PRA makes aero news

Go Kevin!
Tanks guy, we reaaalllyyyy need all exposure we can get!
(sorry for those that still waiting for me to pay up before including mysself on the bunch)
Heron
 
Guilty as charged (writing the article AND misspelling BJ's name). I am not the only one to ever misspell his name -- and that's all I'm gonna say about that.

In defence of the guys that are doing OUR PRA website, they didn't have a profile of BJ handy. Someone needs to write it -- I will if I must but I barely knew the man, and this board is chock full of people who knew him for years.

There isn't a profile of Don Farrington either. Or Dan Haseloh -- both rotorcraft pioneers that did valuable stuff for the industry before going West. (I just wish Dan had finished the RAF. Oh, well, others did it for him).

Next up is one on the CCTD tests, and then -- Heron -- you know what's next! Meanwhile I have other stuff I'm writing... as the boss says, "this is not Gyro-News".

Not entirely, anyway (BSEG).

cheers

-=K=-
 
The October-November 2004 edition of Rotorcraft had an article written by BJ at the front, and a reprint of an old article on the Javelin single-place in the back. There was also an earlier edition in 2004 with an article on his life. They'd be a good start.
 
I'm one of the guys who put the new site together, and unfortunately I'm still new to the gyro scene so I'm dependant on others to provide content.

Two more names have come up for whom it sounds like we need Tribute pages : Don Farrington and Dan Haseloh. Are there any others who come to mind?

If someone can provide information on who these guys were, what they accomplished, and perhaps some pictures, I'll glady edit it together and put it up on the website. You can post it here or PM me.

I'll go ahead and put an article or link up for the CarterCopter project.

Iven
 
Some of us in the northwest would argue for Chuck Vanek, who did some pioneering work with two-place designs, prerotators, welded steel airframes and the tall tail. The PRA won't have much info on him, but there were some great pictures at the Hofstra conference. We may get some more at his tribute this weekend.
 
I wish I had been at that conference, Paul. Heck, I wish I had a copy of the proceedings. Come to think of it, I don't even have a copy of Dr. Charnov's book, and I really should.

Don Farrington was the designer of the gyros that bore his name. Some of the forum members fly them (I think Chuck in Puerto Rico has a Farrington Twinstar). He also was always trying to bring back the Umbaugh 18/Air & Space 18A. This was a type certified two-seat tandem enclosed gyro with a 3-bladed fully-articulated rotor, limited jump takeoff capability, and Lycoming power.

Don died in a gyro mishap. At a gyro event -- I wasn't there, so I dunno which one.

Haseloh was the guy behind the RAF2000. He also died in a mishap, while filming a promotional video. The film-star gyro and the film-crew gyro made contact, that's all she wrote.

Also-- while I'm thinking of martyrs to rotary-winged flight -- I can't remember if we had a page for Juan de la Cierva or not. Here are two links. I'm amused to see that Wikipedia (which I gave up writing for because of the political slant that some members slather on everything, like tasteless people use ketchup) thinks the most important thing about him is the side he backed in Spain's Civil War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_la_Cierva

https://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Dictionary/cierva/DI17.htm

cheers

-=K=-
 
I just looked at the Wikipedia entry for gyroplane. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyroplane
It appears to contain several questionable statements.

If they have a variable-pitch rotor, they can flare to a soft vertical landing, using excess momentum in the rotor to perform a soft landing; this is related to the way the jump start feature is implemented.
And gyros without variable pitch can't flare, then? :confused:


Autogyros are notably safe. If the engine should fail, the autogyro does not stall or spin. Instead, it begins to settle like a parachute. The pilot can usually maintain some directional control by slipping the rotor.
This seems to imply that autorotation is a strictly vertical event, rather than a glide, which is not usually true. :p




In addition, due to the gyroscopic effects, exerting forward or rearward force, by weight shifting, causes the vehicle to roll left or right. Modern designs typically use a between-legs control stick.

Oh, geez, give me a break. :eek:


The teeter hinge on each blade lets it "flap" up and down. As the blade swings on the left, the increased speed makes it flap up with a greater angle of attack to the relative wind. This increases drag and reduces lift. As it swings to the right, it's now going slower, relative to forward speed. This reduced drag lets it flap down and get a better bite into the air, increasing lift.

The advancing blade has it's angle of attack lessened, not made greater.
 
Last edited:
Al,

I'm pleased to say I had *no* part in the writing of that abortion.

cheers

-=K=-
 
Anybody wanting more info on Don Farrington can contact me on [email protected].
By the way ; my brother went out to the Hofstra International Gyroplane conference and gave a splendid presentation on the late Don Farrington , called ; "Don Farrington's Legacy".

Of all US gyroplane pioneers I rate him amongst the highest, since it was him who recognised the need for, and instituted the famous 5209 exemption, allowing training in experimental class gyroplanes, something that every trained gyroplane pilot ever since has been able to enjoy, without which there would be no gyroplane training, and hence probably very little in the way of gyroplane activity at all......

Sincerely,

Woody
 
Woody, being "over there," you may not know what else Don did.

With no input from the PRA membership (indeed, without even announcing it in advance) Don went to the FAA as PRA's "representative" to get the existing gyro-training rules repealed. These rules had been put in place in the mid-60's. They allowed pilots to train in gyrogliders and to get a license based on demonstrated proficiency in gyrogliders. That's how everyone in the U.S. trained (yours truly included) until then. The PRA mag rubbed salt in the wound by printing an article after the deed was done, trumpeting the fine work done on our behalf in getting rid of this pesky rule.

There was a time gap between this charming little maneuver and the appearance of the experimental-training exemption. During that gap, the only way to be a legal gyro pilot was to take training in an Air & Space or McCulloch J-2. Don was at the time trying to put the Air & Space back into production. Coincidence?

You can argue the adequacy of gyrogliders as a training medium, but the misuse of the PRA name, without consultation with the members, for a project arguably in one's own interest was annoying at best.
 
Back
Top