Powered Sport Flying Magazine

[Abid]

Compare the average home being built in the 1950s-60s with the average home being built today. Today's would have been considered mansions back then. I think far too many people make themselves "house-poor" at the expense of leisure time to enjoy other hobbies/pursuits.

You are right about that. European middle and even upper middle class has much simpler and smaller houses but then they do a lot more things with their life.

 

[Aaron R]

I am not good with computers

Lol I thought you built a software company!

 

[Vance]

Lol I thought you built a software company!

Santa Maria Software AKA Counterman is software to run a motorcycle shop for people who are not good with computers.

It is still going after 36 years and I am still not good with computers.

I hire computer expertise and my number one support kid and my programmer have been with me for more than 20 years.

 

[Aaron R]

Organized representation before the FAA seems uber-valuable as well

I think there was recent discussion that MOSAIC could be improved if the sport pilot limitation to flying gyros with two-blade semi-rigid teetering rotors is removed. Has the PRA submitted a public comment on this? I think the FAA will take the feedback more seriously if it comes from a relevant association than if it comes only from individuals.

Another thought is, sometimes industry associations cooperate on these things. They compare notes before the close of the comment period (which in this case is not far off) and they support one another either by echoing comments, or by joint letters on the issues they all agree on.

So for example, the PRA could not only submit it's own comment, but could also approach other organizations (e.g. - EAA, LAMA) and explain why it is commenting, and ask them to consider including a similar comment in their response.

 

[GyroRon]

Compare the average home being built in the 1950s-60s with the average home being built today. Today's would have been considered mansions back then. I think far too many people make themselves "house-poor" at the expense of leisure time to enjoy other hobbies/pursuits.

Your spot on.

 

[Sv.grainne]

Tom and I were talking about that this morning. Cost of a car and cost of a kit then vs now. Not so much of a difference.

Car $30k and up. My kit was about $32k.

 

[Gyro Technic]

The PRA is not needed in today's world.

The struggle is trying to think of and implement a purpose for the PRA in today's world.

Imagine there was no internet, no online forums, no text messaging, no facebook... THEN there would be a reason and purpose for a PRA, to publish information and news and be a way for us to be under one roof so to speak. That was what the PRA was back in the day.

For some reason we continue to get people to volunteer their time and efforts to TRY to keep some kind of flame burning but the writing has been on the wall for years now... It isn't needed.

I've often thought about, what if dues were dirt cheap... Would everyone that has any involvement with gyroplanes send in dues and maintain membership, Would that keep PRA alive? And even then I have to ask myself what would be the motivation for me to send in even $10-20 a year to be a member?

Ron,
Are there some organizations / groups that you are passionate about that I don't participate in that I could spend my time trying to diminish and talk down?
There are many of us that DO see the value of the PRA and what it can and should be for all in our sport!

Writing on the wall??? Maybe.... But for now, please put down the spray paint can. It's not helping.
Denis

 

[GyroRon]

Ron,
Are there some organizations / groups that you are passionate about that I don't participate in that I could spend my time trying to diminish and talk down?
There are many of us that DO see the value of the PRA and what it can and should be for all in our sport!

Writing on the wall??? Maybe.... But for now, please put down the spray paint can. It's not helping.
Denis

Denis, I have been involved with this sport since 2001. I was a PRA chapter president for several years. If you go back through my posts far enough you will see that I was as passionate as anyone, in defense of the PRA.

I know you have been around the PRA for many years as well, and I know that you are one of the rare breeds of people that actually DO things and not just talk about doing things. I'm sorry if you take my opinions as an attack or whatever, I can understand how my comments would sting.

I will still hold true to my opinion though that the PRA in it's peak, It's purpose was to spread information and knowledge to people who were interested in amateur built rotorcraft through the magazine and through it's network of chapters and via it's annual convention. If you decided you wanted to possibly build and fly a gyroplane back in the 70's or 80's or even 90's... You were really on your own if you didn't join the PRA and or also join a local chapter. These days you do not need to be a part of any local chapters or part of any national organization to get the info and comradery a person getting into gyros needs thanks to the internet. The drop in PRA membership shows this to be true. The challenge for the PRA and the people that are still passionate about the PRA is to figure out a way for PRA membership to be of value to people in ways beyond sharing information and networking... And then implementing those ideas.

 

[Doug Riley]

While kicking around a new mission for the PRA, it's helpful to review history. It's had different missions over the decades since I joined at age 13.

Igor Bensen set it up in large part to promote his products. For at least the first 10 years, the magazine gave almost zero coverage to other gyro brands. It often repeated the "keep it Bensen-stock for safety" message. In return, Igor did write technical articles that few others had the knowledge to produce. As time went on, Igor's technical articles tended toward high-tech aerospace gadgetry with little relevance to us bug-toothed gyronauts, though.

Igor also apparently subsidized the magazine out of his company's funds. The magazine looked a lot slicker than you might expect, given its circulation. The mag had a paid professional editor, Mike Stockhill, whose next job was editor of Mother Jones, a big, nationally-distributed newsstand mag.

During Igor's tenure, there was some interesting engineering thinking going on in the shadows. Though we never saw it in the PRA mag, there was a spirited discussion about the need for real horizontal stabs -- this, in the late 60's-early 70's. The word didn't really get around until some 30 years later.

