I am an ex military helicopter pilot and gyroplane instructor. I flew helicopters in Vietnam 1968-69 I was teaching gyroplane students for just under 30 years. I have been flying gyros since 1970. I have flown more than 20 different makes and models. I have retired from instructing but still hold a commercial helicopter with instrument rating and commercial gyroplane with instructor rating. I am also rated in airplanes. Once I flew rotorcraft, an airplane never gave me the satisfaction I wanted in flying. The glider was definitely one of the highlights of my flying in gyroplanes. This video kind of addresses that. So many people just think it can't fly, especially without a motor. I think I proved that to be a misconception.
I'm sure you had fun. I never towed. Kiting was the safest for me and even though you only got a few good days for it, it was enough for me. Most of my flying was with power while instructing.
Wow. Thanks, triggered fond memories of my dads home build. The tether weight was a Skoda Estelle II unfortunately dads first err "Flight" was not as successful because he'd anchored the aircraft at the central point where the fuselage scaffold pole intersects with the vertical rotor pole. This seemed to cause the autogyro to want to orientate its horizontal fuselage to be 90 degrees in a more vertical orientation before lift could be achieved. This doesn't take much triangulation mathematics to work out the formula of the rotors 22 foot diameter spinning at 300 rpm and G-forces of 30 tons at the sail tips and the distance to the ground at the rear of the craft which is transitioning gradually between an increasing angle of horizontal to vertical.. Yeah Dad to the right roughly 10 feet, gyrocopter to the left roughly 8 feet, Bits of rotor blades being so embarrassed they'd dug their own 3 foot deep grave just behind the gyrocopter and proceeded to bury themselves whilst other splinters spread themselves around an impressive radius of the test area and became shrapnel in the farmers field to act as potato fertilizer of the future.. Unfortunately we didn't get video footage but after the bits of splintered wood had come to rest and dad had stood up we naturally fell down laughing to tears.. Later noticing we'd found the Skoda was actually good at something. Even if that something was a dead wait. Lol. I had to double take as you're autogyro looked like an extremely similar design.. Dads mk II actually had the same tethering scaffolding at the front. He never managed another flight due to the rotor blade price. His teeter bar was controlled with a downward control stick arrangement other than that, possibly the same blueprint.. Thanks for sharing as dads now flying higher than he ever did and he always had a project on the go. :)
The rotor will NOT support weight if it is not spinning. They would fold up easily under this demonstrated configuration. Rotation, centrifugal force, stiffens them and they easily lift the weight while spinning. Just like swinging a bucket of water around. The water stays in the bucket as long as you spin it.
Yes a fast turning rotor is "stiffer" than a slow turning one. Think about that bucket of water, maybe not the best example but if you spin it vertically fast the water stays in the bucket. If you slow down the rotation, eventually the water and bucket fall out of the rotation. Just some numbers to ponder, the rotor on a Huey helicopter has a safe operating range of 294 to 327 rpm on the rotor. Below 294 the rotor would begin to flex too much which puts bending stresses on the rotor. Above 327, centrifugal forces would overstress all the components of the rotor system. There were weights on the Huey near the hub on a rod that would stretch the rod and you could detect over-speed of the rotor in this manar. I always prefered a fast turning rotor more than a slower one. The rotor on this glider turned about 320 in flight. Below 40 rpm after landing the rotor gets so "limber" that you need to quickly stop it by hand or it will "sail" out of control because it is too limber, slow and not really flying well. Hope this helps@@Jklyt42
Wow. Fascinating to watch. I took some lessons in/on one of these with a wide seat for an instructor, and a pickup truck to tow us up and down the runway. That was fun. It was technically a kite.
In the early days, a pick up truck and towing was very typical. When power supplies became better stronger and lighter, the two place powered gyroplane became a better way to train. However, nothing beats being able to talk to your instructor without an engine screaming behind you.
I still think we should be using them now. Great way to learn the basics and the more basics you know the less time and dual training you need. We had glider dual then solo (about 1-3 hours), dual powered about 3-5 hours and lots of ground runs in your powered machine which our CFI would test fly and ensure was safe. I operated as a gyro-glider instructor at that and another club for 16 years. At the club I learned at (which had dual training and an excellent CFI) I never saw a set of blades so much as bent in all that training. Yes some guys would argue with the CFI and go off an do their own thing and come back bend gyro asking for help re-building and would then listen. Some would just disappear and do it on their own and we'd hear a couple of months later they smashed it up. But those that stuck with the training (which as a club was limited to once a month so would take at least 6 months usually closer to 12months of monthly training weekends). But it worked. All the pilots who learned that way learned on machines that now are considered death traps no stabilisers, had down thrust but not high cg machines - but flown slowly enough not to be an issue. No one died. We had two guys fly through power lines, one was killed again not in training but years latter. I remember watching my CFI arguing with the guy who killed himself. He was flying low over a river in the area he lived Terry told him "Mate they'll string a power line across it at some point and you'll fly right through it". The guy got angry told him he didn't know what he was talking about and a couple of months latter caught the news and there was his gyro being fished out of the river, he had been decapitated. Anyway the old glider is undervalued. I learned all my blade management, take off and landings, turns (although not balanced), proper attitude. I knew what attitude behind the power curve was I could see the blades when they were hinging (the shape of the disk changes). I could generally get off quicker than guys with pre-rotators as I knew how to wind up with limited ground speed and hence less distance. Gliders should be in every club it should be a + with the powered machines.
