Xenon Gyro

[THI]

Where's the pics?

[mak]

Take off at Kitty Hawk

The weather was good to us between Christmas and New Year and Tinkerbell and I could spend quite a bit of time in the air getting use to the Xenon and chipping away at the proving flight hours.

Xenon View

Bronkhorstspruit Dam

Rhinos new runway almost complete

We enjoyed our first flight together in the enclosed side by side machine, got caught in a bit of rain and then realized it is a non event in an enclosed cockpit.

Rain

What a thrill taking my five year old son for his first gyro flip (didn’t trust him behind me in the open tandem) and seeing his face light up after takeoff and him experiencing the feeling that all aviators enjoy when taking to the skies. It then took some convincing to get him back on the ground.

I was very curious to see the Xenon’s performance on the Highveld especially over December when the density altitude goes up to 8500 feet and I wasn’t disappointed. The great flight characteristics of the Xenon that we experienced in Poland still remained the same. Flying one up I cruised 70 – 75 Mph with RPM @ 4600 - 4700, MAP @ 35 - 36, rotor RPM @ 360 and oil temp 65 – 75 degrees (mostly morning flight between 7 and 10 am). During our conversion two up at 14h00 & 33 degrees the oil temp never exceeded 85 degrees. Even under these conditions (density altitude close to 8500 feet, two up and a lot of fuel) the RST engine was impressive.

Seeing the amount of interest and comments that the Xenon get at the airfield and not only from fellow gyro nuts, but also from interested fixed wing pilots I truly believe that not only the Xenon but the whole new range of enclosed gyro’s on the market is going to convince a lot of them to convert.

Landing back at Kitty Hawk

[Low Level]

Sjoe Marius. Dit lyk nice. Kannie wag vir my eerste flip nie.

More terug in sonnige, warm SA.

[braam hechter]

Hi All.

Through the whole experience with Mak and Tinkerbell i have omitted to congratulate them both on their conversion on the Xenon. I have been in contact with Raphael at the factory and as far as we could establish Tinkerbell (Juanita) is the first female pilot in the world, to be licensed on the Xenon.

As they say "many can follow but only one can be the first."

Juanita and Marius, thanks for allowing us to share the experience with you. We still have to do something about the Polish Vodka,at Kitty Hawk, that has been in storage for this event .

Greetings
Braam

[Condor]

Marius and Juanita

First, congratulations on your new toy and secondly your conversions and thirdly (most important) to relocalte to Kitty Hawk.

Braam, remember to invite me for the Polish Vodca event.

Gerrit

[old no 7]

Marius and Juanita

First, congratulations on your new toy and secondly your conversions and thirdly (most important) to relocalte to Kitty Hawk.

Braam, remember to invite me for the Polish Vodca event.

Gerrit

Me too!!!
I will also bring Jack n Oranges

[FLYNOTE]

Ai jai jai ... lovely to be back in the skies again I have been in Langebaan for December, sailing ! What a great experience... but not the same as flying my Xenon . Different, also exciting; very relaxing ; no stress ; but not aviation .. gee my maar my parafien woer woer enige tyd. Was a nice break and great to do something so different. I missed my gyro and will seriously look at your ramp idea Marius ! If any of you fly bys want to charter a 44ft yacht for a West Coast cruise... ek luister.
Juanita , the hand brake ... we must chat. Mine was also always very hard , big hands and all but I got used to it. The other day I found my brakes 'tightening' on taxi. I had to release some pressure to sort it out. Released too much brake fluid and got some air in the system so decided to 'bleed' the brakes. Took a syringe and put brake fluid back in the cylinder via the plastic tube attached to the handle. At first no brakes ... then the pressure came back as I pumped the brake lever and released the air bubbles in the system .Now I can pull the brake with my pinkie and it holds like %#@& on a woolen blanket. Ons moet bietjie kyk daarna. Myne is regtig nou heerlik lig ! I'm trying to work out why the brakes started to lock in the first place but have a good idea that it has something to do with the plastic breather tube folded over forming a kink and not allowing airflow to the cylinder. Braam is looking into the matter.
I am so glad you are enjoying your Gyro. You will more and more as you get used to her. I can share a few piloting tricks I have gained with you to enhance your experience. There was all this discussion initially about the rudders and managing them during certain phases of flight etc. When I flew on Saturday I suddenly registered that I was not even aware of the rudders and using them. Once you get used to the Xenon and it's flying characteristics , you will find it strange to fly your previous craft.
I am very envious of your colour. Sy lyk wratig baie mooi.
If the weather is ok this weekend , why don't we get together and fly somewhere ? Feel like Parys for breakfast? We can meet up at Tedderfield. Alan , Walter and geles ouens... what you say?

