I see again in the Gyro News (ASRA magazine) in the classifieds, there are 7 new clones, one with 40 hours TT, one with 430 TT.... all with headsets, radios, covers...yadda yadda.... oh and one $12k homebuilt.... but why so many ELA, MTO, Orions, Arrowcopters for sale? Do people get sick of them? Do they give themselves a scare?

Why would someone buy an $80k- $AU150k new machine, only to sell it with all of the extra accessories so soon? The used ones range from $AU68k for the ELA to the arrowcopter for $AU140k??

Are people's attention spans just too short? Or is there something about the factory gyro clones that we all don't know about, that makes them be for sale so soon?

I can't work it out really??

.

Wonder what they do after they are sold , do they buy a Bensen type for 1/3 the cost and just as much fun , or quit flying .

.

I don't know that is my question?

I am wondering if it is because it is too easy to just buy a machine, get some lessons, get your license and go flying....

When I built my first one, it took about 8 months and I would enjoy making it and its components.... I learned what bits were what, what they do and why.... gyros got under my skin, so to speak...

I am wondering if the people who see a gyro without ever thinking before of getting one, like the idea, have the cash to splash, buy one and 6 weeks later are zooming around the countryside (exaggeration) but it is just 'another toy' like the jetski, the dirt bike, the sports car..... maybe they don't have the fascination and addiction (obsession) that someone who has always dreamt of flying one one day, bought the components and put them together maybe they scare themselves and realise it isn't as much fun as they thought? I have no idea?

I am not knocking the machines, nor the people who buy them... it just intrigues me as to why so many new clones are for sale at low hours are constantly for sale?

Maybe I am completely wrong.... maybe they are upgrading to a better clone and flogging off the old one to finance it?

What are you guys thoughts?

I guess the next question to ask is how many new homebuilts are being built. I'm guessing pretty few. If I had not bought a Eurokit, I doubt I'd be flying a gyro now. Muz I think you are partially right on all your points.
I think the folks who buy Eurogyros are more like the people who buy any new toy whether it's a Cessna or a Porsche, and then they sell the gyro just like they would the other toys. Speaking for myself I know I'm not the 'tinkerer' that most of the guys on this forum are.
People who buy, build and fly Bensons are mostly into having a flying 'dirt-bike' for flying pretty close to home. The clones provide a bit more promise of flying distance and going places, which is what I like to do in addition to local flying. I get kind of antsy when I'm not planning a bit of a longer trip. But then gyros, even the clones, are not your ideal longer distance aircraft either. I find myself in a similar situation as I contemplate the Aircam, mostly because I think it will have more utility for the type of flying activities I want to do. If and when I build the Aircam, do I keep the gyro or not? It's probably going to depend on cash........

I think that you have answered your own question, Today with everyone being about instant gratification, you can go buy a boat, jet ski, motorcycle, airplane, or whatever, just walk in walk out,
Many of these people don't have any idea what they want to do, they have the money to do it, they just don't know what they want,
so they bounce around from this hobby to that one hoping that they will find something that they like, I have seen people change every 6 months, they will spend $$$$$$ on all the latest greatest, top of the line stuff, then 6 months later, they are doing it again with some other sport or hobby......

Well I am still building 3 yrs later and anyone who wants to buy an Arrow-copter and then resell it at around 85k after they used it a bit is alright for me....then I will get what I WANT......and I never buy or build anything with the intent to sell it later either. I usually ware it out or destroy it in an unintended way or just keep rebuilding it or salvaging parts for some other project.

The IRS ruined those plans to have my dream buy and fly gyro but I will keep my sights out and my time will come!!

In the meanwhile I have my Wolverine to keep me satisfied with flight!

Yeah, you see it with motorbikes too.... people go out an buy the latest bike, put the best tires n it, upgrade the suspension, these days, chip it up.... buy leathers, boots, latest helmet yadda yadda.... then get bored and sell it to buy the best ski boat, with hotted up motors, carbon fiber seats, with new wetsuits, skiis wakeboards, knee boards.... bamini top (custom made).... which they get bored with and buy an RV.... the latest model with the leather seats.... nitros....

I want a Gyro-boat-cycle-motorhome! That would be cool!!!

People have been doing this forever, whether it's cars, bikes, jetskis, boats, or airplanes. It's not a recent thing at all. Mostly 'Boys and their toys'. And those toys range all the way up into the mega-millions for a big boat. You should see how those are traded. For all of these 'toys' most people are not homebuilders, not by a long shot. So you are just seeing a group of people in the gyro community, like myself, who simply did not exist before, but they've been buying, flying and selling planes like 152's, Bonanzas, Citations etc forever. Also all these toys are very susceptible to changes in financial situation, lack of time, plane boredom etc - they are the first to go. Sometimes the wife goes first, then you have to sell the toy to pay for the ex-wife.
So I think you are just not used to this in the gyro community where previously there were no factory built toys, now there are more and more of them. Previously gyros over $50,000 did not exist. One day you may see a Carter Copter for sale. Soon there will not only be Trade-a-plane, there will be Trade-a-gyro

I agree 100% Jeff. It is a cyclical thing. Just as single seat gyros vs. two seater.
Sometimes you can't freaking find a two seater other times there are no single seats out there.
Everything is cyclical. Fall is coming people will think less of gyros up North.
Come to February / March they will be desperate to buy something.

Yeah, it would be great but you would prolly break it or the wheel would fall off it .... or something

Or.... you might find one in a dumpster.... and leave it there? Bbbbwwwahahahahahahahahahaha

ANIMALS?

Well at least I know what the problem is, when I pull something out of the dumpster, it becomes a personal challenge to resurrect it back to its former glory, all because I have a soft spot in my heart for mechanical orphans, My honda that I drive, I bought it for $100 many years ago, it has now amassed over 350,000 miles and I have not had to make any car payments......sure I had to spend some money to get it there, but nothing compared to a new vehicle..
My first gyro.....A box of misc parts, an Arrow powered KB with Rotorhawk riveted blades, and a side mounted boat tank, total price: $2000, I still miss that thing sometimes.
I guess that is a lame-o excuse for "I am a cheap ass"

Ditto Scott, ditto, ditto, ditto....

I am sure you and me must have been brothers in a past life

And Nabs might have been our dirty old uncle?