TyroGyro
Junior Member
Following on from safety discussions, and the seemingly intractable problem of continued, senseless, fatal accidents.
Why does this happen? What is it about the gyro that seemingly attracts the lawless and the reckless, disproportionately compared to other aircraft?
Do they think it is merely a flying car that anyone can jump in and take-off in? [for most of its history the gyro has been touted as a kind of (or future) flying car, or "aerial motorbike"]
Is it because it is, objectively, safe(r) than other aircraft, do some owners think that means "easy", "forgiving", or even practically "invulnerable"?
Is it because it's small, and can be trailered in and out of a field, perhaps surreptitiously?
Is it because it's relatively expensive, do some owners think they're already one of life's "winners", and are done with "school"?
Is it because its "cuteness" is so overpowering of common-sense and the instinct for self-preservation?
Is it because it's such a niche pursuit, there are not enough mentors to go around, to flag a "sanity check" with owners?
Is it because instructors are often hundreds of miles away, some owners think they'll DIY just a little, at least to begin with?
Is there anything we can do about it, seriously? Or just shrug, and say "gyros will always have a bad reputation because of such people"?
Does it even matter? In perspective, it's "only" about 115 lives lost over 20 years, mostly avoidably, with maybe 5000 pilots worldwide "safely" enjoying the sport today in factory-built machines...
And, as long as the majority take note of the obvious "mistakes" of the reckless and lawless small minority who are no longer around, it's "Blue Skies" for gyros, for the vast majority?
Is that, realistically, the best we can hope for?
Why does this happen? What is it about the gyro that seemingly attracts the lawless and the reckless, disproportionately compared to other aircraft?
Do they think it is merely a flying car that anyone can jump in and take-off in? [for most of its history the gyro has been touted as a kind of (or future) flying car, or "aerial motorbike"]
Is it because it is, objectively, safe(r) than other aircraft, do some owners think that means "easy", "forgiving", or even practically "invulnerable"?
Is it because it's small, and can be trailered in and out of a field, perhaps surreptitiously?
Is it because it's relatively expensive, do some owners think they're already one of life's "winners", and are done with "school"?
Is it because its "cuteness" is so overpowering of common-sense and the instinct for self-preservation?
Is it because it's such a niche pursuit, there are not enough mentors to go around, to flag a "sanity check" with owners?
Is it because instructors are often hundreds of miles away, some owners think they'll DIY just a little, at least to begin with?
Is there anything we can do about it, seriously? Or just shrug, and say "gyros will always have a bad reputation because of such people"?
Does it even matter? In perspective, it's "only" about 115 lives lost over 20 years, mostly avoidably, with maybe 5000 pilots worldwide "safely" enjoying the sport today in factory-built machines...
And, as long as the majority take note of the obvious "mistakes" of the reckless and lawless small minority who are no longer around, it's "Blue Skies" for gyros, for the vast majority?
Is that, realistically, the best we can hope for?
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