New toy anyone?

[VMSRTI]

[video=youtube;SgHSaNtAMjs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SgHSaNtAMjs[/video]

 

[2b1ask1]

Looks fun!

 

[Andyk]

Not for me...WOuld not feel safe in that.......Don't like heights and don't like flying in a bloody big plane let alone a tin can like that......

Will they ever take off....(pardon the pun)....as these have been around for years and years in one form or another but never get anywhere with them...

 

[CatmanV2]

Not much space for shopping either.

C

 

[2b1ask1]

As an ex hang glider I don't have a problem putting my faith in a big kite so a gyrocopter actually makes more sense. More sense in fact than a helicopter because a gyrocopter will glide in the event of an engine failure.!

 

[Dan!]

A helicopter can glide Newton.... just at a rather steep angle

Serious question; how does an autorotation and unpowered gyrocopter differ?

 

[Dan!]

I like the retractable rear blade, what a cool design.

 

[conaero]

Just image the insurance quote from the Meerkat people, that will surely bring you back down to earth with a bump (pun intended)

 

[2b1ask1]

A helicopter can glide Newton.... just at a rather steep angle

Serious question; how does an autorotation and unpowered gyrocopter differ?

My understanding is a gyrocopter has a fixed pitch on the blades I'm guessing as I don't know much about helicopters is auto rotation is fairly uncontrolled and as you say a pretty steep decent!

I'm Sure rotorheadcase or one of the other sky jockeys can expand our understanding....

 

[roger102]

Love it but let's keep the idiots on the road, don't want them crashing through my roof! Guess you still need a PPL?

 

[CatmanV2]

My understanding is a gyrocopter has a fixed pitch on the blades I'm guessing as I don't know much about helicopters is auto rotation is fairly uncontrolled and as you say a pretty steep decent!

I'm Sure rotorheadcase or one of the other sky jockeys can expand our understanding....

Chucks in with (possibly wrong) explanation:

Both machines generate lift by the blades being moved through the air (durr).
The autogyro must have air passing upwards through the disc (that' why it's at a slightly odd angle), whereupon the blades change the angle of the air to provide lift and rotation to the rotor. The forward thrust is by another engine. Pitch and be variable on an autgyro rotor.

In a helicopter, in normal flight, the rotor blades generate lift by forcing air down by using energy from the main engine. Forward thrust is provided (usually) by tilting the rotor disc forward to change the direction of 'down' to have backwards component.

In helicopter autorotation, the disc must have air passing *up* as in the autgyro. Pitch is normally minimised and the energy to drive forward is converted from gravitational potential energy (height) and whatever forward motion there is left, as helicopters don't often have another method of forward thrust.

I think 'uncontrolled' may be a bit harsh, but I understand there is a limited range of control, and you only get one chance

Far better explanations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autorotation_(helicopter)

C