Gyrocopter An Introduction

A Gyrocopter, Gyroplane, or Gyro for short, can be considered a cross between a helicopter and a fixed wing airplane. A Gyro uses rotor blades like a helicopter, but uses a propeller for power, as does a fixed wing airplane.
The rotor blades on top of a Gyro are mounted on a free spinning bearing and teetering system. These blades get their lifting power from the air moving up through them. As they move through the air they spin like a windmill. This spinning produces lift.
The forward motion of the Gyro provides the air moving up through the rotor, and a propeller provides the forward motion. As with a fixed wing airplane, in the absence of engine power, gravity must provide this forward motion.
To differentiate a helicopter from a gyro is simple. In a helicopter the rotor blades are powered. This power to the rotor blades creates an equal and opposite torque on the helicopter fuselage. A tail rotor is required to counteract this torque. A Gyro does not create this torque and therefore does not need a tail rotor

1. Gyroplanes
Gyrocopters
and Autogyros
Aviation's best kept Secret

2. Gyrocopter, Gyroplane,
Autogyro?
Do they all mean the same thing?
•In general YES.
However, there are
minor technical
differences.

3. Autogyro (Autogiro)
•The term Autogyro is
used to describe the
first style of
gyroplanes.
•These are tractor-
style gyroplanes that
have a fuselage that
looks like a
conventional aircraft.

4. Gyrocopter
•This is the most common
term used by the general
public.
•The term gyrocopter is a
product name owned by
the Bensen company.
–Sort of like the term Kleenex
TM
is
a brand name but not all tissues
are Kleenex, some are just
tissues.

5. Gyroplane
•In the United States
the FAA’s official term
is gyroplane.
•Gyroplane is the term
most used by the
pilots and people in
the hobby

6. What is a Gyroplane?
•Gyroplanes are a cross between a
helicopter and an airplane.
•Mostly like a helicopter the gyroplane is a
rotorcraft and uses rotorblades as a
spinning wing to fly.
•Unlike a helicopter the rotorblades are not
powered directly by the engine and they
use a propeller for forward movement.

7. So what are we going to talk
about?
•What is so good about gyros?
•Where did gyros come from?
•Where are gyros going?
•Are gyros safe?
•How much do they cost?
•What kinds are there?
•Where do I get info?

8. What is so good about gyros?
•Gyros are safe
•A Gyroplane can maneuver and land in a very small area.
•A well made and stable gyroplane can handle wind better
than almost all general aviation aircraft
–if piloted by an experienced pilot.
•Inexpensive to purchase and easy to build compared to
other sport and general aviation aircraft.
•Easy to store and transport.
–It is common practice to keep your gyroplane in the garage and
trailer it to a local airport to fly.
•Gyros are FUN!

9. Where did gyros come from?
•Spanish inventor Juan de Ia Cierva built the first "Autogyro" in 1923
•Cierva’s patents were used to develop the helicopter, vertiplane and
rotodyne type aircraft. (many patents were stolen from Cierva)
•Autogyro kites were ‘secret weapons’ used by German WWII
submarines and under development by the English.
•1953 saw the rebirth of interest in the gyroplane with the invention of
Dr. Igor Bensen's patented "Gyrocopter.“

10. A Brief History of Gyroplanes
•Gyroplanes flourished from the
1920 through the 1940s,
Setting world records and
producing new designs.
•Tragically and ironically* the
founding fathers and heads of
the leading gyroplane
manufacturers were killed in
non-gyroplane related
accidents leaving no one in a
position to spearhead
development.
•The depression finished off the
remaining companies.

11. Almost a revolution
•The amazing gyroplane technology
was almost revived by both the US and
UK governments.
•The US project was military and lost
funding
•The UK Fairey Rotodyne gained
approval for production.
•It would have setup an air route that
would transport passengers between
metropolitan areas faster and cheaper
then helicopters or commercial airlines.
•The project was killed by politics when
the British put the Fairey company
under control of Westland Co. which
had ties to helicopter manufacturers.
•Westland destroyed the working
production model, prototypes,
drawings and tooling.

12. Igor to the rescue.
•Dr. Igor Bensen was assigned by
the US government and GE to
examine captured German secret
technology (gyroglider) and the
British rotachute in Dayton Ohio.
•Dr. Bensen then designed and
patented the Gyrocopter a ‘pusher’
gyroplane and sold his plans to
hobbyists.
•Benson lobbied the FAA for the
creation of the Experimental 51%
homebuilt category and
succeeded. ( Previously all
homebuilt aircraft were actually
flown illegally). Therefore all home
aircraft builders are indebted to Dr.
Benson and his gyrocopter.

13. Where are gyros going?
•Carter Copter is breaking the rotorcraft speed
record
•Groen Brother’s are developing Heavy Lift
Gyroplanes and super-safe, super cheap
alternatives to helicopters
•The Monarch Landing gear allows vertical
landings at great speed without damage to the
airframe
•Some homebuilt machines such as the Gyrhino
have true VTOL ability previously only found on
production machines.
•Other innovations made by various
manufacturers include:
–Center-Line Thrust (CLT) for increased
stability and safety
–Various Horizontal Stabilizer designs for
increased stability

14. Are gyros safe?
•Yes! And to many,
they are considered
the safest aircraft type
available.
•However, the safest
aircraft is still no
match for an
untrained or unsafe
pilot.

