Xenon Gyro

[Low Level]

Baie geluk met julle nuwe woer-woer Juanita en Marius. Wens julle stunning trips toe met RJM.

[FLYNOTE]

Dan was dit nou heerlik om julle storie te lees !! Next year I will be doing it again ... once mine reaches 250 hrs I will be offering it to some very fortunate gyro pilot and buying a new one ! These machines are fantastic . I still have my M22 in the hangar and I have to force myself to fly it every now and then ! I go to the airfield with the intention to take the 22 for a 'spin' and always end up taking the Xenon out... it's pure joy to fly and gets better all the time .
I have been out of circulation over the past month with work related matters and then also took up a new challenge !! I bought a lovely ocean going yacht ( have an executive charter business in mind ) and spent 14 days at Club Mykonos training for my skippers ticket which I now have so there's another thing for you ... Horse riding maybe next !
Please keep us informed on your Xenon all the way. You will be very happy with your gyro. Braam and his team are on the ball and Xenon will be dominating the African skies soon. It is becoming the biggest selling gyroplane in Europe and you will experience the reason why, when you start flying and enjoying your Xenon.
I heared about the 'roll' effect on take off if you fly from the right. I went for the pilot left option and I don't notice any effect . If one feeds the power in gradually instead of throttle 'bang' against the stops on take off, you also do not experience the 'roll' effect and as you get used to your craft you compensate automatically.
Tell you what we do ... once you have settled in with your Xenon , we do a trip to the Battlefields early next year?
Once again congratualtions ! I know you have a super gyro and you are going to love her to bits. Side by side, enclosed is the way to go. If you want 'wind in the hair' ... you take the doors off in 30 seconds and off you go ! Xenon is it !
Check out the latest ' Huisgenoot Tempo " magazine. There are some great pics of the Xenon !

[mak]

Thanks Dave, Alan, Leon & Johan, yes we hope we will enjoy every moment.

Johan, I heard about the yacht, congratulations. Hope there is a Xenon landing strip on, just need to cruise @ 50MPH with the yacht for take off & landing.
Yes the Poland trip is such a nice experience it tends to make you want to go back for more, but Battlefields sounds great.
We saw your new stick handles at the factory, don't know if you received them yet, they look great.

Herewith our chosen cockpit layout and finishes.

Xenon Interior.JPG (60.49 KiB) Viewed 2715 times

[Condor]

I am so glad to see the glass cockpit. Was holding my breath and I am not dissapointed.

Hope to see you on Saturday and listen to your stories.

[FLYNOTE]

Baie baie mooi !! Always so exciting with everything wrapped up in plastic and that lovely new smell when you put your head into the cabin !!
Stupid stupid question which you already thought about ... why did you not ask them to install both pilot left and right then you and Tinkerbell can take turns to pilot while on a trip ? Flying from either side takes a few seconds to get used to.
I love your Pearl grey colour choice. I saw one in the factory and was sorry that I did not go for that colour. Beautiful !
I will see you at Rhino Park on Saturday then you can see the little cosmetic and practical add-ons I have made to my Xenon. The roof sunscreen is a must and the leather armrests and glareshield cover a nicety. The new grips will be lekka for showing off ! Nice touch from the factory. Old Raphael is very much into designer flightsuits and different touches to his gyros which is fine by me. It makes the Xenon unique in it's class ... and why not ? mooi was nog nooit lelik nie ! Looking forward to seeing you all on saturday and to hear all your stories !! I will be there early but have to be back at Tedderfield at 12h00 for a meeting.

[THI]

why did you not ask them to install both pilot left and right

Is it only the handbrake that's the difference?

[mak]

THI, as far as I know it is only the brake lever and gust lock that is pilot seat only. Everything else can be operated from the passengers seat. The idea is for both of us to pilot on a trip, but the PIC will always fly from the right and will do all take offs and landings and the passenger will only relieve for short sections in the air, thus no need for brake & gust lock on the passenger side. That is the plan in any case, Johan am I missing something here?

[FLYNOTE]

Mos gesê dis n dom vraag. Brake with ' handbrake' , gust lock and PTT. Then you can taxi, brake, take off and talk from both sides. For what you have in mind is die saak reg ! Can't wait to see your Xenon. I was at Wagtail to check Walter's one out when it arrived even before he had seen it !! Baie excited vir julle !
We'll chat at Kitty Hawk on Sat !

