Gyro Girl

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Can't understand a word she's saying on the radio, but sure looks like fun.

 

 

 

 

[Pat Riot]

Ahem...nice rotors...

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

It's an odd-looking, but still cute li'l booger! Cruises at 90 mph...

 

http://www.autogyrousa.com/pdf/Cavalon_Brochure_2013.pdf

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

What was she doing?

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

Starting at $80,000

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I had no idea that anyone still build autogyros.

 

The only one I ever saw was built by Harry Durant of Anaheim, CA. Had a 1600cc VW engine and the rest was pretty much built by Harry himself.. Only flew once and was very successful. Ugly as a bucketful of sin, but very successful.

 

Harry is a story all by himself, but way too long to tell here. Just a hint: he started flying a "kite" observation plane (I can never recall the type) against Pancho Villa's rebels before WWI.

[Eyesa Horg]

Ahem...nice rotors...

+1 and what difference does it make what she said!

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Nice to see she's thinking water crash and is wearing her inflatable life vest!

[Michigan Slim]

I think it inflated prematurely!

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Now THAT'S what a Mae West should really look like.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

 

I just gotta say....thank u pard.

Best

CR

[Tom Bullweed]

Clark Gable and Claudette Cobert in 'It Happened One Night' shows a gyro-plane with about 15 minutes before the end. Cool equipage.

 

Nice little movie that was remade several times.

[Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310]

Fairly popular in Europe with many different models, but have never really caught on in the u.s. My helicopter instructor was a test pilot on the Mcolloch gyrocopter in the 60's ( the same people that made chainsaws)

http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/mcculloch_j-2.php

Edited December 24, 2016 by Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310

[GunHack]

Thank you .. I am in love ..

[Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310]

I think the idea of these videos is to get as many people as possible to watch, and I believe she's figured that out.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I am surprised there are any pictures out the left window.

 

Is forward flight necessary?

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

Auto-gyro...

 

Main rotor is free spinning and required forward movement to create air flow over the blades.

A motor either in front of behind is used to move the aircraft forward.

 

Some auto-gyros use a clutch devise that engages the engine to the main rotor to pre spin the main rotor for short distant takeoff.

This pre spin devises s not used in flight.

First auto-gyro 1923 (museum replica)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro#/media/File:La_Cierva_C-6.jpep

 

photos

https://www.google.com/search?q=gyrocopter&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjygLm49ozRAhWCxFQKHdCUD_cQ_AUICigD&biw=1600&bih=732

Edited December 24, 2016 by Cliff Hanger #3720LR

[Rye Miles #13621]

I think just about anything would be fun with her!!

[Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310]

I am surprised there are any pictures out the left window.

 

Is forward flight necessary?

Some have a jump takeoff feature that overspeeds the rotor and then suddenly engages pitch, result is it jumps into the air, but since the rotor is unpowered it always need airflow through the rotor to keep it going so no hover (unless strong wind)

I'd skip ahead to 1:30

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

Very cool. You fly 'em. I'll watch.

[Conestoga Smith, SASS #18219]

WHat-OH! THAT kind of Gyro! I was expectin' a photo shoot featuring Greek mutton, sliced thin, on a pita ! Oh yes, and a server or prep person looking far better than yours truly.

[Uno Mas SASS #80082]

How's 'bout dat? They finally made sumthin' uglier than a helichopper.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Uh... Uno? Put yer spectacles back on... that's no way to talk 'bout the young lady...

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

My wife says she doubts this was posted cause your an aviation enthusiast.

 

 

[Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310]

My wife says she doubts this was posted cause your an aviation enthusiast.

 

 

What? there's an aircraft in that video?

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

Somewhere....

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

My wife says she doubts this was posted cause your an aviation enthusiast.

 

 

 

*Ahem*

 

Back 'bout the middle seventies a buddy and I shared an apartment in Pacifica. On a whim, Bill and I decided to take a ground school class down the road a bit at Skyline College. Now, it just so happened that Bill's girlfriend was from a little town up on the Russian River. Both her parents were doctors, and for fun her dad and brothers had an old Cessna 172 they'd bomb around in. Which was very cool, as we were invited to come up and "play" with her brothers and the aeroplane.

 

Well, it seems that big brother thought "yours truly" had some sort of natural affinity for flying; heck, landing that thing was like pulling into my driveway. Or so I said to "brother."

 

Shoulda kept my mouth shut.

 

Next thing I knew, over lunch the brothers and Dad told us about this gyro copter they'd built. It was all ready to go - or would be as soon as they installed the engine!

 

And they had a plan!

 

They wanted to haul it to the airport (an old Army Air Corp training base with very little traffic) for "test flying." The plan was, they wanted to strap in some sandbags the same weight as the engine for ballast, then tow it down the runway behind one of the bro's Jeep and "kite" the thing for some test flying.

 

And Golly Gee, Hardpan... we'd be right honored if you'd accept the honor of being our "tethered test pilot!"

 

Huh!

 

Well, wonders never cease! As young and dumb as I was even back then, I had enough sense to politely decline...!

 

But I do still find 'em kinda fascinating.