear back from you and the other "Old Gyro Hands" on the Forum here.
Thank You All!
I am looking forward to getting trained by a Gyro CFI and moving forward into this new aviation adventure!

Vince

 

[Vance]

Welcome to the Rotary Wing Forum Vince.
My name is Vance Breese and I am a gyroplane flight instructor out of Santa Maria, Ca.
I love talking about gyroplanes and sharing the things I have learned.
I do not charge for phone calls and would love to hear from you no matter who you chose for an instructor.
I am friends with most of them.
My cell is (805)680-9523 from 9:00 AM to 9:00 pm pacific time.

 

[Kevin_Richey]

Thank You MTOFlyer!
I shot out an email to Britta.
She and I met around 12 years ago at the Memorial for Charlie.
I apologize that I cannot recall his last name.
Charlie took me up for my one and only Gyro ride.
It set the hook in me 🤣.
Thanks again,
Vince

Mara. Charlie Mara.
I was to start formal gyro flight training w/ him back then, @ the San Manuel airport to become Sport Pilot-Gyroplane rated. Had spoken w/ him on the phone a couple of times & my airline reservation in hand. I had 75 hrs. flying a gyro in the mid-1990's, but no dual instruction.

Then the local EAA Chapter President in that area called me one day, informing me that Charlie had died. He went for his usual noon walk along the river, taking a break from his morning & afternoon flying instruction sessions. He didn't return one day. The local flyers took to the air to help locate him.

I was shocked, asking him if this was some sort of joke. He replied that he wished it was...I was shocked again as I later found out it was an OD suicide...

Heard from someone that knew him that Charlie was depressed & had relationship problems w/ his girlfriend.

He was going down Charlie's calender of training students, calling all of them.

 

[Resasi]

That's sad.

Life can get tough sometimes...but its the only one we have, make the most of it, ups and downs.

Hmmm bit like gyro flying, fun to up , a bit sad when you have to come down.

 

[BEN S]

Man, Kev that's crazy! Like that food network guy....Bourdain.
If there is a chick that is making you so crazy you want to take a life, take hers first, then see how you feel!
You can always off yourself later, no?

 

[thevince]

Mara. Charlie Mara.
I was to start formal gyro flight training w/ him back then, @ the San Manuel airport to become Sport Pilot-Gyroplane rated. Had spoken w/ him on the phone a couple of times & my airline reservation in hand. I had 75 hrs. flying a gyro in the mid-1990's, but no dual instruction.

Then the local EAA Chapter President in that area called me one day, informing me that Charlie had died. He went for his usual noon walk along the river, taking a break from his morning & afternoon flying instruction sessions. He didn't return one day. The local flyers took to the air to help locate him.

I was shocked, asking him if this was some sort of joke. He replied that he wished it was...I was shocked again as I later found out it was an OD suicide...

Heard from someone that knew him that Charlie was depressed & had relationship problems w/ his girlfriend.

He was going down Charlie's calender of training students, calling all of them.

 

[thevince]

Man, Kev that's crazy! Like that food network guy....Bourdain.
If there is a chick that is making you so crazy you want to take a life, take hers first, then see how you feel!
You can always off yourself later, no?

 

[thevince]

Mara. Charlie Mara.
I was to start formal gyro flight training w/ him back then, @ the San Manuel airport to become Sport Pilot-Gyroplane rated. Had spoken w/ him on the phone a couple of times & my airline reservation in hand. I had 75 hrs. flying a gyro in the mid-1990's, but no dual instruction.

Then the local EAA Chapter President in that area called me one day, informing me that Charlie had died. He went for his usual noon walk along the river, taking a break from his morning & afternoon flying instruction sessions. He didn't return one day. The local flyers took to the air to help locate him.

I was shocked, asking him if this was some sort of joke. He replied that he wished it was...I was shocked again as I later found out it was an OD suicide...

Heard from someone that knew him that Charlie was depressed & had relationship problems w/ his girlfriend.

He was going down Charlie's calender of training students, calling all of them.

 

[thevince]

Hi Kevin,
I was in the midst of crafting a reply to your post earlier.
It shot spontaneously into cyberspace.
I don't know what happened to it.
Thanks for supplying Charlie Mara's last name and the other details.
I think that we all could benefit from detecting clues to the mental state of our friends.
Even jokingly suggesting violence as a solution could push them over the edge, unfortunately.
Thank You again, Kevin!

 

[Brian Jackson]

Hi Vince.

We were having a discussion on new members and I just noticed on your profile it says you joined in 2007. I may have missed something but was curious if this was true. I'm trying to learn if there have been any new members here in the last few weeks. Admins have been sparse and this forum requires their approval to join. Just wondered what your experience was with the joining process and how recent that was.

Glad you're here.

Brian