John: As requested…here are some pictures from the Shelbyville, Il rotorcraft fly-in. There were over 20 gyrocopters and it was perfect weather, Here is a picture of my RAF flying in a formation with two other ones….red ones also. The last one is a lineup of 17 gyros.
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These are my early morning arrival shots. I left in the dark.
Edited 9/15/2004 5:57 am ET by Stan Foster
more gyros
Stan, fantastic view of the lake!
I still think the gyros like 'swan' and 'adam' look like they're taking their lives in their hands by flying them. On the other hand, the RAF look like they would be a blast to fly. Best looking ones in that group of pics. The closest one in the RAF3 pic looks like your gyro.
Were these all IL/IN gyros, or did it attract some from further away?
jt8
Do you play Wagner over a loudspeaker as you come in?
John; The closest one with the blue seat and blue stripes is mine. There were guys from Michigan..Iowa...Missouri..Kentucky..Illinois and Indiana.
Those units with no roofs look like an excessive safety hazard to me. You wouldn't want to stretch your arms during a long flight!!!
Clay: Gyrocopters are very safe. I would rather have an engine out in a gyrocopter than any other type of craft.
But Stan ... I can see that mixing arms (or hands) and rotors is probably not a very good idea. I would have trouble relaxing with that giant fan blade above me and no guard in place.
Clay: Most of the rotors cant be reached from the seat. Some are down low that dont have pre-rotators. Then you have to pat the rotors up to speed by hand.
Stan
Stan: Some of them were mighty skimpy on structure - I waws looking for one that consisted of a propellor beanie w/ a 6 cyl lycoming strapped to the pilot's butt!
DonThe GlassMasterworks - If it scratches, I etch it!
Last weekend I spotted one of those parachute deals. Looked like a freaking lawnchair with a engine mounted on the back, hanging below a parachute. Guy's legs were dangling down. Put..put..put... wasn't going very fast, but was several hundred feet up.
I just assumed he was returning to McFarlands.
jt8
Can't see where the stewardess would be on those machines........ or the rest room.........looks like lots-ov-fun though - I enjoy the pictures..First we get good- then we get fast !
Instead of a "wing over" shot...this is a "rotor over" shot.
The camera was on the ground and I was instructed to do a hard bank around the camera so that the top of the rotors and cabin can be seen. These machines will bank 90 degrees.
Really really cool stuff! I know little or nothing about these babies but I think they look sleek and well...cool. I however wouldn't climb into one of those for love nor money. As Chauncy Gardener said in 'Being There', " I like to watch."