Realizing a dream...a flight to OSH in my own Experimental

[Loren Jones]

I announce "experimental Gyro 46 Lima Whiskey". Untowered airfields

N546LW

I continue to be amazed by the number of people who have no idea what "gyro" means. In the very brief time I've been flying my Little Yellow Wonder I've started announcing "Yellow Rotorcraft' when making calls. I seem to find more airplane pilots understand the term rotorcraft.

 

[MonkeyClaw]

I've been using 'Blue Gyro Alpha Romeo' (not like the car, and those are the last 2 letters of my call sign...). Most start calling me 'helicopter alpha romeo', including the helicopters. I don't bother to correct them.

I prefer gyrocopter, as it connotes that we are rotocraft and not winged craft. ATC doesn't know how to classify us, and most of the time they can't see me on the radar anyway. The funnest part is climbing from below runway altitude up to pattern altitude, since my home drome is on a mesa. Always with lots of communication, of course!

 

[WaspAir]

ATC doesn't know how to classify us, and most of the time they can't see me on the radar anyway.

They know how. It's in their training materials, where the term gyroplane is the one used, but they don't waste much time on learning about aircraft so rare in the GA fleet. It just doesn't come up for them regularly, so they get sloppy.

If you have ADS-B (which you probably should if in airspace where ATC is involved) you will be seen on radar as well as anybody else is. For primary returns, the cross section of a gyro is still much bigger than an 18 meter span all composite sailplane.

 

[MonkeyClaw]

They know how. It's in their training materials, where the term gyroplane is the one used, but they don't waste much time on learning about aircraft so rare in the GA fleet. It just doesn't come up for them regularly, so they get sloppy.

If you have ADS-B (which you probably should if in airspace where ATC is involved) you will be seen on radar as well as anybody else is. For primary returns, the cross section of a gyro is still much bigger than an 18 meter span all composite sailplane.

Sailplanes tend to fly a lot higher than I do. I don't have an ADS-B track on Flightaware since the end of June, but I've probably flown 20 times in my local area surrounded by mountains since then, including visiting a nearby town to practice touch-and-goes.

I've reached out to a friend who works for ATC to see what she knows. I'm curious as to what they put us in the system as, and what they list as our performance parameters.

 

[AirCommandPilot]

I identify as experimental Gyro, xxxxx. Very common to be called gyro or gyrocopter.

That's what I always used. "Experimental Gyro"

 

[Abid]

I've been using 'Blue Gyro Alpha Romeo' (not like the car, and those are the last 2 letters of my call sign...). Most start calling me 'helicopter alpha romeo', including the helicopters. I don't bother to correct them.

I prefer gyrocopter, as it connotes that we are rotocraft and not winged craft. ATC doesn't know how to classify us, and most of the time they can't see me on the radar anyway. The funnest part is climbing from below runway altitude up to pattern altitude, since my home drome is on a mesa. Always with lots of communication, of course!

They know. It is gyroplane. But when they don't see that aircraft often they just forget and never revisit their materials. Once you start flying insist on using "Gyroplane". That is what FAA's official term is and the places you go to will figure it out quickly after seeing you a few times.

They do not see you on ADSB?

 

[Aaron R]

Congrats, Loren. I'm really impressed by all you've done in such a short time. Thanks for sharing your builders log also, very nice photos.

 

[Loren Jones]

Congrats, Loren. I'm really impressed by all you've done in such a short time. Thanks for sharing your builders log also, very nice photos.

Thank you very much. I hope the log proves informative for others who are considering such an undertaking. It was a great learning experience for me. The OSH and Mentone awards were icing on the cake. And most importantly, the resulting machine is incredibly fun to fly!

 

[MonkeyClaw]

They do not see you on ADSB?

Nope, at least not that I know of. I can't talk to them because of the mountains, and even if I did, they would tell me they can't see me on radar so they can't help me. I live at 4200' and have 7000' mountains on all sides. Whenever I fly in the plane, they drop me at a certain altitude.

