Oshkosh 2022 Trip - Day 1 - Kallithea gyro travels from Los Angeles to Oshkosh
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2022
- Oshkosh 2022 Trip - Day 1
Departed Whiteman Airport (KWHP) on July 22, at 5:30 in the morning. I wanted to make sure every minute of daylight is available to me later in the day when I was going to be flying over unfamiliar territory.
After meticulous planning, my route was wel set and reconned on various mapping platforms... yet, there were some surprises that made the day exciting.
Heat was definite factor. Density altitude was making it obvious I should be on my toes as I get reach even higher-elevation airports.
My cameras overheated in one time or another, so some of the most spectacular terrain I flew over was not even filmed properly.
Overall, thoigh, the day's plan was executed as planned.
In future videos, could you please give some flight details every 5 minutes or so. ie...cruising altitude and air speed...etc. Maybe on one stop of your trip show the fueling procedure and preflight check...etc. What an adventure. Thank you.
All of these are things that get lost in the editing and the strive to make a video to appeal to wide audiences. If you follow my Facebook pages, there is usually some additional information. Additionally, i am always available for chats with someone interested in the finer details, or people planning similar trips.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!! Thank you for taking the time to create this truly informative cross country gyrocopter video illustrating what would go into a trip like this.
Some of the fun is in the detailed planning. The better you plan, the easier it is once you hit the road…
Thank you! It was like seeing my impossible bucket list, realized. So good.
Thank you for watching… Nothing is impossible, sometimes we just need a little luck… 😉
Excellent! Reminds me of my first few VFR cross-country flights. I recognize many of the landmarks on your flight. Good narration. Keep up the good work my fellow aviator friend.
Thank you for the kind words…
Thank you so much for sharing us this excellent cross-country trip.
Sharing the trip allows me to fly it twice…
Thanks for inviting us onboard the Cavalon for this spectacular trip L.A. Gyroplane Aviation! . . .
Watching with great interest from nippy 🇳🇴👍
*Safe Flights Always!* 👌
The weather during the trip was the opposite of nippy… it was blistering hot, but once in the air, it felt good.
One small correction, my gyro is not a Cavalon, but a Kallithea - designed by Niki Rotor Aviation…
Great video and thanks for sharing experience.
Amazing video of an epic cross-country. With my first ride in a Hughes 500 in Hawaii I realized the best way to see remote scenery is from a heli or gyro. I understand following roads in such barren regions for rescue reasons but my thoughts would be constantly haunted by the remote chance of a midair with an aircraft doing the same thing in the opposite direction. I can't wait to watch the rest of the trip. Thanks for taking the extra effort to film and edit your adventure!😄
I never gave it a though about hitting someone else flying like me but in the opposite direction... Most airplanes fly much higher, and I do monitor my ADS-B traffic interface.
That being said, Once I entered the green fields of Iowa, I stayed above 2,000 feet AGL because I was concerned for the numerous crop dusters flying all over the place.
Remember...east is odd west is even odder 😉
Thank you for the great video of this cross country flight. You have put a lot of work in the preparations, filming and editing, it’s like I came along with you on this flight. 👍🏼 I am looking forward to day 2 of your journey. Greetings from a tiny village in the Netherlands. (Ps. I have flown a lot in a Dynamic WT9, but would love to experience flying in a gyro plane.)
Thank you for the kind words... If you ever find yourself in Los Angeles, please give me a call... But you do not have to come to America to experience a gyro flight. Please do not hesitate to get a demo flight from a local gyro pilot oir instructor. You must get your "gyro grin"... ;)
Awesome views. I'm really enjoying this cross country flying.thanks for filming it.
Thank you for watching… Making these videos allows me to relive the memories…
Nice video--enjoyed seeing that part of the country from your gyro. You made good progress in a day of flying!
Thank you for the kind words… Even with the unexpected stop, the overall progress was great. Long cross country flights require good planning, precise execution… and a lot of luck…
This trip is wanderfoul. Thank you.
Thank you for watching, and thank you for the kind words.
The trip really was fantastic, a modern day adventure.
Did you see the clips from the other days?
These videos are exceedingly well done. It looks and sounds easy enough but when you watch the stick, it vibrates the whole time. I think it was far more difficult than it looks. I would say supreme flying; one man in an ultra lite, about 4300 miles. Fabulous.
Thank you for watching… and thank you for the kind words. The trip was exhausting, but also a lot of fun. I had the opportunity to see the country from an unique angle. Met many wonderful people. Enjoyed every minute of flying.
I would loved to do the same trip with a bunch of friends - few gyros flying together.
