You are so right,and harley is still that way catering to the yuppies,I wanted to Vomit when i visited Daytona harley davidson, in Ormand beach, never saw so many wanna bes in my life. I started riding just before the yuppie biker craze hit. I was riding a panhead chopper with a Jockey shift before discovery channel knew who jessie james and his chopper build show was..lol got pulled over 6 times in 1 month because the cops just knew that long haired freak had to have drugs on him...lol I don't even smoke or drink beer... jack asses...

Now the Cops don't even look at ya.

hate to say it but the Gyro market is going the same way, out of my price range. I keep telling Anthony at Phoenix Rotorcraft he needs to start selling a simple gyro kit, but he won't listen. and that why he is not making any money. he still thinks people are going to jump on buying the UFO gyros, but unless he gets off his ass and gets someone flying it and going to the events, he ain't gonna make any money.

anyway here is a pic of the long haired freak that just had to be carrying drugs..lol

the main thing I like about the new euro gyros are they are bringing Gyros into the main stream and more FBO's are excepting them. it was not that long ago that if you came to an airport with a gyro, they would run you off.

of course there are still a few airports out there that don't even like helicopters, I found this out when I called the Indian river airport in florida when looking for land in that area. the old bastard there said they don't except helicopters there, that they don't like them flitering around in the way of the fixed wings.

I would like to see the day when you could go to the airport and rent something like and MTO or an AG-1, like you use to be able to rent a Cessna 150.

To bad with our stupid FAA, it will probably never happen.

Different strokes for different folks. You have your passion, I'll have mine. I don't understand how adding more people buying 'Eurogyros' takes away from the sport. How does having factory built fixed wings take away from the sport of flying? Those who choose to build gyros from scratch, whether it's a cost thing, or whether they just like the pleasure of it, can certainly continue to do it. I know if that was my only option I certainly would not be flying yet, and most likely would never fly a gyro at all - just don't have the time and inclination to build from scratch. Sure there's lot's of satisfaction in building from scratch if you can, but then you can apply that argument to anything - from your house to your car. I also think I have a much better built machine than I could have built myself from scratch, even with it's legendary 'design flaws'. I don't weld, and I'm not learning. I am not a metal worker like Gabor - the best thing I can do is drill a few holes and tighten screws and bolts according to directions. I do enough of my customized work when I do surgery every day.
I also have a gyro that's designed to fly me reasonably comfortably for 2.5 - 3 hours at a stretch. My long term goals include cross-country trips etc; just flying around the patch every weekend does not hold much attraction.
Anyway to each his own, I really admire you guys who build your own. I think Gabor's Behemoth is awesome, and I look forward to helping with his next adventure - just not my thing to build from scratch myself. And I'm also not going to apologize for having enough money to buy the gyro I wanted.

Tell me about it...

I have owned The Subinator (Bud's DomaRue) for a year... all I have accomplished is cleaning, removing paint, CAREFULLY inspecting ALL The parts, painting most of them, and a rolling frame.
Lots yet to go.
In all fairness, there is a lot of paper planning and design/engineering going on at my desk... when the machine shop gets done in my basement... I can get to work on the ideas I have learned on this and a few other Gyro forums.

Hope to have it ready next Spring, depends on the machine shop getting set up...

Just for clarification....I was totally not referring to anyone here on this forum. At Mentone I overheard the "builder" telling someone how much work it was building one.....took almost 2 weeks! I had to chuckle.

My point being there probably isn't as much passion in his build compared to the cut stick by stick types that built Mentone.

I agree one has to be a lot more dedicated I guess to build from scratch, and as I said each to his own.
I just think there's a lot of 'griping' (can't think of a better word) about Eurogyros and how they're taking away from the sport , poor design etc, and that just makes no sense to me. I only see them as adding to the number of folks involved, maybe not as passionate as the other weekend warriors, but still OK.

Passion can be for the build or for the flight or both. I am sure just because one does not desire to build he or she can be just as passionate about flying. Or even regular reader of build threads.
But these fucking MTO zombies.....
I am glad we can be funny here and not worry of hurt feelings.
BTW I love Jeff's MTO. She is a solid good flying machine.....for an MTO

I like the new designs and if people can afford them that is great. I love building, but trust me if I had the cash for an AG-1 or an arrow copter, one of those puppys would be mine. I have not had the pleasure of riding in an MTO yet, hope to someday. not sure how these new machines are making the 51% build rule, but glad they are.

in hind site, I should have kept my falcon,I would be flying by now. but on the flip side, I would never gotten the last Hillman Hornet to restore. I just hope it fly's before I get to old to fly it. dang my A&P is slow..lol

what I love about these new gyros are you can actually fly them cross country. I mean wow, Abid and Greg just flew the AG-1 from Florida to Oshkosh and mentone and now on the way home, if they are not already back.
not to many years ago just flying a gyro across 1 state was a long cross country.

I am glad Loftus has an MTO as it gives me a chance to take my time to look at one up close and see all the details. at the fly-ins a lot of time I don't get to really check them out as i am normally running around to much or people get in the way when trying to take pics.

hey dropbear, looky what I found a pic of...