[FLYNOTE]

Hey Marius , I forgot to comment on your mentioning of the rain ... I have been in a few strong showers lately with all the rain we have been having but have never given it a second thought. Apart from being protected from the rain by the enclosed cabin , you also have the aluminium rotors which cant chip in the rain as my composite rotors used to on a few occations . On a gyro safari in Namibia one year , we went through a squall that really pock marked my composite rotors and after a respray on return ,we had quite a job to get the balance right again.
My party trick in the Xenon is to show off the shakeless stick ... and I mean no shake ! Johan von Ludwig is really an expert on rotors and you must see the looooong aliminium rotors he has designed and manufactures for gyros. They are very light and boy oh boy ... can they lift a weight !
http://www.wagtail.co.za/
Looking forward to this weekends flying !

[mak]

Johan, talking about the weekends flying, any feedback from the other guys for Saturday's breakfast at Parys. I do have something on but will cancel if everybody can make it.

[FLYNOTE]

Sover net ek en Vic Venter. Bel my dan chat ons.

[FlyingDoc]

Johan,
Would loved to have joined you this weekend, but EXU went to Wagtails on the 8th to have a look at the Rotor and is now stuck there!!!
Alan

[braam hechter]

Hi Uncle Alan.

The weather is keeping quite a few people grounded. I think Johan has approx six gyro's that need to return home. With all the rain the runway is saturated and he needs three days worth of sunlight for the runway to dry up. I trust the model will give you something to look at.

I have received the following email from Raphael:

CELIER AVIATION is releasing a brand new website, under the same URL : www.celieraviation.eu lots of articles and new functions. 3 New models are also in the pipeline, these will be released in spring time.

We are proud to announce also that the factory is continuously growing, total employees now 25, and a brand new factory is under construction on our private airfield, near by our actual building. This new place is 3000 square meters, plus 700 sqm of offices, plus shop, plus petrol station, plus a 5 ster hotel for students, owners and others requiring multi-services for GA and and more specific, gyros .

Production goes well and stable with 3 / 4 machines a month, but it shall increase soon with the new facility. The Xenon XL (3 seats) gets its success, many are on order book.

We have also completed the new ASTM standards with the mutual collaboration with Greg Reminger, and got a positive answer from the FAA. We are now all waiting patiently that the FAA will release this new protocol. It has been a time consuming procedure; we spent more than 1560 hours to prepare the ASTM. But as at CELIER Aviation we are totally dedicated to professionalism, we did not spare any energy and money to fulfill it. Quality and safety always comes first.

As soon as it becomes again possible to import assembled machines to the US, we shall re-activate the distributor network. We shall be pleased to welcome new interested person in the US in thIS group.

We have developed new technologies since the previous imports and USA pilots will be pleased to see that.
We are now more than ever dedicated to gyros. More simple and more affordable models are in preparation...Wait and see...

To all our Xenon users, fans, enthusiasts, we say thanks, and see you soon in the USA and the rest of the world's skies !!

Raphael CELIER
President - Founder
Designer - Test pilot
CELIER AVIATION
Nowowiejskiego 26a
96313 Jaktorow-Kolonia POLAND
Tel / fax : +48-46-856 52 24
http://www.celieraviation.eu

[FlyingDoc]

Braam,
Thanks, yes I have "flown it" several times around my study already!!!

I appreciate Johan's predicament... (I think we are all appreciative of the rain, but would like a bit of sunshine now to consolidate its benefit)
Hopefully I will get EXU back during this week.
Alan

[FlyingDoc]

Had a great Fly away last weekend. An event organised by Roelf Palm. A group of five gyros
from FAKR departed early Saturday for Zebula wher we joined up with +20 other gyros from all over. After a great breakfast, refuel we were off to FAQR after a great flight through the Waterberg. Roelf had arranged the accommodation and a great social / braai for Saturday evening. Sunday we all departed for our respective airfields.

Flying up on Saturday was calm but in the mid-thirties by the time we departed for FAQR. Sunday saw a number of showers around the skies and very gusty conditions.

This was my first “long” trip in my Xenon RT. Having added scoops over the original NACA intake ducts temperatures have become a thing of the past. CHT’s @ 72, EGT’s @ 780, Oil Temp @90. At 5280 RPM using 18.2 l/hr, cruising at 80kts. It was a dream flying back in the windy conditions with hardly any stick corrections required in the gusty conditions.

Thanks again to everyone especially to Roelf for his normal, exceptional organisational skills..

[Vertical Tango]

Soon ! Soon ! Soon !