Chris - thankyou for that explanation of the cons of towing. I am an older guy, growing up in the 60s on a resort lake in northern MN. We had neighbors who ran a small resort (all resorts were small family resorts back then). The two Forsythe brothers owned an original Bensen, and had both wheels and floats (or they have two 'copters, Im not sure which)). We would routinely see them block of the county road we lived on, pull out their gyrocopter, and in just moments, scoot down the road and be up in the air... swooping and having fun all around our neighborhood and part of the lake. Other days, an engine-less version of a gyro would be outfitted w floats and theyd launch it from the lake-side of their home, towing it up above the tree tops and out and around our lake (15 miles around the lake shore). In the '70s, they would do something similar w a truck pulling the gyro over the frozen lake... but weather didnt allow that to happen more than once or twice. All in all, we enjoyed the show and inspiration they provided. Other neighbors had home-build air-sleds long before modern snowmobiles showed up. It was quite the interesting neighborhood to grow up in. I look forward to finding a gryo, and would welcome advice about a school to train properly at. Cheers! Mike
Well it has, with an engine. Most folks do not have the steady winds to do this everyday or each time you want to fly. This type of kiting does not require another person, just steady winds.
This was my cousin in this video. We never towed it and had no desire to. Towing requires you have (IMHO) at least an additional crew of two, an observer and tow vehicle driver. Both should be VERY familiar with what to expect and how to react. I know of at least one case where the person in the glider was drug to his death when he upset and the driver did not notice immediately . Towing involves many more complications and people, plus a place to tow. I of course added an engine and so did my cousin. We both began to operate the powered gyro, me for 20 years more in this one and my cousin is still flyin his today and age 84.!!
At least you are honest (I guess). Anyway, a cable break would make things pretty "dicey" very quick. I can't say the outcome would be good. It would require a very quick descent from how high you were from the ground. I was usually less than about 25ft but I couldn't guarantee a smooth landing in that scenario . I suspect you would drift backward until such time you recognize and react to the loss of lift. However the glider (not this one) was towed behind an airplane to 2000 feet and released. It pretty much glided into a landing so it is possible if you have enough time to react.
Most of the frame is 6061T6 aircraft aluminum. It is all aircraft quality. I did not build the rotor or control head, it was all included in a standard Bensen B8 kit.
Pretty easy (to me) actually. All you do is move the cyclic stick full forward and this will flatten the rotor disk. Once the rotor disk is flat the wind is no longer going directly into the disk from below but nearly parallel to it. This causes the rotor to lose rpm and energy. While flying the rotor is around 320rpm in it's current configuration. When you push the stick full forward it begins slowing and around 40 rpm it can be stopped pretty easily using your hand (no rings on fingers to catch) "patting" the blades as it slows down more and you want it slowed quickly as below 40 rpm the rotor is very flexible and can "sail" out of control if the wind is very strong. You really should have proper training as it isn't the easiest thing to do if you have never experienced starting and stopping the rotor in a strong wind.
It really can't be counted towards any rating so I never bothered. It is not registered or certified and it is always attached to the ground, so kite it is if you really want to log it.
Correct. Add an engine and it “transforms” into a gyroplane in FAA terms. Gyrocopter was a Bensen term that stuck pretty well with the general public. So it’s pretty common to hear gyrocopter when describing a gyroplane.
Actually I am a retired army helicopter pilot. I feel it teaches rotor management most of all. Mainly because you can hear the rotor speed up and slow down with the wind speed changes and how it reacts to it. The simplicity of no engine or systems to monitor allows you to focus all senses on the rotor’s condition as it change’s rpm.
I know one was towed behind an airplane to 2000 feet and released. It glided down safely. Normally the length of your rope is the only thing that keeps you from going higher. Trouble comes from a heavy rope. Eventually the rope becomes a load. When kiting in "gusty winds" it is advisable not to go very high because if the wind suddenly dies, you need to make a quick controlled landing.
The wind speed is at least 22 mph to about 30 mph when airborne. 30 is best, but in Maryland we only get those winds in our season changes and they are most always very gusty.
You are correct. The wind is providing the energy and the rotor is providing the lift through autorotation. Like a wind turbine only the rotor is converting the energy into rotation and lift.
