Welcome Mat

Welcome Mat

I'd like to introduce myself. I am a 47 year old South African IT exec, I have +150 helicopter hours, on R22's, R44's, Bell 206B and 206L and Bell 47. I gave up recreational flying a few years ago because it simply became too expensive due to exchange rate fluctuations and the like. Still keen to fly I have now acquired a Sycamore Eagle Gyro from Chayair here and will be doing an MPL while waiting for the machine to arrive. I am Eager to learn and hear tips and tricks, especially from high-time people!
 
Jetranger_ct said:
I'd like to introduce myself. I am a 47 year old South African IT exec, I have +150 helicopter hours, on R22's, R44's, Bell 206B and 206L and Bell 47. I gave up recreational flying a few years ago because it simply became too expensive due to exchange rate fluctuations and the like. Still keen to fly I have now acquired a Sycamore Eagle Gyro from Chayair here and will be doing an MPL while waiting for the machine to arrive. I am Eager to learn and hear tips and tricks, especially from high-time people!

Welcome, make sure to post some photos when you get the Sycamore, those are really nice looking gyro..Give us a report how it flys.
 
Greetings all, my name is John Pearce from Taunton, Somerset, UK, Flying out of Watchford Farm. (http://www.devonstrut.co.uk/pages/airfields/watchford.htm) after spending 24 years in the Royal Air Force and the remainder in civil airlines, having retired I typed the words RAF into the net and came up with this machine, no hesitation I ordered one and have the greatest amount of pleasure ever since, even though I bent it and rebuilt it. Does anyone out there have pax insurance on two seat Gyros.
 
Wow, John, beautiful home strip!

Not sure what your insurance options would be in the UK. Hull insurance for a gyro, which would have aided you in your rebuild, is unavailable or prohibitively costly here.

Latest I've heard here in the US, getting liability insurance on an RAF requires at least a private gyroplane rating, 3 hours of dual training from a factory-authorized instructor, and adding a keel-mounted horizontal stabilizer.

Send us some aerial photos of Watchford this season, and get them to put a picture of your gyro on their page!
 
John,

That is a beautiful airstrip and surrounding coutryside! I'm afraid I'd get lost though - all the fields around here are square.

Alan
 
Its a beautiful part of Devon, South West England, about 40 miles south of Bristol and not far from Plymouth where the first Colonials graced your country. The European Air Authorities have just changed the rules on insurance and we now have to have pax insurance on all two seat aircraft. For some reason the insurance agencies dont like Gyros, they think they are black magic machines, but I understand all insurance goes thru Lloyds of London, so maybe an understanding Broker in your neck of the woods could be more understanding.
 
The Eagles Lair

The Eagles Lair

Henstridge airfield in southern England is where all the chaps from the South go for training and banter. Lots of single and two seaters. The main man is Tony Melody a very experienced and humble person.
http://www.henstridgeairfield.com/ourpooleyspage.htm. Here are a few pics of the boys toys:
 

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Welcome John.

Why not join us on the RAF threads?!

It looks like you have a full sqd. of RAF's. Why not share some more photos and info with us here.


Cheers :)
 
Hello,
New member and fairly uninformed about gyro info.

I have one issue: I am trying to make a 140 mile commute actually reasonable by the use of a gyrocopter. And I am serious about doing it.
I live in an area where my expertise is in zero demand. My wife can't/won't Move because of her job (that is what I get for marrying a career person).
So I have to either stay in a zero ceiling job, or figure out how to make a commute work at least 2-3 days a week initially. I have read about the space.com project,etc. etc.. Am I just ahead of the reality of air commuting 10 years, or not? I am not a pilot, only flown (as a passenger) in something as small as a Cherokee. If I did invest in a gyrocopter, (full enclosure with doors, of course) what would be the best for me? Am I having a pipe dream?
By the way, I only been ridden in a helicopter once (Blackhawk) and I was less than at ease. Of course it was the middle of the night and pilot had night vision goggles on! (= zero depth perception)
 
NOt at all MIke!
Short commutes can be done by gyros and other aircraft as well, on the same price range.
Go fly a gyro as get the feel for it.
My dream is to fly a gyro from Florida do Brazil and my first experience told me that particular machine was not what I was looking for. Five years past and we are way ahead in the game, so . . .
Welcome
Heron
 
If I wanted a 2 place machine, I'd go with the Sparrowhawk. Select the Sparrowhawk forum and check out some of Stan Foster's post and you'll see why.
 
OK, minkwinkdink, try this.........

OK, minkwinkdink, try this.........

Start with talking to the guys about gyros, learn what will work and what won't, get all your ducks in a row and...........
Begin making a documentary about a guy who needs transportation and winds up choosing something that 99%, or more, of people don't even recognize as transportation and show them how you do/did it. Be the first one to sell to the cable channels a story about making an end run around all the 'still in the box" commuters. Grow yourself some big ones, let your wife know that you are blazing a new trail, and strike it rich.
Man, could you have some fun with this one..........!
cracker
 
I just wanted to say hello. I know nothing about these GyroBees/GyroCopters, other than what my friend Alan Coats would share with me. I wanted to post a small tribute to him, which I've already done. I can tell he was greatly admired and respected in this forum. Be safe, please.
 
New Member...

New Member...

New guy in Vancouver, WA. I'll be lurking for a while to get the "feel" of the list. I have a few hrs in w/ Scott Malone years ago and now I'm ready to get back in the saddle. I should be back in the air this summer. My name is Waymon. Hi, all.
 
Waymon, Welcome to the World of the GyroNuts.
We are a Fun Loving Family, we will grow on ya.

Two Fly-Ins coming up Mentone in Indiana in July.
ROC in South Carolina in Oct.
It would be a good time to get up close and personally with the Aircraft.

Bet you could catch a ride with a BFI or CFI at anyone of these fly-ins.

Wish ya Luck in your Future Hobby. MJ :) Sunstate Rotor Club PRA Ch#26
 
Hey Darkwing

one prime point to consider about engines used in aircraft, on a aircraft in flight, they never get a chance to back off for even a second so the load factor is really heavy. on almost any other type vehicle they have power applied and reduced at intermittent intervals giving the engine a chance to get a breath. It is this constant load that causes many two strokes not designed for this type of use to have seziures or partial seziures. This is why the water cooled types are usually more dependable because of the better ablility to dissipaate the heat.

Tony
 
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