First Impressions

[gyrosa]

Hi Darren
I've checked the photo and will not knock your gyro at all.
The unfortuneate part about the SACAA in this part of the woods is that to get a gyro like yours and any other type (if factory built) through the hoops and airworthy here, is a mine field of note!!!!!
I would certainly welcome your gyro in the RSA as we need to try and close the gap in the price market and get younger guys to fly and the only way I know how is to introduce a cheaper and safe gyro.
To what standard do you guys in Oz work to? Maybe if the powers that be could be persuaded to look and accept it, it will be a possible seller.

[OzGyro]

Hi All

Thanks Gyrosa for the positive comments. I agree there has to be another way of making gyro flying affordable in this country. The machine in the photo is home/experimental built like nearly all gyro's back in Oz. Can you or anybody else tell me do home/experimental built machines need to comply to the same spec as the factory bulit machines here in SA? All two seat gyro's built in Oz have to comply to the ASRA constructon requirements for compliant gyroplanes. It would be great to see more and more people get into the sport, as we all know its the best kept secret in aviation I dont want it to be seen as cheap, merely affordable thats all. Heres hoping we can come up with something we can all afford and enjoy without compromising safety.

Cheers
Darren

[gyrosa]

Hi Darren
I will need to check this out with the SACAA as far as homebuilts go. If you can supply me more specs etc in connection with materials types, strength of materials used and any sort of Oz okay on these machines and we can maybe look at the homebuilt version, I think we may have a chance.
Eric

[smallfly]

G'Day Mate !!

Any of these flyin 'cross the ditch ?

Wouldn't want to go through all the sh!tt with first of type.

What's it called and do they have a website ?

[Gyronaut]

Gents (and others)

I have been watching this thread quietly for a while now...

I am firmly of the opinion that the market is starved for a simple, affordable, 2 seater gyro. I mean in the R200k to R300k price range. I have been swamped lately with calls for advice regarding a Sycamore that is in the market in that price range, but wont go into the detail as to why I would be cautious with this specific machine, suffice it to say that by the number of calls I am getting, it is clearly obvious that cost is a huge barrier to entry for a lot of enthusiasts.

A machine designed and built along the lines of the 'new generation' gyros, with inherent pitch stability, reliable (& affordable) engine, reliable rotor, no frills, will sell like hotcakes. Yes, going through the CAA process will take time and cost money but the return will be phenomenal for the person that gets it right. I'll buy shares in the company for sure. If you can 'springboard' what the chaps are doing in Oz and use their experience and produce a machine locally that costs R200k you will have people beating a path to your door.

Darren, put a bigger horizontal stabilizer on the gyro in your pictures and the high thrust-line issue goes away. Make it as tough as possible without adding too much weight and you have a winner! I have more than enough buyers and potential students to make it potentially viable and if the mighty GyroSA (Eric - for who I have the utmost respect) thinks your idea can work, I'm in and you have my support! Don't give up! Red tape can be cut through with the right engineering and logic.

Rgds

Len

[OzGyro]

Hi All

Ok I am a sucker for punishment. Len thanks for your words of support, and agree an affordable no frills gyro will be a big seller in this country. Being realistic though I think the entry point for a quality built,safe and affordable 2 seater is going to be in the region of around R350,000.00. I have attached a photo of a single seater of which may appeal to others and I think it addresses the issue of both the thrust line and horizontal stab. However in my defence, simialarly I will not bag the Sycamore as I havn't flown in one. Sure I have heard all kinds of rumours, however I would like to fly in one and make up my own mind. I have owned a two seater as pictured and belive me it does not require a larger horizontal stab, however should you want to fit one no problems at all. I am not a high hour pilot by any means but have probably flown a larger variety of gros than most of my peers (both factory and homebuilt). I used to fly with the senior technical advisor of ASRA and he is a good personal friend of mine, I would like to think he would not have let me operate and fly amachine that he considered unsafe.
I have also been chatting with Eric and agree his input is invaluable, I will continue to research and look at all available options. Sure there will be a lot of red tape but am sure with time, patience and some money I can make this work.

Cheers
Darren