Microlighters

Hi All
Ok it seems the more and more people I talk too, the more and more I hear the want/need for a gyro/gyro's to be available for hire and fly.
Question is can it be done in reality? Things to consider I guess would be as follows.

1- Aircraft type
2- Pricing
3- Location
4 -Insurance

I have considered the following gyro types and aproximate rates.

Sycamore,RAF - Affordable to buy and own (R450-550 p/h) Am also looking at a 912S powered single seater as an option also.
Magni. MTO and ELA (Open)- Proven track records and popular, (R650 - 750 p/h)
Xenon.Magni and Calidus (Enclosed)- Luxurious but a little more expensive. (R850 - 950 p/h)


Basic requirements for hire and fly would be obviously a check ride and endoresement on type. Must also have a minimum of 10 hours logged in the past twelve months. with no less than 3 hours in the past 90 days. Pilots would also have to take out insurance against the excess on the insurance premium (Cost and amount yet to be determined).

With the average recreational pilot flying appoximately 20 -25 hrs a year @ R700 p/h = R14000 - R17500, it does seem affordale/feasible to me that it could work. Lets say it hires out an average of 10 hours per month, equals 120hrs per year (R84000), ok I know there wont be money to be made but it seems a great way to get and keep more people actively involved in the sport.

Ok I guess the final questions are, who is/would be interetsed and am I being realistic?? Please share your thoughts and ideas.

Cheers
Darren

I would. Especially the side by side enclosed gyro's.

Location?

Hi THI

At the moment I am thinking the JoBurg area, however I guess the main reason for my post was to see if it is financially viable for others to offer the same service. I know there has been some negativity in the past in regard to gyro hire and fly, but I truly beleive with the quality of instruction that I have personally witnessed and received her in SA there is no longer a valid reason for the negativity any longer. After all if an instructor is willing to send you solo and then ultimately issue you with a licence surely he has enough faith in your ability to hire and fly a machine. I know its not all black and white and as always there are grey areas that will require sorting out. I just think with the new generation machines and the direction that Gyro's are heading in genaral,I am just hoping H+F is becoming a viable and realistic option.

Cheers
Darren

This thought keeps on appearing every now and then. I have just about exhausted this concept as well, boy, if we can get it together. What I have so far is based on long discussions with Johan at Wagtail.
- Wagtail does hire and fly of gyros. Cost is based on the amount of hours and where you want to operate, ball park was R 550 - 650 / h
- Insurance was discussed as a YEARLY once off of R 4000. The negative is that if you only hire for 1 week and 2 hours then the cost will start at R 2000 per hour....but if you consider a more long term plan and say 40 hours for the year, then it comes in at R 100 / hour.
- The gyro MUST have Commercial Authority to fly, not just a Training Authority...reasoning at CAA is that hire and fly is a fullout Commercial activity.
- Gyro must be inspected and serviced by a AMO, that means it will most likely be "area bound". AMO can go to the gyro ( if say it is in Upington ) but then the cost of the maintenance will be a lot more compared to what was allowed in the "assumption" and the "hire and fly" pilot will be responsible for the additional travel cost.

I feel the big challenge with this concept is to get started, Wagtail has enough gyros ( my opinion ) to do it, but they don't seem to be all that positive for just one lonely few hours once in a while.

I phoned Johan and he confirmed that they do it from time to time, there is currently one gyro out on Hire and Fly and for the year to date they estimate there was about 4 "clients" and only about 20 hours total.

He also sounds a lot more keen to do the Hire and Fly with a few of the Sycamore's they have, all equiped with 33ft disks and hydraulic pre-rotator systems, he says all the systems on the " Commercial " Sycamore's are very reliable and he feels "safe" that they are not going to be called out every now and then for small breakdowns or other snags.....

It sounds better and better...