Gyrocopter anyone?

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68gtxman

I used to reMember
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Anyone like the idea of minimalist flying? I have ever since I watched Mad Max 40 years ago! I bought a Bensen B8M in 2000 that I need to finish restoring before I can fly it. In the mean time, here are a couple of other gyros flying.
 
In 1992 I went to a yard sale next door to a church.

There was a "heliport" sign next to the garage.

I asked what that meant, and the seller, the minister from next door, opened the doors and said "that's for sale, too- $2000".

No motor but could accept one and he explained that it really didn't need one and could be pulled by a small plane or even a car to take off.

I seriously considered it but the next day a gyro pilot was killed about 20 miles away when he hit power lines.

I felt that was "a sign", and didn't pursue it.
 
In 1992 I went to a yard sale next door to a church.

There was a "heliport" sign next to the garage.

I asked what that meant, and the seller, the minister from next door, opened the doors and said "that's for sale, too- $2000".

No motor but could accept one and he explained that it really didn't need one and could be pulled by a small plane or even a car to take off.

I seriously considered it but the next day a gyro pilot was killed about 20 miles away when he hit power lines.

I felt that was "a sign", and didn't pursue it.

We all gotta go sometime (though I prefer old age). I think my gyro was originally built by an older man, who never finished or flew it. But since it sat outdoors for a lot of years, it had a lot of corrosion on it. I believe that I still paid $4K for it because it had new aluminum rotors and supposedly the engine had been rebuilt. Bensen is still in business and they still sell this model and replacement parts for it too. I bought a complete hardware kit for it (I forget the price now) and I started replacing every nut, bolt and washer on it. I only got about halfway through it before life got in the way again. It is on my list to complete after my 340-6 engine for the Barracuda.
 
I've got about 70% of a gyrobee/honeybee hybird done.
Need to get back on it one day.
I've got too many projects, I just bought a 81 Corvette that
need some attention and a 76 Honda 550SS that's on the list
not to mention my 70 Dart that's awaiting some love.
Here's what I've really got my heart set on.

Hummel Aviation
 
I always liked the little PL-12 Airtruk at the end of Beyond Thunderdome, myself... Those, unfortunately, few and far between anymore.
 
who remembers the flying dingy? Autogyro mounted onto a rowboat pulled by a powerboat? Its featured in Disneylands "Innovations" opening film.

FYI, Ken Wallis is the stunt pilot in this scene! And thats his WA-116.

 
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No thanks! Not for me.
The company that I worked at years ago lost our Chief of Security one weekend. He was out flying the gyrocopter he'd just finished and crashed right in front of his wife and kids when it lost power.
I'll stick to 4 tires on the ground in my Mopar.
But have fun with yours! Just be safe.
 
Loss of power shouldn't cause a gyro to crash.

They're auto-gyros.

They're actually falling all the time, in auto-rotation.

That's why the engine is optional.

Just makes it faster and able to take off on it's own.
 
I swear this is true

Before I got into HVAC service, I sold auto parts for about 16 years. This is long before Al Gore invented the internet, before we knew how to use HEI modules. This was early to mid eighties.

Some guy came in and wanted to talk to me. He said he had a Johnson/ Evinrude V4 with electronic ignition, like a 50-75 hp, the marina wanted 500 bucks for a new ECU. I had sympathy. He wanted to adapt something automotive. I had no real answers, suggested he try and put the older breaker ignition they used to use in it. He hemmed and hawed, and wasted time, and wanted answers I could not provide. We were busy, the phones were ringing, customers were waiting, and I was getting irritated.

I finally told him "Ya know, you could fiddle around and get something rigged up, but if it quit you on a cold day, you could spend a REAL long cold night on, say, Lake Pend Oreille."

"Oh," he says, "this is not on a boat. IT'S IN A HOMEBUILT HELICOPTER!!!"
 
I've been sitting on a V-twin Honda engine with some crazy ideas like this SD-1....

sd1-minisport.jpg


 
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Autogiro's also use the Subaru flat 4 with a Holly 2 barrel on them. The helicopter owes a lot to the autogiro, mainly the head design with lead/lag and flapping hinges. First aircraft to land on the White house lawn was a Pitcairn autogiro, 1931
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Autogiro's also use the Subaru flat 4 with a Holly 2 barrel on them. The helicopter owes a lot to the autogiro, mainly the head design with lead/lag and flapping hinges. First aircraft to land on the White house lawn was a Pitcairn autogiro, 1931View attachment 1714946982

After I bought my gyrocopter, I went out to Robinsville Airport because Pitcairn's son has a hangar out there. I knocked on the door and just walked in when no one answered. The same autogyro that is in your photo was sitting there (maybe a second copy?) and an old man came over and started yelling at me. Well that guy was Pitcairn's son. (His father died around 1960). After I told him that I was seeking gyro instruction, he told me No, but that I could look around. He had a crew there still making brand new biplanes! Pretty cool collection of old airplanes too.
 
2 words..John Denver.

I had never looked this up.........

NTSB Determines John Denver's Crash Caused by Poor Placement of Fuel Selector Handle Diverting His Attention During Flight

NTSB Determines John Denver's Crash Caused by Poor Placement of Fuel Selector Handle Diverting His Attention During Flight

1/26/1999
The National Transportation Safety Board has determined today that popular entertainer John Denver fatally crashed his experimental aircraft into Monterey Bay because his attention during flight was diverted in an attempt to switch fuel tanks. The fuel selector valve on the amateur-built Adrian Davis Long-EZ airplane Denver was flying was behind the pilot's left shoulder, forcing him to turn in his seat to locate the handle. This action, the Board concluded, likely caused him to inadvertently apply the right rudder, resulting in loss of aircraft control.

On October 12, 1997 Mr. Denver was performing touch and go operations in his recently purchased aircraft at the Monterey Peninsula Airport located in Pacific Grove, California. The pilot touched down three times before turning west and heading out into Monterey Bay. Moments later witnesses reported hearing a reduction in engine noise. The pilot made no distress calls and the aircraft was destroyed when it impacted the bay. The pilot and the majority of the aircraft were recovered.

Contributing to the crash was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, specifically his failure to refuel the plane. The Board further determined that the builder's decision to locate the unmarked fuel selector handle in a difficult to access location, combined with unmarked fuel gauges was a causal factor in the accident. Additionally, the Board found that the pilot failed to train himself adequately for the transition to this type of aircraft and was inexperienced flying the Long-EZ.
 
So Denver ran out of gas (no fuel gauge) then frantically tried to switch fuel tanks with a knob behind his left shoulder? Man, thats a Darwin award nominee, but I love his roadtrip music. His Dad was a B-58 Hustler pilot as well as Gen. James "Jimmy" Stewart, USAF Res.

<<PS>> Denver's plane was only one of 1200 built with tank switch behind pilot, all others had it between legs on panel. Duh!
 
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