@@lagyroздравствуйте, мое восхищение вам и привет из Казахстана, скажите пожалуйста как называется ваш автожир и можно ли такой заказать к себе в Казахстан?
@@Roman_Ossetrov, thank you for watching... The gyroplane in the video is a Kallithea designed by Niki Rotor Aviation from Bulgaria. Google them, and you will be able to find their corporate website. They would be extremely happy to provide you with any information you seek... and they speak Russian as well... Good luck, and should you purchase a Kallithea, please let me know and send pictures.
@@lagyroбольшое спасибо Вам, обязательно вам сообщу!
@@Roman_Ossetrov Thank you for watching...
That must feel amazing to be up there by yourself like that. You are like a hi-tech eagle!
I have to admit, flying a gyro over magnificent views feels like being on a magic carpet…
3325 km de distance! Ce gyrocoptère est vraiment une excellente machine, ça vaut bien un voyage avec des paysages incroyable! Merci pour cette magnifique vidéo. Un abonné de France 🇨🇵 👍
Thank you for the kind words. GYroplanes are not usually designed for this kind of trips, but they are fully capable of doing them... and flying low an slow really shows you some fantastic views over the land...
Great stuff man!! thanks for taking us along!
Sharing the trip makes me relive it multiple times… lots of fun…
Great content my friend! I found it to be more interesting than a Netflix series. Every moment was enjoyable, would love to see more. Thanks a lot for your efforts!
Thank you for the kind words…
I am planning to publish the return trip as well - another 4 days going home to Los Angeles…stand by for some exciting footage…
@@lagyro Wow! will be waiting for it. All the best.
What a cool video I'm amazed at these gyro copters, thanks for sharing these videos I'm hooked and subscribed.
Thank you for watching... I am currently processing the return trip to Los Angeles, so by the time yuo watch the rest of the videos, the new batch would be ready and available...;)
This is great, thanks for posting
Thank you for watching...
awesome aircraft
we all appreciate the effort in the video as well
Video editing is time consuming… one of the reasons why my computer hard drive gets fuller and fuller with unprocessed video footage…
What a cool way to fly cross country. Enjoying the videos
Flying on a magic carpet above beautiful landscapes…
This video started my interest into gyroplanes. Thanks for taking the time to make this amazing footage. It’s awesome.
Gyros are fantastic machines, and with proper handling can be so much fun you have to pinch yourself…
I would recommend visiting some gyro flying events like Bensen Days in Wauchula, Florida, or the PRA Convention at Mentone, Indiana… Also, it might be fun for you to take an introductory flight with a gyro flight instructor.
@@lagyro I literally have the same sentiment as @martinholloway7694. I couldn't find a gyro instructor near my home in Maryland but I am currently on a visit to LA and will contact the good folks at LA Gyro for an introductory flight. Thank you for taking me on this journey with you. Im watching the entire thing again for the 2nd time.
@@blakjedi you’re always welcome to visit L. A. , but have you tried looking at Frederick Airport? I think there was a gyro instructor there.
Also, you may consider visiting Bensen Days in Florida at the end of March. There you can hook up with almost any gyro instructor in the country in one place…
I will be in LA this week and have requested a 60/90 min introductory flight through your website. Looking forward!
@@blakjedi oh, that was you… awesome… I sent a reply…
Nice video. Terrific narration. Strong content. Good job.
Thank you for watching… and thank you for the kind words…
@@lagyro I enjoyed your flight too, it was satisfying to know that you weren't having your ears blasted by ICE powered rotar blades,
the pilot is very extraordinary, super steady and very cool to be able to see the view from the air huh...
Thank you for the kind words…
Thank you for an excellent and informative video :)
When i share the trip, i get to relive it twice…
Great video!!! How I wish I'd taken this up to enjoy other than work all the time to know nothing but work.
Work hard, play hard... I heard that somewhere... Not sure if it works exactly as it sounds... ;)
That’s a long haul from LA to Oshkosh at ~ 80-90 knots ! Thanks for posting your flight !
You are correct about the long haul... and it can get a bit too much from time to time. But the upside is seeing the country from few feet off the ground almost like nothing else, and that makes it worth the effort... in moderation of course... ;)
@@lagyro - I flew my Grumman Tiger from SE Virginia to Waukesha for AirVenture in 2019. Made a stop for fuel in central Ohio. I was more than ready to get out of that cockpit when we stopped at that FBO in Ohio ! Much respect for your fortitude.
@@USNVA11 I hear you... this is one of the reasons why I plan the legs for about 1:45 to 2:00 hours...
