PRA 30 contact info???

[Dave B]

Is there a website, or contact info for the PRA 30 group?

I'm in need of training, and info, and don't really want to drive to Scapoose.

Thanks.

Dave

 

[PW_Plack]

Dave,

Chapter 30 is down to quarterly meetings and has no website I can find. It's been tough up there since Randy Copeland's GBA dealership closed down, the only gyro CFI in the area went dormant, and the group's most active flier totalled his machine.

Try contacting Randy Rogers, Chapter 30 President, using the info on the PRA Chapters web page. Perhaps he has cheerier news by now.

It may not be possible to get flight training in Scappoose if you're not a Sport Copter customer.

If you do end up travelling, Mike Burton instructs full-time at Airgyro here in Utah. Or, if you need to find warmer weather over the winter, try Scott Tinnesand in Mesa, AZ, who's listed on the PRA's instructor list.

 

[Dave B]

OUCH!! Thanks, Paul.
That's gonna make local training, and project advice difficult.

Going to have to look into self training.

 

[PW_Plack]

Going to have to look into self training.

Dave, be sure also to schedule time with a pre-need counselor at a mortuary.

Seriously, self-training is false economy, even if you have some prior aviation background. Even if you don't seriously harm yourself, one tip-over while learning ground handling often costs more than 20 hours of out-of-state dual instruction.

There are two machines for sale right now in the northwest which have attracted no buyers at half the prices of their original kits, because exactly that happened - they jumped the gun on ground ops before they were ready, and had blade strikes. One guy is out $20K even if he gets his asking price...neither can afford to rebuild.

There's a prospective pilot from Battleground, WA training here in Utah this week. It's very do-able.

As for construction help, maintain a build or restoration thread here, and you've got thousands of pair of eyes following you along. It can be (and has been) done!

 

[PW_Plack]

Dave, I just checked your profile, and see you're rebuilding a Pitbull. This could be a particularly demanding machine regarding ground handling. I'm not sure training in a SparrowHawk or Xenon would be very good prep for a light taildragger. There appear to be very few Pitbulls which have actually been flown successfully.

Check out the comments of these early threads on Pitbull handling. This one comments on mods made to introduce toe-in for improved stability; more discussion of experiences with the Pitbull and ground handling here; and here.

 

[Dave B]

Thanks for your concern and links, Paul. I won't be ready for anything till spring, or summer, so still might be able to find some local training. There is another Vortex single here at Elma where I keep my birds, but he's been inactive for a good while, and only flys his Cessna.

I'd seen those threads earlier, and have taken some of the info to heart (and to the bird). This site is great for stuff like that.

Thanks again,

Dave