Trailering

[Gyro28866]

DavePA:
How long is your trailer?
38' Gooseneck with 10' inside height, 30' on the floor and 8' in the neck.
I did some woodwork and made the neck into a camper. I have 6'1" of standing room there. Basically it gives me 64 square feet of living area. there is a rooftop A/C & heat installed. I installed a 30amp electrical panel in it also. Dormitory fridge and Captains bed. Pretty cozy for a flyin.

 

[NJpilot]

One big advantage of the trike and or airplanes, is the ability to install and use a BRS parachute system. no parachute system has ever been successfully tested and approved for gyro use.

Galaxy has their Galaxy Recovery System (GRS) and has models and installations that are designed for gyros and helicopters. These are not ballistic chutes of the past where you are correct that nothing was tested or approved by any company for gyros. The GRS is designed to allow the bridle to contact the spinning rotor as it deploys from the side and has a sliding loop in the bridle mounted just below the rotor that closes around the spinning rotor and shaft like a noose. This would normally twist the chute lines and prevent it from opening. The innovation that prevents twisting is a mechanical inline swivel on the bridle, between the rotor and chute, that allows the bridle attached to the spinning rotor to spin independently from the bridle attached to the chute.

Below is a link to the product page showing an animation of what I just described along with videos of ground tests of the system being deployed through a spinning rotor, and installation instructions and photos for various gyro and helicopter models. Unfortunately the page includes Photoshopped images of gyros and helicopters descending on GRS chutes. As of April 2019 no GRS system has been deployed on any rotorcraft.

Gyro & Helicopters | GALAXY GRS s.r.o.

Galaxy GRS is the manufacture of parachute launchers and recovery systems for Parachute, Drones, UAV, Quadcopter, Multicopter, VTOL, Aerotaxi, parachute safety systems. CAN-BUS, Dual and High speed parachute rescue system. DJI Inspire 1, A2, A3 parachute

www.galaxysky.cz

John

 

[Richard Anderson]

Very interesting topic. Would a better option for an already competent pilot traveling around the country be to just rent a nice airplane for local sightseeing? Having motorhomed over most of this country, we have found that even towing a car is more trouble than it is worth when there are options like Enterprise that will bring a vehicle to your site. By the same token, renting aircraft is easy and I have used this option to try out different types of aircraft while also adding endorsements, example: Sport Pilot Gyroplane. Owning an aircraft that can be trailered safely without damage, quickly set up, and flown from an off airport site may have to wait for something like the Blackfly multicopter. Until then, renting different aircraft seems a better, more fun, less stressful way to enjoy aviating while traveling around this country.

 

[Tyger]

I think his main idea is to a fly gyroplane, and those, of course, are not available for rent.

 

[Richard Anderson]

Well, that depends. In my travels, I’ve gotten to fly 2 Magni M16’s in Missouri (to get my Gyroplane endorsement), a Sparrowhawk and a Calidus in Utah, another M16 in Texas, and of course, at Mentone, Indiana, an MTO Sport, Calidus, yet another M16, and an AR-1. Granted, there was a brave owner/dealer/instructor in the other seat, but it gave me a chance to check out different aircraft making my eventual buying decision easier. I’ve also done the same with weightshift trikes and several fixed wings (Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, Arizona, Florida). Hopefully, someday rental gyros will be as available as other aircraft. But as of now, “introductory flights” are the only option without/before putting down big money for all the pleasure/aggravation of trailering one aircraft around. To answer the OP’s question, at this time my choice for a least expensive, most durable, easiest setup motorhome trailerable aircraft for local sightseeing flights would be a weightshift trike (strutted single surface Wing)- maybe even electric powered. Always been a stick&rudder man, but what the heck. And keep saving up for that manned multicopter.lol.

 

[Abid]

....
To answer the OP’s question, at this time my choice for a least expensive, most durable, easiest setup motorhome trailerable aircraft for local sightseeing flights would be a weightshift trike (strutted single surface Wing)- maybe even electric powered. Always been a stick&rudder man, but what the heck. And keep saving up for that manned multicopter.lol.

As someone who designed, manufactured and flew trikes for many years and you probably went to Florida and most likely flew in a trike that was likely from my old company, trikes are awesome but more limited by wind. Someone like me or Larry can fly them in 20+ knots gusting winds but we have thousands of hours on us. Most people don't last 100 and quit before they ever get there. The bottom line is the older you are the less likely are trikes a good fit for you. They are definitely not an old man's toy so to speak. They require agility, reflexes, upper body strength and a stomach made of steel and of course the sense of control is completely opposite. You come to a point where you know you will be entering a thermal a fraction of a second before you actually are in it and you start to correct for it that fraction of a second earlier. That is the difference between a new pilot in a trike and a very experienced one. That is what will beat you up. You don't even know how you start to know that but you just do. Till then hang on with reflexes and upper body gymnastics.
In calm evening air I have yet to see or experience the magic carpet ride trike can give in any other category of machine.
Electric trikes are not there yet. Stick with an engine and I do not think they are any more robust than a gyro. Strutted wings also should not be trailered on bad roads sitting on the floor. Best is to pack them up in a tube. Its almost the same argument as rotors hooked to the mast.

