See what the new Cavalon Gyroplane is like to fly 

Definitely!

And unlike the Arrowcopter, this one is still in production.

Ernest Johnson It would do even better if the FAA would get a clue and follow the lead of Germany and the United Kingdom, and certify them. In Europe you can buy a factory-built Calidus, but in the USA you have to buy a kit and build it yourself in the Experimental - Amateur Built category.

***** ... or buy it built by someone else. for fun: the price list :D www.auto-gyro.com/en/Cavalon/Configuration/ the award he was speaking of at 1:20 was awarded in 2012 already. www.auto-gyro.com/en/Cavalon/

Update! On November 20, 2016, the FAA finally issued a Type Certificate to the AutoGyro Calidus! The Cavalon and MTO Sport should follow soon!

Ron, for the inquiring minds, how did you obtain the kit, any previous experience in building, overall cost etc? Thank you!

@@raspucin70 ,,,,,,,you can contact terri@autogyrousa.com they know me well down so tell them I 914RB told you to contact them ,,,,, I was just down to meet a friend with a Calidus last week and will be going down again in the next week or two. I get down there from Bloomsburg, Pa. in a little less than two hrs. depending on the wind, best time so far is 1hr. 35 minutes. I have a good mechanical background but never built an aircraft. This kit is more like an erector set there is not too much drilling or fitting most of the kit is bolt together. I did there builder assist program so you build this under their supervision and that will save you some time as there are things you need to know that are not in the book and Mike will help you with that. If you have a good common sense and some mechanical skills and spend all day at it you can build one in about 2 weeks,,,(yes I said 2 weeks not 2 years) I took a few days at a time and went down to build but when the weather was good I got in my flight training in their Cavalon. DO NOT TRY TO FLY ONE OF THESE WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING I got my fixed wing rating in 1991 and have flown multiple aircraft and also had about 35 hrs. of helicopter time, some of that solo in a Bell 47 and that did not prepare me to fly this machine. I could show you how to fly it once in the air in a short time but there is a big learning curve in the take off and landing phase. Now at 657 hours and counting I am still learning every time I fly but I love this machine and fly it every chance I can. I am looking to build another one in the future so 914RB may be for sale within the next year. I have added a gps, headsets, and a few other things to the kit and have about 125,000 in it. You cannot hover like a helicopter just a few feet off the ground but in a good wind the fixed wing aircraft will be in the hanger and you will just see a good opportunity to go out and play. It will do about 90 percent of what a helicopter can on about 15 percent of the money once you have it built and that number is coming from an owner not hype from the company.

@@ronandress5948 Thank you sir. appreciate the info

@@bruceportersr9880 Hello Bruce just an update as of today I now have about 820 hrs. on the Cavalon and still with few problems. I would like to move up to the new 915 model at some point. I have an internet friend from Poland that started out with the 914 like mine and after about 100 hrs has upgraded to the 915 with the constant speed prop and new rotor system and he say the performance increase is incredible. I have not had the chance to fly one yet but as soon as the virus problem is a little more controlled I hope to get back down to Baybridge for a visit and fly the new 915. You can also check out Gyro Revolution on the net,,,,,they are based at McAurther Airport on Long Island and I was invited to go there for a visit with them last year,,,,,,,they actually wanted my aircraft on site for an interview with FOX NEWS ,,,,,,,at the time they had one ordered but it had not arrived. Rob and Kristen now have their ship and last I talked with them were doing tours and training since the new 915 model is the certified version. Check them out they are really great I think they will do well with this aircraft.

@@amarendrasingh11s No, the rotor is powered for the *pre* takeoff phase. Once you start rolling the rotor must be freewheeling. If you kept the prerotator connected until "after take off" -- or even just until the nosewheel comes up -- you'd crash, because torque would spin you out of control.

Gyroplanes, also called autogyros, are always in autorotation when flying, unlike a helicopter where you have to "transition" to autorotation in the event of an engine failure. In an autogiro you just look for a space to set down and do so. See, for example: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oF2hjWw9ipg.html and ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6SrSJ76Lxvw.html.

Several more dealers in the US now but the distributor is in Stevensville, Maryland.

There have been many attempts at "jump takeoff" gyros over the years, going all the way back to the 1920s. None have really been successful in the marketplace. If you really need point takeoff capability, you probably also need point landing capability...so a helicopter is the proper aircraft type.

Skyworks (formerly groen brothers). Have the hawk 4 which is capable of this and superior to a helicopter in every way. However, it costs $750,000 base price.

