Rotation flying a gyroplane?

[Doug Riley]

Er... well... maybe. We are flying in the world of amateur-built (and sometimes amateur-designed) aircraft here.

I will give the designer-manufacturer a modest benefit of the doubt, but sometimes they are wrong. Be prepared to add a grain of salt now and then. You must be your own best ally in this game.

If you're brand-new to your machine or rotorcraft in general, ask some seasoned pilots who fly your type.

 

[PJB]

Which is fine but did anyone ask why the pilot gave the numbers he did? Actually to save the guessing etc what accident was this and with what aircraft?

 

[Vance]

Which is fine but did anyone ask why the pilot gave the numbers he did? Actually to save the guessing etc what accident was this and with what aircraft?

NTSB Accident Number: CEN23LA397

 

[PJB]

Thanks I can’t find a POH but has this aircraft got fans amongst this forum? I found this from c.10 years ago for example https://www.rotaryforum.com/threads/titanium-explorer-first-impression.44837/post-884471

 

[Andino]

BTW, I believe that the ballooning tendency upon levelling out (because RRPM stays high for a moment) has been the trigger for many PPO crashes in susceptible gyros piloted by beginners -- often on an early trip around the pattern. the pilot feels the balloon and throws the stick forward, whereupon the unopposed engine thrust pushes the gyro nose-over.

Yes, it's a typical beginner error to try to correct ballooning with stick instead of power. They must be trained out of that poor reflex.

 

[Doug Riley]

The ballooning out of a tight turn is best ignored. There's no need to "correct" it at all. It's momentary. Just level out, leave the controls alone and proceed on your way. Chill!

A big part of leaning to fly a gyro is, in fact, learning to do NOTHING. Hold the stick still, relax and enjoy the scenery -- and watch all around for traffic!

 

[Andino]

You're speaking of RRPM increase/ballooning from a tight turn? Agreed.
Sorry, I had on my brain the landing phase of roundout or flare.
Carry on.

 

[MikeBoyette]

The ballooning out of a tight turn is best ignored. There's no need to "correct" it at all. It's momentary. Just level out, leave the controls alone and proceed on your way. Chill!

A big part of leaning to fly a gyro is, in fact, learning to do NOTHING. Hold the stick still, relax and enjoy the scenery -- and watch all around for traffic!

Sure is. I was amazed how long it took for me to relax the death grip I had on the stick all of the time. Dad kept telling me “you can fly with just the tips of two fingers, quit trying to strangle it.”

 

[Doug Riley]

My mantra to students was "Be lazy. Be laid back. Be cool. Do LESS."

Yeah, easier said than done when, while levelling out of a turn, you THINK you feel a "big gust" ballooning you up. The temptation is to "correct" for the "gust" by throwing the stick forward. It's not a gust, it's just one of the quirks of a variable-RPM rotor.

I wouldn't touch the throttle, either. Changing throttle kicks off a whole sequence of minor corrections to airspeed, yaw, and on and on. Leave the thing alone!

A number of the old "negative G" accidents took place after a newbie, on an early pattern flight, had made a pattern turn and was rolling back out.