Funny that you have to use the long runway when I'm sure you could land in the parking lot, LOL!! Also is amazing your craft stays together with the amount of vibration I saw and you are not totally numb after two or three hours flying.
On the landing... it is not a good idea to go against what everyone expects from you, so landing on the runway is the way to go on unfamiliar airports. On one of my local airports, the tower allows landing on the taxiway, and they even encourage it...
About the vibration... there are always vibrations, but what you see on the screen is not even close to the actual feeling when flying. You are looking through the lense of a camera that vibrates on its own, and its image stabilization is introducing another layer of distorsion for the viewers.
I loved your video as well as the nerrating. I just became very interested on Gyros
I, myself, discovered gyros on RUclips before actually getting involved in flying them...
I’m amazed at how you have so much knowledge of the things you pass over.
Thank you for the kind words...
I always liked georgraphy, so this knowledge comes naturally to me. I also prepared for this trip months in advance with detailed study of almost every inch of the route on Google Earth, and other charts with more precise elevation numbers.
Holy shit. That contraption sounded like a damn lawn mower engaging the blades lol. Brave soul right there
Haha, you are not far from the truth, the prerotator’s belts do screech in the beginning.
awesome thanks for sharing your experience...
Stand by for the other days of this fantastic journey...
@@lagyro looking forward to it for sure
BRAVO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent flying and video.
Thank you for the kind words…
thank you for letting me tag along it was amazing!
Thank you for watching… sharing the trip allows me to relive it twice…
Thank you for video... Nice journey... Sorry for sweating inside the cabin
Thank you for watching and leaving a comment...
Yes, it was quite hot while taxiing on the ground, but the air vents did work very well once in the air.
I would say that the overall feeling from the flight is exhilarating, and the small stuff like the heat is not remembered for long...
Love this video.
Thank you for watching!!
Καλλιθέα, όνομα και πράγμα. Καλό τάξιδο.
looks like a fun machine, just found this, well have to check more of your videos
Few years ago I discovered gyros on RUclips myself… 😉
Glad I found this channel! What a fun adventure! Well done, and great production despite the China cameras giving you issues.
Cameras overheating is a real bummer…
I would have liked to have been there . Good publicity for the gyro Greetings from Bavaria 🚁
Greetings from California… Oshkosh is something a pilot should experience once in a while just to recharge the batteries… You are 100% correct about the publicity, the gyro was a guest of honor everywhere i went.
Excellent stuff bro
I live in Criciuma, in the south of Brazil and I am also passionate about aviation. I've already been to Lakeland 2019. Your adventure is very interesting. Congratulations. Francisco
One never knows what an adventure such as this would bring, and that is probably the allure of the long cross country flight… maybe we’ll see you at Bensen Days one of these years…
@@lagyro It would be a pleasure to meet you and hear your stories.
I F R = "I Follow Roads", I like that. Sounds better than "Instrument Flight Regulations" which would let you fly at night. It is like I am sat in the cockpit behind you.
A friend of mine was amazed how familiar he was with the cockpit when he sat in it for the first... just because he has seen many of the videos...
I live in the high desert, you're not wrong about anything you said.
IFR gives you plenty of road landing opportunities. I fly my C206 near highways in some mountain areas. Roads are lightly traveled in remote areas of Nevada, Utah, Wyoming….
Absolutely…if you never need it, you just have the company of the truckers on the road… but if you need it, boy, there is do much less walking…
Insane 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼❤️❤️❤️
Love the vibration in the stick, bet that got old quickly.
I can understand how that might be the visual appearance while watchig the video, but keep in mind that you are looking through the lens of a camera vibrating on its mount while trying to implement image stabilization to the captured footage. That, in general, distorts the perception of the vibration of objects that are close to the camera vs those further away.
That is not to say there are no vibrations in the stick, but those are much less than what appears on screen...
It's bad news when flying parallel to the highway, the cars and trucks are passing you! You've got balls flying that contraption that far though - give you that!!!
Well, during most of the trip I was zooming at 85-90 knots, a decent speed for a gyroplane. If a car wants to drive faster than that, my hat is off to them...
Also, similar contaption (two of them) has done a trip around the world, crossing oceans and high mountains. As proud as I am of my trip to Oshkosh and back, really it is not an Earthshattering achievement... ;)
Great video....thanks for posting! That being said, whenever that engine and rotor make that ungodly loud run-up sound, my tinnitus would be so much worse for wear if I ran that baby to Oshkosh. lol Also, running through Barstow/Baker in the middle of July would be a beast. Kudos to you for making such a trip. p.s. also, my Insta360 heats up quite a bit when in continuous use...guess that's natural for the camera.