Having said that if Putin can fly a trike, I guess anyone can

Or you can always fly above the clouds. Always smooth like we did here in formation of 3

Another sort of famous personality who flies trikes is the singer of German band called Ramstein. He is an acquaintance

 

[Richard Anderson]

Actually, got my first trike ride at Oshkosh, but also have a trike enthusiast at our local field who at 65 flies at least 100 hours/ year and who I have flown with several times. He also flies a foot launch powered parawing. Hell, I just turned 70 and what is slowing me down is rehabing a knee replacement, but now it’s better than it’s been for years. Besides, don’t need that for a trike. Lol. My abs may be more like a keg than a six pack, but still in good enough shape to ride my tadpole trike, kayak and play Pickleball. Of course, would not purchase any machine without proper, thorough instruction, but that kind of makes my point that renting and getting experience with different types of aircraft and different makes of each type makes sense before pulling the trigger. Thanks for the advice, Fara, but don’t give up on us “old men” just yet.

 

[Abid]

Actually, got my first trike ride at Oshkosh, but also have a trike enthusiast at our local field who at 65 flies at least 100 hours/ year and who I have flown with several times. He also flies a foot launch powered parawing. Hell, I just turned 70 and what is slowing me down is rehabing a knee replacement, but now it’s better than it’s been for years. Besides, don’t need that for a trike. Lol. My abs may be more like a keg than a six pack, but still in good enough shape to ride my tadpole trike, kayak and play Pickleball. Of course, would not purchase any machine without proper, thorough instruction, but that kind of makes my point that renting and getting experience with different types of aircraft and different makes of each type makes sense before pulling the trigger. Thanks for the advice, Fara, but don’t give up on us “old men” just yet.

What's the name of your local trike enthusiast? I may know him.

 

[Richard Anderson]

Alan Mays. His trike, I believe, is an Evolution XT with a 582. Beautiful machine. Bought it from a dealer near Chicago. We fly out of a grass strip near Peoria.

 

[alanbarker]

Hi guys, I really enjoyed this thread and thanks for all the feedback.
It appears that I may have to adjust the bucket list thing. I love the range and capabilities of a gyro, so perhaps a cross country to Utah, S Dakota etc and flying for a month in the local area might be the way to go.
I have friends that trailer paramotor trikes (rather substantial ones like a Fresh Breeze X-one), but as been said, they have limited range, speed, and weather restrictions. I fantasize about driving along and seeing a beautiful location, pulling into a rest area, jumping out and going flying, but that's obviously not realistic...

 

[Jazzenjohn]

I used to carry my small gyro in the bed of my pick up truck. lately I've been experimenting with this.

 

[Roger]

One bolt removes the rotor. I’d never trailer with the rotor on. I’ve always had a long rack to hold the completely assembled rotor once I remove it from the head. Easy winch assembly eliminated the need to man handle the rotors.
Pretty simple rig.

Any chance you could text me a photo of your trailer. I am having one rigged now but would like to get other ideas. Roger Douglas 229 560 3189. Thanks.

 

[Joe Pires]

Hi, Joe! Thanks for the reply. When you get your trailer, I'd love to get some pictures and info on your specs. Do you plan to remove the rotor when trailering?
I'm a 6-7 month snowbird, wintering in Ft Myers. I head south soon, and will be looking for a flying and hanger location.

Since this post i have received my trailer and have made my first road trip. I am happy to say it wo

Hi, Joe! Thanks for the reply. When you get your trailer, I'd love to get some pictures and info on your specs. Do you plan to remove the rotor when trailering?
I'm a 6-7 month snowbird, wintering in Ft Myers. I head south soon, and will be looking for a flying and hanger location.

Hi Allen sorry for the late reply but I just saw this. I did finish my trailer and completed my first trip trailering my gyro about a 1200 mile round trip and my design seems to work. My trailer is 24 feet long and I had a box built into the top that sticks up 2 feet and is two feet wide. I can winch my machine inside with the blades attached. The blades when pulled down to the rear go into the front of the box. Once the gyro is in its full forward position, I place supports under the front blades. Then I can remove the teeter bolt and lift the rear and put supports under them. My first trip including some adjustments but thanks to Chris Buchanan and Daniel Boone, from the Carolina Barnstormers, we completed the adjustments and greatly enhanced the ease of loading. I have included this link to a bunch of pics. I am (my wife Laura is) planning my trip of a life time for this May. We plan to hit Canyonlands, Arches, and Capital Reef National Parks and fly in and around them. Here is a link to my trailer https://photos.app.goo.gl/VZ8ABzwxxFoLuqJ67

 

[Resasi]

I have a small trailer so I disassemble the blades from hub bar

Nice looking set-up, was it a custom made trailer?

