My dad and I built a Benson B-8M gyrocopter in the early '70s and learned to fly it ourselves, they have come a long way since that early machine we built from box aluminum. Watching this brought back some fond memories.
As for me, watching any pilot - let alone a neophyte - taxi away, without a checklist in hand, is a teeth-grinding moment. If it's necessary for the best pilots, it's necessary for all of us!
My new goal in life is to save and buy one. Then take a long trip to NM. I LOVE IT! WISH I KNEW SOMEONE IN THE N. CHICAGO AREA THAT WOULD BE KIND ENOUGH TO LET ME HANG OUT WITH SO I MAY LEARN. LONG SHOT BUT WORTH A TRY. Thanks for the footage!
Stuart Loria wrote: "What kind of a pilot's license do you need to fly that thing?" In the USA, either a Private Pilot -- Single Engine Land with a rotorcraft endorsement, or a Sport Pilot with rotorcraft endorsement. (Which would include a Student Pilot for either of those tickets, with a solo check-off.)
The Helmet is the American-made Alpha Eagle. It has dual noise-attenuating earphones. For more information, see: www.alphahelicopterhelmets.com/alpha-helmets/alpha-eagle
Wind speed not really an issue. Turbulence associated with strong winds is an issue for any aircraft. In general gyrocopters handle turbulence much better than fixed wing aircraft. I fly both. Today for example I felt it would be a little bumpy in the fixed wing given the wind and mechanical turbulence in our local area so took the gyro instead.
Yes, flew it for 5 mins or so and the rain started pelting down. Also edited the vid which was filmed by Sean's partner. Had plenty of gyro hours previously but never flown the Arrowcopter before. I think you sceptics might be overthinking it :)
"If the rotors are spinning, you can climb..." Not so; it depends on how fast they're spinning. Think about it; how else could you land? They're always (hopefully) spinning when you're airborne, but you're not always climbing.
+MY WAY MY WORLD The rotor's are unpowered on gyroplanes. Some have prerotators to get the rotors spinning before takeoff but while actually in flight the rotors aren't powered. Gyroplanes fly pretty much like fixed wing aircraft rather than helicopters. But there are a few things you have to watch out for, like not unloading the rotor while in flight.
hey did that 1st guy ever land safely or did he crash? in the original guy in the take off was replaced by 2 different experienced pilots landing safely which for me is a crash edit. So did you really end up marrying his wife like you said or were you just dreaming?
flyerppc wrote: "...do not have the endurance unlike the autogyro cavalon or the calidus." BS. The Arrow-Copter has 18.5 gallons usable fuel capacity standard, and its Rotax 914 burns 5.3 gal/hr @ 75% power for a range of 283 nm at 81 knots, or economy cruise of 3.4 gal/hr at 55% power for 381 nm at 70 knots. The Calidus can have either the 912 or the 914 engine, and if you compare it using the 914 for similar performance you will find similar fuel flows; but the Calidus has a smaller standard fuel tank and so has less range unless you add an auxiliary tank.
get your facts before posting, the arrow is a much heavier machine, will not knock the design, gyro`s do not like weight heavier they are they perform like shit, dont know what your conversion is but an 80L tank on the arrow has only 70L usable this equates to 174nm endurance @70kts 4500rpm 15ltr/hr burn. Secondly the 914 is an 80hp tubo charged engine turbo wastegate comes in @5000rpm then equates to 100hp to 115hp @ 5500 rpm burning 33ltr/hr. The cavalon will cruise @ 90kts 4800 rpm 18ltr burn or 70kts @ 4200 rpm 13ltr burn with 100ltr tank can go places.
flyerppc First of all, you said "unlike the Cavalon OR CALIDUS" and I was comparing the Arrow-Copter with the Calidus in the previous post, so let's stick to what I was comparing with and leave the Cavalon out of it. Next, you are the one who needs to get his facts straight: 1) The Arrow-Copter has a 76 litre tank, not 80 litre , and 74 litres useable, not 70 litres. The Calidus only has a 39 litre standard tank, with only 38.2 litres useable. (You can install an auxiliary tank on the Calidus to boost it to 75 litres (73.8 litres useable), but you lose space and weight-carrying capacity in doing so.) 2) The Arrow-Copter burns 27l/h @ 5500RPM, not 33l/h. At 4800RPM for 18l/h, the Arrow-Copter will do 140km/h, compared to the Calidus' 160km/h, so the Calidus does have a speed advantage at that power setting, but you were talking about ENDURANCE. The Arrow-Copter will do 130km/h @ 4300RPM @ 13l/h for a range of 740km with standard tanks, compared to the Calidus' 382km at the same speed and fuel flow, also with standard tank. Even if you install the auxiliary tank on the Calidus, the range will only increase to 738km -- virtually identical to the Arrow-Copter with standard tanks. The FACTS posted here come directly from the respective manufacturer's Pilot Operating Handbooks.
***** u obviously go by the book which is great on paper to sell a product different to actual tests we have done in the EU in different flying conditions etc which is more accurate and unbiased, and soon to be released which will include magni orion, DTA, and cloud dancer 2. Some of the figures vary with the different conditions and vary in altitudes up to 10000ft. Hence my figures on performance and endurance are not from sitting in a lounge suite and picking the eyes of a manual.
flyerppc So your "actual tests" showed that the Arrow-Copter had an 80 litre fuel tank of which a whopping 10 litres were unusable as you claimed above? Forgive me for being blunt, but I think you're full of shit.
you got NFI temp determines how much you can get into a tank, (i realy dont care what can be squeezed into the tank even if the ignition was on to bleed air out) u dont even own a cavalon or a calidus nor an arrow,just keep dreaming bro!!
my mate nearly bought this gyro, nice machine cannot say good about the agent too much bullshit like collision with an eagle more likely crashed unit, removed previous comment facts facts. Also ever see them flying places do not have the endurance unlike the autogyro cavalon or the calidus.
ugly!! too much wings and winglets! too much curves and propellers and a cocpit similar as the space shuttle.... to fly around the village and airfield..