- The screeching of the pre-rotator belts is really crazy, until all goes in sync and then it sounds like a turbine engine... You never have to worry about this sound in flight, it just lasts for few seconds.
- The desert gets a bit toasty during the summer months, but what is more annoying is the persistent afternoon thunderstorms in that area - VERY ANNOYING...
- The camera does get very hot during continuos usage. When I fly the open cockpit machine, the wind cools it down somewhat, but in the enclosed cockpit, things are not so easy. In general, as long as it is away from direct sunlight, it runs fine even when hot, but as I left Boulder City, it just died and I missd on some fantastic scenery through the Valley of Fire...
@@lagyro Thanks again for the video. You're the absolute Boss for making this trip and allowing us to be along for the ride!
Thank you for the kind words... stand by fo rthe return journey footage... ;)
You do a good job of narrating the experience of the trip - the scenery, etc…
Normally, videos like these tend to have little narration, or narration that is irrelevant to the content.
Good job on the vid and beautiful gyro!
Thank you for the knd words... The goals is to take the viewer on the journey with me...
@@lagyro - at some moments I noticed your control stick was shaking significantly. Is it turbulence which causes a lot of feedback?
@@manofsan at high airspeeds the dissimetry of lift in the rotor causes more vibrations. There were moments when i was very close to the top allowed speed.
All that being said, you should keep in mind that you are looking through the lens of a camera that is vibrating itself and trying to apply image stabilization to the video. All of this creates the wrong illusion of exactly what in the cockpit is shaking and how much…
Awesome video friend 👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you for watching… and thank you for the kind words!!!
I love that
I guess a little ac would have made the trip a bit more comfortable huh? The flight looked great though. Grazie for sharing. 🥸
True… AC would have kept things cooler, but to be honest, while in the air, the cockpit was very comfortable.
The control stick vibrates a lot. Damping it might make it easier on the hand(s). I don't know if anyone else commented on this, so my apology in advance if someone already did. Great & unusual video so thank you for posting it.
Yes, many peopla comment on the stick's vibrations... I guess the reasoin for that is because the stick is a natural focal point on screen.
Keep in mind you are looking through the lens of a camera that vibrates on ots mount while trying to apply image stabilization on the captures video... things get a bit distorted, so the shake look a but worse than it really is...
I was very relieved to see you break out the aviator sunglasses
Haha… these are invaluable …
What a neat trip to Oshkosh. I want to go so bad next year. Just subbed, I want to see how you do this trip.
Thank you for watching ans subscribing... This really was an epic trip from me... and you should go to Oshkosh if you have the opportunity. I, personally, realized it is easier to vist there than I ever imagined.
I am also processing the footage from the return trip back to Los Angeles, so tand by... ;)
Woow ❤️
Until one has spent time in the Great Basin, it's difficult to appreciate it's scale and beauty. Thanks for the low altitude perspective. Another fantastic flight would be to travel the entire length of highway 395. Mountains on the one side, the Great Basin on the other. 395 is literally the dividing line between the two and runs from San Diego to Canada.
Looking at maps, charts, Google Earth even, give you just a limited appreciation for goegraphical features, but once you fly over the terrain, you realize the difference in scale... sometimes it looks bigger, and sometimes it looks smaller than anticipated...
Guess you havent studied tectonic plates and geography the assumption that the 395 divides the US and Canada in any stretch of the imagination is fantastical imagination at best..but make that your reality that you chose
@@lutomson3496
You might want to re-read the OP's post.
@@lutomson3496 lmaoo how horrible of a person are you for you to come up with a response to the original comment like that? get a grip, jesus man wtf
I traveled 395 south from Mono Lake to 136 east into Death Valley. Aside from a speeding ticket in Bishop, it was a fun little adventure on my meandering way from San Francisco to Dallas. The U.S. is a big beautiful place if you know how to look.
Autogyro is incredible! Much cool! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
Thank you for the kind words…
I did this at ground level ( I-80) and the view was crap all the way ... this looks like a lot more fun.🤗
It is amazing how different things look from 2,000 feet above ground…
What a amazing trip! Thanks for all the effort to make a great video. I know little of gyro operations - can you dynamically balance the rotor like you can with propellers? (dynavibe etc.)
Gyro rotors can be balabced to reduce vibrations...
I'm stunned by the non-footage of the Hoover dam and Lake Mead!
It was very upsetting to me to discover my cameras dead from overheating.
But i got some good footage on my return trip.
South Utah has a town called Hurricane. It is aptly named. Safe flying
I was planning to land there as a fuel stop, but at the last moment chose St George. Beautiful area at the doorsteps of Zion National Park...