What sort of suspension?

Can you give rough dimensions? Some more pics

Thanks.

 

[Joe Pires]

It was an standard 24 foot trailer. I had them remove the v nose, and finish the top front square instead of rounded. I added smaller spacing on the side wall and roof members. I added 30 inches of height, to accomodate my mast height. Then i brought it to a fabricator. He grafted the box onto the roof. Removed the springs that opened the door. Mounted a winch on the roof to open and close the door. Made a steel frame to stabilize the door opening. Mounted a removable support from floor to ceiling to prevent the box from flexing while driving and the trailer from distorting while lifting the door. Measurement were established by drawing the gyro in the box on graph paper. Determining where the rotor, whhels, tail etc would end up. This then showed the size and front and back overhangs neccesary to accommodate the rotors. The blade support is a rafter hanger on one side, and an etrack stud holder on the other side to which i glued material from anti fatique mats fir cushioning. I will send a few more pics later.

 

[Resasi]

First off, the idea of taking of in a motorhome, towing a flying machine, so you can get some flying in as you go from area to area is a awesome idea and sounds like good times to me. Im actually very jealous!

...

Good post Ron, and sums up what a lot of folks would like to do, ie take off around the country with the ability at time to take to the air...or...have a flying machine for exploring the backwoods in the area where one has a holiday home.

I have often watched videos of the ‘Carbon Cub/Husky/Kitfox adventures with STOL fixed wings and tundra tyres and wondered about the possibilities. Problems are that those sorts are a) expensive and b) not that conducive to being trailered around.

You explored the pros and cons of the gyro, but so far not many have been designed for that sort of operation. There are single seat machines, and even three seat machines that do fill that bill to a degree, in Australia with the single seat mustering machines of which there are some. Eric Hoskins builds these, very good looking machines with 912 engines. I am sure that these would at some stage be used in some fairly rough conditions, and Birdy must have been operating from some less than ideal strips during his time.

And the Wagtail Trojan from South Africa

This gyro really shows what is possible for a gyro in terms of rough bush type operations.

I think that there may just exist a market for something similar in the US. Certainly with the population numbers compared with either of those two other countries. I have seen some fat tired Sport Copters that look fairly rugged, and yes it will take a more powerful engine, which will cost big $$$ but then again a Carbon Cub and some of those STOL fixed wings are pretty expensive, and not that trailerable.

Who knows, something may turn up, that might just be a little bit along those lines for the US.

 

[Aviator168]

To the OP, I think the best thing to do is to use motorized paraglider. You can takeoff from almost anywhere. The only downside is you can only fly in calm air, and you don't need a trailer. I think that's what I will doing before building my gyrocycle.

 

[jrrylee]

Nice looking set-up, was it a custom made trailer?

What sort of suspension?

Can you give rough dimensions? Some more pics

Thanks.

It started as a car trailer I built many years ago for a previous hobby, I enclosed it to haul the gyro and to have sleeping quarters. the inside with is 74" I don't recall the length but there's no extra, (tail must be turned to fit) 3.500lbs short axles. I'll DM you the inside dimensions when I can.
'll

 

[Resasi]

That is most impressive.

Unfortunately I will have my hands full with my present ‘two week’ project, and that sort of trailer looks way beyond both my budget and abilities.

 

[Resasi]

Who knows, something may turn up, that might just be a little bit along those lines for the US.

It was an idea that deserved some thought.

How about a gyro that will do rougher than normal, big tires, a bit of grunt, good suspension, efficient pre-rotator, and good performing blades? Perhaps camping trays for possible a small tent, sleeping bag etc?

Denis Schoemaker of Gyro Technic is now working on the GT-VX2 912 ‘Explorer’.

His present GT-VX1 is a nimble sprightly 582 powered single seat, round the local area, turning and burning, fun gyro. Stable, smooth, and agile, good performances but with around 7 gals and the 582 not the greatest range.

Put a 100 HP Rotax 912 ULS burning less fuel, bigger tanks, the new Razor Blade rotors that he has being doing a lot of work on, and which are promising some nice performance, and the ‘Explorer’ is an idea presently being worked on.

Coming to Bensen Days? Could be there, and at Sun n Fun.