Replies

1. 
   DougU | Jun 21, 2003 06:51am | #1

   Stan

   I used to live in Iowa and on occasion would drive through Ill. , always noticed that the elevation never varried by more than 10', your pictures are great, just reafirms my thoughts.

   Looked like a great day for a ride.

   Doug

2. 
   kennedy136 | Jun 21, 2003 07:14am | #2

   Stan,

   Great pics dude , I always enjoy your 'copter pics.  Keep 'em coming.

   mark

3. 
   BungalowJeff | Jun 21, 2003 07:27am | #3

   Nice pics. I would love to try flying in one of them gizmos. The open feeling must be hard to compare. Right now though, I would kill for weather nice enough to even consider such an activity.

   ...that's not a mistake, it's rustic

4. 
   ProDek | Jun 21, 2003 09:58am | #4

   Great pictures Stan. I still don't get how you can fly and take pictures at the same time. Who's steering that contraption? It that thing very loud? Is that a GPS on your dash?

   Looks like they need a road sign down there that says

   "steer your car don't aim it"

   :-)

   Bob

   "Rather be a hammer than a nail"

   

1. 
   StanFoster | Jun 21, 2003 02:05pm | #5

   Bob:   That is a GPS in my dash. I rebuilt my instrument panel last winter around the GPS that my DW bought me for Christmas. I think she was really hoping it would malfunction and I would get lost....ha.  

   I have a camera with a cord around my neck and the camera stuck in my t-shirt. I can operate it with one hand. The other hand never leaves the cyclic control. It is very easy to fly,  you just point the stick where you want to go next.  While you are looking through the viewfinder...if you dont like what you see...say a tree....then you attend to the cylcic stick and move the tree out of the viewfinder...:)

2. 
   StanFoster | Jun 21, 2003 02:38pm | #6

   Bob:   Here is a view of my deck. I refuse to fly any closer because you would see some serious flaws in its construction. This is the deck I wanted you to fly to Illinois and fix. It surrounds my "glorified 15 foot horse tank".    Hey...do you have a helmet?  :)

   Edited 6/21/2003 7:41:12 AM ET by Stan Foster

1. 
   ProDek | Jun 21, 2003 05:01pm | #7

   Nice place Stan. Say, how do you negotiate around that flagpole in the middle of your driveway? Bob

   "Rather be a hammer than a nail"

2. 
   ProDek | Jun 21, 2003 05:20pm | #8

   "Hey...do you have a helmet? " :)  Very funny Stan.

   I'll keep my feet firmly on the ground thank you. You just keep taking pictures . :-)

   The deck looks great from here.

   Say, I don't see a round landing pad for that thing your in, nor do I see a curved staircase coming down from the pool. Boy, you've got ALOT of work to do, you better get back down on the ground. :-)Bob

   "Rather be a hammer than a nail"

1. 
   StanFoster | Jun 22, 2003 04:03pm | #9

   Bob:  Here are some more shots of a bed and breakfast and a home on a lake that I built the stairs for.  I can "afford" to build everybodies stairs except my own.  ha     

   
1. 
   ProDek | Jun 22, 2003 06:11pm | #10

   Beautiful spot Stan. They have their own little private island. Even though it is flat there it is very lush and green.

   Now what about that flagpole in the middle of your driveway? Or is that a huge patio?Bob

   "Rather be a hammer than a nail"

2. 
   StanFoster | Jun 23, 2003 02:18pm | #11

   Bob:   My flagpole is off to the left side of my 24 foot drive. I added a third door onto my garage a couple of years ago when I added on. Here is another aerial view to show it better. Not the best layout..but I can get my truck inside.

   
3. 
   ProDek | Jun 23, 2003 05:57pm | #12

   Very nice place you have there Stan. I like the hedge between you and the neighbor. Do you have to drive far to your shop? What crop is growing in the field behind you?Bob

   "Rather be a hammer than a nail"

4. 
   BossHog | Jun 23, 2003 09:11pm | #13

   I couldn't have a flagpole in my drive like you do. Couldn't keep my Wife from hitting it.

   This is what oour garage looks like:

   View Image

   
5. 
   WorkshopJon | Jun 24, 2003 12:17am | #14

   Stan,

   Just curious. How much runway do you need to take off and land? and how much did the gyro kit cost (inluding engine)?

   Jon

6. 
   StanFoster | Jun 24, 2003 06:26am | #15

   Jon:   I bought this gyro second hand.   It needs very little runway to land as it usually rolls less than ten feet.  Take offs are like an ultralight.  No wind...about 300 feet.  Lots of wind...straight up.