@@lagyro it's a nice little town, it can get pretty windy. The locals think it's mild and call it normal. Keep your weather radio on.
*I would like to see comparison between Kallithea and Calidus*
*(I would also like to see them flying together)*
I have couple of friends who fly Calidus gyros, so we can probably do comparison videos, then go fly together.
I also have a friend who sold his Calidus and bought a Kallithea. His reasoning was that the Kallithea has much better visibility from the cockpit, has the option for a 915 engine, and the seating arrangement is much more comfortable…
Nice video. I know nothing about they gyro, Id like to see the pit stops, refueling, cost of fuel, engagement with airports and what the mechanical issue was and how it was fixed and how much. Very interesting.
Some of these things are addressed in the other videos from the trip...
I feel like you could scale up the cooling system used in a liquid cooled computer. Mount a heat sink on the exterior of the gryo and it shouldn't produce much drag. Just cycle coolant to the heat sink with a small pump letting the exterior airflow pull heat off the heat sink. Could be used to cool you off or your camera gear. It wouldn't be ice cold but it could still make a big difference on those hotter days.
Interesting suggestion... The reason why I was surprised by the overheating of the cameras is because my previous trips were not that long, and the camera was not really exposed to that much sunlight. Once I discovered the problem, I managed to keep some shade on top of the heat sensitive devices. In general, flying gyroplanes is syninimous with "simlicity" so anything that is over complicated is not going to fly (no pun intended).
@@lagyro oh I get it lol. Thanks for the video again. I plan to watch some more soon. I always wondered how it would fair flying one of these cross country and this gave me a lot of insight into long trips in one. Most the videos I come across are short trips
@@tommylewis8457 I recommend to everyone who can do it to embark on such adventure... prety much the last frontier...
It does not have to be across the whole country, but overnight trips are very exciting as well.
I wish I could afford one...would be so awesome.
Aircraft ownership is not inexpensive, but you can always make friends with aircraft owners and go fly with them... ;)
I enjoyed that trip.
Please watch the videos from the other days in the journey… that was really an epic trip… I would recommend to anyone to do something similar if they can…
@@lagyro I did watch them. I thought gyroplanes had shorter take offs. Even in high altitudes. I learned a lot, didn’t know about pre-wind, all very interesting.
The short takeoff is somewhat possible in species circumstances, but usually that is being advertised by sales reps…
I live in Boulder City. Cool video
There are some fantastic landscapes in the vicinity... And the Valley of Fire is outlandish...
Have you published your planning sheets that you have on your kneeboard anywhere. I love seeing different ways that people plan. I have learned many great tips by looking at peoples planning documents.
Contact me at peter@lagyro.com to see what i can share…
I'd think a bit of static tint would be nice on the window when needed to block some sunlight, just an idea. You could move it where needed or set aside. Thanks for sharing.
The overhead shade works great and the “glass” does have a slight tint.
@@lagyro Yes, I observed that. Was just thinking of that extra layer to add comfort blocking more rays. Thanks, and be well.
I will have to experiment with this foil you are suggesting.
@@lagyro Same material they sell for automobiles, held in place because of the static to block the sun rays from small children and can be moved about. Good luck.
Beautiful scenery, but your crazy as a loon for taking a gyro on such a long trip through those elevation changes. At least your course kept you away from the more challenging routes, but I was thinking the same thing: "What the heck does he do in an emergency"?
Most of the route was fairly safe, with decent emergency landing spots. Here and there i had few sketchy places, but before i got too deep in trouble, i assessed all aspects of the flight and concluded it was ok to proceed.
Looks like a little 1 to 1 lateral vibration in the airframe . It's due to an unbalance in the rotor system. It is a little tiring, I bet, to fly any length of time with that condition.
Wouldn't take much to work that out. The issue with leaving that condition in besides fatigue is the fatigue on the airframe.
I am not disagreeing with you in general... But even a perfectly balanced rotor only stays in balance at specific airspeeds, usually mid-range speeds around 55-75 knots. For most of the trip I was at 85+ KIAS so the vibrations were a bit above normal...
Thank you for posting the trip looked like a fun adventure. When you're crossing uninhabited land like wilderness are you ever tempted to land and take a break/walk or look around? If not, why?
While on a long cross country flight, I have little time to consider landing at any point between my planned stops...BUT, looking for potential emergency landing spots is a constant effort.