 

[bell206]

Loren great accomplishment, I would put the trophy on my mantle and install a couple of spotlights to shine on it to be sure it was noticed.
Your flight to KOSH did you cruise about 60 mph?
I started to wonder what the longest XC flight in a Bensen style machine was. I am sure Mike B. would know.

 

[MikeBoyette]

Loren great accomplishment, I would put the trophy on my mantle and install a couple of spotlights to shine on it to be sure it was noticed.
Your flight to KOSH did you cruise about 60 mph?
I started to wonder what the longest XC flight in a Bensen style machine was. I am sure Mike B. would know.

I’m not sure but I think Ken Brock flew across the country once. Bill Clem flew his record setting Dominator from Front Range near Denver to Wauchula the year he set the altitude record (which has since been beaten several times). I remember him saying on the way here he got high enough he was in the jet stream and was seeing ground speeds close to 200. It took him three or four days to get here and like a week to get back.

 

[bell206]

I’m not sure but I think Ken Brock flew across the country once. Bill Clem flew his record setting Dominator from Front Range near Denver to Wauchula the year he set the altitude record (which has since been beaten several times). I remember him saying on the way here he got high enough he was in the jet stream and was seeing ground speeds close to 200. It took him three or four days to get here and like a week to get back.

Wow, I bet he wore his long pants on that flight.

 

[okikuma]

A good refresher for ATC communications.

Wayne

https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/students/presolo/special/new-pilots-guide-to-atc-communication

 

[Loren Jones]

Loren great accomplishment, I would put the trophy on my mantle and install a couple of spotlights to shine on it to be sure it was noticed.
Your flight to KOSH did you cruise about 60 mph?
I started to wonder what the longest XC flight in a Bensen style machine was. I am sure Mike B. would know.

Yes, 50-55 knots is a comfortable cruise speed so 60+mph. It'll go much faster, but you feel like you came out of an MMA fight when you do!

I like your idea for the trophy. I'll run that by my wife!

Loren

 

[bell206]

Yes, 50-55 knots is a comfortable cruise speed so 60+mph. It'll go much faster, but you feel like you came out of an MMA fight when you do!

I like your idea for the trophy. I'll run that by my wife!

Loren

I won a golf trophy for my age group at my club and when my golfing buddies come over, my wife says I make sure I escort them by where the trophy resides and pause there until they acknowledge. Women sure can let the air out of your balloon.

 

[Loren Jones]

I won a golf trophy for my age group at my club and when my golfing buddies come over, my wife says I make sure I escort them by where the trophy resides and pause there until they acknowledge. Women sure can let the air out of your balloon.

So do you think a glass case in the foyer with a place for guests to genuflect before passing might be too much?

 

[GyrOZprey]

In the ONE year I exhibited my( yellow) Titanium at Oshkosh (2017) ...completing the " mission " aborted from the prior year when Jim died .... my TAG was awarded a Lindy ...my friends at my local EAA chapter ...were very impressed --saying what a special award it was!

The sleek enclosed factory machines from Germany Italy & Spain ...seem to suck up most of the gyro-awards/ Lindy's in the interim years ...I'm delighted to see the superb Gyro-technic machines be well rewarded! GREAT job Denis, Leigh,Loren,Paul!!!

 

[bell206]

So do you think a glass case in the foyer with a place for guests to genuflect before passing might be too much?

Now that's an idea!

 

[bell206]

Now that's an idea!

How about strapping it to the front of the gyro like Marlon Brando did on his motorcycle!

 

[okikuma]

So do you think a glass case in the foyer with a place for guests to genuflect before passing might be too much?

Loren,

Many years ago when Strategic Air Command was still in existence. At the SAC HQ reception area in Offutt AFB was a life sized oil painting of Gen Curtis LeMay, the most revered commanding general of SAC. In front of the portrait was a table with a white table cloth, appearing very much like an altar. One had to pass by the portrait on the way to "The Underground" command center entrance. While being escorted to the command center during one visit as a young teenager, I asked my Dad, "Do I need to genuflect?" Whereas my Dad replied to me, "No smartass."

Remain proud of your award. We all are for you.

Wayne