[FLYNOTE]

Braam installed my grips yesterday ! Thanks Braam , great after sales service and going strong. You got it right Swaerrie !! This is the way to do business and have happy clients as myself ! I'm sure the difficult ones will also be out there but I can't fault my Xenon experience to date. Would love to gooi in something negative but there just hasn't been . All snags addressed immediately and follow up from factory and agent spot on at all times.
You guys see what I mean about the great finishing touches Xenon supplies.
Great that the designer is constantly thinking of small cosmetic touches to enhance your gyro. I like !!! I like it a lot !
You order these extras as they become available but as soon as the new models come out they come complete with all the latest cosmetic upgrades as an option. You just spec when you order. Great fun 'building' your own Xenon.
Flew for 2 hours yesterday and all T's and P's in the green as per usual ... all 100% .
I think the 22 will go today . She deserves someone to fly her more than an hour every two months.
Seeya tomorrow !

[braam hechter]

Hi All.

Just a short update. ZU-RJM (Marius and Juanita's Aircraft) arrived in country and Johan von Ludwig and his team did the amazing job of assembling the Xenon, carry out the engine runs, do relevant propeller settings and submit the paperwork in less than 3 days from delivery at their facility.

The planning is now for MAK and Tinkerbell to finish their conversion and then to carry out the proving flights from Kitty Hawk.

The Xenon for Walter Kinnear in Rustenburg was also delivered some time ago. He has also finished his license and has accumulated approx 30 hrs.

With the aircraft in country, we have been able to learn many valuable lessons. When looking at Len and Louis supplying training into Africa, Raphael operating in Burkino Faso, and also the Alto Air/Wagtail operation where more than 5000 hrs were flown we were able to improve the maintenance activities and facilities and also to improve the training by using commercial techniques and instructors. The challenge for training excellence is mostly the time available to conduct training. This includes ground and flight training. Ways needs to be found to optimise the time allocation/utilisation.

Through SAGPA with the Instructors and AP seminars that are planned for next year we will be able to interact and exchange knowledge thereby ensuring more structured and uniform continuation training. This will enable us all to bring the gyro incident rate down.

Have a MAGIC year end and fly safely. (Remember... When in doubt, there is no doubt)

Greetings
Braam Hechter

[Tinkerbell]

Unfortunately a thunder storm prevented me from completing my conversion yesterday but hopefully that will happen on Wednesday and then we can move the Xenon to Kitty Hawk.
One comment is that the Xenon is perfect in the air but on the ground it is not very female friendly.
My hand is actually bruised today from trying to engage the brake. Obviously not a problem for someone with bigger stronger hands. Guess what I will be exercising at gym...
The gust lock is the same - you need muscles to pull it right to the front. We have the longer rotor (8.8m) fitted and I think that must be the reason for the stick being heavy on the ground.
The above is not something that will keep me from recommending the Xenon as you obviously spend more time in the air than on the ground. Well, usually...
Do yourselves a favour and try to get a flip in one of these - it is amazing flying!
I just feel sorry for MAK that he did not fly at all yesterday.

[franss]

franss
Sycamore Mk1
Rhino
ZU-CCN
Marius en Juanita,veels geluk met julle nuwe vliegtiug.Ek glo julle gaan baie plesier ondervind.Ek verloor nou my stalmaats,gaan maar alleen wees in hanger 1by Rhino.

[braam hechter]

Hi All.

I have just received a email from Artur Trendak at the factory. The 100 th Xenon is currently in the process of being assembled. (I think this is a bit late for a Christmas Gift.)

Thanks for all the emails through the year, and all the questions and hits on this thread. It prompted us to look at many things and to improve the Xenon as time progressed. It would seem that this is also an interesting thread to visit now and again and to give opinions.

May you all have a Blessed Christmas and a stunning 2010.

Please... remember the basic when you fly and keep flying safely. (Expect the unexpected)

Greetings
Braam Hechter

[Tinkerbell]

Flew our Xenon home from Parys to Kitty Hawk. Sometimes had my feet off the rudders, sitting back and relaxing! What a dream flight.

[mak]

It seems as if Santa under estimated the speed of the Xenon and delivered our Christmas gift early, well at the wrong address and we had to go and collect it.
Tinkerbell and myself completed our three days of weather interrupted conversion today.
We would like to thank Braam for going the extra mile to ensure we get her on time, especially during this time of the year when everybody is either on holiday or on a go slow and a special thanks to Johan von Ludwig and his Wagtail team who worked overtime to get the Xenon and us ready to fly. Thanks again guys we appreciate it.
A few photos of Tinkerbell doing her conversion.

Xenon Conversion 1

Xenon Conversion 2

Xenon Conversion 3