Catching Up

During the past couple of years, I have neglected to post here.  In 2018 my wife Danita decided that she wanted to share my experience in Gyroplanes.  So, we sold my Air Command Gyroplane and purchased our Tango 2.  Here are photo links from 2018:

Photos of my Air Command for sales purposes: 2018 Air Command

Some of the photos were from my trip to Bensen Days in March!  The Air Command sold during Barry Days in North Carolina the next month.

I started building the Tango with Alexander Vagner at his shop in Roswell Georgia just prior to the sale of the Air Command.  The photos in this folder were used as part of the build log submitted for the Air Worthiness Certificate.

Tango 2 Build Log Photos

FAA Build Log and Documents

Here are photos and videos from the PRA convention in 2018 where we put over 17 hours on the ship as a demo for Tangogyro. 2018 PRA Convention Mentone, IA

This a later trip from Cedartown, GA to Piedmont, AL with fellow Tangogyro pilot and builder Medi from California with our instructor Jon Carleton. 2018 Cross Country

By the end of 2018, I had enough time and experience to study for and pass the FAA Sport Pilot written and practical tests.  I took the written test in San Antonio and the practical with DPE Mark Sprigg in Gulf Shores, AL.

I will post 2019 flying activities in a later blog.

Air Commands Low in the Georgia Fields

Air Command Cross Country Trip to Piedmont-Centre, Alabama

I have another action camera that I used for this trip today.  It did not work at all for the trip over to Piedmont from Cedartown, GA and I failed set or remove the time and date stamp.

I purchased a video editor and I like the features it offers. I added photos, titles and the music came with the software.

Pattern Work Videos

Here is another couple of videos from my Air Command flying in the pattern in Cedartown, GA.  My friend Rex Garner is in a Red Baby Ace on a right hand base leg in the first video.

Redundant Fuel Pump

Fellow Peach State Rotorcraft Club member Louis Gulley helped me remove the old pump that transferred fuel from the auxiliary tanks to the main tank and install this new pump on my gyroplane. It establishes a redundant system to the engine. Both fuel pumps feed off all three tanks. The electric pump will be used to prime the carbs then turned off until take off and remain on throughout the flight.

Flying Angels Relay for Life Breakfast Fly-In

Today we took a short flight from our home airport in Cedartown, GA to a fundraiser breakfast fly-in Cartersville, GA.

The morning weather today was awesome!   Mid 60s on the ground, but, warmer aloft and virtually no wind.   I left Cedartown at about 0740 in my Gyroplane while Jon Carleton was testing the new yellow Tango.

I was the first pilot to fly in to the breakfast at around 0800.  The food was great and it was for a great cause.  By the time I finished eating, Louis Hartsell arrived in the Buzzard Gyroplane.  He was about the fourth pilot to arrive.   He stopped at the FBO for a restroom break and I was walking down to let him know where the breakfast was being served when Ron Hlozansky arrived in his car.  Ron told him where the food was being served and he started up his machine to taxi down, so I rode with Ron back to the KMZ Hanger and the breakfast.

About a 15 minutes later Jon Carleton, Alex Vagner, Kurt Carlson and Rex Garner all arrived from Cedartown.  Jon and Alex touched down first in the yellow Tango followed by Kurt in the white single place Tango and then Rex in his red Baby Ace.

I had a lunch date with my wife Danita and was the first pilot to depart the event for the trip back to Cedartown.  The trip back to a little longer due to a 5 mph headwind, but, still a very quick trip of about 25 minutes.

I wish I had been able to stick around for the noon lunch event with Ron's gang of  sport pilot buddies and get some more afternoon flying, it was such a beautiful day for flying.

Next Saturday, I should have the whole day to hang around, it may be a good day to fly over to Piedmont-Centre, AL and back, just for something to go see and do.

Above are a couple of attempted videos to catch the arrival of the Tangos and Baby Ace.

My First Gyroplane Helmet Cam Video

I was doing touch and go take offs and landings with a climb to 1500 feet above ground level for a near vertical descent.  You can see my airspeed get very low for the vertical descent.  Gyroplanes, like airplanes, require airspeed to land.  So at about 300 feet above the runway, I put the nose down to get the airspeed needed to land.