When I fly in my local area for fun, I have seen few attarctive spots that may tempt me to land, but I must remind myself that gyroplanes are not helicopter, and although they can land in a very small open area, they do need a longer flat runway to take off. There are some remote roads in the desert that may work very well for the purpose of taking a break, but once I am in the air, I just prefer to stay there... ;)
Fantastic video !! Thanks for the "ride"
Any idea what your average speed was? GPH?
Quantity of fuel at each fill up
Not sure if this was a better video than the one you made flying along the coast with a fellow gyro
(Let's call it a time !!)
The last few seconds of the video contain total numbers... You can calculate the average speed from the HOBBS hours and teh total distance covered. The fuel burn was around 5.7 US Gallons per hour...
The coastal video was different, no worries abot weather, fuel, places to go... just have fun... ;)
This looks like a very enjoyable trip, and I wouldn't mind buying a gyrocopter myself. There are only two things keeping me from doing so: No air conditioning and the thought of crashing.
I hear you... AC would be a good addition to any emclosed aircraft... or you can remove the doors and fly it open cockpit... About crashing - any aircraft is potentially exposed to that problem, why do you say gyros scare you more than others?
@L.A. Gyroplane Aviation When I watch an extreme professional such as yourself, operating the aircraft, you make it look easy and definitely enjoyable. The same goes with Tucker Gott and his paramotor. Both of you managed to learn and master the skill without being killed along the way. HOWEVER, when I watch crash compilation videos with both types of aircraft, in almost every case, the crash was due to rookie pilot error. That is the part that bothers me. They pull up too steep, and the rotor touches the ground and obliterates the aircraft. They are in flight, pull up too steep and then tip the nose down. The pilot is suddenly upside down and is toast. The paramotor pilot pulls the rope incorrectly, and a wing collapses. In both aircraft, they take off and then immediately make an error that causes them to whip around like a lacrosse ball and slam into the ground. Watching professionals like you make me want to buy one, but watching rookies crash makes me say I better keep my feet on the ground. It is disappointing nonetheless.
@@Dave-co1cv I appreciate calling me a "professional" and I would be very happy if it was possible to just fly and not have another job.. ;)
When it comes to training, it is important for all types of flying. Airplanes are not any safer than gyros, but they also require more training because traditionally a Private Pilot level was the lowest level you can achieve. It took me 75 training hours to get my fixed wing pilot license, and I see some gyro pilot trainees who are ready to give up after less than 5 hours of gyro training, or think they are good pilots after 10-20 hours of training. Gyros, or any aircraft, are very safe and controllable if you respect them and do your due diligence to train and keep your skills fresh. As you said, rookie mistakes cost a lot of money... and even on my level, there are maneuvers that I would not even considering doing, yet I still enjoy flying...
@L.A. Gyroplane Aviation My definition of "professional" doesn't necessarily mean a paid profession, but simply that the individual is at a "professional" level in a particular field. In your case, I watched you take off and land several times over, and it was textbook perfect. This makes you a "professional" gyro-pilot in my book. This doesn't mean you aren't human and infallible, but you know exactly how to fly one without making the mistakes that killed so many, or at least destroyed their gyrocopter.
@@Dave-co1cv in any case, thank you for the kind words.
You bring a very interesting point... Many people go to do demo flights with an experienced gyro pilots, dealer, representatve of a brand. Everything during the flight is perfect, takeoff is effortless, landing is smooth, price looks affordable. So these people love everything about the gyro, and want one. Of course the pilot would never admit of the hours it takes to become profecient. People purchase the gyro, then decide to go cheap on training, or training is not readily available, then they get busy and do not fly the gyro for a month or so, then when they go to fly it, they are lacking the muscle memory and what they kinda remembered from their training has evaporated... then bad things can potentially happen.
Now, that is not something unique to the gyros, but they are so sexy and look so accessible, which makes them a bit more visible when things go wrong... I have an open offer to every rusty gyro pilot in the area to invite me for a flight when they need some assistance to get back in the saddle...
Los Angeles sure looks more like Long Beach to me today. Things sure have changed when KLGB looks a lot like KLAX.
The Metro area is one big blob of urban sprawl… but being able to fly allows me to find the hidden visual gems and enjoy them fully by myself or with my passengers…
It sure took a lot of Runway to become airborne
Gyroplanes should not be considered a Short-Takeoff aircraft in general, and when you add a significant density altitude component, it is not difficult to expect a long ground roll.
Can gyroscopes take off from a short field? Yes, under special conditions - weather, weight, wind, pilot skills, runway surface, etc.
I'd be interested to know what your AGL altitude is at various times--or generally. I have a little experience flying gyros and expect to have my certification in the coming year. Then I'll be interested in doing some cross country trips. Generally I expect most gyro trips to be at low altitude, same as what you appear to be doing.
