Microlighters

What is the law, regarding flying across the sea with a gyro? Say I want to fly with my gyro to Robben island, or Bazaruto, and back. Forget about regulations around Robben island, it is just an example.

P.S. I have no intentions - too banggat - just wondering.

As far as i know , you have to be within gliding distance to the shore line

I dit wet, of net om jou eie gat te red ?

Hi Leon,

I quickly had a look at the regulations, Part 91 General Operating and Flight Rules and also Part 94 Operation of Non-Type Certificated Aircraft. There does not seem to be anything to preclude you from flying over water. There are however other parts, stating what you should have on board when doing this, if it is commercial activity.

I stay closer than gliding distance when flying over water. I had an engine failure once, with an off shore wind and the wind was stronger than i was able to put the Trike's nose down. It was a battle to get to the shoreline. I normally just stay on the waterline at a safe altitude and when encountering people, fly high and look at the options before deciding to go over the water or land in order for me not to be a nuisance.

Fly safely

Braam Hechter

Thanx Braam. Interesting.

Does anyone know what the regs are for overlflying Robben Island? There is a strip there that is closed and prohibited, but is overflying there ok? If one climbs up to the bottom limit of the TMA (2000ft), one should be able to be within gliding distance of land.

The gliding distance of a gyro is vertically underneath the wheels

Vertical Tango wrote:The gliding distance of a gyro is vertically underneath the wheels

Only if you pull back on the stick

Hi Len and Braam, just what exactly IS the gliding distance of a gyro, say with no headwind, from 2000 agl. And what sort of rate of descend in FPM can one expect ? Forgive the question as i fly fixed wing.

At best glide speed (usually the same as best climb speed), lets assume 60mph - no wind. If you have drag curves for your machine (which I doubt) its easy to find the best glide speed / glide ratio. Given the drag curves for the plane - where the parasite drag and the induced drag lines meet - that's the best glide speed for this machine. Also keep density altitude and load in mind which will affect your ROD. Eric said elsewhere that your ROD would typically be 1 000ft per minute. That means you will cover 2 miles in those 2 minutes. In other words, at 2 000ft agl, you best have a safe landing spot in mind well within 2 miles of your position. The lower you get the smaller the radius obviously becomes, we easily forget this and stretch it occasionally. Don't forget Murphy lurks.

Hope this makes sense? I'll go fly and note the numbers to provide actuals here soon in a typical gyro (tandem and side-by-side).

Gyronaut wrote:I'll go fly and note the numbers to provide actuals here soon in a typical gyro (tandem and side-by-side).

Jy sal ook enige iets doen net om te kan vlieg

Did some glide approaches today at Stellenbosch. RoD at 60 mph is 1 000ft/min, and glide angle is around 1:5.

If one is 2 000ft agl, one would thus be able to glide 3000m, which is close to what Gyronaut suggested.