If you have any questions that are not answered on this page, please contact us.
Also, there is a Glossary of Gyroplane Terms available here
What are the advantages of owning and flying a gyroplane?
-- A feeling of real flying, just like flying used to be
-- Flies like a baby fighter plane, very maneuverable in the air
-- Amazing view from front seat/open cockpit
-- Very low kit prices, compared to airplanes/helicopters
-- Low fuel costs, using unleaded fuel
-- Low maintenance costs, compared to airplanes/helicopters
-- No hangar needed, keep gyroplane in your garage
-- Take gyroplane to the airport on a small trailer
-- In emergency, land on a 50 x 50-foot spot (15 m square)
-- Pride in flying a unique aircraft you built yourself
Also, have a look at this article " why Rotors instead of wings"
What is the difference between a gyroplane, gyrocopter and an autogiro?
All three terms refer to the same type of aircraft. Autogiro was the term applied to this type of flying machine by its original inventor, Juan de la Cierva. Later, when Igor Bensen marketed the plans for his single-place machine in the USA, he trademarked the name "Gyrocopter". However, gyroplane is the official ICAO designation for this Category/Class of aircraft.
What makes a gyroplane fly?
Thrust from a propeller driven by an engine moves the gyroplane forward. Air coming in under the free-spinning rotor blades makes them rotate and produce lift. This is called “autorotation,” meaning they turn on their own.
What do rotor blades do?
Rotor blades are really wings that turn about an axis. Small gyroplanes have rotor blades about 20 feet (6 m) in diameter and about 6 inches (15 cm) front-to-back. When these rotor blades are turning several hundred RPM, they produce lift enough for sustained flight.
Are gyroplanes hard to fly?
Flying some older generation, less stable gyroplanes may be considerably more difficult to fly than an airplane or helicopter. New Generation Gyroplane models employing safer aerodynamic stability designs may be as easy to fly as an airplane or helicopter. More stable gyroplanes may be considerably less sensitive to wind turbulence than other aircraft. Gyroplanes fly differently than airplanes or helicopters, and flight training is required, whether you are already a pilot or not.
How safe are gyroplanes?
Most of us consider the gyroplane to be one of the the safest aircraft of all, the primary reason being: they can't stall. With proper training, and proper attitude and decision making, flying a gyroplane is an extremely safe and enjoyable sport.
What happens if the engine quits?
Unlike helicopters, which must make an immediate and difficult transition from powered flight to autorotation, the gyroplane is always in autorotation. So while an engine failure will usually result in an off-field forced landing, the gyroplane's low landing speed and the short landing distance required makes this is an extremely safe operation. As a part of standard flight training, your instructor will ensure you are competent to perform this maneuver safely.
Can I build a gyroplane?
Yes! The IAA has given the Irish Light Aircraft Society (ILAS) the responsibility for the oversight for amateur built aircraft in Ireland, both built from kits and Plans only. The ILAS also oversee restoration projects.. The ILAS have an approved list of gyroplanes to choose from. The ILAS provide technical support to builders of homebuilt aircraft and have monthly meetings where homebuilders meet to discuss their projects. If the gyroplane that you would like to build is not on the approved list, there is an approval process that the ILAS will go through before submitting the aircraft type documentation for final approval by the Airworthiness section in the Irish Aviation Authority.
Whats involved in buying a Factory built Gyroplane?
The IAA have given the responsibilty for the administeration of the permitting of factory and kit built gyroplanes to Hibernia Autogyros. A list of Hibernia approved types is available HERE. Their website can be reached HERE
How long does it take to build a gyroplane?
Building times will vary depending on the specific make and model of gyroplane. Typically, build times will vary anywhere from 80 to 1000 hours. In line with IAA rules, a kit built gyroplane must comply with the 51% rule: the builder must complete 51% of the fabriction of the homebuilt aircraft. The adherance to the 51% rule is checked by the ILAS before the type is approved and placed on the ILAS list of approved aircraft.
How do gyroplane flight controls work?
