But here is where some of those differences I noted earlier become critically important. Since stall/spin accidents account for most of the fatalities in fixed-wing aviation, it would seem to follow that gyros must be safer than conventional fixed-wing aircraft. If you fly the aircraft slower than its minimum level flying speed (10-25 knots for most sport gyros), the aircraft will simply descend without any abrupt break and with no loss of rotor control power.Īs you must stall an aircraft to cause a spin, it follows that gyros wont spin. This rotation is generally independent of airspeed and angle of attack, so a gyroplane cannot stall. The rotor of a gyroplane is your wing, and it generates lift and control because it is autorotating. The greatest danger from stalls and spins is obviously at low altitude, and the greatest hazard is encountered when maneuvering during takeoff and landing. #WAS THE BENSEN B9 LITTLE ZIPSTER FIXED PITCH ROTOR HOW TO#Low-altitude spins are typically fatal, and you can even buy the farm from up high if you don’t know how to recover from a spin or your particular aircraft is difficult or impossible to recover. If you stall the aircraft at too low an altitude for effective recovery, you can become a statistic.Ī second consequence of stalling is that the aircraft may spin. Its not particularly difficult, but it is quite different, and a failure to understand the differences can be fatal!Īt some combination of airspeed and angle of attack, airflow over a conventional wing will separate, and the wing will lose its ability to generate lift its your basic stall. The physics of any rotary-wing aircraft are dauntingly complex.įortunately, you don’t need a comprehensive understanding of all that complexity to fly a helicopter or a gyroplane, but you do have to know the primary reasons why rotorcraft are different and take those into consideration when you fly. It would be a mistake, however, to equate structural simplicity with the dynamics of gyro flight. They are simple, and fewer parts and components generally mean you can build one without having to take out a second mortgage on the house. #WAS THE BENSEN B9 LITTLE ZIPSTER FIXED PITCH ROTOR SERIES#My earlier columns in this series have emphasized the structural simplicity of the typical gyro airframe. There is no simple answer to the question of whether gyroplanes are safe to fly, any more than one could generalize about any aircraft, but we can learn a lot about gyros by looking at these seemingly simple points. Gyros cannot stall or spin and thus are inherently safer than fixed-wing aircraft.Īt one level, all three assertions are true, but taken literally, they are also dangerously simplistic.The aircraft was simple and affordable.When Igor Bensen began large-scale marketing of his Gyrocopter in the early 60s, much of the sales pitch involved three primary assertions: The fact is that gyroplanes may have the most complex image problem in aviation. On the other hand, your typical aviator who has never flown a gyro will tell you that you must be out of your mind to even think about flying one of those unstable contraptions! Lets just say that opinions about gyros are polarized. Gyro pilots unanimously believe that their aircraft are inherently safe and easy to fly. If you begin to respond to that appeal by talking with pilots about gyros, you soon discover that not many pilots sit on the fence when it comes to these little aircraft. Most sport gyroplanes aren’t beautiful or even cute, but there is no denying that they have a certain magnetic appeal.
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