Got to love that sticker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yep makes ya wonder how many from that other forum saw it and sneered..lol

She really is one of our best promoter and proud part of the family

And Ozrora is a very sweet looking machine!
MTO's fuckem!

Right now I'd sell that "pretty POS" inna heartbeat ... & get an MTO that will fly & fly & fly .... I'm SOOOOO sick & tired of getting grounded from one thing - FIX it - then the next thing & annuther ... then back to the first .. ......IT NEVER FICKEN ENDS WITH THIS POS!!!!


I declined to enter it for the awards judging ... as it wasn't "airworthy"/ flightworthy!

Oh well I had a good time anyway... & incredibly busy with meeting /talking to as many people - especially the newbies as I could ... doing mini interviews for my article for Rotorcraft that Lisa asked me to do ... taking lots of pics .... trying to be everywhere got an hour lesson with Craig to scratch the itch to fly & had a blast doing low-level stuff ... flying treelines & between gaps in tree-rows ...with the expert behind keeping me safe !
Mike Burton offered to fly mine but after my 4th fail-to launch (over the first 3 days) - due to the blasted frontwheel shimmy ... even after I tore it all apart to replace the master-spring ( fixed the problem first go around - a coupler of years ago!) ..... he took me for a sweet consolation flight - sunset cruise around in the gorgeous new Airgyro Cavalon ... what a dream machine!!! & Mike was so cool trying to cheer me up!

I had a great time with a bunch of great helpers & participants on Friday doing the thrust tests! Also got to get a "potential customer demo-ride" with Mike Bantum in the magnificent new Tercel & meet & talk to the designer Artur Trendak!

Had such an intense social time & got to know so many familiar gyro-folks SO much better & meet so many new mates ... even a fellow OZ ... who was a great help trying to get mine up & running .... but Thurdsay eve I had to accept my pretty junk-heap was NOT gonna fly this time & pulled rotors off & just focused on my thrust test duties & enjoying the event camaraderie!
my "big brother wingman" Kent also had wise input & good ideas how to proceed with fixes ... so we can do some more flying together here in the next weeks before he heads off to El Mirage! ..... " Dont risk trashing your machine" ... trying to get it goiung here! I had nothing to prove .... I made some sweet landings in the MTO with Craig & got his !
Pinned down Ron Menzies & double checked I had everything ready to come see him in the next few weeks!
Even FJ felt he had a good time ... just hang'n out enjoying the camaraderie!
It's always a special event! .... even with the low attendance ... LOTs of gyros thurs & fri on the flightline ... 22 CFI's many with machines ... keeping busy - but no PPC's & hardly any vendors ... the campground was sparse . esp in the PPC area & vendor area - all open! saturday .... 1/3 of the attendees had left. The Competitions were good & well organized ... pylon race a hit & Cluster cluck - Stran finally got "egged" ... spot landing only 2 entrants!

OHHHH yeah ..... I got some "hits" on that sticker .... from the ones who were observant enough to notice & ballsy enough to comment!
Carl S ... kinda rolled his eyes!
A group of the Tennessee contingent had a passing commentary on the Wolverines forum ... nothing too bad ... but moved on to other topics pretty quick!!

Chris you are a tough cookie. I love the fact that you keep fighting!
That's how things do get really sweet when you get them.
I am glad you had a good time. You always blend in and find the best in everything.
As for the Wolverine forum....it really should bother anyone.
It is always easy to criticize things others do.
I am tempted to bet that people who don't like us being here and exist are the ones who bitch most about the other forum to be bad too.
LOL. You can't please everyone.
Carl never gave me the impression of not liking this forum.
I know he is a regular reader here.....you must have mistook his humor
He is funny!!!
Thanks for the mini report on Mentone.
I tend to trust your point of view as you have no agenda to make things look either better nor worse.
I am also very sorry about the Ozrora.....

Yeah ... i know Carl is a regular here ( I am a token "Admin") ..... I was surprised at his off-the cuff comment ... maybe it was more about ME being an unashamed member & my sticker display. .....than the Wolverines forum - per se!

I suspect too many one-time lurkers have abad taste ... as they looked in when the original #1 or #2 Wolverines was still pretty crude & boisterous & the good content was evolving! I DID encourage them to not judge by what was way-back-then & come see the good things that are happening here NOW!.... ... OH well ... i tried !

Glad you had a fun time, your gyro looks cool but complicated. I would not know where to start on building one of those.
is it just the design? seems I have not seen yours or the other 2 place fly. are the things keeping you grounded, are they design flaws,or just options that are so high tech it take working the bugs out?

My only Gyro builds have been restored 2 old Bensens, one was mine another a Friends and then the falcon build.

How long have you been working on yours? it is cool looking, are there many others like it flying?

At any point,I hope ya get the bugs worked out and get it in the air soon. looks like it would be fun to fly.

Well if he feels that way that's his business. I think we DO have a good thing going on here. I am glad we are having a considerable busy forum and a very relaxed atmosphere. We also have an outlet where you can be yourself and don't have to re-write your opinion to be able to post it. I kind of like that. I hate to present something so wrapped up in politeness that it loses the smell of the shit!
Thanks for all you do!!!
Oh and