@@in4theride75 "superior to a helicopter in every way" Stuff and nonsense.

@@in4theride75Hawk 4 is incredible I wish I could get to see one close up and a demonstration ,,,,,cannot say it could take the place of a helicopter but pretty cool. The biggest and truly bad gyro I have the opportunity to fly in was a Sport Copter II several years ago and that is quite a machine although also quite expensive. I have put over 820 hrs. on my Cavalon 914 in the last 3 1/2 years and if just around the pattern or cross county it is an amazing aircraft to fly,,,,,,, the more I fly it the more I like it. Not for everyone and that is why they make different kinds or aircraft,,,,,each has it's own mission and use so fly what is right for you. I have taken over 225 people for their first ever gyro ride and that includes people who have never flown before, private and commercial pilots and even a NASA specialist and everyone gets out with a smile on their face. Fly safe and fly often.

If you look around on the net you will find several of these on floats.

Google?

symmetry08 safety is way higher and consume less fuel

They require specific training from a qualified flight instructor, but no, they aren't hard to fly. (I haven't flown this model, but I have flown other types of gyroplane.)

go to XE.com and you will find out all exchange rates. Stop being lazy.

@@baronangelton6587 Ok, so what does it cost in your currency? Kinda arrogant dude.

That is really an amazing price for this wonderful little Gyroplane...

Audi's territory

Great machine, steep price tag

Nope it's not able to do that, UNLESS it's flying into a very strong wind, and then the airspeed over the ground can almost approach 0.

97 mph yes

Any discount by the dozen?

Street legal? No. Air legal? Yes.

Nope -- don't know who Thomas is, but the fellow doing the interview (me) does not have a son called Thomas ! Lol!

I have to agree - I don't like the visibility from the inside of the Cavalon. The panel is too high and it is very badly laid out (the non-glass-cockpit version having all the engine instruments over on the far left in front of the passenger and are obscured if fitting an iPad). The visibility through the doors is far better and when landing, yawing to one side to allow a better view of the ground can help immensely. I've flown a Cavalon. I was not impressed. I prefer my MTO Sport (or as this video calls it, "Eagle"). It is faster (the Cavalon does NOT cruise at 85kts. Its VNE is 100mph which is just over 2mph faster than 85kts compared with a VNE of 120mph in my MTO Sport which will happily maintain over 90mph although its cruise speed is 70mph), the visibility is far superior, and it handles better - of course, it's not so nice in cold or wet weather, though.

A.M. Fortas Yep, definitely mistitled. He didn't explain how gyroplanes develop lift, what autorotation is, what happens if the engine fails in flight nor any of the other myriad things most people not already familiar with them want to know.

***** "I wanted to know more about a single-seater. Not a two-seater." Single-seat models haven't done well in the market; most people want to share the experience at least occasionally. You can fly solo in a two-seater, but you can't take a friend along in a single-seater.

maybe you should read the title again

Jason Abell "maybe you should read the title again: The video's title has been changed from what it was in 2015, when this "mis-titled" post was made.

Marissa Justin

Well said sir if they have no experience in one they are only guessing, if anyone is near Bloomsburg, Pa. and weighs less than 210 lbs. your welcome to stop in and see me and I will take you for a demo flight. I have flown with well over 150 passengers in the last two years and everyone gets out with a grin on their face and most comment they have never done anything like that before.

Maybe try an airliner for more fuel capacity.

Walter Palmer.. He said it cruises at a "realistic" 85 knots, that's almost 100 mph.. (97.75 mph) and it has a five hour flight duration. That's a 'no reserve' range of very nearly 500 miles, or around 400 miles with reserve. That beats many small aircraft in it's class. How much more do you want? .

Cavalon can fly over 4 hours comfortably with plenty of reserve fuel your bladder usually needs a stop before you need fuel.

That's being unkind to women . At least They can't help it .

Paul Kassner - Yeah. Its VNE is 100mph. They do not cruise at 85kts. I've flown one. I prefer my MTO Sport (what they are calling the "Eagle" in this video).

@@RoadRunnerLaser VNE on the new Cavalon I believe has been bumped up to 120 mph. I own the older 914 and have put over 800 hrs on it in 3 1/2 years and in calm air I have not problem getting 95 mph so I am comparable to a Cessna 150 and quite capable of cross country trips with a lot more options for landing if I would have a problem. I am fixed with rated with solo helicopter time as well and this is the aircraft I have the most fun with.

