Just to clear up a few points:
- The CAA won't allow gyros to be rented in the UK, so post-PPL you need to look at either buying your own or joining a group. We are working with the CAA on allowing rental and they have agreed "in principle" but they are in no rush to implement
- Hull insurance is available but it isn't cheap (the market is small, the track record isn't there and there is only one supplier)
- There aren't any Instructors in the midlands, so you'll have to travel if you want to give it a go. Take a look here www.gyroflight.org for a list of who's where
- Licencing requirements are in LASORS - minimum training is 40hrs, you get a 10hr credit for a fixed wing / microlight licence and 20hrs for helicopters. You can't get more than a 20hr credit if you hold both!
Gyro activity in the UK falls in to two fairly distinct camps - the homebuilders flying single-seaters and the RAF 2000, and the factory-built fleet of MTs and Magnis. All the growth has been in the factory-built world, but the homebuilt stuff is still popular. I had a quick look at the numbers yesterday - there were about 29 new factory-built gyroplanes delivered in the UK in 2010, which is pretty good going for a niche market.