a BO108, i don't know.... a kind of something flying maybe ? or a kind of secret codename ?
comparing apples with apples : what were the real last "mass-production" gyros ? la cierva ? lioret ?, after that ? nothing.
The fact is that people, armies etc accepted that an helicopter is expensive..
yes the EC135 is a beautyful million dollars machine, for that price it'better be nice and not hugly, indeed.
I am not trying to say a bensen equals a EC135, i just say that a basic gyro may fly better (exepted for hovering) than a basic helicopter (kit helicopter for example) at 1/3 the price.
I'm also still thinking that using a EC135 for some one-crew or 2-crew missions is a bit costy and that the gyro has a place where the helicopter is not justified.
I feel that there is a kind of ostracy from the helicopter world.. i feel that a rotary machine MUST be complicated, expensive and, overall , Dave will agree : HARD TO FLY.
CRAN : with great respect for you : the gyro flew pretty well before helicopters and if they are recreationnal machines, that's because they are left to the recreationnal pilots NOT because they can't be something else.. and because no company had a better look at them. I feel this view will last some times...
One thing is shure : you can solo someone after some hours of good training on a gyro, can you do that with an helicopter ?
thanks