Ultralight Gyroplane Limitations

[RainfordScience]

I'm in a room of experts trying to look interested and not sound like a dummy. I just have to mimic a few buzz words to get some smiles. The expertise will come when I start getting trained and start accumulating hours (if God wills).

 

[gyrojeffro]

The best pilots I know of flew model aircraft before getting involved with full size aircraft, would I suggest people flying model aircraft to be the best pilot? Of course I would unless you want to be the worst pilot.

 

[Resasi]

Flown a large number of types of fixed wing gliders and gyro types, and would equate that to a non pilot who had driven many different types of cars and bikes.

They all follow basic principles and although many handle similarly there will also be ones that will stick out in the memory as being very different from the others in some way, good or bad.

Asking one to describe that is similar to the question above, difficult to be exact unless you made and have test pilot notes and have a question about specific comparisons between particular types.

Birdy’s 'hard mouthed' Magni comparison to his Feral I thought a good description. I learned on a stabless RAF 2000 and a Bensen, when I then flew a M16, I felt it was like comparing a 150 to a DC3.

When I compared the Bensen to a very similar looking Layzelle AV18, the Bensen was very light on the controls almost to the point of instability, whereas the AV18 was very stable an ideal student machine in my opinion, but much less fun to fly...again, in my opinion.

And opinions as we all know are like noses, most of us have them, and they don’t all look the same.

 

[gyrojeffro]

All of the gyroplanes I have flown fly like gyroplanes.

Gyroplane controls generally operate in a similar way.

The cyclic is for speed and maneuvering, the throttle is for altitude and the rudder manages yaw.

It appears to me most of the gyroplane accidents are caused by a misunderstanding of these controls.

Most of learning to fly a gyroplane is rotor management, the takeoff procedure and the landing procedure.

In my opinion a tandem gives the sight picture of a single place machine and a side my side is more like the pitch stability of a single place gyroplane.

A particular design may have some coffin corners that are unique.

I have not flown a Nano so I have no opinion on how like any particular gyroplane she flies.

What is learned about radio work, airspace, weather and risk mitigation pretty much applies to all aircraft.

The way you describe it is basically how all aircraft fly, the gyro just demands those same principles on a higher level. The stick controls airspeed and the throttle height. Even fixed wing instructors teach their students those basic principles, well at least they should

 

[Boonyow]

I’m waiting on delivery of my 50hp Nano, and I’m trying to absorb all things gyro and taking online gyropedia courses to prepare for my eventual real training lessons, you can best believe I’ll put everything I learn to be confident and proficient before that front wheel ever leaves the ground.

 

[Vance]

I was very impressed the quality and engineering of the Nanos I have seen.

§ 103.1 Applicability.

(3) Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight;

With 50 horsepower a Nano may be able to exceed 55kts at full power in level flight making it not a legal ultralight.

 

[Kevin_Richey]

I was very impressed the quality and engineering of the Nanos I have seen.

§ 103.1 Applicability.

(3) Is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight;

With 50 horsepower a Nano may be able to exceed 55kts at full power in level flight making it not a legal ultralight.

The pitch of both the prop & the rotorblades can be tweaked to stay w/in the Part 103 regs., WRT that 55 knot limitation. Usually a coarser pitch results in better climb ability @ slower A/S, while sacrificing cruise speeds.

 

[First pilot]

"Don’t descend too low in big quarries as can be hard to fly out. "
Ain't that the truth! had to do quite a few scenic spirals to get the hell out of a copper mine near Tucson once!

AS for the feel of a gyro, Vance, I'm gonna take a big pass on that statement.
I have flown a Bensen and a Lightning (extensively), and flown much larger heavier two places, Xenon and Doms and Sportcopter 2s,
To suggest that a Sportcopter 2 travelling at 100 mph in total comfort of Italian leather, smooth and fast and solid feeling flies somehow like a Sportcopter Lightning out in the open at 55 mph dodging June beetles? Nope. not even close to the same experience.
That's like saying a Honda Goldwing is like riding a Yamaha RZ 350 Kenny Roberts Edition two stroke, cause you know they are both bikes....
An open seat gyro with middle weight and mid power is just about as perfect as an old Yamaha FZ750.
I too have seen pilots who are so dependent on massive amounts of HP that if they hopped into an ultralight with minimal power would most likely end up balling it because they are so use to powering out of undesirable situations.
What ever you get into get the best training money can buy.

After carefully reading all the inputs on training: I believe that anyone who leaves the ground without training places far to much emphasis on money, rather than life! Please invest in safe flying for the benefit of those who love you!
Tony.

 

[bryancobb]

I'll chime in on the CFI discussion. I love having a CFI. What I detest though, is the way modern CFI's search for every excuse in the world to not solo their students soon after starting training. When I was learning to fly they were looking for an excuse TO LET YOU SOLO. The newer generation of flight instructors seem to make a "sport" out of raising the hours logged before solo. There is no reason most students can't solo in less than 10, and take their checkride at 40.

 

[BEN S]

After carefully reading all the inputs on training: I believe that anyone who leaves the ground without training places far to much emphasis on money, rather than life! Please invest in safe flying for the benefit of those who love you!
Tony.

Not sure if this was a generic statment, but as you quoted my post, I assume you were referring to it.
I not sure I follow the train of thought.
If it was a generic, "get training" then yea...I agree.

 

[StanFoster]

Back when I bought my Bensen in 1979, I didnt know of any gyro instructors. I did have Igor Bensens manual and followed it closely. I practiced real engine outs over the family farm airstrip...and this allowed me to eventually manage 18 real forced landings, not by choice, and I never scratched my self or my machines. Not until almost 800 gyro hours did I ever have another instructor in the same cabin. It was Terry Eiland giving my my bi annual review at Bensen Days.
So for me, it wasnt about money at all.

 

[Eric S]

I did have Igor Bensens manual and followed it closely

I received a sign off for a gyroplane rating in 2-seaters which did not prepare me for flying my single seater. CLOSELY following Bensen's training manual did.