Author |
Message |
Hogs
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 09:10 am: |
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http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/video-25000-flying-motorcycle MAn these look great! |
Brucelee
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 10:48 am: |
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I love it but I see the FAA killing it quickly. |
Ejiii
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 11:54 am: |
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Before I saw that story I did not know something like that existed...now I NEED one! LA traffic will never be the same. |
Natexlh1000
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 12:03 pm: |
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Looks like fun and all but there's no way that DOT will allow an open prop like that in traffic. So he re-patented the Autogyro? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro |
Skyguy
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 12:13 pm: |
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That thing is a monstrosity and will never be viable. First one will need a pilots license as the only way to fly unlicensed is to operate an ultralight. Ultralights have to weigh less than 255 pounds. Second, It will have to be registered as experimental which removes it from flying over any congested areas (like commute to work). Third, Even a brave soul like skyguy stays away from gyro-coptors............. |
Jackbequick
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 08:07 pm: |
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What Skyguy said, gyro copters have an unusually high kill ratio. They look like a good idea but they can be a little hard on pilots. Especially the guys that think it's just another airplane. Read the flight characteristics at this link for the details on it. And then tell me you want hundreds of commuters buzzing around in them. Hey Tim, did that guy in Sonoma buy the Pinzgauer? Jack |
Seewhy
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 09:22 pm: |
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Maybe someone will come out with Mr. Garrison's "it" next and we'll all be saved. |
Eboos
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 10:39 pm: |
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It says that the rotor is unpowered, how does the rotor spin then? |
Skyguy
| Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 11:31 pm: |
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Jack, No sold it to a guy in San Diego. Hes cool so it is in a nice home. Eboos The rotor spins solely due to gravity. The rotor basicly creates "the wing shape:" and the rear pusher prop drives the "wing" thru the air. F'd up concept if you ask me. |
Enduro261
| Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 01:14 am: |
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Wow, he patented a gyrocopter. That's only been invented for 80 years or so. This company makes the best gyrocopters I have ever flown. They are a little more expensive. http://www.rotaryairforce.com/ |
Jackbequick
| Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 05:53 am: |
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Eboos, On the simpler ones you get the rotor turning slowly by hand and then, as you start moving forward, the air pressure and the air foil shape causes the rotor speed to accelerate and you eventually get some "lift like" effect. It is not the same as the the lift as from a powered rotor, but more like the aircraft is dangling below the turning rotor due to a combination of the air foil shapes and the air resistance of the spinning rotor. When the spinning rotor is tilted a little higher in the front it all wants to climb. If the pilot does anything to create a negative G situation, the airframe is no longer "dangling from a spinning rotor". It essentially wants to become dead weight in free fall and bad things can happen. I've not flown one, I'm not a pilot, and those are probably no more dangerous than anything else that puts gravity into a temporary time out. Gyrocopters are certainly killing a lot fewer people than are motorcycles. Jack |
Blake
| Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 06:47 am: |
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The rotor spins solely due to gravity. I think you meant to say that The rotor spins like a back-driven fan; the moving air causes it to spin like a windmill. |