Past Gyro Accident

[Chris Burgess]

Along this topic, do not attempt to hand prop a "Showers of Sparks" ignition with the switch in both. The spark is not retarded and you get ignition before TDC. This pulls the prop out of your hand and wacks the "proper" when the prop bounces off the pre-TDC fire. This usually equals something broken or worse, amputated. Know what you are hand proping and the correct way to do so. In my 33 years with the MAC, I've also learned that when it won't fire, turn the prop through very slowly and, IT WILL.!!!

 

[Dean_Dolph]

Hey, Chris, glad to see you join us!

Having another instructor available to offer insight has value and besides that; there are times that prospective gyro students inquire about finding an instructor in your area. It might help if you add 'Maryland' to Frederick in your public profile.

 

[Chris Burgess]

"You asked for it, You got it"

 

[Rotornut]

Chris it sure is good to see you here posting. Hope to see more of ya.
Sunstate Rotor Club. MJ

 

[Chris Burgess]

Waiting for the season to break here, snow on the ground, open cockpit. These old bones get a little cold below 50. Just got my rotor hub back from RAF. Had the non mandantory winglet and main bolt change-out done. Since it is about 5 times overkill, I think it is plently. Spin em up, keep em out of the ground. Thanks for the Welcome.

 

[Mayfield]

Visit to Phoenix

Visit to Phoenix

Chris,

Good to see you posting here. Your input will be welcome.

Will you be visiting PHX soon? It seems every time you've visited that we mean to get together but both of us have been tied up.

I hope that by the time you make it to town that I will have a new project going.

R/S

Jim

 

[Chris Burgess]

My Phoenix daughter moved to Miami, so PHX may not be the place. Maybe Mentone again? You got busy with the Sparrow and I got busy in the SnoBird. I still want to try that one out. Talked to Steve and we all know he was a "hang em out to dry" sort, in that screaming Parson's. The ADIZ around Washington DC has BlackHawks on patrol, Camp David, F-16's. Airspace is a little tight here. Could use a few SH's. Keep that Phoenix sun off those glass rotors.

 

[EI-GYRO]

Chris, Was that the Bill Dass accident you were asking about ?
If so, most of the interesting stuff appeared on the conference,
courtesy of Craig Wall.

Cheers

Fergus Kavanagh
Dublin, Ireland.

 

[Chris Burgess]

Fergus, Thanks, that was it. All the way from Dublin!! Imagine that.

 

[EI-GYRO]

Hi Chris, I remember this accident particularly because it puzzled a lot of folks, and
worried me as I was just considering building a Bensen at the time.

The pilot was performing a very quick pedal turn at slow speed and high power.
There was a bang and that was it. Fell out of the sky.

Initially was felt to be a blade or blade root failure, but still puzzling.

Craig Wall pointed out that with full power and nose high in slow flight, the rotor
would be tilted back about 30 degrees. A full deflection pedal turn would rotate the
machine through 180 degrees in less than a second, requiring the rotor disc to
re-orient itself through 60 degrees in that time. Too much too quick. Violent mast
bumping and snapped a blade off. That is as I remember/understand it.

Reference was made to Bill Ortmeyer and an article he wrote describing this maneouvre. Craig reckoned this might be ok on a slower reaction two-seat machine
but fatal on a single-seater.

Hope this helps.

Fergus.

We are self-training over here (a bunch of us.) so I read the accident reports real
careful. I have 45 hours of crowhops, that's how careful I am.
Saw you on Dan Leslie's video ' How to fly gyros'.

Cheers.

 

[Chris Burgess]

My only comment, this maneuver is not in the Practical Test Standards for a Private Gyroplane Rating. It meets FAR 91.303 definition as Aerobatic flight. I would never do this under full power with full deflection of rudder. I felt like many others that it may have been inappropriate to print this maneuver in "Rotorcraft". I can say I have watched many people perform this maneuver since about 1983 at Fly-Ins. I admit I started doing it (power idle, slow turn) about then also. I am not that technically qualified nor informed to say much more. I have read most all the post on this accident. I feel they are worth reading.