7. 
   WorkshopJon | Jun 24, 2003 06:41am | #16

   Stan,

   Second hand? You are brave. BTW, how many hours were on it and what did it cost?

   Thanx,

   Jon

8. 
   StanFoster | Jun 24, 2003 01:49pm | #17

   Jon:   It had about 100 hours on it. The price of these things very a lot. Lots of options...rotors..engines..to nail a price down.

9. 
   caseyr | Jun 25, 2003 12:17am | #18

   You might want to check out the following sites:

   http://www.rotorcraft.com/

   http://members.aol.com/uproarone/copter.html

   http://www.aeropages.co.za/ThisnThat1.html

   http://www3.sympatico.ca/j.ednie/gyrohtml/index.html

   http://www.ultralightaccidents.org/ULA_Gyros.htm

   http://popularmechanics.com/science/aviation/2001/7/gyroplane_accident_reports/

10. 
    WorkshopJon | Jun 25, 2003 12:35am | #19

    Casey,

    Thanks for the links. Gyros certainly look affordable and safe with proper training and respect. I've always been interested in getting one. By chance do you fly (like Stan)?

    Jon

11. 
    caseyr | Jun 25, 2003 01:23am | #20

    Nope, my dad starting building a personal helicopter just before he died (of natural causes) some years ago.  It was right after a friend of mine was killed in Los Angeles when the passenger helicopter he was riding on crashed because the rotor broke off.  I looked at the gimbal, swash plates, etc., on that personal copter and said "no way".  Since then I have managed to acquire a case of acraphobia whenever I get more than 80 feet or so off the ground...  The hub assembly on an autogyro is simpler than in a true helicopter, but I think I would still want some kind of backup insurance before I went up in one...

12. 
    CAGIV | Jun 25, 2003 01:27am | #21

    or Stan.

    I've heard that if the engine quits on the gyro's you can still make it down with out really crashing, if this is true, do you know how it works?Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.

13. 
    StanFoster | Jun 25, 2003 04:24am | #22

    Casey:  I have had 14 actual forced landings since 1985. Never a scratch to me or machine.  Partly because of myslef following strict flying rules..and partially a gyrocopter can land in a pile of boulders if necessary.  You land 0-5 mph

14. 
    CAGIV | Jun 25, 2003 04:49am | #23

    even if the engine fails?

    Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.

15. 
    caseyr | Jun 25, 2003 05:56am | #24

    Supposedly engine failure is no problem - but I would guess that a broken rotor blade would make for an exciting ride... 

16. 
    CAGIV | Jun 25, 2003 06:10am | #25

    Yeah, I'm guessing no rotor would be a bad deal, I just mean no engine power.   All the same Stan's pictures are cool, but I'll keep my feet firmly planted on the ground, unless it's a big 'ole jet, then at least my family could sue...

    Me and exposed hieghts have issues with each other

    Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.

    Edited 6/24/2003 11:11:08 PM ET by CAG

17. 
    BillHartmann | Jun 25, 2003 10:47pm | #29

    It is called "autorotation" and the aircraft become a glider.

18. 
    ProDek | Jun 26, 2003 02:19am | #30

    I think it's called "twirlybird makes me dizzy" if that thing loses power Bill.

    Hey Stan do you where a parachute?"Rather be a hammer than a nail"

    Bob

19. 
    StanFoster | Jun 26, 2003 05:59am | #31

    Bob:   My rotor is my parachute.  It is in autorotation all the time.  Like a maple seed spinning down from a tree.

20. 
    ProDek | Jun 26, 2003 07:41am | #32

    GOT IT!"Rather be a hammer than a nail"

    Bob

21. 
    StanFoster | Jun 25, 2003 02:05pm | #28

    Cag:     I shut the engine off every now and then and practise a dead stick landing.  It lands like a crow....comes down at about the same trajectory that a badger makes jumping off a hayloft. ha 

    The rotor is NOT powered.  It doesnt need the engine running except to push the gyro forward.

22. 
    WorkshopJon | Jun 25, 2003 06:24am | #26

    Casey,

    'bout a year ago I got to fly on a B-17. Radio room window was removed and got to stick my head (and camcorder) out of the plane at almost 200mph, unreal. After that, I,ve been hooked on wanting something open cockpit. Last fall, I got to fly in a Waco in HI. What a blast. No time for instruction right now, but come fall I'm going to take instruction for something (Rec. Sport, Gyro something).

    Jon

23. 
    caseyr | Jun 25, 2003 07:28am | #27

    I kinda doubt a 'gyro is going to get you up to quite that much of a wind blast...