Very keen observation. You are correct and I offer no excuse. Should have one, at least a lap belt. I will say at no time was I light in the seat but there is always that chance. Thanks for pointing that out and your good eyes 👍
Thanks. My cousin captured the video, he also had kited his gyro glider. It’s actually old tech but lots of fun if you know how to handle the rotor. That’s the hard part.
Several problems. Yes, you can descend vertically from altitude but before a safe landing can be accomplished, you must lower the nose and gain airspeed so you have that energy to flare (raise the nose) which decreases your rate of descend and slows your airspeed simultaneously for a soft touchdown. As for dropping you as a parachute you can't without first spinning the rotor up for rigidity. The rotor will fold because it is too flexible when not spinning. When flying, the rotor is spinning around 230 rpm in this configuration and weight. I hand spin it to at or above 40 rpm to begin this higher spin up for lift-off. All rotor rpm from about 40 and above is dependant on the wind blowing through the rotor.
@@justinhart8652 Not a bad idea just not able to solve that one without lots of money of course, naturally, and then it becomes obsolete or impractical. I think some attempts were made in that direction but never been a viable solution. Good question
@@balfasladicra5270 The control stick. It’s called cyclic because it “cycles” or moves the rotor spindle which changes the rotor “tilt” and that pitches and rolls the aircraft by changing the pitch cyclicly.
Longest tow rope I've heard about was around 1000'. Beyond that the cable becomes "weight" so it changes some of the dynamics. With a motor they can fly very well at speeds to and above 80 mph and are super maneuverable. Check PRA.org. Site may not be very active. Check RotaryForum.com as well. You can view videos and several examples of the motorized gyroplanes there.
Hi Chris: A little more of a technical question. Do you have any negative pitch induced into the blades at the rotor head block? If so how much angle? Lastly would a little negative pitch help lift off in lighter winds and quicker spool up of the rotor? Any knowledge you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the video... watched it hundreds of times.
Look at the control stick and think of the rotor spindle as following the stick as it is tilted. Lets say the rotor spindle is vertical and the stick is also (actual degrees are different because the mast is aft 9 degrees relative to the keel). Just some more confusion, the rotor is "fixed" in pitch to about 1.5 degrees positive and bolted solidly into the hub. System is referred to as "semi-ridgid". The rotor also "teeters" within about a 10 degree window. It does this to allow for dissimilar of lift, created when the rotor turns around it's spindle. The right side is more positive creating more lift and the left side is less positive creating less lift. Best to demo this action at the gyro. As you move the stick that action is translated to the rotor via two control rods. The control "head" is essentially a universal joint that allows the rotor spindle to follow movements of the stick (cyclic). The cyclic changes the rotor pitch cyclically as the rotor turns. There is no collective. Less fixed pitch would allow the rotor to spin up quicker but the overall result is less efficient. 1.5 degrees positive seems to work best but you can go a little more positive but not much. Less pitch slightly easier spin up but not good lift. Sorry if this isn't understandable. Computer "jumbled" it and dropped some also.
@@christopherburgessgyro-cfi12 Thank you Chris for the quick and honest reply. Yes it does make sense and I do follow your explanation. I have a 1960"s Bensen Gyro with out motor. I have let it spool up in light winds and that is the extent I am prepared to go before I take proper Gyro lessons. I asked my question out of pure knowledge gaining :) You know how thoughts bounce around in your head... So I thought I would ask. Thanks for taking the time to teach and help... your answer is greatly appreciated.
Down at the local RC club with a guy who said he had a private pilot's license why do you need a rope in the ground you could just take an ordinary glider and hover in the wind.... Which I mean is impossible because he was talkin about flat lot land
Everyone has their taste, mine is rotorcraft. This old combat military helicopter pilot is very happy under a rotor. If it's only a kite without a motor, that's what it is.
@@christopherburgessgyro-cfi12 when it comes to power flyers discussing the science of gliding it's not taste its narcissism..... Which equals a complete non understanding of science.... Member of a power club for 15 years.....
No. You can however tow it to say 1000 feet on a tow rope then release the tow and glide down to a safe landing. They have done this in the midwest on a dry lake bed but only once that I know of.
You only need to go forward with the stick and it will land. Once on the ground, keep the stick all the way forward and the wind will go out of the rotor. As the wind goes out the energy goes out and the rotor will slow almost to a stop. The last 40 RPM must be stopped quickly by hand as the rotor will lose rigidity and become unmanageable.
Yes was an unusually windy day. We don’t have too many like that. Usually only got two or three days like this a year during the seasonal changes. I’m sure there are days somewhere that winds may be stronger and more steady.
FYI, it's been done and there are still such operations still being experimented with, even unmanned. You would be surprised, even for military use. Only bad experience I've heard there was the pontoons caught a gust of air that almost ended with a nose first crash. luckily the tow cable pulled it out of the dive.