I recommend aropund 2,000 feet of AGL altitude, in general...but the local conditions may suggest something different. Sometimes I would climb very high if I know there is better wind situation, and sometimes I would stay close to teh ground for the same reason. 2,000 feet allows you to avoid most ground based obstacles, plus crop dusters...
Would have been nice to see some flight data like your airspeed and such, especially groundspeed. As many viewers of this video are probably aviation enthusiasts, seeing flight data would be interesting. That gyro seems to just crawl along. Also I noticed that the stick vibrates a lot, much be fatiguing.
Capturing flight data is not as straight forward as it may appear on other videos, and in my opinion, it is mostly irrelevant. At the end of the video I mention the totals of the day’s flying.
About the vibrations, there are some, but keep in mind you are looking through the lens of a camera that vibrates itself while trying to apply image stabilization on the video. That distorts the visual appearance of the movement of objects in view. Also my grip on the stick is very loose which insulates my hand from the vibrations that are present.
I couldnt do long distance in one of these with the stick wobbling the whole time would drive me nuts! 😔
Don't knock it, till you try it... ;) The vibrations look much worse than they realy are...
@lagyro I have flown one but only for an hour, loved every minute of it but the vibrations were rather annoying after a while 😄
Enjoyed the video though thankyou, especially the night shots 😎
This is an amazing journey and I now have renewed interest in flying. Your narration and visuals are top notch. How do you get your over the shoulder camera to pan and zoom while you are flying? This is incredible!
Thank you for the kind words…
The camera over my shoulder is an Insta360One X, camera capturing everything in 360 degrees. In postproduction i use their free software to make a “flat” video by telling the software about my desired zoom, pan or tilt.
Thank you for this. Very remarkable ans I didn't know these kinds of devices existed.
@@blakjedi i was in your shoes few years ago…
I've always been interested in gyros. But don't think I could take the stick shake for that long of a time.
Stick shake is something rotorcraft inherently do... There are ways to reduce it, but not eliminate it. I cannot say that I ever landed with the thought that the stick shake spoiled the fun of flying a gyro...
Was the very first thought that went through my mind as well. Not only does his hand shake but can see it go all the way up the pilots arm into his shoulders. Probably wouldn’t bother me too much flying local but a long cross country trip would be grueling (just my opinion as a fellow fixed wing pilot).
@@erichboese7209 I understand how vibrations may look excessive on the video, but I don't remember landing and being glad to rest my arm and shoulder. My grip on the stick is very light in flight, so that dampens the vibratiosn significatly.
Maybe I was just too excited to be flying in a gyro... 😉
@@lagyro it’s all good! Just about anything that gets you up in the air is A-OK in my book! 😉
Thank you for the vid!
Is there any way you could add a vent system so you don't get so hot flying over the desert?
There are vents in the side windows, and these vents are quite effective once in the air. When I taxi on the ground, I try to keep the door open, and that helps.
The problem is for few minutes right before takeoff, I need both hands on the controls, so I have to lock the door in advance, and slowly enter the runway... or wait for landing traffic. This is when it gets a bit uncomfortable...
I am trying to figure out a system to blow some air on me for few minutes before the vented air starts cooling the cabin.
Also, you have to keep in mind that this is a very small aircraft, so there is no room for an elaborate AC system.
For local flying, just remove the doors and enjoy as an open cockpit machine.
Hey buddy, I haven’t checked in on you in a while. That was a very ambitious trip, and I know you pulled it off without a hitch. I would have loved to take that trip with you. Did you add any fuel tanks for the trip?
The trip looks very ambitious if you look at it as one big flight, but if you break it down to individual legs, it is absolutelly manageable. The machine performed flawlesly. I did not need extra fuel for the legs I planned. After 1.5 to 2 hour flights, you just want to stretch your legs a bit, and we are blessed with a fantastic network of airports in the US, so there was no need to overdo it...
Good job. My only irritation was the narration. Flight details would have been appreciated over the topography comments. Enjoyed the ride along!
I hear you, but to be honest, there isn't much to talk about the flight itself... The machine performed flawlesly, the engine was humming, so all that was left for me to do was to enjoy the surroundings, and to point the nose of the aircraft in the right direction... Later on, Day 2 & 3 if I am correct, there were some potential issues at high density altitudes, but even there things became routine shortly after the takeoff...
Wow. Is that level of vibration in the controls normal? Seems like it would get irritating very fast
Gyros and vibrations go hand in hand… some are normal, some are excessive… There is a significant difference between gyros and fixed wings in that regard.