15. Consider an in flight engine
out scenario on a fixed-wing
aircraft, helicopter and gyro.

16. Engine Out! Fixed-wing aircraft:
•When the engine stops
in flight, you must
descend to hold your
airspeed. Even with the
slowest of airplanes
you’ll need a few
hundred feet of flat
open ground to land
safely.

17. Engine Out! Helicopter:
•You must quickly
transfer to autorotation.
If at any point, the rotor
blade rotation speed
decays too much, all
control is lost.

18. Engine Out! A Gyro:
•Is ALWAYS in autorotation
mode. You simply hold
airspeed and pick a landing
spot. At landing you “flare” to
trade the stored energy of the
blades for a soft zero-airspeed
landing.

19. How much do they cost?
•Good stable single place gyroplane kits and used
gyroplanes start at about $8K and can go up to
$23K.
•The average cost of an open cockpit 2-place
gyroplane starts at about $13K through about
$40K.
•Enclosed 2-placed gyroplanes start at around
$18K and go up and up and...

20. What kinds are there?
•There are dozens of gyroplane
kit manufacturers and models.
Here are just a few of the most
popular in the US.
–Air Command
–Butterfly (Monarch)
–Dominator
–LittleWing
–Magni
–RAF (produced in Canada)
–SparrowHawk
–Sport Copter
–Star Bee Gyros (Gyrobee)

21. Where do I get info?
•For more information contact:
–www.PRA.org Popular Rotorcraft Association
–www.pra73.net PRA Chapter 73 (Scappoose, OR)
–www.prachapter34.com ( Greencastle IN.)
–http://home.earthlink.net/~cra40/ (Chapter 40, Cincinnati)
–www.aircommand.com
–www.americanautogyro.com
–www.raf2000.com
–www.sportcopter.com
–www.starbeegyros.com
–Find a local chapter here:
http://www.pra.org/localChapters.php
•Also join a web forum devoted to rotorcraft:
–www.rotaryforum.com

22. Important Note:
•Even experienced pilots must still get lessons
from a gyroplane certified instructor.
•Gyroplanes are relatively easy to fly but are
not fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters.
Gyroplanes have some very unique attributes
that require gyro-specific training!

23. Extra Credit?
•How do Gyroplanes compare Pro/Con to
other light sport aircraft?
•Gyros and Powered Parachutes and PPG
•Gyros and Trikes
•Gyros and Fixed Wing Ultralights
•Gyros and Experimental Helicopters
•Gyros vs. Gyros?
–Ultralight and Experimental Gyros

24. How do Gyroplanes compare
Pro/Con to other light sport
aircraft?

25. Gyros and Powered Parachutes
and PPG
•Gyros
–Faster (PPG/PPC max speed = 30mph)
–Can fly in windy conditions
–Greater range
–Tip overs less likely
–No strings, no canopy to manage or replace
–No ‘cell collapse’
•PPC, PPG
–PPG, can be stored in a car
–Easier to learn to fly
–Mixes poorly with other aircraft traffic
–More difficult prep for takeoff

26. Gyros and Trikes
•Trikes
–More fuel efficient
–Generally faster cruise
•Gyros
–Controls are not reversed
–Handle wind better
–No wing material to wear or replace
–Stronger construction
–Won’t spin or stall

27. Gyros and Fixed Wing Ultralights
& Experimentals
•Fixed Wing Ultralights
–Large used market
–Easy to find training
–Generally the best x-country aircraft
•Gyros
–Less fuel efficient
–Harder to find training
–Safer engine out, No stalls or spins
–Construction easer to inspect
–Better in wind gusts and x-winds
–Quicker to build / easier to build
–STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing)
–Requires less storage space, easy to transport

28. Can you fly a Gyroplane
Under Ultralight
Regulatioins?
•Yes, you can fly a rotorcraft as
an ultralight if you like.
•That means you can fly without
a license and you can
purchase one completely built,
if it qualifies under the FAA
Part 103 ultralight regulations
as an ultralight aircraft.
•Although you can fly an
ultralight gyro without a license
you still MUST have training.

29. Gyros and Experimental
Helicopters
•Helicopters
–Can hover and fly backwards
–Easier to find training
–Expensive to buy and maintain
–Harder to fly
–More complex, difficult to build
•Gyros
–Much easier to fly
–Except for hover, maneuvers
better
–Cheap to buy, store and maintain
–Easy way to progress to
Helicopter Rating
–Always in autorotation, Won’t
settle with power
–More relaxed flying

30. Gyros vs. Gyros?
Ultralight and Experimental
Gyros
•Ultralight Gyro
–No license required, only
good training
–No FAA fees or paperwork
–Low performance, short
range
–No 2-Place Machines
•Experimental Gyro
–‘Aerobatic’ performance
–More features
–Must be FAA registered
and maintained per FAA
Standards
–Requires a license to fly.

31. Join The PRA!
•www.pra.org
•Worlds largest homebuilt rotorcraft org.
•The voice of the hobby.
•Lots of information, conventions, chapters.
•Founded by Igor Bensen
•Publishes Rotorcraft Magazine.
•More!

32. Books:
•A few recommendations
•The Gyroplane Flight
manual by Paul Abbott
•From Autogiro to
Gyroplane by Dr. Bruce
Charnov
•Rotorcraft Flying
Handbook, FAA
Publication

33. If you want to buy Gyrocopter plans