Nice

I remember Ken Brock walked into Heli Flites hangar and asked where Steves gyro was "In the back there" I said.

Ken was less then 30 seconds walking out "Tell Steve he still owes me $500" A blade set & hub bar over his shoulders
loaded on the roof of his station wagon , Gone

Steve showed up 15 minutes later with the cash....

Everyone all smiles, Steve doing touch and goes Ken watching and Me working on the S 58

Those were the good days

Thats what you call "motivation"

Nice job Benry

I just saw the video an hour ago,
I love your trailer and it's crane, it must have been a hard job to make it
the flight is impressive, you did a pattern without getting out of the airport limits
we have the impression that you fly super slowly, as if you were flying a small zepplin !
I am really happy that you eventually found a solution to fly !

Thanks Giro,
The crane took four attempts to get the right idea for securing the blades and make it work!
As for the flying, next video will be much more interesting. The day I filmed this I blew 1.5 hours of camera battery on set up. When it came time for the flying, I had a whole 18 min of battery left!
So none of the prettier parts of my flight made it on the camera....
Next time it will be all flying Guam footage!

What is the spindle the crane rotates/mounts to the trailer with? I was looking at it and in awe of its strength (but nervous) haha

If you trust it not to ever bend or snap, that is good. I, however, would make a bolt in brace or 2 to sure it up and take the strain off the mounting point.

I just worry that, with the load of the rotors at that lever arm, mounted at a single mounting point... if it ever decides to bend or snap, it will be the end of that rotor system (and you if you are under it)

If it were mine, I would just have two straight members from about half way down the crane upright to the other side of the trailer. Once the gyro is off the trailer, I would put them in position and once the crane is finished with, remove the braces to put the gyro on the trailer.

Also, until you brace, or if you don't think it needs bracing... make it a habit of checking the crane mounting point on the trailer for cracks or bending (like part of your pre-flight/pre-lift)

Thats good advice Muz, I will look at it closely.
I am not really getting how your brace idea works...draw it on a napkin?
The bearing the crane rides on is a 1.5 to 2 inch solid steel ram. I would think it holds the weight just fine, but I will keep an eye on it.

You may not think it is warranted depending on the structure where the crane mounts. I just fear that the weight of the rotor set plus the weight of the offset of the jib would put alot of torque at the point the crane is mounted on the trailer.

Some really simple ideas... a removable brace for forward and back and side to side that can conjoin at the mast and sit in sockets with a pin at the outer reach of each brace. The braces would only need to be 2" x 1" .... you could leave the clamps on the mast with bolts so the 2 x 1 can be fitted over the bolt on the mast with a finger tight nut to hold it... same at the outer ends... maybe just wing nuts?

I am probably over thinking it... I would just hate myself if I didn't say anything and the crane bent or snapped on a windy day, which would wreck your rotors and maybe injure you. The braces could be smaller and lower.

A friend had a small Hiab type arm/lifter on his F type truck tray and he was lifting a rebuilt small block chev onto the tray and the 12" x 12" square plate's bolts with 2" fender type washers that mounted the crane, punched through the alloy tray top and the crane tilted.... the motor dropped from about 4' onto the concrete and wrecked the motor

take a weight 3x the weight of the rotors and measure the deflection before during and after lifting at all 4 points of direction
at full horizontal extension - take measurement mid span on vertical part of boom [90 deg from base up -Carpenters square]

If it bends and takes a set - You need more meat

If it has a small deflection and returns to square - just eye ball it

If it stays put no deflection - good job get yourself a beer


The more vertical the boom the less load on the system.

Thanks Muz, I see what you meant, but that really would not do much for support as it has to rotate with the load on it.
A better idea would be a removeable counter weight, we had discussed a barbell end welded on and I could stack a couple weights on it, but as Hills pointed out, it deforms a smidge and snaps back, so Im keeping my eye on it. I personnaly think it will work for a good long time before showing any signs of wear.
The base of the crane is a huge plate of 1/4 in steel on two sides snawhiched and bolted to the trailer in 6 spots.
I will be vigilant though....

Yeah, it is probably nothing... I am just a 'worry wart'

Maybe extend the cran jib to the opposite side and connect a cable to the trailer in tension.... the cable loose enough for the crane to turn?

or... just keep an eye on the entire area where the crane is mounted

The crane looks VERY well built and your ideas for steadying the rotor is great... well done

I appreciate the concern. Truly Muz.
Happy new year!

I finally get everything in place and working to fly, and it has been 2 straight weeks of rain!
Arrgggh....to top it off, the only small windows for flying happen when were out in the field working!
The universe conspires!!!

we call it " le lundi au soleil" (monday under the sun after a rainy week end)
Aviation is the school of frustration benry ! but the sun will come back soon !
I've been lucky those last winter months no wind, cold air, nice flights in the mountains ... those tiny machines are fantastic

Le lundi e soliel, I like that you have a name for it!
I will try to get a serious video next time of the beauty of this place...

I can't wait to see your next video,

do you need to use a transponder to fly from the airport ?

are you the only gyro pilot on this island ?

I do not need a transponder as we are class delta. So radio comms with tower mandatory, but a trx is not.
I am the only Gyro pilot in a VERY large area.
Well, that is to say there may be some people who have flown a gyro in the Marianas Islands, but I'd wager I have the only gyro to fly in the Marianas islands!
I am the plank owner, first and only member, President and Treasurer of the Guam Gyro Groupies flying club!

you will soon have an article on the local news paper then

people will be amazed to see this little bizarre "helicopter" in the skies

in France little by little, in cities close to the aerodromes people are speaking about "autogires"