Recommended Books

[jucie]

This forum is a great resource, but I am want a book to read and appreciate when I am offline.

Are Martin Hollmann's books good ?
http://www.aircraftdesigns.com/books.html
What about "MODERN GYROPLANE DESIGN" (a little expensive at $220.00)?

Do you recommend any technical book about gyros?

 

[Dean_Dolph]

Re:Recommended Books

Jucie, Mr. Hollmann has been around a long time and it certainly looks like he has the credentials. However, an article that he wrote for the PRA magazine made me, and others, question his full understanding of the gyro.

I don't claim to be knowledgeable (a little embarrassing since I've been involved forever!) about the aerodynamics and operation of a gyro but there were several negative comments made on Norm's forum by several respected people. It appears he is offering his opinion and theory without support by research/testing.

It is unfortunate but there isn't any definitive book(s) on the how and why of gyros. There are only a handful out there that even have the gyro as the subject. And all of them that I have read include something questionable. The first time I run across something that is questionable or down right wrong then the author loses credibility and I start to wonder about the rest of the presentation.

When someone has an engineering degree or a PHD behind their name it means that they are someone to listen too and respect, if for nothing else just for the effort that they have invested in acquiring that degree. But it doesn't necessarily mean that person knows all that should be known about the subject or that the rest of us should not question their presentations.

 

[quadrirotor]

Re:Recommended Books

Dean, if you can not be more explicit, your remarque leaves a bad taste!...Martin Hollman made the Sportster and the Bumble Bee, both have been copied with more or less success...
Jucie, one of the best site which collects as many pertinent references, documentation, video etc... as possible is:
http://www.autogiro.be/

a belgium site of Paul Windey who posts here from time to time...

 

[jucie]

Re:Recommended Books

André, I can't imagine how Dean could be more polite than he was to express such an opinion.

A few different impressions about Martin's work is all that I expected when I did mention to the book.

One thing I already learned: anything about gyrocopters is controversial!

André, your link is very interesting indeed.

Dean and André, thank you very much for your valuable advice. I will take both into account, be sure.

 

[Dean_Dolph]

Re:Recommended Books

Andre, I get the feeling that your post was a knee jerk reaction. I've done that occasionally and there are times it hurts!

I don't know how explicit you want me to get but if you have access to the article I mentioned then you can form your own opinion, I offered mine. And yes, I'm fully aware of Martin Hollmann's gyro developments, He has been involved with gyros almost as long as I have although, like I mentioned, I don't have the credentials.

I know you visited Norm's conference so I doubt that you could have missed the discussion. No one had anything positive to say about the article. Nada, Zilch! If I had the time, which I don't, I would reference it for you. Actually the article might have been in another publication but whatever; the people on Rotorcraft.Com were aware of it and weren't complimentary.

If Martin is one of your heroes then its unfortunate that I hurt your feelings but my observations and opinion still stand.

 

[quadrirotor]

Re:Recommended Books

There is not many words that could hurt me!... but i am a lover of the truth...No fear, no reproach...
If you have the references of the article about Martin Hollman (at least some clues), i would be very glad to make my mind.
Thanks very much.