Low flying over Sanparks

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FO Gyro
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Re: Low flying over Sanparks

Postby FO Gyro » Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:37 am

On a VPM gyro, we had just fitted new pre-rotator belts. I took off and didn't realise that the pre-rotator had not released, despite the pre-rotator handle being not engaged. I don't remember too much drama in terms of controllability problems, but do remember quite a whack coming from the back after getting airborne when both belts snapped after getting excessively hot and not being able to take the load any longer.
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Re: Low flying over Sanparks

Postby Gyronaut » Wed Apr 17, 2013 9:44 am

Pieter

Loss of rudder: I am assuming you still have a vertical stabilizer? I have never heard of total empennage loss.
You can simulate this by taking your feet off the pedals - or push one and hold it. Cross-control will keep the machine going in the direction you choose, easier into wind of course. The CofG is in front of the hang point so it will yaw in the direction of stick, generally.

Prerotator engagement: I have only ever experienced intermittent pre-rotator engagement during flight and it did not have vast yaw results, as FO Gyro confirms. Shudder yes. Disengaging the pre rotator is clearly the first objective. Should this not work then adequate airspeed should pull it straight and then the best thing to do would be to find a place where you can land safely directly into wind. Learjet has had it happen to him also so perhaps he can enlighten us better as to his own experience.

I agree Flynote is owed an apology, he would NEVER fly low. It has only happened once, then he had a bird strike ... while the bird was still in the tree. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Ek straf sommer myself ##
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Re: Low flying over Sanparks

Postby Learjet » Wed Apr 17, 2013 11:45 am

Gyronaut wrote:Prerotator engagement: I have only ever experienced intermittent pre-rotator engagement during flight and it did not have vast yaw results, as FO Gyro confirms. Shudder yes. Disengaging the pre rotator is clearly the first objective. Should this not work then adequate airspeed should pull it straight and then the best thing to do would be to find a place where you can land safely directly into wind. Learjet has had it happen to him also so perhaps he can enlighten us better as to his own experience. ##
Agreed. As a newby gyro pilot I had a pre-rotator fail to disengage after take-off (the cause was later established as a slightly warped worm-drive spindle). I was blissfully unaware of the situation as I naiively thought that the yaw tendency I was experiencing was simply due to the stiff cross-wind. Some stick and rudder input satisfactorily countered the yaw effect and it was only when the bendix cap retaining bolt eventually sheared-off with a loud bang above my head that I realised to my wide-eyed and sphincter-puckering fright that something had gone wrong! I was able to land weak-kneed but otherwise ok. :lol:

Obviously different gyros have different pre-rotator designs so the affect of a pre-rotator not disengaging or engaging in flight may not be the same for all.

D
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Re: Low flying over Sanparks

Postby FLYNOTE » Wed Apr 17, 2013 3:07 pm

...and then confiscate Len Kloppers liquor license, his fishing license, his R44 license, his radio license, his software licenses, BUT reinstate his marriage license so Christine can give him all the hell he deserves for me being mistakenly fingered instead of him ! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Guys I appologise for jumping on my high horse. When I received this correspondence it had the same effect on me that one has when a taxi swings in front of you in peak traffic and throws a finger or a zap at you before you can throw one at him! The San Park guys have sent me an e mail to appologise this morning. Just took it for granted that I would be involved. (**) They should have thought about Len first but thats the way the cookie crumbled :wink: .I honestly forgot that the guys were doing this trip as I have been occupied with other issues lately.I should not have reacted so immediately. If I had done some homework first I would not have reacted like this. Sorry to all if I have chucked a cat in the chicken coop. I have communicated with the guys on the trip last night and also expressed my appologies. Just shows once again how careful one must be when you use the social networks.Put brain in gear before mouth is engaged. Remove finger from :shock: before pressing "post".
For the record; I did NOT have a bird strike...It was a tree trimming exercise. My rotors removed 40% of the gamefarms foliage in one foul swoop and I performed a spot landing of note! (!!)
Maybe something positive for all of us will come from this post. ##

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