Gyrocopter instructors, use them or loose them and the muddle of UK single seat training. 

True, but they can find you more in court particularly if you injure or kill someone

Hey well I'll talk you through it on Saturday because to write it up will be painful... Suffice to say it relates to the muddle of this document:- publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/Standards%20Document%2044%20Gyroplane%20Licensing%20V6.pdf Which has tied itself in knots. What has become utterly unintelligent is where process has taken over from function. So the authors of that document believe that the process of someone becoming an instructor trumps the function of someone with relevent experience. It also suggests in some cases the need for 4 hours differences training - I shouldn't think any instructor or examiner has 4 hours time in a single seater in the last 2 or 3 years combined and as that time horizon extends it surely becomes the increasing partially sighted leading the blind? Chris Jones was a single seat instructor but I believed stopped. Sometimes he visits this channel. It would be interesting to get his overview on where the current UK single seat instructor / examiner experience lies.

@@gyrocopterflyingclub6148 thanks mate will try to be there my dads quite unwell I may have to be away from home. Been looking forward to it.

@@cameronlapworth2284 Sorry to hear about your Dad mate. I'll send you the recording.

@@gyrocopterflyingclub6148 thanks mate, I'll hopefully be home when its on all up in the air if not keen to hear, different to the situation here but some of the same issues always worth a listen even if its a precautionary tale.

I wonder what the sales motivation is for AutoGyros in US?

@@gyrocopterflyingclub6148 I'm not sure. Could just be coincidence. 1 due to illness of owner, 2 are training aircraft from dealerships. Some are older MTO Sports. I'll let you know if I hear anything definite.

This is not exactly correct. In the US most gyroplane instructors use LODA (Letter Of Deviation Authority) to train students in their Experimental Amateur Built (Exp-AB) gyroplanes. AutoGyro "restricted" primary category certification has come much much later than the LODA and it is not the thing most US instructors are using to train students to fly. A Type Certificated gyroplane does not exist anymore. AutoGyro Primary Category is not a full Type Certificate nor is it allowed for commercial for hire or commercial work save a few exceptions. There are not even any rules for gyroplanes to be Type Certificated under. Part 27 is specific to helicopters. Last Type Certificated gyroplanes were based on CAR 3 (Civil Air Regulations) which disappeared many decades ago. Today the average cost of a full Type Certificate and Production certificate (TC and PC) with FAA (not this restricted Primary Category like AutoGyro pursued) is $50 million. There is no one who is crazy enough to try and spend that for a certified gyroplane. AutoGyro was treated extremely well by the FAA and were allowed to use UK calculations and certification data. That is almost unheard of. The UK guys were not DERs (Designated Engineering Representatives) and thus usually would never be accepted by the FAA as proper people to accept the work of. In 2023 Special Light Sport Aircraft rule will be changing and allowing ASTM industry consensus standards to allow factory built gyroplanes like Light Sport Airplanes, trikes and so on. That is the right vehicle for factory built compliant gyroplanes that fit the definition of a Light Sport Aircraft (under 1320 pounds gross, 2 seat)

@@abidfarooqui-sla3301 Thanks for that excellent colour. With LSA at 1320lbs it will be interesting if the UK numbers [in terms of it passing our regulation] were done at c.600kgs or the UK regulated maximum of 560kgs. But even for LSA and 1320lbs for the aircraft that AutoGyro are making is that it doesn't give much head room in payload. 1320lbs is [as a whole number] 599kgs. Looking at all of the junk inside a 915 Cavalon its empty weight means you have maybe 270kgs [595lbs] available for people, fuel and baggage.

@@gyrocopterflyingclub6148 595 lbs is good. People just need to eat less McDonalds and walk to Starbucks :)

Yes agree - indeed it is a large part of the webinar later today. Join us.

Of course, one assumes that the instructor is emerging from the lay off able to rely on the depth of prior training and likely higher seat time / experience. I bit like how you might expect an ex-chess Grand Master to be at a higher level with a year off than a person with a year experience....

Well first of all thank you for the colour. On the Yamaha motors and their use - how many machines in total are using Yamaha power? As you say I’ll do some research now you’ve highlighted them. Thanks.

Its a total mess Gary. All of the inventiveness has been squashed and very sadly you have broad base of inactivity at the BRA [or if there is activity its gone uncommunicated] and training in the pocket of pretty much one individual who panders to the CAA who continue with a model that insists that every department has a P&L and in some areas zero knowledge. Pitiful doesn't come close.