Originally Posted by
dickmct
ShyT, OK, but by continuing to reference the characteristics of these older machines you help perpetuate the misconceptions of the safety of modern gyros.
Gyros do not have high visibility in GA but as an example, the type I fly, an MTOSport, has over 1000 units flying world wide.
Dick.
Eh? I merely pointed out the not so well publicised reason (in general aviation circles) why many gyrocopter accidents actually occurred, in a very similar way to yourself.
For many years I was a member of a flying club where one of the types without a horizontal stabiliser of any sort was based...and then crashed...for the very reason you stated. I would not fly in one of those aircraft because I don’t have to.
I then stated my personal preference was for a more traditional (and actually more modern) type that does have a horizontal stabiliser and therefore very good horizontal stability! I can’t imagine why you find that difficult to accept, unless perhaps you aren’t familiar with the Herron “Littlewing”, which as I said, I would happily fly. The Pitcairn first flew in the early 1930s!
Search for Little Wing autogyro - they do have a website and there is a video on YouTube where Ron is interviewed.