It is on YouTube now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdbKWf13aRg

The whole youtube thingy went nuts....every video now auto detects and gives me an error.....WTF????

Hummmmmm.........u know what they say


ONCE IN A BLUE MOON!!!!

It is an interesting design. John did a double-hang and the CG is really not as high as it looks. It falls slightly below the engine, just forward of the mast.

Greg said the only thing he found a bit funky about its handling was that the walking beam yoke was a lot narrower than the cross beam on the torque bar. This required a lot more motion in the cyclic than most machines designed more recently. Still, I think that I'd rather have a less-responsive machine than a twichy machine as an entry-level gyroplane.

Odd....I had no problem at all (Linux/Mozilla) with the YouTube video or the one posted in the thread.

Could be aliens, I suppose.

Adobe Flash PLayer updated itself and has a bug!
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a great machine... flies well

One thing that worries me a little, so I will just throw it out there for others to comment (or not) but I notice the joystick looks like it is just the tube cut and turned then butt welded to give the 90 degree bend/change of direction...... If it were my machine, I would like to see a brace, gusset or some other strengthening member just to sure up the strength of the joystick welded joint.... there is a lot of stress on that butt weld (maybe it has internal strengthening? I cant tell) but I personally would like to see the owner strengthen that join..... broken joysticks usually end with smokin' holes

Love the machine tho

Normally I would agree, Muz, but that machine's pump-handle setup has a really tiny yoke at the bottom and a very large cross-member at the top. Mechanical advantage to the pump-handle, big-time! The down-side is that it takes a greater degree of motion at the cyclic than most other gyroplanes. Not horrible, once one gets used to it, but definitely a non-standard range of control motion. Given the setup, I seriously doubt there would be any threat of weld failure outside of a very bad rotor flap.

I think the biggest risk is for the pilot, getting used to that machine, then transitioning to a more standard cyclic and having problems due to over-controlling.

John, yeah, I have no issue with the pump stick or its universal joint, my worry is that where the horizontal section meets the vertical stick, the weld is un supported (only relying totally on the weld) I would suggest cutting a 3 or 4" triangle of 1/8th steel sheet and weld it to the 2 sections of the joystick.... the weld between the 2 sections suffers from the pushing and pulling of the joystick by the pilot plus all of the shaking and harmonic vibration of the rotor as well as the side to side movement.... that weld is the weak point so in my opinion, I would like to see it reinforced.

If I didn't think it was a critical safety concern on a major flight control, I would say nothing.... but I would be devastated if there were an accident and I had said nothing

The red circle shows the area that worries me and the triangle brace that will take the strain off the weld I thought there was a small rod there, but it is just the prerotator cable. The stick wouldn't even need to be removed from the machine.... just weld it while it is on.

Muhz,

I understood your critique and remedy, but the detail provided confirms it. Thank you.

I would agree, if it were a normal control. Even if it were a normal pump handle control. But, the stick inputs are so very light (due to the very tiny yoke on the pump handle), that to break the weld, something else very, very bad would have to be going on.

Granted, it would not hurt to put your fix in place. Even the weight gain would be trivial. However, I think the larger problem is the non-standard, exaggerated cyclic travel. Transitioning to another machine could get ugly.

Even this FW pilot can get that....

Most of my experience is Cessna (which compared to some other small aircraft, is a truck). Rode in the right seat of a Moony... that thing was SOOO sensitive... I would have gotten in trouble without someone along to help me adjust.
So how is one gonna adjust when trainers are not around, and instructor time is VERY costly and not readily available?
IMO a recipe for an uncomfortable occurrence.

Thanks guys, it wasn't really a critique, just an observation and a 'what I would do if it were mine' thing.... I am a real scaredy cat when it comes to major controls on gyros..... if the tire goes flat or wheel falls off... motor stops or something like that, will 99% probably survive..... if a rod end, joystick, frame ot the major controls fail.... smokin' hole so I felt I just had to say something. Yes, there might seem to be little pressure on the joystick (felt) but I think you will find at that weld (the weak spot) there will be plenty of stress....

However, I have said my piece.... love the machine.... it wouldn't get my off the ground but great to see the classics still flying

I cant believe how many power lines there are around that strip in the video

I agree... to have the 'stick' not do what it is supposed to... would be a BAD day indeed...

I probably would put the gusset in the stick... just because.

I do think Jon C has a point about learning to fly on a machine that has not very sensitive controls.
I wanted to build a twin from the start... I was told to get a single and learn to fly it FIRST. I would be a better gyro pilot if I did.

I can see where this is good advise.

GA

I totally agree with John, even someone wanting to buy a euro tub would benefit from learning up to solo in a basic stick machine first.....IMO.... that way you learn to fly, then upgrade to a titanic class gyro..... would be cheaper too. Also, some folks would then realise that a basic stick machine is all they really want/need..... if someone learns in a tub, then buys a tub for $80K then realise they wish they just has a fun stick machine instead of a super tanker.... they would be kicking themselves and if they want to go back to a sticky, it will still cost them for learning to fly basic.... IMO, if someone learns in a basic and can fly.... the transition to cabin class would be quite easy and fast..... someone who has only ever learned and flown a euro clone, will sort of have to start fresh to learn a basic..... would likely take longer to learn not to have to rely on a million instruments and gadgets, hydraulic this and pneumatic that....

My mentioning the stick of the old beastie goes back to a mate who got crushed under a car when it fell off the jack while he was under it. He was a mechanic and a customer asked him to check something. Craig said to jack it up and he would take a look. The customer jacked it up, Craig got under and it fell, squashing his head They got the car off him and he was rushed to hospital.... he survived, but has brain damage (permanent).... the point is, a couple of people noticed the jack was not right, but no one mentioned it until after it fell.....

If our friend with the gyro happened to have an accident and get hurt and I hadn't mentioned what I thought was possibly an issue, I would feel terrible.... I would rather say something and get jeered at than say nothing and a brother gets hurt (or worse)

Yup...I miss my little gyro.

You are absolutely correct......alot of people have asked me to show them how to fly a little in the Cavalon.......first....I am no instructor so I say no......the other thing is........showing someone how to fly the Cavalon will only teach them to fly a Cavalon.

It doesn't take off or land like any other gyro. Not even an MTO. It's just different. My open frame has more stability, maneuvering ability and can handle all kinds of winds including strong cross winds. There's some days....the Cavalon stays parked!

Best way to describe it is in the Cavalon....you are flying "in" the gyro.......with an open frame.....you're flying "on" the gyro.

Robert Klutz said it well when he stated..," in the Cavalon......you fly alot more with instruments cuz you can't feel the gyros reactions as well"

Still a nice x country machine......but if you want the true gyro feel and fun.......stick with an open frame or at least an MTO.

Barry K

Well stated Barry. Thanks for that description.
I thought the same thing about the enclosed gyros.
They sure go in a different direction from the original.
But than again the pushers went completely different from the Cierva's.
We are evolving into a different gyro market.

So...what Barry is saying is that his SnoBird is the best gyro he has ever had......Still the cavalon is nice because it has a heater...