A gyroplane has a joystick, rudder pedals and throttle. Visualize the rotor disc as a pie tin with the rotorhead under its middle. Moving the joystick to the right tilts the rotorhead to the right. This tilts the rotor disc to the right, and the gyroplane fuselage follows it. Same idea for going left. To go faster, the pilot moves the the joystick forward to lower the gyroplane nose. Pushing the right rudder pedal yaws the fuselage to the right. Rudder pedals are not usually used in turns but are used in taxiing the gyroplane, takeoffs, and landings and pedal inputs are normally needed with power changes. To climb, add power with throttle.
Can a gyroplane take off and land vertically?
In general, no. However, gyroplanes can have a relatively short take-off run, and a zero-foot landing run is possible. Some gyroplanes have a jump take-off capability that is obtained by pre-rotating the rotor blades to high speeds and then using the stored energy to jump into the air.
What is a typical glide ratio for a gyroplane?
Typically around 4 to 1. That is, four feet forward for every one foot of descent. While this appears to be nothing compared to a fixed-wing glide ratio, should an emergency landing be required this allows for a safe glide path and landing to terrain almost directly below the gyroplane.
How long of a runway will I need?
The length of the gyroplane take-off roll depends on the wind, the amount of rotor RPM gained during pre-rotation, and other factors, such as density altitude, aircraft loading and pilot technique. The take-off roll can vary from nearly zero to several hundred feet.
What is a typical gyroplane life?
Like most other aircraft, the gyroplane airframe has a virtually unlimited life expectancy. The rotor, propeller and engine will have a varying lifetime, depending on the manufacturer. The typical TBO for engines normally varies between 300 and 2000 hours._
How high can a gyroplane fly?
This will depend primarily on the engine and the pilot's courage. A fuel-injected engine can operate at higher altitudes than a normally aspirated engine. A recent gyroplane altitude record was set at over 20,000 feet; however, most gyroplane flying is done between 500 and 1000 feet above the surface.
Can I teach myself to fly a gyroplane?
The chances of you losing your life, or being seriously injured, are quite high if you attempt to teach yourself how to fly gyroplanes! Just as learning to fly a fixed-wing aircraft requires instruction by a qualified CFI, learning to fly a gyroplane also requires instruction from a competent gyroplane instructor.
I am an experienced fixed-wing or helicopter pilot. Will I still need gyroplane training?
Absolutely! The gyroplane is a very unique aircraft with flight characteristics that differ greatly from both airplanes and helicopters. Experienced fixed-wing pilots will have some un-learning to do and typically need about 15 hours or more to transition to a gyroplane. However, helicopter pilots, due to their rotorcraft knowledge and experience, can usually make the transition in around 10-15 hours.
How do you train to be a Gyroplane pilot?
Training to be a Gyroplane pilot is very similar to training to be a Microlight, Fixed wing (Aeroplane) or Helicopter pilot. The "learning curve" is similar for each of these forms of flying. There is a specific licence needed to fly a Gyroplane - the PPL(G) or Private Pilots Licence for Gyroplanes. All licences are issued by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) upon the successful completion of the IAA approved training course, an Oral and Flight Test with an IAA Examiner and a number of written theoretical exams.
How much training will you need?
Everyone differs in their learning ability. Legally you require a minimum of 40 hours of training. Of these 40 hours at least 20 hours must be under dual instruction and at least 10 must be flown solo under the supervision of the Club instructor. The other 10 hours can be dual or solo as required. These are minimum requirements but a student with good aptitude, enthusiam and dedication should expect to train for between 40 and 50 hours. In general if you spread the training over too long a period or have long gaps in between periods of training, it will take you longer. You should ideally expect to take between 6 months and a year to train.
If I already have a Pilots Licence, do I still have to train for 40 hours?
The transitioning details for pilots who have certificates in other category/ Class are being developed by the IAA. An Aeronautical Notice will be issued in early 2011 detailing the technical requirements for the issue of an Irish National PPL(G)
Is it correct that you get to fly solo before you get your Private Pilot licence?
