I just added up my log book on a whim and it came in at exactly 100 hours with 414 landings. It's taken longer than I would like, starting at Wauchula in Feb 2013 with a couple of rides from Dave Seace in the Dominator and then with Des Butts at Bensen Days 2013 in the MTO. Like most activities one enjoys in life, it's mostly about the great people I've met - so here's my people story.
I got the bug for gyros from diving and photography friend Jean Tresfon who flies a Magni M16 in Cape Town, South Africa. I encourage folks to take a look at his Facebook page, to see some magnificent aerial photography from his gyro of the spectacular Cape coastline. I researched gyros online and actually had a hard time initially finding a local place to learn to fly. Finally found Wauchula and Jim the airport manger put me in touch with Rick Martin who invited me out, and that's where the adventure began. First rides with Dave Seace, rides and training with the ever patient Des Butts - a little tedious getting it done between going back and forth between Houston and Florida for training. Ordered my MTO, and started the build at Des's place in Houston last December, then finished it at Wauchula. Then the tedious wait to get it registered and the DAR inspection done that took until May. In the meantime a great time at Bensen Days 2014 where I met Craig MacPherson and his assistant Pam Voller. Got some great experience in more 'seat of the pants' gyro flying from Craig, and Craig and Chris Lord signed me off to add a gyroplane rating to my PPL. Met lots of great people at Bensen Days including Vance Breeze who has been a great encouragement since we met. Got to know all the Morons a lot better as well, including Slo Joe, Bud et al. Chris and Farmer Jim. My story was a little more complicated because the FAA could not find my original medical exemption for my weak left eye, so I had to set up an additional sign off with Jay Tevis from the FAA which was planned to be done at Craig's place. Of course the day before I flew to Craig's place in Dallas, the FAA informed me they had found my original exemption and the sign of was not necessary. Anyway did one more day of fun flying with Craig at his farm south of Fort Worth, Texas.
But once again I was in a bit of a conundrum. I had not yet soloed in a gyro, and particularly in my own machine. My gyro 38KT is now certified sitting in Wauchula and I am legal and signed off with a gyro add on to my PPL, but no certified instructors around to be there when I finally take the plunge and solo.
So spent a few weekends just taxiing and wheel balancing, flying a little in my gyro with Dave Seace, and contemplating what to do next. Finally just decided to bite the bullet and with some of the best advice I've yet obtained in gyro flying from Slo Joe, to paraphrase because Slo Joe talks pretty slow as you know - 'Remember you don't have to land as long as you have enough gas. If it does not look right and feel right when you are coming in on your first solo landing, just go around. And if it does not look right the next time, just go around again, and so on.' So I think Slo Jo and Rick Martin were there on a day when the winds were calm and all looked good. I took off, flew a little west of the airport, did some turns and stuff then headed back. Remembering Slo Joes advice I did a couple of low runs along runway 36 and then one practice almost landing, and then settled her in on my first solo landing. Not perfect, not too bad. The world did not shake.
So it's been fun since then. A bitter sweet departure from Wauchula when I had flown off my forty hours to fly 38KT to her new home in Deland with hangar mate Larry Kurtzdorfer. Some tail vibration problems isolated to an out of balance prop and rectified with Gabor's help. Larry is a perfect hanger mate, a Vietnam veteran Huey flier, instructor and obsessive about detail. And then of course there is the one and only Gabor Kovacs. Gabor is one of those guys who will do absolutely anything for his friends, his detractors of course find him opinionated to say the least, but having shared a hangar now with him for 6 months, it's clear he knows his stuff. And Gabor is only the lesser part of the Kovacs couple, Gyorgi being the major force. So now about 50 hours of flying in Deland, with lots of great experience in a very busy traffic pattern (sometimes too busy), flying with Larry and Bernice in his beautiful Calidus, Gabor backseat a lot of the time, Gordon T always opening the hangar and flying some backseat as well. Flying New Smyrna Beach, St. Augustine, Merritt Island, Wauchula, Zephyrhills, Williston - each a little adventure in it's own right with their own little story. A flight to Sebring, sharing a room with Larry and Bernice, and the Rotax maintenance course. Then a bigger adventure to Scott Essex's Birthday bash in Georgia, Larry and I flew the 4.5 hour flight in 3 legs. Great weekend and again got meet some great people including Scott and Mary and others. A minor mishap to the gyro while parked necessitated leaving the gyro there, and getting a ride home with Gabor. Then had to return two weeks later to pick it up. Thanks to Hendrick Grobler for the loan of his trailer and Larry for insisting on doing the road trip with me. So now the gyro is flying great, very smooth, trims she flies hands off easily for 15-20 seconds or more with a half inch or so of stick shake. So for me the first hundred hours have been about great flying and learning. Learning to fly, practicing, and learning about my machine and gyros in general. Great day yesterday again despite the disappointment of the Behemoth maiden flight delayed again. Greg yes here's the finger agin. But the first 100 hours has been as much about meeting great people and making new friends. In addition to those mentioned add Greg Spicola, Abid, Animal, Mad Muz (internet only), Gerald Keasler (Gyro Gerald). Thinks to all the folks on this forum and RWF who have helped, some more ornery than others - of course Birdy comes to mind on RWF. Apologies to those I have not mentioned by name.
Looking forward to many more hours of hopefully safe flying, and many more adventures and new friends. And looking forward to many more fun days at KDED with the crew, and the Behemoth flying soon.
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but you have reached a skill set that allows you to learn more each flight and understanding in more depth what you are learning.... rather than just doing what you remember the instructor telling you to do.... A good instructor and others efforts are not to teach the student absolutely everything to do with flying.... their job is to teach the student to fly and adequately control the machine safely enough so the student can then go on to learn the true skills needed for flying... and keep on learning....
