etsisk
En-Route
What do y'all think of these? Specifically the ones that have in-line thrust geometry . . .
I'm sort of interested in 'em . . .
I'm sort of interested in 'em . . .
Rotorheads: Gyrocopters? Hmm?
- Thread starter etsisk
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Not for me, Tom, but thanksetsisk said:
Actually, I know people who enjoy flying them. I guess if you really like low and slow they're ok, but I have no clue as to what kind of safety record they have.
They're a failed design in a way, because for a while nobody knew how to anti-torque a powered rotor, and therefore placing the rotor in a permanent autorotative state was kind of a stopgap. They did solve some of the other problems in rotorcraft though, mainly the need for blade flapping.
From where I sit, they have none of the advantages of a helicopter (they can't do vertical flight), and none of the advantages of airplanes (they can't go fast).
Having said all of that, that doesn't mean that they might not be fun to fly. If you haven't done so already, you might want to read chapters 15-22 in the FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook. These go into gyroplane aerodynamics, flight characteristics and a bunch of other stuff.
If you pursue this further, please post -- I'm sure there are others besides me who would like to hear about your experiences.