Yes. The Irish National PPL(G) is actually a licence to carry passengers. As a student you must fly at least 10 hours solo in a Gyroplane before you apply for your flight test for the issue of your PPL(G) and at least 5 of these hours must be away from your home airfield (cross country). Your solo hours can only be flown with the permission of, and under the supervision of, a qualified Club Gyroplane Flight Instructor.
What is the complete list of things I have to achieve before I can apply for my licence?
You must have:
. Completed the required number of dual training hours (20 unless you hold another licence)
. Completed the required number of supervised solo training hours (10)
. Completed the overall minimum number of hours of training (40 if you don't hold any kind of pilots licence already).
. Completed a qualifying solo cross country exercise and landed at two other airfields.
. Passed a Flight Test conducted by a IAA approved Gyroplane examiner
. Passed an oral test relating Private Pilot operations of gyroplanes
. Passed the following multiple choice exam (pass mark 70%):
. Air Law
. Flight Performance and Planning (Meterology,Navigation, Aircraft Performance)
. Human Performance and Limitations
. Gyroplane Technical
If I already have a different form of Pilots Licence, do I still need to sit the ground exams?
You will get an exemption from all the written exams with the exception of Gyroplane Technical.
Can I study for my ground exams at a non-Gyro training centre?
You can study for all of the exams with the exception of Gyroplane Technical at any other flying school that offer groundschool for the PPL exams. The Air Law,Flight Performance and Planning and Human Performance exams are the standard JAR FCL exams.
What are the medical requirements for flying Gyros in the Ireland?
You will need a valid JAA CLASS 2 medical certificate.
More information about the Class II Medical requirements are HERE
A list of Aeromedical Medical Examiners in Ireland can be found HERE
Why Rotors Instead of Wings ?
Written by Greg Gremminger
Rotors are much less susceptible to wind turbulence: Spinning rotors have “high” wing loading. They fly at 300 mph and have respond to wind gusts much like hanging on a very long bungee cord. Stable airframes utilize rotor power and insensitivity to provide very minimal pilot workload and maximum security and comfort in wind turbulence that would keep most other aircraft on the ground.
Rotors will not stall: Full attitude and flight control are available all the way to zero airspeed (or in vertical descents). Hard G-load turns have no concern for “accelerated stalls”.
Very high control power: Because the pilot actually moves the rotor disk through powerful “cyclic” stick control, the pilot has many times more control authority than the wind has upon the rotorcraft. Pedal turn coordination is aerodynamically un-important because there are minimal yaw and no stall/spin concerns in rotorcraft – no “adverse yaw!”
Very slow and short landing capability: Rotors, even for gyroplanes, store energy to allow rotorcraft to land “like a bird” in rough and short areas – a tremendous safety capability. Rotorcraft can vary their initial landing approach slope from vertical descent to maximum glide ratio – another tremendous capability for precise emergency landing approaches. Rotors can provide very high crosswind capabilities, but can also readily “land into the wind” with minimum or zero roll!
Very high maneuverability: Due to high “cyclic” control power, the ability to slow down quickly in hard turns, forgiving yaw characteristics, and the turbulence insensitivity of well stabilized rotorcraft, rotorcraft maneuverability well and safely exceeds that of any other aircraft type.
Gyroplanes can be very simple and reliable: The average gyroplane has fewer moving parts than most other comparable size airplanes. Airframes are structurally very compact with no highly cantilevered or G-load sensitive components. Rotors naturally “spill” Gs over about 2 Gs, alleviating most G-load issues.
Stable gyroplanes can be safest aircraft to fly: Because of all of the above, and with proper stability design, gyroplanes can be the safest and easiest to fly sport aircraft available. With increasingly accepted and understood gyroplane stability technologies, traditional safety issues with gyroplanes, such as PIO and buntovers, are well readily avoidable safety issues.
Stable gyroplanes can be the easiest sport aircraft to fly and to learn to fly: However, gyroplanes do fly differently than airplanes and good training and “transition training” is important for any aircraft. Work with a competent instructor - “knowledge is safety” and “what you don’t know you don’t know can hurt you.”