Ron Andress - Yep, cheers. Since I wrote this comment, I’ve found out that newer Cavalons have a VNE of 120mph, however, whilst you might be able to fly at 95mph, you’re not going to CRUISE at 95mph. I can fly at over 100mph in my MTO Sport, but it is not cruising, it would be what some call “fast flight” and you’ll be drinking fuel at a much faster rate than when in cruise, which will reduce your overall maximum range. Your best range will be achieved at around 65-70mph, if I am not mistaken. I don’t like the Cavalon because the panel-design is dreadful (if you have the standard “steam-gauge” panel which puts all the engine instruments over on the far left in front of the passenger and places a pile of breakers and a few switches in the right hand-side of the panel in front of the pilot - if you then mount an iPad in the typical location, it obscures some of the engine instruments from the pilot’s view). The forward visibility is crap (although, bear in mind, I’m used to open-cockpit and in comparison ANY enclosed cockpit is going to have worse visibility but the Cavalon is especially crap), and lastly, it feels dead and wallowy in the air compared to my MTO. Initially, when I first decided to learn to fly, I’d set my sights on a Cavalon as my ultimate and I didn’t think I was going to like the MTO... Having experienced both, I wouldn’t trade my MTO for a Cavalon even if you paid me to do it. I MIGHT trade it for a Xenon/Trendek/AG915... but I’d have to fly one first... and even then, I still think I’d want the MTO because the open-cockpit, despite its obvious disadvantages, gives an unrivalled experience of being “in the air”.

CHOPPERGIRL's AIRWAR

It's sort of like buying a small house,,,,,,,,a little expensive,,,,,,,but the most fun I have had in any aircraft.

just depends on what you like to do ,,,,,,,,,some play golf, some gamble, some drink and smoke,,,,I know guys that do all 3 and spend more than I do on this aircraft LOL

+Randy Lavine Well, you don't really think we're going to get huge amounts of information in a clip that's only a few minutes long....? I've changed the name.

Godzilla sandwich

+Euris E.C. Not possible as the rotor is there to provide lift only when there is forward motion -- it looks like a helicopter rotor but it's actually quite different.

THAT MAKE IT NOT PRACTICE TO PUT IT ON MY BACKYARD...IT S A SHAME

+Historical Aviation Film Unit with the right amount of wind makes a smooth landing

That is why your back yard needs a catapult !

Then it would be a helicopter and not a Gyro plane.

They fly great the summer before last we took 5 of them and flew up the Hudson and circled the Statue of Liberty at about 800 feet off the water one of the coolest things I have ever done in any aircraft.

Maha per-ree why??

Maha per-ree "It look's nice..." * looks

+leeway777 You're wrong, this aircraft can glide for some distance.

+leeway777 The main blades will spin as the aircraft moves through the air acting like a wing and allowing the aircraft to glide.

+Ted LaughsAtCreationists Yes, autorotaion works, but the forward movement of the craft does not. It increases the lift of one blade that swings forward and decreases the lift of the other blade that swings backward, not helpful. The only useful movement is the autoratation. The energy that can save you stored in the main blades rather than the whole craft, unlike the fixed wing airplane, the kinetic energy of the fuselage drags the airplane move forward creating valuable lift.

leeway777 Very good. Thanks for the explanation.

leeway777 enewbold.com/gyroplaneQA.htm It seems gyroplanes have a 4 to 1 glide ratio. No as good as a fixed wing aircraft. This is an answer I found on the site above. Question10. How safe are gyroplanes? Most of us consider the gyroplane to be one of the the safest aircraft of all, the primary reason being: they can't stall. With proper training, flying a gyroplane is an extremely safe and enjoyable sport. For more information about gyroplanes and safety, visit Lone Star Rotor Club out in Texas. They have good information and photos on their site!

Maybe it is not for everyone?

Over 600 hours of fun in my Autogyro Cavalon in just a little over 2 years ,,,,,,short field take off and landing,,,,,grass or blacktop,,,,,cruise is about 60 to 100 mph and I can descend vertical or sideways down to about 150 ft. and then need a little forward speed to land. I have cub time on floats and wheels and it was great but if you get the chance to fly one of these give it a try before you dismiss it they are a lot of fun.

Are you serious? If we'd wanted to be rude and arrogant, and wanted to call everyone a stupid SOB, then we would have done just that. Seriously!? You're obviously way too sensitive.

@@historicalmachines it was a joke...mostly :) lol. a bit bored here

agreed