When and where is Bensen Days 2005 going be held?

[gyroplanes]

Folding mast - truck clearance

Folding mast - truck clearance

Hack saw and spare mast......Bingo! problem solved.
My next project... Mentone airport mess.

 

[GyroRon]

Tim, with the way that Subbie gyro is performing, it sure would be a bitch to tow it all the way down to have to throw a rod, carb mess up, pump out oil, etc..... Better to play it safe and take down the Aircommand. No stopping that 447! And if it did stop, all the parts you need are a short 30 miles away at Lockwood!

My plan would be to build a long trailer long enough to hold both gyros and a motorcycle. Bring all the toys!!! Rain won't hurt em, just wrap the airfilter and rotorhead with garbage bags and duct tape em and your good to go.

 

[Cobra Doc]

So, between Bensen Days and Mentone, which is the better one? I will only be able to make one trip, other than Reno, and I would like to meet as many people and have as much fun as possible. I also go to Copperstate, but that's in my back yard.

 

[GyroRon]

Never been to Mentone but from what most people tell me that have been to both, Bensen Days is better. Not as hot either.

 

[Dean_Dolph]

Cody, I've been to both, several times, and it depends on what you expect from the experience. They are two different flavors!

Bensen days is more of a social gathering while Mentone supplies more of the technical with its forums and PRA life and membership meetings. It is hard to say which will have the most machines but it is not unusual to have the 'new/innovative' stuff show up at Bensen Days first but usually there is more of the 'new/innovative' stuff at Mentone. When I say more, I mean the 'stuff' that shows up at Bensen Days usually is at Mentone also, along with 'stuff' that isn't. And that is all I've got to say about that stuff!

 

[Cobra Doc]

Thanks Ron and Dean. That's the kind of stuff I want to know about. Since this should be my first official business trip related to gizmos, I would like to meet & greet everyone. Sounds like I may be going to Bensen Days, the social setting should be more conducive to my learing curve. Any volunteers to learn me how to fly a gizmo?

 

[barnstorm2]

So, between Bensen Days and Mentone, which is the better one? I will only be able to make one trip, other than Reno, and I would like to meet as many people and have as much fun as possible. I also go to Copperstate, but that's in my back yard.

I have been to both and.... I would hate to miss either.

Like Dean said they are not the same.

Benson days has the advantage of being the first chance to shake off 'cabin fever' for us northerners. It does seem smaller and less busy then Mentone. Personally, I like the fact it is a very differn't terrain to fly over then what I am used to which is the mid-west farmland. I think Bdays has a better 'show' for the people there to watch because you can sit under the big trees in the shade and be next to the flight line and the mid-point on the runway.

PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME THE TREES ARE OK!

The shower water is sulfurous so that takes some getting used to.

Is the shower repaired from the storm?

Mentone is busyer. So much so I was not able to get any real training time in, the instructors are so booked they just do the demo rides. Forums, contests, member meetings, and museum keep you busy at Mentone. However, from a spectators POV there is no shade tree along the flightline and runway. YOu have to setup a folding chair in the sun or bring a shade tent. If bad weather hits you can stash your gyro in the long hanger (see back cover Rotorcraft issue before last). Mentone is decentralized with gyros in one sections, Helis in another and fixed wings parked at the other side of the runway. As discussed in another tread a 'welcome' brochure with events, map and whos'swho I think will be an improvement. I think the flight line is better managed at Mentone with some very hard working airbosses and with the FAA 'boxes' next to the runway and behind the hangers the 'in-flight' portion of the show is great.

Bday's at night I liked better. The poor hotel selection seems to have more people camping and at Bdays there is a great firepit under the trees with plenty of space to sit and hang. Mentone could take a lesson here.

 

[Cobra Doc]

Sounds like B-days is better for socializing, which would pretty much be my reason for going.

 

[barnstorm2]

Tim, with the way that Subbie gyro is performing, it sure would be a bitch to tow it all the way down to have to throw a rod, carb mess up, pump out oil, etc..... Better to play it safe and take down the Aircommand. No stopping that 447! And if it did stop, all the parts you need are a short 30 miles away at Lockwood!

My plan would be to build a long trailer long enough to hold both gyros and a motorcycle. Bring all the toys!!! Rain won't hurt em, just wrap the airfilter and rotorhead with garbage bags and duct tape em and your good to go.

Last year there was hanger-talk of having everyone in chapter 34 pitch in $ for a semi and have the gyros shipped down and back. That would be really cool. Nothing ever came of it though, the one person we knew that owned a semi would not let us use it.

 

[GyroRon]

Cody if you make your choice Bensen Days I am sure you won't be disappointed. I have yet to talk to one person that has been to both fly ins that would rather go to Mentone if they only had the option of going to one of these fly ins. Certainly some of the people really close to Florida will favor B.Days and some close to Mentone will favor Mentone, but ask people who live in the middle and see what they say. It is a good time and hopefully there will be more folks going this year. Hope to see more of the Texas crowd this year - hint hint Matt Pearson!