There is too much feedback vibration from the rotor blades to the stick and can you imagine all of the little linkages and bearings taking a beating.
Possibly the camera is accentuating the shaking by not being firmly mounted.
Rotorcraft are known for vibrations. There are ways to reduce some of the vibrations but not all. The camera does get affected by the vibrations and its steady shot software.
One thing you do at every annual inspection is a detailed check of all assemblies.
Maybe i am used to it by now, but vibrations are not enough to spoil the fun of flying gyros.
Love your travels! Can you say something about your camera setup, how it tracks, etc... Thanks
Thank you for watching... Your praise makes it all worthwhile... My "main" camera is an Insta360 OneX, a 360 camera, that captures the world around it. In post production I select where the "lense" faces and the zoom level. This makes the video appear like there was a human operator moving the camera. I also use footage from other cameras as they are available during flight. I shoudl probably do a video of how I manage the raw footage. IF you follow my Facebook page, theer is a post from couple fo years ago descussing the camera mounts, etc. Contact me via my email (peter@lagyro.com) if you would like more detailed information.
@@lagyro Fantastic! while doing housework I have your adventures running and often time the scenery is so distracting I actually stop what I am doing and sit and watch! Thank you my friend!
@@supermanlxvi Thank you for the kind words... I don't want to sound weird, but the views are really spectacular - even sumple things like green fields, and houses look better from the air. I wish my camera had a better color capture... and I also wish everybody would have the opportunity to take a flight in a small aircraft. Once I got involved in aviation, I realized that the industry is doing a lowsy job advertising what it could offer to the general public. And, Yes, you have to drive to airport, and maybe get unlucky with cancellations due t o bad weather, but once you get the chance to fly... Oh, boy, you are hooked...
Why is the stick vibrating so much?
“…vibrating too much” is relevant… all gyros have vibrations and the battle is to keep them to a minimum. In this case you have to keep in mind that you are looking through the eyes of a camera that is vibrating and trying to apply stabilization algorithms to the video footage. I am not saying there is no room for improvement, but it all has to be assessed in person.
What was your average crushing speed and fuel consumption. Great video.
Cruising speed is between 80-90 knots, and burns around 5.5 gallons per hour.
Doesn't the shaking of the stick irritate you after a while? No way to dampen it? Great video, tx
When I think about it, I cannot remember a time when I landed and was happy to rest my arm because it was shaken too much...
I believe the shaking looks worst on screen than it really is, besides my grip on the stick is fairly loose, so very little vibrations would be transferred.
So informative, well narrated. What does this gyro cost on average?
If you were to purchase this same gyro, it would probably cost you in the visinity of $120K when all is seid and done, and if you have the money, for about $150K you can get the super-duper combo of Rotax 915iS engine and Garmin glass cockpit... And now that you have seen its real world endurance and capability, you probably realize, these machines are a very capable "toys"...
OK, call us when you get to Oshkosh!
I live in St George Utah. It was nice from the airport used to be right in the center of town on top of the Mesa. Do you have to use airport I was driving on the 15 freeway 70s and helicopter landed at the Sambo's restaurant in the parking lot
Yes, I like to use airports... it is legal that way, and safer... ;) ...and in the US we have plenty of airports to choose from.
Curious to know what the pan/tilt/zoom camera you used looking over your shoulder?
I am actually using an Insta360oneX camera. It captures a 360 video, then I use their editing software to convert it to flat video pointing at the direction I like.
What kind of headset are you using, I want one. Great video.
It is the “ClarityAloft” with Bluetooth connectivity. Of course if you do not need bluetooth connectivity you can just take the regular headset.
Hope you made it all the way!
How many days did it take?
The enclosed Gyro is the way to go!
Most of my Gyro flying was not enclosed or was open cop pit! Keep up the good work …
It took me 5 days to get to Oshkosh, and 5 days to get back, so there are more videos for you to watch and expect... ;)
I flew an open cockpit gyro from Florida to California in 2019, and I enjoyed that trip immensely, but you ar ecorrect and fully enclosed cockpit is a better option on long cross-country flights...
@@lagyro ; i stayed in the Tennessee area, there’s a guy in Springfield TN area that commutes from north of me to John Tune Airport every day. I can hear him coming and his is solid white . I’m sure that green machine of yours gets pretty hot 🥵!
@@randallchunn8286 It gets hot on the ground right before I take off, but in the air there is enough ventilation to keep things normal. Also, for local flying, I can remove the doors and fly that way.
@@lagyro that’s good versatility for sure 😁
Can you put in more of the dialog between you and ground control so we get more of a feel of how that works thx
I am planning to do this in future videos…