1st time in a gyrocopter

[Jude098]

At this year’s combined Shobdon Foodand Flying Festival weekend, at Shobdon Airfield, I was lucky enough to be invitedto have a flight in, and “have control”, of one of the visiting aircraft, a RotorsportCavalon Gyrocopter.

Have I ever honestly wanted tofly a gyrocopter. No, as the only ones Ihad come across required the pilot/passenger to be kitted out in virtually aski-suit and waterproofs, helmet, goggles and thick gloves just to keep warm inthe open cockpit. I usually fly aprivately hired 1975 C150, a prettybasic non-IR instrument configured 2 seater Cessna, but adequately does the jobeven if not all that luxurious. But this Cavalon was a very different kettle offish or should I say aircraft. Beautifulsleek lines, roomy and more importantly an enclosed cockpit with twoside-by-side adjustable seats (position and rake) and extending rudder pedalswhich meant, as being only 5’3”, I didn’t have to bring my trusty cushion, orbooster seat as some of my fellow pilot so called friends call it.Interestingly in a gyrocopter the Pilot in Command sits on the RH seat.

Andy Wall started her up andcalled for taxi and off we headed for runway 27. The main rotor is an aluminiumextrusion and can be flown in any weather which was useful as Sunday was arather breezy day. The pre-rotator is pneumatically engaged giving up to 80 to90% of rotor flight speed before commencing take off. Breezy it might have beenwith the wind varying from down the runway to gusts 90 degrees off but as werolled down the runway and climbed away you actually wouldn’t have known it. At200 ft Andy said “you have control”. Was I expecting that, again no but shehandled just like a fixed wing light aircraft but much nippier and tighter inthe turns. A very responsive stick and with a trim tab meant I could even flyit hands-off once she was nicely set up! Though not for long as needed to avoidvarious farm houses and other buildings to keep within Shobdon’s noiseabatement. Andy took back control afterI’d turned onto final on the first circuit as he wanted to demonstrate thehovering manoeuvrability of the aircraft to the crowd as we coasted just abovethe runway. Climbing away I was again “in control”.

Instruments on board includedCHT, rpm gauges for both rotors, a mounted ipad sized GPS and the rest of theusual instruments one would expect to find, expect for a turn co-ordinator. Insteadof “the ball in the middle” turn-co-ordinator there was a “what do you thinkthat is then” bright yellow piece of chord dangling down from the cockpitwindscreen. The only non-high tech looking piece of equipment on board! Thegull-wing doors have 2 air events (one swivel directional) and, if you reallywant to, you can fly with no doors on at all! The whole cockpit was veryluxurious, very comfortable and well equipped, a bit far from what I amcurrently used to, well unless you count the RH seat trip I did in a PA46TBMeridian last weekend from Oxford to Girona and back.

On the second circuit, turningonto base leg Andy asked that I climb to 1000ft and then turn on to final.Interesting thinks I doing what I am told. And so it was as, with a grin on hisface, Andy says “OK PFL” and pulls the power off! We float down, well we diduntil he then says “lower the nose” and the ground is coming up at a hell of a rate.At about 100ft he thankfully says he “has control”, adds some power arrestingthe descent and levels out, gently puts her down and taxis very “expeditely”down the runway and off onto the grass. I can quite believe that he was able torecently put the Cavalon down safely within the length of a tennis court even ifyou might not be able to fly out again.

After shut down, Andy wascomplimentary about my handling of the gyro, always something every pilot likesto hear and especially a pilot who has only had her PPL(A) for 1 year, 1monthand 5 days (ok so I am counting J) and then offered a training flight from my home-base at GloucestershireAirport next time he is in the area. I am thoroughly impressed with everythingabout the Cavalon from its obvious luxury; its handling; instrumentation and 100litre tank giving a range of 6 hours at 80mph. Am I converted and would I fly agyrocopter again? Yes. But truthfully only at this end of the market or notexposed to the elements.