Microlighters

After many months of hard work from the guy's at Rhino and a few setbacks the Xenon took the the air yesterday just after 10:00.

As a bystander I was more nervous than the test pilot who did a thorough job and the machine sounded awsome.

After two test flights the red baron was put away in the hanger and all were pleased with the performance.

It sounds different with the type of prop fitted and very quiet in the air.

Stunning gyro, would love to see and hear more about it.

congrats Guys...good to see her in the sky again

Who was the test pilot ?

Good looking gyro,enjoy many happy landings in the red baron.
nicow
ZU-AWA

yes looks great, give us more details, specs, performance etc please please...

very smart looking Gyro

So, how does one fly a Gyro? Is it difficult? Do you consider it more dangerous than a trike? How small an area can you land in? How small an area for take off? Can you hover? Looks fantastic!

So, how does one fly a Gyro?

Very similar to 3-axis. Stick and rudder control - without the flaps part. :D

Is it difficult?

No, flying is very easy, coming back is the difficult part. Once in the air, and trimmed, it almost flies itself. Not succeptable to turbulance and wind. Can handle almost anything weather can throw at it. I've seen a gyro flying, and landing in 35 knot wind. Handles like a motorbike in the air, turns very tight, can come quickly to a standstill, put it in a nose dive, recovers quickly ........ :D .... ........ :D ... :D . Great fun

Do you consider it more dangerous than a trike?

Do not have any trike experience, but from what I've seen, read, and experienced in a gyro, my 2c. On the ground, take-off and landing, if you stick to the rules - no. In the air, much safer than a trike because of the bad weather handling characteristics. 99 % of accidents and incidents in a gyro is during take-off and landing.

How small an area can you land in?

Experienced pilots will land it in your back yard, zero ground roll. Unfortunately it must have an approach, cannot land with a vertical approach, unless with a stiff headwind. Student pilots land it with about 5 - 10 meter roll.

How small an area for take off?

As trikes and planes, take-off depends totally on weight, weather, wind and height ASL. We fly at 5300 ft ASL, 2 up and take-off roll is 150-200m.
At sea level I understand take-off to be 50m.

Can you hover?

Yes, but you lose height. It can hover, and retains it height in a stiff headwind - 30 knts or so - seen a video of it even flying backwards.

Looks fantastic!

For normal salary earning mortals the most fun you can have in the air - my opinion.

This videos will give you an idea of gyro flying:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl1CssG_7bg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PI92o6f-iU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtcezQaxb_w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJjfAgnaKC8

sounds tremendous. I'll have to give it a go.

one of the Xenon


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UepXYmT ... ed&search=

Have they fixed price in SA RONT?

the best would be to give Braam Hechter from Micorflight a call on 084 6977703

Gyro's simply provide the safest, most fun you can have with your clothes on. As a former HPPL holder I can categorically state that they are safer than helicopters since they are always in autoration. Todays designs virtually illiminate Power-Push-Over (PPO) and Pilot Induced Oscillation (PIO) with their large vertical stabilisers. The only thing they dont like to do (although they are capable under certain circumstances) is the one thing that helicopter pilots hate doing because of the inherent dangers, and thats hover.