Bottom line: PRA was quite Bensen-biased at that time.

The incident I mentioned earlier about Don Farrington, in PRA's name, persuading the FAA to drop the gyroglider training regulation is another case of bias. Maybe the members would have agreed to the change, but the point is that we were not asked. We were presented with a done deed.

Although not a PRA venture, the Ask First Society was another infamous case of brand bias in privately rating CFI's. Heaven forbid THAT happen again.

The point of all this? If PRA goes on, it would be wise to pick both a structure and a mission that are not so easily warped into a promotional gimmick, or a way to trash one's competition. PRA as a sponsor of flyins could be a bias-resistant mission. CFI rating? Yikes.

 

[hakester]

To All Members: August 25, 2023

Several years ago the Popular Rotorcraft Association (PRA) partnered with Roy Beisswenger, publisher of the Powered Sport Flying Magazine, in an effort to provide our members with a copy of the magazine. The magazine was offered in either print or electronic format on our website. With the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 and continuing to this time, there appears to have been a lack of suitable content for inclusion in the magazine, resulting in a decrease from the advertised four issues per year to one issue in 2022 and only one to date this year.

The PRA has been in touch with Roy but it does not appear that he will be able to reliably publish the magazine going forward. Roy did confirm that when a new issue is published he will honor the subscription so that each subscriber will receive a total of four issues.

As a result of this situation, the PRA is severing our relationship with Roy and will no longer offer the publication as an additional benefit for our members. We may, at some point in the future, reconsider our position or include some other suitable publication.

To that end, the PRA intends to refund the twelve dollars ($12.00) paid for the Powered Sport Flying subscription effective with new or renewal memberships created on or after July 01, 2023.

We hope that you will understand our position and will continue to support our efforts going forward.

Sincerely,

Board of Directors

I, And I imagine many others, do not mean or 130 $12 refund. Please keep her for the organization for for Roy while he has done for our community.

 

[Sv.grainne]

We refunded the $12 to most recent members. PSF coordinator has promised to fulfill remaining subscriptions if Roy ever starts publishing again.

Bobby

 

[GyrOZprey]

PRA CORE MISSION IS
-Education
-training
-safety
ALL these have relevance in today's gyro community!
Tim O'Connor offers an excellent very specific for gyro ground school - for sport pilots! (PRA members used to get a discount - not sure if this is still applied since the covid version!)
The seminars at MENTONE /PRA annual Convention ...ARE very educational ...especially for those new to the scene!

we are attempting to promote a better education /safety mission with the FAAST webinars posted on PRA website.

PRA - at one time HAD "control" of the gyro CFI's ...gyro training was (at one time)only sanctioned through a PRA certified Gyro CFI (member) and students had to join PRA ...to get training!
Somehow - with the advent of the modern 2 place gyro manufacturer's coming in from Europe( around 2011) ...PRA was asleep at the wheel & did not INSIST on - AG/ELA/& others to submit training curricula, new-gen CFI check-out with PRA gyro CFI's and suck in those potential CFI & student memberships!
I believe Magni - under the training of Greg Gremminger (long time PRA supporter, member,convention attendee & seminar host) - DID encourage his students to become members ...unfortunately ...we let the next round of Magnis CFI's "get-away!"

In Australia ASRA has FULL control of all things gyro - from training, through registrations, insurance & CFI's to accident investigations!

Too bad PRA -let go of our once fairly tight control of the USA gyro community! Now the horse is out of the barn & high-tailed for the hills ...I'm not certain we can get it back!

WITHOUT REBUILDING our membership - we cannot function!

ALL ideas needed ..especially as the airport runway is in dire need of refurbishment! ( which keeps away potential convention participants!)

 

[Kevin_Richey]

How much for refurbishment?
Have bids been tendered?

 

[GyrOZprey]

How much for refurbishment?
Have bids been tendered?

At present ..the BOD is working on the research AND a variety of options and we will make an announcement in due course!

 

[Aaron R]

Christine:

I like the core mission, it would be great for everyone if the accident rate (and consequently, the insurance rates) could be reduced. I have two other suggestions:

Advocacy:
I would ask the PRA to discuss whether advocacy should become part of the core mission. While it might be hard for people around the country and world to understand why they should fund a runway repair, since many of them may never visit Mentone, I think everyone would appreciate knowing that the community interests are being represented to the FAA. For example, some deficiencies with MOSAIC were discussed on the forum. I believe Abid submitted a public comment regarding this. But did the PRA consider adopting his comments, or similar comments, and submitting a PRA opinion? I think the regulator might take more seriously a comment by an association which has existed for decades and represents an entire population of flyers, as compared with an individual or company.

Magazine:
I understand the difficulties with publishing a magazine...it is a huge effort and cost. Maybe an alternative would be submitting a very small amount of content (say, one article a month with photos) to an existing magazine which would appreciate receiving and publishing the content. For example, I notice that EAA Sport Aviation does publish some rotary-wing articles. Not always, but sometimes. Sometimes they are good. Other times, they appear to be written by fixed-wing pilots struggling to understand gyros! I think they need help. So, what if the PRA was able to collect one good article per month and provide it to the EAA, who could then finish the editing and publishing? It is a logical fit, since most gyros and kit helicopters are experimentals. It would also provide a large audience of readers with more rotary wing content.

Thanks for leading the PRA during this rebuilding phase!