Also at this past Mentone word has it the FAA was there and this scared alot of people from flying. Knock on wood but so far Bensen Days has hovered below the radar as far as that goes.

 

[GyroRon]

Tim, you would be surpised how much stuff you can fit on a small trailer if you load carefully. Remember me rig from Bensen Days? A airplane and two motorbikes and all my camping gear on a 16 foot landscape trailer! I have also hauled two Dominators at the same time on a 6x14 foot trailer.

 

[mcbirdman]

Not only were they there but pilots were not allowed to overfly the runway and when they took off they had to stay away from the area, perhaps 1/2 mile away on the other side of the runway. Very dissapointing to not get to see them up close like usual. I think it was boring since there wasn't much to see. I think it was too bad.... Unless you were on them you couldn't see them at work...... Since when is it not ok to make approaches or go arounds anyway?

 

[Dean_Dolph]

Cody if you make your choice Bensen Days I am sure you won't be disappointed.

Nope, he won't be disappointed! I hope to make it this year after missing last year.

I have yet to talk to one person that has been to both fly ins that would rather go to Mentone if they only had the option of going to one of these fly ins. Certainly some of the people really close to Florida will favor B.Days and some close to Mentone will favor Mentone, but ask people who live in the middle and see what they say.

Well, Ron, I don't know if I qualify as living in the middle and I guess you never talked to me about it! If I have to make a choice, like I did this year, I will always go to Mentone. I don't miss the 'Big One' if at all possible.

Also at this past Mentone word has it the FAA was there and this scared alot of people from flying. Knock on wood but so far Bensen Days has hovered below the radar as far as that goes.

Yes, I believe the FAA was there! I suspect they will always be at the 'Big One'. So what! If you are legal what is your problem? You certainly couldn't tell the FAA affected anyone from the amount of flying being done.

 

[Dean_Dolph]

Not only were they there but pilots were not allowed to overfly the runway and when they took off they had to stay away from the area, perhaps 1/2 mile away on the other side of the runway. Very dissapointing to not get to see them up close like usual. I think it was boring since there wasn't much to see. I think it was too bad.... Unless you were on them you couldn't see them at work...... Since when is it not ok to make approaches or go arounds anyway?

Hmm, James you saw it different than I did! I guess that is why eye witnesses reports are taken with a grain of salt by many in law enforcement.

 

[mcbirdman]

yep, but as you just posted you weren't there.......

 

[StanFoster]

I was at Mentone 2004 and the FAA was there. I saw the gentleman sitting at the back of the trailor during an early morning pilots briefing. I also saw him up on the tower with binoculars.

I heard of a few ramp checks...but can not personally say I saw one. Everyone was flying the same...you could get as close as before. I do know of some that were not going to fly due to the fear of being ramp checked.

Thats one reason I went and had my Air Command all legal....and my RAF as well. Had I been ramp checked...I would have had no problems because I had all the papers on board...my log books were with me showing my by annual flight review was valid...and my third class medical was valid as well.

Had I not been legal..I would have been intimidated by the FAA gentleman with the binoculars.

Stan

 

[mcbirdman]

I was at the pilot briefing also even though I didn't have anything to fly. The point is that flying was different. Except to land there wasn't low passes being made like other visits and that is exactly why when there were a few it was the sparrowhawk and it made me look. That I believe is also when I was told that eyewitness's view had to be taken with a grain of salt.

Well, I was there and I know what I saw and I know what other people pointed out about that also. Flying was kept farther away from runway in that except to land they went over to the other side of the runway flying which meant they were not easily seen or noticed. It is true this is where they went before but they were not coming back and forth like before. I would have gotten more photographs of them this year with my new image stabilization lense I brought especially for this purpose. Other years I could have had my fill of flybys and low passes. This year I had a few times, pretty much of the showcase to get what I was going to get..... I think it was too bad that I couldn't see more like before. Definately different last year, for whatever reasons.

 

[Dean_Dolph]

yep, but as you just posted you weren't there.......

Read again! I was at Mentone but not at Bensen Days.

 

[mcbirdman]

read all the quotes in the reply. I stand corrected.

Still - Don't you remember how people used to go around and around? There wasn't any of that for sure. I know maybe it was safety related or whatever but it was not the same. I would not trade safety for just a look but with less flying visable I think it hurts the public interest when they stop out to look and there isn't much to see in the same way that people don't go to just look at basketballs. They want to see action. Anyway, that is the way I see it and what I noticed.

 

[Vance]

Hi Cody, I believe that you need to go to both. I like the Freedom fly in at El Mirage best. Life is too short to miss great things because you don't have time. I look foward to seeing you at at least two of them. Thank you, Vance